Things to Do in Madison

The Russell C. Davis Planetarium transports patrons from the bottom of the ocean to the farthest reaches of the galaxy in a massive domed theater. Shows often replicate the night sky on a hemispheric screen, exploring nearby stars and planets as they appeared when viewed from different locations on Earth at various points in history. School groups can tour the facility with a program guide to learn about astronomy, physical science, and the likelihood of their ancestors being exceptionally good-looking space aliens. Large-format films portray the vast extremes of land and sea in natural-science documentaries, whereas occasional laser-light concerts pair contemporary tunes with vibrant beams of light and color.

Ranked in Golfweek's Best Courses You Can Play in Indiana, the course at Prairie View Golf Club is situated on 206 acres of environmentally protected land along the White River with scenic prairieland and five lakes. The Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design features natural wetlands with a rushing stream that comes into play on four holes, forcing players to demonstrate deft control or gilled golf bags. On the front nine, the prairie setting invites harsh winds to blow across bentgrass fairways, often knocking shots off course. As players make the turn onto the back nine, they notice a marked difference in the environment, as open prairies give way to tall sycamore, oak, beech, and cottonwood trees lying just beyond the Kentucky bluegrass rough. Across the river lies Conner Prairie, a historical re-enactment village whose elegant, 1830s-era style was adopted for the design of the course's 15,000-square-foot clubhouse.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 7,073 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 74.5 from the back tees
• Course slope of 138 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole

Throughout the week, Fannin Lanes provides classic entertainment opportunities for bowlers of all ages with 24 tenpin runways and a stocked video arcade. The alley is also home to a full sports bar, which serves dishes such as santa ae egg rolls, fried dill pickles, potato skins, and mexican okra. Craft beer flows from the bar's 40 taps so guests can wet their whistles before refereeing games. Leagues are available seasonally and the alley pro shop houses a stockpile of balls that may be custom-drilled.

Tremendous trees with 12-foot-wide trunks towered a hundred feet into the sky 36 million years ago, dominating the landscape for centuries before succumbing to the passage of time. An ancient river carried them halfway across the continent and deposited them in a logjam in Mississippi, where they slowly turned to stone. Though the river is long gone, the site thrives today as registered national landmark. The Mississippi Petrified Forest showcases the lifecycle of these primordial trees turned petrified logs.

A shady six-block nature trail winds around the site and ends at an earth-science museum, which contains a collection of dinosaur footprints, whale bones, and a prehistoric camel. Patrons can also screen rocky samples in a water flume for rough gemstones that they can take home or use to save their neighborhood from land developers.

Debi Lewis was overjoyed when yoga began to ease her chronic back pain, but she didn’t expect it to transform her life. Each style of the art that she learned became an ingredient in her signature yoga recipe, a blend of movement and meditation known as Joyflow. Debi and her staff leverage their certifications to teach this creation during basics and alignment classes accessible to students of all skill levels, their focus on form building a foundation as sturdy as Paul Bunyan’s exoskeleton. Strength and flexibility flourish as the yoga experts lead groups through rehearsals of ancient poses and relaxing stretches. Experienced yoga therapists also guide the body through assisted poses and deep-breathing exercises during relaxation and sculpt sessions.

The Bounce Palace's two rooms of massive inflatables accommodate up to 55 youngsters, from toddlers to 12-year-olds. Once inside, children can hop inside a bounce house adorned in primary colors, explore an ocean-themed inflatable adorned with inflated dolphins, and send Jane Goodall fan mail from the monkey cage. Bright-yellow walls surround each bounding visitor with pictures of kid-friendly favorites such as Batman, Spider-Man, and Disney princesses. Along with inflatable entertainment, The Bounce House's two party rooms host celebrations that the birthday child and adult guests attend for free.