Zanesville, OH Outdoor Activities

When the morning fog clears, a bridge fashioned out of five rustic corncribs appears to pay homage to EagleSticks Golf Club's roots. Originally used to feed the horses that grazed on the erstwhile farm, the wood from the corncribs now arches over a creek that splits the fairway on the 11th hole—a 591-yard par 5 dubbed the course's signature attraction for its bending fairway, elevated tee box, and visible ties to a bucolic past. Designed by renowned Ohio architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan, the 6,508-yard course challenges golfers with constant elevation changes—some of which exceed 100 feet—that demand accuracy, sound course management, and the ability to activate the cart's hang-gliding wings. Throughout the round, bentgrass fairways and greens present a much more hospitable landing place than the course's thick, bluegrass rough. At various hillcrests and elevated tees, players can take in a full view of the course's scenery, which includes several waterfalls and woodlands populated by oak, maple, ash, locust, and cherry trees ripe for the hugging.

After a day on the links, golfers can gather at Mac's Sports Bar to quiet rumbling bellies with a menu of classic American food such as burgers, sandwiches, and pizza. Guests can unwind in Mac's dining room—which features eight televisions, an open-beam ceiling, and other contemporary touches—or at the adjoining patio, which attracts summertime breezes and ghostly golf balls trying to reconnect with their long-lost owner.

Course at a Glance:

• Designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan

• 18-hole, par 70 course

• Length of 6,508 yards from the farthest tees

• Bentgrass fairways and greens, bluegrass rough

• Scorecard

Like a museum of living landscape paintings, The Dawes Arboretum combines the delicate beauties of a Japanese garden, a cypress swamp, and an azalea glen, creating a colorful haven of native plants. But this 1,800-acre wonderland wasn’t always so expansive. In 1929, when nature lovers Beman and Bertie Dawes first transformed their woodland property into an arboretum, it was just a 293-acre swath of Licking County. This stretch, with its rolling hills and mature trees, was so calm that it drew visitors from across the state and instilled a love of nature in the Dawes’ children.

Today, many of the arboretum’s more than 16,000 labeled trees and shrubs are representative of types native to central Ohio, such as the 17 Ohio buckeyes planted to form the number 17. Elsewhere, more than 100 bonsai trees adorn the courtyard by the visitors’ center. Along with plants, the grounds entice explorers with more than 12 miles of hiking trails and a 4-mile auto tour. Antiques and memorabilia from the 19th and 20th centuries adorn the Daweswood House Museum, and the Discovery Center enthralls youngsters with bird watching, crafts, and fun facts about honeybees and frogs.

At Scarborough East Tennis & Fitness Club, manager Bob Hilborn and his dedicated staff of tennis professionals impart cross-court wisdom to racket wielders of all ages. The team keeps members and guests in shape year-round by hosting lessons on indoor courts during cold months and on outdoor courts when it starts to rain inside. Membership programs gives ball swatters the ability to reserve courts, plus they get access to the workout facility, complete with computerized bikes, rowing machines, free weights, saunas, and towel service. Members can also take advantage of exclusive opportunities such as the yearlong junior program. This multilevel program pairs up to four students with an instructor who will attempt to help them hone their forehands and fine-tune their volleys.

The course at High Lands Golf Club challenges visitors with 6,599 yards of tight lies, concealed obstacles, and fairway trees extending their unlucky limbs into players’ sightlines. Tree-lined fairways and immaculate greens yield some scenic vistas for players bashing orbs along the course’s serpentine length. The signature third hole starts players off from an elevated tee shot that must stay out of the out-of-bounds area on the left, but not drift too far right, where clearing the wooded ravine on the second shot would become impossible. The next shot onto the elevated green is made difficult by the black walnut tree guarding the green, making for an altogether difficult run at par. Toward the end of the round, players must face a gauntlet of obstacles on holes 16, 17, and 18 before heading in for the day. Named the “Bermuda Triangle” for the architect’s tendency to incorporate treacherous waterways and affinity for Bermuda shorts, hole 16 challenges golfers with difficult lies, slippery putts, and water hazards that loom large.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Four sets of tees per hole
• Total length of 6,599 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 71.6 from the back tees
• Course slope of 130 from the back tees

Certified by The Association for Challenge Course Technology, the zipline course at Valley Zipline Tours speeds danglers over the scenic Northern Hocking Hills in spectacular fashion, whisking them along a series of lines that extend to more than 1 mile in total length. First, a friendly guide drives the zippers up to the top of the valley, where they don their safety equipment and then zoom down the first five lines as a warm-up to the following three, known collectively as the Valley Super Lines. Starting at line 6, the journey whips riders across the valley and lake for distances of nearly 1,000 feet each and at more than 100 feet off the ground, reaching speeds of 55 miles per hour. To cap off the high-speed trip, a valley swing awaits at the end of the tour attached to the edge of a tower, inviting participants to jump and swing over the valley while suspended at more than 50 feet.

During the Renaissance, mischievously stealing the blacksmith’s capon and escaping through a field full of onrushing Viking invaders became such a popular pastime that it became known simply as “rugby.” Witness the latest evolution in this honorable sport: today’s deal gets you tickets to the Rugby Collegiate Championship Invitational played at Crew Stadium from Friday, June 4, through Sunday, June 6. Groupon holders can obtain general-admission seating for Saturday, Sunday, or all three days of intense Division I collegiate rivalries during the 38-game tournament. There is no limit on Groupon purchases for this deal.