Things To Do In Vancouver

Seven Seas' Discover Scuba class prepares curious scuba dabblers to meet the deep in a safe, kraken-free environment. Class begins with a DVD viewing at the dive shop, as well as an introduction to Seven Seas' expert diving staff. Then, undersea novices are whisked away to the facility's nearby pool for practice using underwater breathing devices and other scuba equipment. By the end of class, eager greenhorns' interests are piqued and prepared to begin their pursuit of open water certification, also available through Seven Seas. A $25 credit toward certification assists future divers in accomplishing their dreams of viewing an authentic tableau of dogfishes playing poker. Grab a Groupon and view the website's calendar to see which session best fits your schedule, then call to reserve your spot.

The whoosh of baseballs against protective screens and leather mitts drifts through Extra Innings’ 11,000-square-foot facility even when rain is pouring down and baseball season seems far away. Athletes training for all levels of play can shut themselves in under the black meshing of eight multiuse batting and pitching tunnels, where they crush ball after ball to sharpen the minute movements of their swing. The tunnels, one of which is equipped with ProBatter ATEC7600 simulator, are all equipped with L screens and ping machines and are ideal for practicing sliders. A staff of current and former professional, college, and high-school athletes offers step-by-step instruction and on baseball- and softball-specific strength conditioning. In private lessons and group clinics, Extra Innings puts students of all ages on the path toward big-league skills such as hitting the curve and spitting sunflower seeds into the shape of a beautiful sunset.

Oregon Inflatables' fleet of bouncy chambers, water slides, games, and obstacles courses brightens birthday parties, graduations, and backyard barbecues with an old-school carnival flair. Each bouncy structure decks out air-filled cavities with themed decorations, dressing up playpens to resemble sunny stacks of crayons, turreted castles, or formidable pirate fortresses. Water slides and dunk tanks cool off partiers with romps through refreshing molecules of H2O, while obstacle courses, sumo suits, and games add a touch of friendly competition to gatherings. Oregon Inflatables couples its castles and water spouts with rentable cotton candy and snow-cone concessions that entertain taste buds with the sweet notes of spun sugar and flavored snowman meat.

For a couple of days, the Washington County Fairgrounds transforms into a jungle. Large cats. Venomous snakes. Reptiles of all types. Those and other animals sprawl across the Pacific Northwest Reptile & Exotic Animal Show, where more than 100 vendors display exotic creatures and related merchandise. In addition to the animals and products on sale, the show doubles as an educational attraction. Interactive reptile and mammal displays teach visitors about new creatures, while an exotic animal petting zoo lets visitors discover which animals secretly know how to shake hands.

The facilities of inferno Fitness & Sports span 25,000 square feet and include a full-size basketball court, a private CrossFit studio, and an octagonal cage. Inside that cage, members can practice mixed-martial-arts skills learned during classes taught by veteran coaches. The gym also offers Combat Conditioning classes that fuse aerobic exercises with self-defense techniques and calorie-burning Zumba classes set to latin, hip-hop, and salsa music.

It’s fitting that Brian Nosler’s hobbies include both golf and fly fishing. Both sports require concentration, appreciation for the outdoors, and a fluid backstroke to hit a specific target. But when he’s not intentionally wading in streams, the 2013 Oregon PGA Player of the Year does his best to avoid water at all costs. During professional golf-instruction sessions, Nosler guides students with a simple approach to swing fundamentals, teaching both full-swing mechanics and short-game techniques—a personal specialty that contributed heavily to his previous wins at the Oregon, Washington, and Montana State Opens. In addition to helping students master the art of reading greens' dense instruction manuals, Nosler provides club-repair services and personal club-fitting sessions.