Warr Acres, OK Outdoor Activities

European Formula EK20 karts whiz by on Pole Position Raceway’s quarter-mile track, cruising at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. Spectators crank their heads to keep up. There’s no wind to battle against, no sun blinding the drivers’ eyes, and no birds rigging the race by dropping smoke bombs because all of Pole Position Raceway’s competitions happen inside. This is thanks to a fleet of electric-powered karts, which accelerate more quickly and hug curves more smoothly than gas-powered karts without dumping out clouds of exhaust.

To sate speed cravings, drivers simply arrive and drive—show up and nab one of 12 spots in the next race. Then with a DOT-approved racing helmet, they push the pedal to the floor for roughly 10 minutes, drafting their opponents to fly past them near the finish line. At the end of each race, drivers receive a SpeedSheet that displays their race results, fastest lap time, and the likelihood of getting their own action-movie franchise. For those seeking to dive deep into the world of racing, Pole Position Raceway offers driving clinics and youth racing camps, where younger racers pilot EK10 karts that peak at 20 mph.

For the uninitiated, Maura Fliction, Kitty VonKlobber, Sweeney Quad, Taryn Bonesapart, and their fellow home-team derby girls will wage territorial track war for two 30-minute periods in each roller rumble, during which a designated jammer—usually the fastest, nimblest two legs on eight wheels—attempts to skate her way from the rear of the pack to lap opposing rollers. Running the gauntlet, the jammer must evade sexy but deadly hip thrusts, clotheslining arm guards, and a bank full of bounced body-checks (deemed void if cashed from behind). Points are rewarded each time the jammer passes an opposing skater, and the highest score wins the derby.

The breadth of water activities at OKC Riversport is nearly as diverse as the natural terrain and wildlife that surround their locations. Across Lake Overholser and the Oklahoma River, fleets of kayaks and standup paddleboards cut across the water. The sounds of drums fill the air as instructors teach students how to man the dragon boats—inspired by festive Chinese fishing vessels—or battle maritime knights. Pupils can discover a water sport for the first time or hone existing watercraft skills.

Like a fish with excellent breath control, OKC Riversport's visitors aren't regulated entirely to the water. There are 13 miles of riverside trails surrounding the area, beckoning cyclists and runners to test their mettle.

Andy Alligator's Water Park—next to its dry-land counterpart, Andy Alligator's Fun Park—laughs in the face of heat waves with its map of maritime attractions designed for cooling down on a hot day. The Riptide Racer's towering structure sends splish-splashers rocketing down colorful slides on their stomachs, while thrill-seekers cajole their buddies into two-person tubes before shooting through the spirals of the Banzai Pipeline. Island-themed walkways and slides festoon the play space at Cowabunga Cove, and the Paradise River lazily flows in a loop for relaxing tube rides and slow-motion reenactments of Speed 2: Cruise Control. Snorkels Café and Grill serves a menu of burgers, pizza, and sandwiches to replenish the energy spent by drenched diners.

A four-game tournament, The Preview features two highly ranked in-state powerhouses, the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowgirls, plus out-of-state spheroid swatters the Auburn Tigers and University of Illinois-Chicago Flames. Spectators are free to come and go as they please, as tickets are good for reentry. The slugging schedule is as follows:

Coffee Creek Golf Course's 18-hole course integrates groves of trees, rolling terrain, and numerous streams and ponds into a 6,623-yard layout that winds through the rustic scenery of a former horse ranch. The course's front and back nines form two distinct acts of on-course challenges, as the front side roams across relatively open, rolling terrain, setting up a climactic back nine teeming with tight tree lines and water hazards filled with frog civilizations that use golf balls as currency. Slick, bent-grass greens await at the end of every fairway, certain to make even simple putts tricky. Coffee Creek's driving range dutifully prepares pin-hunters' swings to hit the high-fade drive and pinpoint approach necessary to best the par 5 third hole—rated the course's most difficult. An onsite pro shop showcases apparel and accessories from Titleist, Callaway, and Ping, and the Out of Bounds Grill's menu lets players curb post-round cravings without having to eat their stash of broken golf tees.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole par 70 course
• Length of 6,623 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.1 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 125 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard