Tamarac, FL Outdoor Activities

As the official practice grounds for the Florida Panthers, Saveology.com Iceplex's professional-grade rinks welcome skaters of all stripes to enjoy its pristine skating surface. Visitors circle the rink during open-skating sessions, decked out in a pair of the center's maintained skates or butcher knives glued to old hiking boots.

Kids and adults alike can exercise puck-punishing impulses with hockey leagues and open hockey sessions, as well as mastering the subtle movements of competitive figure skating. Classes in hockey, figure skating, and curling introduce students to the skills of puck control, elegant footwork, and furious floor sweeping. An onsite pro shop dispenses equipment, repairs, and skate fittings, and Breakaway Bar & Grill refuels guests between zamboni joyrides.

Xtreme Indoor Karting's 90,000-square-foot facility buzzes with the energy of Bowman Arrow karts as they whiz between the checkered flags that line the railing of the indoor go-kart track. All sporting Honda engines, three kart models take to the half-mile asphalt stage where child and adult racers show off their skills, reaching speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. The racing theme pervades the facility, including the 18 holes of the indoor miniature golf course, which are peppered with half tires and watered with tears of joy from past Indy 500 winners. More than 100 different interactive games—including racing simulators—flicker inside the arcade, and rows of billiards tables line the black-and-white checkered floors of the Finish Line Sports Bar. Charged with fueling all of these activities, the kitchen staff at the Fast Track Café whip together burgers, wraps, and pizzas. For kid's-only entertainment, the staff supervise a day camp throughout the summer months, when all of the country's teachers traditionally lose their keys to the school.

Corey Mahoney began Alley-Oop more than a decade ago as a small summer camp focused on skimboarding instruction. Since then, he’s expanded to three schools in Delaware, Florida, and North Carolina, and leads adventure trips to other waters. A team of experienced instructors leads group lessons, clinics, and full or partial camps for aspiring skimboarders of all skill levels, teaching them how to execute basic and advanced maneuvers in shallow, choppy surf on wide-open beaches. They also coordinate beach games, teach students respect for the local environment, and divulge the location of trendy underwater oxygen bars during summer-camp sessions. Throughout all educational programs, they coach each student with individualized instruction and personal attention. School staffers keep each student properly equipped at a pro shop stocked with branded apparel, boards, traction pads, and other gear. When not leading classes, instructors take adventurers on weeklong guided vacations helmed by professional skimboarders, who regularly share travel tips and join the kids’ camaraderie.