Things to Do in The Woodlands

Shankz Black Light Miniature Golf has two locations that encompass 18 holes apiece, with each course set aglow in neon and covered with exotic creatures. As they travel through the indoor facilities, each putter must navigate around wrecked pirate ships, shoot between stubby dinosaur legs, and wrest their clubs from the mouths of tigers in what typically amounts to a 35- to 60-minute round of golf. To accentuate the course's glowing artwork and scenery, golfers can opt to put on a pair of 3-D glasses. Beyond the neon greens, Shankz also features the Balladium and Ballaster game rooms, in which competitors fire Nerf balls from air cannons at targets and at each other to score points and ward off encroaching Nerf army tanks.

Racing Humans events pit earthlings against 5 kilometers of treacherous terrain riddled with hills, hurdles, and enough mud to make a bathtub look into early retirement. During spectator-friendly adventures, racers are challenged with a strenuous course, but must conquer a series of obstacles as well, including crawling under barbed wire, swimming across lakes, and high stepping over stacks of logs. Course officials keep feet moving along the route, and afterward, an awards ceremony recognizes the day's fastest competitors and best costumes. Racing Humans also hosts 1-mile events for youngsters aged 7–14, during which kids surmount obstacles without help from their parents or answers from the back of the teacher’s book.

When Lisa Campbell and Rodney Rodriguez founded their studio, they hoped to teach the next generation to create, value, and love art. Now, the painting playground hosts a multitude of kids and adults who let loose their creative potential on blank ceramics and unpainted M&M’s using vibrant brushstrokes. With a homey atmosphere, visitors are free to relax as they experiment. The shop also hosts events such as kids' birthday parties and adult date and gathering nights.

Instructor Cindy Weller—who holds master-level certifications from Pilates Method Alliance and Pilates Academy International—and her team of nationally certified instructors draw on more than 500 hours of training as they lead private and semi-private Pilates classes. Limited class sizes reduce the chance of getting several students who share the name "Agapithe" and let instructors focus on customizing each workout. When teachers aren't leading sports-performance, rehabilitation, or men's classes, they whip physiques into shape with the Redcord suspension system or Yamuna Body Rolling.

Nestled at the southern point of Lake Conroe, Nauti-Dayz Boat Rentals facilitates fun with a fleet of nautical vessels. Outfitted with 90-horsepower Honda motors, pontoon boats welcome passengers for low-speed floats around the lake’s placid waters. MerCruiser motors send ski boats ripping across the waves, towing skiers, tubers, and wakeboarders in their frothy wakes. The shop also rents waverunners that seat up to two passengers and reproduce the high-speed thrill of riding a motorcycle across a full swimming pool. All rentals include complimentary fuel and life jackets.

At sunrise over Lake Conroe, beams of morning light scatter sparkling reflections off the water's placid surface. In the distance, a slight whine, audible only to the gulls and morning sunbathers, signals the end of a sleepy night and the beginning of an exciting day of water sports. The sound belongs to a Yamaha Waverunner VX110 Deluxe, just one of Fun Rentals' fleet of wave-taming watercraft. In addition to the zippy waverunners, their sturdy pontoons form a leisurely flotilla, welcoming guests in search of a calm trip along the lake's azure waves or a place to peaceful place to practice making aircraft carrier noises with their mouths. From the headquarters along one of the lake's private beaches, staffers also entices shore-bound guests with space for picnics and sunbathing.