Santa Monica, CA Outdoor Activities

At 41, Steve Pratt still hits golf balls past 300 yards without shanks or curves, all thanks to having met a Guinness record holder. His studies under Dr. Mike Austin, inventor of the Mike Austin swing, gave him in-depth knowledge of the physics of a golf swing. Austin’s tutelage also helped him learn how to work with the body's joints to unleash massive drives and melt excess cartilage into moonshine. While his record of a 415-yard drive is a point of pride, he's more passionate about teaching this swing method to his students, and that passion has only increased over his 19-year teaching career.

The Golf Academy/LA's savvy instructors impart tee-to-green golf wisdom to help duffers improve all aspects of their golf games and golf-specific fitness goals. Lessons harness the latest teaching aids and technology, which allow golf aces to analyze each of their client's swings with verifiable data gleaned from 3-D sensors, slow-motion video feedback, and caddies returning from a mulligan-free future. Instructors advocate the importance of physical fitness and custom-fitted clubs to the development of a well-rounded game, which can be achieved and attained within the academy's three locations.

Surrounded by craggy peaks, three men in bright-red helmets stand in the midst of wilderness, surveying the mountains around them as their group of hikers break for a snack on the rocky ground. This interface with the majesty of nature is all in a day's work for this trio of adventurers—Paul Mangasarian and Jakob and Daniel Laggner. Still, their passion for open-air exploration grows with each expedition they lead. Paul, Jakob, and Daniel cofounded Treks and Tracks with the dream of orchestrating excursions into nature that combine ancient means of travel—such as sailing, horseback riding, and hitchhiking on a centaur—with modern sports ranging from surfing to rock climbing. Though they focus on introducing novice outdoorsfolk to unspoiled wilderness around the world, Treks and Tracks' cofounders also strive to leave the awe-inspiring surroundings they visit as pristine as they found them by rigorously upholding practices of environmental stewardship on each expedition.

Holding certifications from organizations such as the American Mountain Guide Association, the guides behind OnRope Consulting formed the rock-climbing school to offer training for all levels of climbers. Held at one of the many mountainous locations surrounding Los Angeles, onsite classes range from introductory-level climbs to personal training. Beyond helping outdoorsman scale summits, the guides organize wilderness adventure trips, including sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, or backpacking across California's rugged, awe-inspiring terrains. For groups, they also lead team-building programs that bring people together through activities such as rope courses, camping, and hair-braiding circles.:m]]

iFLY Hollywood’s state-of-the-art indoor wind tunnel lets acrophobic and aerophobic adrenaline junkies experience the sensations of skydiving under safe conditions. iFLY Hollywood will suit you up with a helmet, goggles, flight suit, earplugs, and a can of gravity repellent, before an instructor teaches you the basic maneuvers and hand signals. Once you've learned a lesson, you'll be unleashed into the vertical tunnel’s artificial wind current for two one-minute rotations of air time at terminal velocity (real skydives usually allow for about 40 seconds of air time). The entire process lasts about an hour, including waiver signing (flyers under 18 must have a parent or guardian sign), a 15-minute class, and a flight slot during which your group takes turns flying. In addition to the flight experience, the multimedia package includes a DVD with a recording of your flight.

Indoor skydiving is accessible to a wide, family-friendly age range, meaning that Grandma and Grandpa can celebrate their 60th anniversary with more than the traditional cake shaped like Andy Griffith. iFLY Hollywood’s free observation deck allows for maximum show-offiness, so invite along an audience of hard-to-impress friends, lovers, and butlers to marvel at your simulated plummet through the heavens.