Things to Do in Tolland

Located amid Mashantucket's rolling hills in the middle of the Foxwoods Resort Casino, Comix treats laugh-seeking audiences to shows by the country's top touring performers. The club hosts national headliners, up-and-comers, and musical acts; its shows in the 1,400-seat Fox Theater give jokesters the chance to share their act with a larger but still intimate audience; and its shows in the 4,000-person MGM Grand Theater host such hilarity-generating superstars as Louis C.K., Jim Gaffigan, and Margaret Cho. Before shows, guests can take advantage of happy hour, perusing a menu of tasty appetizers and thirst-quenching drinks.

Jim Scoggins first felt the rocking of a ship's deck in the 1950s on the rolling waters of Lake Champlain. Though he traveled south and found himself in healthcare administration for the next few decades, he never lost the passion for sailing—and eventually returned to New England to conquer more waves in the 1980s. With Sail the Sounds LLC established at three local ports, Captain Jim now uses his original sailing craft, an O'Day 39, as part of his training and charter fleet. He and his wife, Teresa, helm an ASA-certified training center, charter service, and cruising club to set guests out on the sparkling waters of Mystic River and Mystic Harbor. Captains pilot three Hunter yachts for chartered trips, as well as six Hunter 240 sailboats for captain rentals, sailing-club events, and classes teaching technique for keelboats, coastal navigation, and safely chartering parties of water-fearing cats.

"There is this amazing energy out on the water; you get a chance to ride Mother Nature. It doesn't cost anything, and there is always a freshness to it." When Global Boarding's founder Robb Reid describes his profession, it's hard to believe he has been at it for more than a quarter of a century. Mr. Reid remains as passionate as when he first discovered surfing as a young boy. "It has always brought me happiness," he says.

As a professional wakeboarder and coach, Mr. Reid's dedication took him across the globe. He traveled to the beaches of Central America and learned to do everything upside down in Australia. Despite each country's beauty, it wasn't until Mr. Reid and his wife found the clear waters and nature preserves of Sag Harbor that they knew they had found what they were looking for: a home. In 2001, Global Boarding was born.

Along with a team of ARC, Level 2 Paddle Fit-certified professionals, Mr. Reid keeps his customers from surfing in the bathtub May through September of each year. Their fleet of boats can pull water gear such as tubes, wakeboards, and water skis. In Global Boarding’s kids' surf program, Mr. Reid uses wake surfing as a transitional tool to teach new surfers how to find balance atop the ocean's natural playgrounds.

The blue waters lap gently at the fleet of boats docked in the certified clean Three Belles Marina. After the crews arrive, the sailboats and motorboats are ready to set out on the nearby protected cove. When the sailors arrive, they can find a certified mechanic seven days a week and take a dip in a sunny swimming pool because Three Belles Marina strives to offer all-encompassing onsite services and amenities.

Before helming Paddle Board RI, John Andel was working as an IT consultant, itching to hop onto his board as the hours crept by each day. An erstwhile surfer, scuba diver, and spear fisher, John had encountered standup paddleboarding while visiting Costa Rica and fell in love with the aquatic pastime faster than two cupids in an archer's duel. "You get a whole different perspective,” he says of standing up on the board. “Sometimes you can see 20 feet down into the water.”

Drawn to the sport’s flexibility, John has engineered a diverse selection of tours, including the full-moon paddle, the business’s most popular tour, which takes groups out on quiet waters to gaze up at the glowing orb and stake out real estate for the moon colonies of the future. Another tour, the Tuckered Dog, invites pooches to hop on board with their owners at a dog-friendly pond. Paddle Board RI also offers classes from introductory lessons to less traditional options, such as paddleboard yoga taught by a certified yoga instructor, meditative sunrise sessions, and muscle-sculpting workout classes.

Although his business has taken off, Andel still leads the vast majority of the tours: at the heart of the venture still beats his own passion for being out on the water and sharing his love of paddleboarding with others. “We’re not just a rental company,” he says. “We’re about enjoying the water.”