Things to Do in Phoenixville

Marsh Creek Lake, lined with verdant shores and rolling hills, bobs with fishing boats, kayaks, sailboats, and windsurfing boards. About 535 acres of azure waters bejewel the surrounding 1,705 acres of hiking trails and picnic areas. Throughout the day, Marsh Creek Watersports leads one-hour pontoon-boat excursions that take guests through a history lesson of the park and surrounding region, leaving time for peaceful moments spent gazing at the natural wildlife. During the summer months, Marsh Creek also hosts kids' sailing camps to acquaint young ones with the techniques and safe practices of aquatic navigation, such as defending against Peter Pan attacks.

Valley Forge Bikes—the land-based arm of Marsh Creek Watersports—sends hoards of cyclists into the miles of trails snaking through Valley Forge National Historical Park. Among its network of paths carved from converted railroad beds lies a 5.5-mile paved loop adjacent to the Schuylkill River Trail. Visitors can amble through these thoroughfares on foot or aboard an assortment of mountain, racing, or combo bikes, as tots ride behind on trailer bikes and buggies.

The 2000 World Census determined that there's the same number of styles of yoga as there are practitioners (3.7 billion). With today’s Groupon you can sample them all (Chi yoga, Vinyasa, Kundalini, Acroyoga, etc): $49 gets you a month of unlimited classes at Dhyana Yoga. With four locations, Dhyana offers more than 100 classes per month covering the gamut of styles—from breathing-based Kundalini yoga to butt-kicking Ashtanga to about six different versions of Vinyasa flow. Because you can hop around to the different locations, you’re sure to find a class that fits your mood, exercise interests, or hairstyle.

Presented by Gourmet Shows, the annual Taste Philadelphia Festival of Food, Wine, and Spirits showcases hundreds of local chefs, restaurants, and vendors. More than 200 tasting stations pepper the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, including the Taste of Italy Pavilion, where attendees can sample cheeses and wines from Europe’s boot-shaped peninsula. On the expo's stage, meanwhile, local chefs and culinary personalities teach onlookers their cooking techniques and favorite recipes during demonstrations. Attendees will have the chance to watch the likes of Michael Giletto, an award-winning chef whose food is a fusion of international cuisines, and Bethenny Frankel, best-selling author and star of Bravo's Bethenny Ever After, for an additional cost. Other educational events include beer seminars from award-winning writer Gary Monterosso and wine seminars that explain why, despite popular opinion, grape soda doesn’t complement veal as well as chardonnay does.

Inflated structures, slides, and games fill the climate-controlled environs of the numerous BounceU locations that speckle the nation. At each site, staff members closely monitor all activities as little ones traverse obstacle courses or pull on oversized inflatable boxing gloves. The crew also invites parents to join in on the fun, letting them bounce alongside their kids or make sweeping edicts from atop a bouncy-castle throne. In addition to open sessions, the indoor-play haven sets the stage for the Preschool Playdate program, where instructors lead games and activities. Special events include family-bounce night, which lets parents join in the bouncing or relax in the party room and do grownup things, such as eat marshmallows with a knife and fork.

GO USA Fun Park enthralls visiting families with abundant racing, gaming, and putting attractions strewn throughout its indoor and outdoor facility. A fleet of 20 go-karts stands ready to hug the turns and gun down the straightaways of a nearly quarter-mile-long track. A fully lit 18-hole mini golf course challenges werewolves building immunity to silver putters, and 30 golf tees equipped with coverings for rainy days or cold weather allow for skill-building practice shots. Batting cages enhance swinging skills with hard- or softballs approaching helmeted craniums at slow, medium, or lightning-fast speeds. The indoor arcade brims with an array of video and redemption games, with nifty prizes awaiting homes behind an overflowing counter.