Things to Do in Newburyport

At Amesbury Sports Park, windswept passengers sail tubes down the snow-less summer lanes or, during winter, the powdery pathways of packed snow that dot hillsides of varying steepness. A conveyor belt returns them to the top of the hill in 90 seconds, where they can repeat the ride or hop inside of one of Amesbury Sports Park's plastic spheres, to take what they call a zorb ride. Their outdoor event venue can accommodate up to 30,000 people, and has previously hosted events such as the Warrior Dash, the Spartan Race, and their annual Brewfest. An onsite restaurant refuels recreationers with tasty American fare, and also hosts regular wine dinners that often sell out in advance. The park also has a function hall available for private parties, and a full-service catering business with cuisine prepared by executive chef Kevin Jacques.

Dennis and Provincetown Parasail and Jet Ski sends its clientele as high as 1,000 feet above Cape Cod Bay in colorful parasails, making it the highest parasail ride offered in New England. Towed along by speedboat, solo fliers and couples choose their preferred height and ride style, such as the Wet 'n' Wild flight, where riders are dunked into the water repeatedly, and the Elevator Gone Mad flight, where the chute quickly rises and drops as though a caffeinated child hit the buttons to every floor. The shop also cares for a stable of 17 Yamaha VX 1100 jet skis, whose four-stroke engines allow them to cut through calm bay waterways at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.

Originally sculpted into the New Hampshire countryside in 1889, Exeter Country Club's nine-hole course stretches across 2,801 yards for a par 35 layout. Wreathed by waterways flowing south from the Great Bay, the course cools off clubbers and hot-tempered carts with seaside breezes that waft across the greens. Though consisting mostly of straight-ahead fairways, the course forces players to adjust at the fifth hole, a 365-yard par 4 where golfers must bend drives around a dramatic 90-degree dogleg left obscured by dense tree lines. Exeter Country Club's on-site restaurant, Grill on the Hill, awaits at the end of the ninth green, serving up a menu of American fare to quench appetites after a day of dedicated pin-hunting and scorecard falsification.

Course at a Glance:

• 9-hole, par 35 course
• Length of 2,801 yards from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 114 from the farthest tees
• Link to scorecard

Captain Mike, a Coast Guard–licensed boater, takes singles, pairs, and groups of three onto the water in a boat built in 2011 and checked daily for safety. Parasailers prep for their ascent by strapping into equipment garnered from the world's leading parasail equipment manufacturers. A multicolored parachute then pulls them soaring into the blue firmament for a thrilling ride and views typically only seen while inside a paper airplane.

The six different parasailing experiences cater to varying tastes, with the Wet 'n' Wild option guaranteeing a dunk in the water and the Elevator Gone Mad flight promising patrons a quick shot into the air before falling gently back to earth. For another means of taking in the sights, the crew sets up beach-goers with safe, speedy jet skis that can hold up to three passengers.

Apple Hill Golf Club entices golfers of all abilities with a 27-hole tapestry weaved into rolling, New Hampshire woodlands. The club’s 18-hole course meanders across 6,184 yards of wide, bermuda grass fairways and bentgrass greens flanked by ponds that come into play on more than half of the holes. Those looking to hone their short game can tee it up on the nine-hole, par 3 course, an 800-yard layout that duffers can complete in an efficient 45 minutes, enabling them to squeeze in a session before dark or in time to drop off their 9-iron at soccer practice.

During the summer, PGA professional Steve Lundquist utilizes the multifaceted grounds to host a junior golf academy, which grants pupils free play on the par 3 course throughout the season. Along with a wide selection of clubs, balls, clothes, and shoes available for purchase, the club’s pro shop curbs appetites with fresh sandwiches, drinks, and hot dogs that can be braided together to form fully functional putters.

Championship Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Length of 6,184 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 68.6 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 124 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options

Situated on 25 wooded acres located next to the Taylor River, Taylor River Farm uses its beautifully bucolic space as a school for teaching students correct horsemanship and riding form. The Lesson Academy offers individualized instruction to students of all ability levels under the guidance of head instructor Kristin Farley, who has trained numerous world champions over a riding career that has spanned more than 25 years. The barn's heated indoor arena features a viewing room from which spectators can view a pupil's lessons in Hunt Seat, Saddle Seat, or Western. In addition to riding properly, students learn how to groom and tack up their lesson horse, as well as how to communicate with the horse telepathically.