Things To Do in San Marcos

Canyon Lake Golf Club's 18-hole layout flows across 6,582 yards of parkland terrain wafted by cool breezes that drift from Canyon Lake, which rests just northeast of the course. Towering oak trees loom over the course's open fairways, impeding the passage of errant golf balls while trumpeting their unrivaled, bird's-eye views of the surrounding topography. Bookended by two 500-yard par 5s, the par 72 invites golfers to brandish their drivers or modified T-shirt cannons and begin and end the round with massive tee shots. An outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts foster alternative forms of recreation, whereas multifaceted dining facilities host all varieties of social gatherings at the club.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,528 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 71.6 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 127 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard

A finalist for the 2006 Richard Rodgers Award, Greetings from Yorkville poignantly chronicles the travails and joys of a Midwestern songwriting duo as they move to Manhattan to realize their dream of a life in musical theater. Under the direction of two-time Tony Award–winner Thommie Walsh, real-life couple Anya Turner and Robert Grusecki dramatize the autobiographical narrative with minimal scenery and few explosions, relying on the textures of her voice interwoven with his piano in a tale that “rings true because it is their own” (New York Times). The Brauntex Theatre will host a one-night-only reprise of the original Off-Broadway run in its intimate 600-seat auditorium, feeding families and garnishing West San Antonio Street with a sliver of Big Apple.

Lost Paintball's one-acre, multifaceted battlefield sets the scene for endless alternate endings to action-packed pigment warfare. Sharpshooters suit up in issued full-face masks to protect precious visages and delicate paintballs allergic to human skin. The keepers of the course then bestow a paintball gun, barrel cover, and 500 tinted spheroids upon each warrior. With an unlimited stock of nature's rarest resources—time and air—pistol wielders roam Lost Paintball's two main combat zones in search of enemies. The field—a flat, grassy clearing with inflatable bunkers—inspires belly-crawling, and the woods—a series of paths and lightly protective wooden bunkers built by war-mongering beavers—encourages full-fledged sprints to safety.

Just blocks from the 72-degree waters of the Comal River, Comal Tubes provides inflatable passports to the spring-fed waters that converge in downtown New Braunfels with the Guadalupe River's choppier rapids. Toes and fingers trail in the temperate waters throughout a two-hour float, alternately slipping past tree-lined shores and whipping down faster-moving tube chutes, while others seize their aquatic destinies by the oars with kayak rentals. Comal Tubes' free parking and shuttle service grant more time for the water, and the shop outfits river riders with refreshments, ice, sunscreen, and other gear to escape the mundanity of land-based life's preoccupation with shirts and shoes.

A buoyant fleet of inflatable rafts and tubes drifts lazily down two sprawling rivers populated with exciting rapids and falls. During 1.5- to 5-hour treks, guests can traverse the Comal or Guadalupe River in an inner tube, relax with a partner in a two-seater raft, or host a regulation poker game with friends inside a raft that holds up to six. Trip durations and age cutoffs may change on a daily basis depending on current river flow.

John Newcombe Country Club's veranda looks out upon eight lit tennis courts with a sweeping backdrop of Texas Hill Country. While tennis students aged 3 and up scamper over the courts under the guidance of certified instructors, AFAA-certified personal trainers oversee the fitness program, while making sure to reapply bronzing oil every half-hour. They guide trainees through free-weight exercises, as well as classes in Zumba, Pilates, TRX training, and AquaFit conducted in an outdoor pool. While their parents sweat, children can make art and watch movies in the kids' club, or seek out their dream rackets in the pro shop.

The experienced coaches at American Allstar Gymnastics Inc teach children of all ages how to climb and cartwheel during recreational gymnastics, cheer, and tumbling classes. Youngsters teeter atop balance beams, swing from parallel bars, or ride into the sunset on pommel horses during gymnastics sessions, which build both flexibility and strength. A one-hour tumbling course introduces choreographed rolls and floorwork to pupils of every skill level. Alternatively, cheer-tumble classes throw a bucketful of pep into acrobatic routines for beginner to intermediate students. Sessions limit attendance to seven whippersnappers per coach, ensuring staff members have enough time to dispense personalized tips to each child before demonstrating how to earn a perfect 10 at competitions by bicycle-kicking baked goods into the judge's mouth.