Things to Do in South Ogden

Whirlybird Helicopters’ FAA-certified pilots take to the sky for an array of services—from crop dusting to cattle herding to aerial photography. During flight training classes, they provide one-on-one instruction while introducing students to real-life situations aboard a Cessna 172 airplane or Enstrom or Robinson helicopters. Pilots also jettison guests high above the city for 10- to 60-minute helicopter tours, which take in sprawling views of the Ogden Canyon, Wasatch Mountains, and more.

Gravity is a limit, and the safety-conscious staff at Get Air Sportsplex won't stand for that—they help guests of all ages defy Newton's obsession. Their facility is chock-full of aerial-activity apparatus, including 50 huge trampolines, an 80-foot dodge-ball court, and five foam pits. Each foam pit is outfitted with TVs so that jumpers can watch delayed replays of their cannonballs and airborne tricks. There's a kids' area, too, that invites little ones to bounce on a trampoline slide and foam pit without risking injury or the most common outcome of jumping on the bed: having your parents replace your bed with a sleeping bag. An expansive parkour arena dares adventurous guests to test their physical discipline. Friendly staffers also prepare party rooms to help groups celebrate birthdays, corporate events, or a pogo stick's retirement party.

Ben Lomond Golf Course's 18-hole layout challenges golfers to send shots soaring against a dramatic backdrop dominated by Ben Lomond Peak and the Wasatch Mountains. Relatively open fairways invite golfers to unveil towering drives before a gauntlet of obstacles demands deft iron play, delicate putting, and experienced sea legs in order to tame the undulating greens. A water fountain on Hole 6 highlights the front nine as it shoots water high into the air against the peaks in the distance, distracting golfers with a postcard-worthy scene as they cruise around in GPS-equipped carts. On the back nine, the par 3 10th hole intimidates players with the precipice of a 210-yard tee shot alongside Highway 89, where street-legal golf carts and speeding ice-cream trucks can easily break a player's focus.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,176 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 67 from the back tees
• Course slope of 112 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees

More than two decades ago, Angy Ford, the owner of Bravo Arts Academy, taught her first piano lesson. In the years that followed, Angy’s student base steadily grew, taking over her home-studio space and filling it with noise like a college roommate with no conception of personal space. Angy was heartened by this positive response and overwhelmed by the number of students knocking at her door, so she moved her operation to its current Ogden studio space, which, like the home studio that came before, has continued to expand. Here, Angy couples her bread-and-butter music classes with a host of other engaging pursuits—from art classes to dance lessons—that help kids develop confidence, coordination, and artistic skills. The academy’s facilities invite tots to tumble over thick foam, ballerinas to pirouette over a floating marley floor, and pianists to tickle the ivories in a group setting.

Broken down by age group, the academy’s offerings include preschool, where classes are kept small and incorporate sign language into the curriculum, and extends all the way to private music lessons for adults. Angy models her daycare after the best practices she observed while visiting more than 50 childcare centers, encouraging creativity and learning rather than running infants through daily gauntlets of strength.

The designers of Toad's Fun Zone envisioned an indoor and outdoor play paradise that could enthrall visitors both young and old. To accomplish their plan, they filled a 4,300-square-foot arena with a wide range of attractions, including fire-and-ice laser tag and an arcade with more than 50 games. Outdoors, they complement their indoor black-light mini-golf course with two additional courses featuring brightly colored versions of traditional putt-putt standbys, including a fairy-tale castle, a farm windmill, and a to-scale Death Star. Back inside, snack-shop cooks flit about the kitchen slinging menu items such as pizzas, sandwiches, and salads.

On a sunny afternoon, kids climb to the top of a giant inflatable slide, kick their feet out, and ride the yellow decline into a ball pit. The merrymakers behind Sumo Party Planners enliven children's parties in just this fashion by renting out inflatable play structures such as bounce houses, obstacle courses, and life-size replicas of The Pentagon. Further amusements range from popcorn machines to face-painting stations. Sumo Party Planners can also combine rentals and services into party packages, with special pricing for schools, churches, charities, and the military.