Reno Outdoor Activities

Between all of the concrete walls, inflatable obstacles, and cleverly positioned barrels, it’s hard to get a good look at anyone at Reno Indoor Paintball. On any given day, the 27,000-square-foot facility hosts dozens of well-armored players, who sprint around the grounds and splatter their opponents until supplies run out or they accomplish their missions. During battles, the staff remains on hand to help players to gear up and to ensure things remain civil. And on select days, staffers also host training sessions or events for larger groups looking to celebrate occasions such as birthdays, bachelor parties, or a high-school graduate’s first successful load of laundry.

High above the rink at Roller Kingdom sits a DJ booth where record spinners select new hits and 80s-night tracks to send through the thunderous sound system. The melodies fill the rink and sync up with lighting effects that glisten on the sleek surface of the skating floor. During roller-derby bouts, the announcer's voice booms through the speakers to call out point tallies or impressive hits. Roller Kingdom keeps its vinyl rotating and music libraries whirring throughout the week, with special events such as haunted attractions during Halloween and extra-spooky Armistice Days.

Currently ranked as the 14th best hang glider in the United States, 23 year-old Alex Cuddy flies, competes, and teaches around the globe. But each summer, Cuddy returns to the familiar air of the Sierra Nevada, where he heads up Thermal Sky Sports, sharing his passion for engine-free aviation with illuminating lessons and tandem hang-gliding sessions. Before unleashing worthy pupils on their first solo flight with radio assistance, he'll teach them how to soar with the grace and majesty of an eagle-shaped helium balloon during low-flying ground towing sessions, tandem flights, and training-hill lessons. In his free time, Cuddy travels to various competitions and strives to break personal records, recently completing a 198-mile hang-gliding journey in 5 hours and 47 minutes.

Strapped into an ultramodern Apollo Trike powered hang-glider, FAA-certified instructor Paul Hamilton pilots air tourists above South Lake Tahoe’s crystalline expanse, which reveals picturesque reflections of the Sierra Mountains’ snow-capped crags. A light-sport aircraft powered by a purring Rotax engine, the Apollo Trike enables the prolonged airtime and weather compatibility not found in flights with a conventional hang-glider or out-of-control umbrella. During Paul’s introductory, intermediate, and advanced lessons, students swiftly suit up in appropriate flight gear before a quick safety briefing prepares them for the journey. An emphasis on hands-on training anchors the interactive lessons, which require no previous experience and may even take off in winter thanks to Ultimate Flight’s heated apparel and midflight campfires.