Queen Creek, AZ Outdoor Activities

Climbers cling to large, composite structures, strategizing their way up the side of a rocky cliff. They have come to conquer Climbmax Climbing Gym's myriad rock-face combinations and master the art of blindfolded belaying on thick, padded floors. Before challenging themselves on the climb-through cave or scaling an overhang, climbers slip into a harness and climbing shoes for safety.

In addition to climbing areas geared toward beginners and advanced climbers, a children's area features its own pint-sized climb-through cave where youngsters learn to appreciate all aspects of the stimulating sport. Thick padding covers the floors of each climbing area, ensuring safe landings and comfortable, celebratory belly flops from the wall's summit.

Dozens of balloons take flight at once, filling the dawn sky with brilliant blues, purples, oranges, and reds as they begin an aerial hare-and-hound race. After sunset, they return to Earth and once tethered, begin to glow, lighting up in time with festive music. For one weekend each year, visitors gather on the grounds outside the Gilbert Civic Center for the Arizona Balloon Classic––a three-day festival celebrating hot air balloon flight and culture. Live music fills the grounds throughout the weekend, attendees browse exhibits, and children play in a family-friendly area.

The annual balloon event is organized by Action Entertainment Group, which was founded by a duo special event planners to gather Arizonans for music, food, and amusement. The group also produces events such as the Arizona HogFest, the Elegant Affair, and TribStock––A Tribute Band Music Festival.

The PADI-certified instructors at All Wet Scuba—a PADI five-star dive center—prepare patrons for underwater adventures with the proper gear and diving-certification courses. Boasting more than 40 years of total diving experience, the staff leads students through a range of scuba courses for all abilities, from Discover Scuba to PADI Rescue Diver to PADI Advanced Open Water. The knowledgeable instructors don the same gear as their students, including the required clown nose, to better elucidate the finer points of operation. Further assisting divers, the staff can direct them to the necessary diving wares from Body Glove, OMS, and Cressi for rent or purchase in the full-service shop and offer gear-maintenance services to prevent tank leaks that might propel their operator into the den of a hungry giant squid. In addition to diving classes, All Wet Scuba also trains students in CPR and public safety.

Started as a fiberglass-repair business more than 18 years ago, Jet Action Rentals has evolved into its current multifaceted incarnation, offering both jet-ski rentals and maintenance. Seven days a week, customers can saddle up on Yamaha VX 110 WaveRunners, capable of reaching speeds up to 60 mph and holding up to three passengers. As an authorized warranty repair facility for Yamaha, Jet Action’s technicians continue to tweak the fiberglass, plastics, and Atlantean compounds used to manufacture most personal watercrafts. When not tending to aquatic vessels, technicians also nurture motorcycles, cars, and trailers back to health.

Shalimar Country Club's 2,417 yards of manicured golfing terrain are peppered with towering trees, slinking sand traps, and rolling hills. The design of the nine-hole, par-33 course masterfully incorporates its scenic assets—the fifth hole sits across a yawning lake, and the ninth hole's island green is flanked on all sides by water hazards, bunkers, and punks who steal golf balls for their solar-system dioramas. To be prepared to dodge these obstacles, players practice on a driving range and chipping-and-putting green. After their rounds, golfers can wander into the restaurant and lounge for a meal or a drink or peruse the golf shop to try on new apparel and test the mettle of name-brand equipment.

Course at a Glance:

• Nine-hole, par-33 course

• Distance of 2,417 yards from the farthest tees

• Course rating of 31.2 from the farthest tees

• Three tee options

• Link to scorecard

Sunbird Golf Resort lines up 18 picturesque holes in its par-66 executive course, which spreads over 4,384 yards amid a welcoming residential area. Though relatively short in overall length, the Gary Panks design brims with obstacles capable of ensnaring wayward balls, including greenside bunkers, water on 10 holes, and mischievous palm trees that drop coconuts to confuse searching golfers. Before a round, players can test green speed on practice putting greens next to the 1st and 10th tee boxes and warm up with shorter strokes on a slightly truncated driving range.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-66 course
• Total length of 4,384 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 62 from the back tees
• Course slope of 102 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard