Things To Do in Palatka

A not-for-profit initiative of the World Golf Foundation, The World Golf Hall of Fame pays homage to golf's most prolific players with a vast collection of historic artifacts and interactive exhibits. Audio tours narrate the intricacies of more than 175 points of interest, including a life-size replica of the Swilcan Bridge that highlights an exhibit honoring the sport's origins as an ancient Scottish frisbee game. A trip through golf's evolving history culminates in a Trophy Room at the pinnacle of a 110-foot tower, which provides rare glimpses at championship crowns and cups from tournaments such as the Ryder Cup. Outdoors, an 18-hole, natural-grass putting green invites visitors to test their swing in the shadow of golf's finest, complete with a challenge hole that mimics the famous 17th hole at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass and awards shots that land on the green with a special limited edition Induction Ceremony print. In its ongoing quest to treat guests to an immersive, larger-than-life experience, The World Golf Hall of Fame is also home to a six-story-tall IMAX screen that inundates the senses with digital surround sound and 3-D displays of full-length and documentary-style films.

Paint-laden platoons roam Gorilla Paintball’s two competition fields, splattering their rivals’ backs with safe, multihued acrylic bullets. Strap into included equipment before dashing across the speedball field, ducking, diving, and stopping to read an inspirational excerpt from War and Peace behind the field’s 44 bunkers. Field designers reconfigure obstacles frequently, preventing a creeping sense of familiarity from settling in among veteran players. Each of Gorilla Paintball’s competition arenas fall under the watchful gaze of on-field referees who keep the peace and give postmatch piggyback rides to the winners.

The wind picks up over the St. Johns River, catching the sails of Cap'n Don Stokes's fleet of boats and propelling the vessels along the coastline, where sailing instructors point out ospreys perched in the trees as the sea stretches into the distance.

This natural revelry is thanks to The Sailboat Club, whose crew frees members from the responsibilities of boat ownership—such as maintenance, insurance, and renting slips—and grants unlimited sailing on a fleet of sailboats. Additionally, as an accredited training facility of the American Sailing Association, the club encompasses a team of instructors who teach lessons for all levels of sailors, ranging from those who just noticed wind to experienced sailors seeking a captain's license.

The friendly sub-surface staff and committed conservationists at Scuba Extreme spread their waterlogged gospel of underwater maneuvering through safe and fun diving instruction. In the "Skin Diver" course, budding sea-people will learn the basics of snorkeling and free-diving techniques. Instructors will equip students with a mask, snorkel, and fins, and then lead participants through the basics of submerged breathing and safety. The class lasts between two and three hours, or approximately one year in the life of a fantail guppy.

As a 100% NRA membership club, Ancient City Shooting Range brings together instructors and sportsmen who respect the responsibility required to safely operate a firearm. To help each member become a more seasoned marksman, Ancient City’s staff supervises a 40-acre outdoor range, where shooters can step onto 18 bays with targets positioned between 7 and 185 yards for pistol and rifle shooting. For an added challenge, some bays are outfitted with computerized pneumatic targets. The range also hosts weekend shooting competitions, encouraging camaraderie under expert supervision. In addition to overseeing such events, instructors also teach defense classes tailored for everyone from everyday citizens to security professionals. Additionally, Ancient City Shooting Range’s team supports the Wounded Warrior Project, a program which helps wounded soldiers return to civilian life.

Harnessed firmly to instructors, students leap from planes for a heart-thwacking minute of free fall at speeds of more than 120 miles per hour. Parachutes open approximately 4,500 feet above the ground, allowing customers to waft downward for up to seven minutes before landing softly at a preplanned location. Students should allot four hours for the entire experience to allow for conflicting weather conditions or unexpected attacks from feral helium balloons.

Florida Tennis Center's one-hour clinics acquaint beginner and novice racqueteers with tennis fundamentals in an instructive, competitive environment. Players are grouped by age and ability, so baseline apprentices can begin to master tennis's trying techniques among those equally versed in the art of yellow-orb smashing. Glide across one of the complex's 24 green-clay courts as the ball machine serves up shots to batter cross-court with a textbook low-to-high forehand, a firm-wristed volley, or a highly illegal—but still impressive—scissor-kick. The club provides free loaner racquets to those yet to wrangle their own set of strings and the final class consists of a one-hour supervised practice match where players can test their meddle against fellow classmates and berate imaginary line judges.