Things to Do in Paradise

Located at Lake Tahoe, just 6 miles northwest of Tahoe City and about 200 miles east of San Francisco, the slopes of the 2,400-acre Alpine Meadows boast stunning views, well-groomed courses, and 13 lifts carrying skiers to their powdery destinations. Thanks to friendly confetti dispersal from unspeakable partier Old Man Winter, the mountain has collected more than 71 feet of snow this season. On Fourth of July weekend, Alpine opens its slopes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with runs designated for beginners, intermediates, experts, and sentient skis determined to go it alone. Maximize snow time by renting a ski or snowboard (not included in this Groupon), available all weekend long.

Copses of serene pines, oaks, and redwoods cluster along no fewer than 36 rye-grass fairways at Lincoln Hills Golf Club. Even after creating its first 18-hole Hills course, designed by professional golfer Billy Casper and famed course architect Greg Nash, the club decided it wanted another. Its ambition created a second par 72 layout—the Orchard course—giving golfers a choice between two courses where large greens nestle amid rolling hills and naturally occurring wetlands.

The older Hills course unfurls over 6,876 yards. Its second hole demands a tee shot over a lake and onto a tight fairway before players even begin to aim at a green guarded by a bunker on the left. The newer Orchard course also makes golfers sweat at the second fairway, its hardest, which earns a par 5 by coming in at 598 yards and offering a plethora of sand bunkers as well as a 75-foot slope from the tee box to the green.

Instead of smashing cell phones to make rudimentary compasses, golfers navigate the course in GPS-equipped golf carts. The club also entices players with an 8-acre driving range, a practice area for putting and chipping, and individual or group lessons with professionals Steven Treadway and Patty Snyder—a former LPGA Tour player.

All across California, Western Bowling Proprietors Association sends pins scattering at a network of bowling alleys, each with its own personality. In addition to open bowl on automatically scored lanes, many locations host special events that heighten the experience with enhancements such as vibrant lights, lively music, and laser systems that do double duty protecting the alleys' diamond collections. The alleys also house refreshment facilities, pro shops, and diversions that range from arcade games to billiards.

In the decade since Kelly Clarkson was crowned the winner of the first season of American Idol, she’s put out four albums and racked up four Grammys, two AMAs, and two MTV Video Music Awards. Entertainment Weekly placed her on its list of 30 Greatest Music Artists Right Now not only for her pop prowess but because "she makes her own rules," branching out into country sounds and serving as a guest mentor on The Voice. Her voice slashes and soars through her anthemic breakout-breakup hit “Since U Been Gone,” and the resilience and maturity gained from a decade in the sometimes-harsh public eye peek through her recent chart-topper “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).”

Due to security restrictions, G-Passes must be printed out and presented in person at the event. They cannot be redeemed through Groupon's mobile app.

On Point Entertainment has figured out the formula to giving people a good time. That’s because its staff is composed of celebration experts: experienced DJs, entertainers, and party planners who have seen dozens of parties succeed and know what it takes to make that happen. Together, they combine their respective experiences to help clients plan and throw memorable events. They have experience planning for a range of occasions, including wedding receptions, school dances, baptisms, corporate parties, and cultural parties, and flaunt a collection of music appropriate to each. Meanwhile, the company's roster of rentals further enhances the party atmosphere with photo booths, a raffle-ticket drum, a chocolate fountain, and a bounce house ideal for marrying a couple that doesn't believe in gravity.

Staffed by a team of experienced driving coaches and drifting professionals, American Controlled Driving Academy thrills audiences with drifting and stunt-driving classes on the paddock of Thunderhill Raceway. The 3-mile, 15-turn, FIA-certified course boasts challenging turns and crossovers ideal for alternating instructional skidding events and competitions. Additionally, the program gathers seasoned instructors to bestow drifting fundamentals to all levels of drivers, using a step-by-step teaching process in a student-friendly environment.