Climbing guide Nick Wilkes gives us his top rock climbing tips for beginners.
TRENDING
Belay Class and Three or Five Climbing Sessions at Granite Arch Climbing Center (Up to 47% Off)
Instructors teach the basics of tying in ropes and securing your partner’s rope during the class; day passes include unlimited climbing
Gold River Station
•
26.5 mi
43% OFF
$199 for a 13,000 Foot Tandem Skydive at Skydance Skydiving
Safely strapped to certified instructors, jumpers experience a full 60 seconds of free-fall and a scenic parachute flight
Rolling Acres
•
6.7 mi
$199
TRENDING
2 or 4 Go-Kart Races for Adults or Kids with Mini Golf or Arcade Games at Driven Raceway (Up to 52% Off)
Electric go-karts hurtle along a winding track at speeds of up to 45 mph; mini golf and arcade games
Multiple Locations
•
26 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
$48 for a Racing Package with Four Races and Two Yearly Licenses at K1 Speed ($91.96 Value)
Eco-friendly electric karts; speeds up to 45 mph; karts for kids and adults; collection of racing memorabilia on display
Sacramento
•
21.9 mi
48% OFF
Half- or Full-Day Whitewater Rafting with Hot Barbecue Lunch from Action Whitewater Adventures (Up to 46% Off)
Battle class-three rapids and soak up stunning river valley views on whitewater rafting trips before a BBQ lunch with burgers and hot dogs
Point Pleasant
•
49 mi
46% OFF
Ground School and Tandem Jump for One, Two, or Four from 9,000 or 13,000 Feet from Skydive Sacramento (48% Off)
USPA-rated instructors explain skydiving basics, fit students for harnesses, and guide them through free fall and parachute steering
Skydive Sacramento
•
32.7 mi
$103.50
Seal and Sea Otter Watch Kayak Tour for One or Two from Blue Water Ventures (Up to 44% Off)
Trained naturalists lead explorers in stable kayaks through protected waters to view sea otters, harbor seals, and seabirds
North Moss Landing Harbor
40% OFF
Whitewater Rafting Trips from Sierra Whitewater (Up to 56% Off). Eight Options Available.
Guides and rafters careen down the cliff-lined class III+ rapids of the American River
Sale Ends 9/21
Tandem Skydiving Jump at Skydive Hollister (Up to 58% Off). Two Options Available.
Certified instructor guides adventurer through the skydiving experience, from walking to the airplane to opening the parachute and landing
Skydive Holister
Sale Ends 9/21
Weekend Chili Bar Rafting Trip & Gold Rush Tour with Mother Lode River Center (Up to 47% Off)
Rafting experts guide clients through 11.5 miles of rapids during full-day Chili Bar trips, complete with lunch along the way
Lotus
•
47.3 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
Tandem Skydive for One or Two from Skydive Hollister (Up to 41% Off)
Instructors help students steer and deploy parachutes in free falls from 8,000 feet over San Francisco and Monterey Bay
Skydive Holister
41% OFF
Full- or Half-Day South Fork Rafting Trip at H2O Adventures (Up to 57% Off). Three Options Available.
The excursion alternates between currents while on this rafting trip, in which guides help to navigate
Bar Estates
•
47.5 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
Half-Day Kayak Trip for One, Two, or Four from Current Adventures Kayak School & Trips (Up to 48% Off)
Newbies learn the ins & outs of kayaking with high quality, user friendly kayaks followed by hidden coves and wildlife seen on Lake Natoma
Sale Ends 9/21
One or $49 for $100 Towards 13,000-Ft Tandem Skydive Jump at Skydive Pismo Beach (Up to 51% Off)
Fall in tandem with an experienced skydiving instructor as you jump out of a plane over the Pacific Ocean and Pismo Beach
Oceano
51% OFF
Kayak or SUP Rental at Kayak Trinidad (Up to 56% Off). Four Options Available.
Outdoors-enthusiasts can spend a fun day out exploring the local waters in a kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard
Big Lagoon County Park Boat Ramp
Sale Ends 9/21
Half or Full-Day Rafting Trip at White Water Connection (Up to 46% Off). Eight Options Available.
Half- or full-day rafting trips offered are available for all ages and skill levels from beginner to expert paddlers
Tamaroo Ridge
•
49 mi
46% OFF
A Tandem Skydive at 12,500 Feet and T-Shirts for One or Two at Skydive Lake Tahoe (Up to 24% Off)
Novices take in stunning views of Lake Tahoe and Sierra Nevada Mountains during a full 60-second free fall and 5-minute parachute descent
Skydive Lake Tahoe
22% OFF
Dirt Racing Packages: 5, 10 or 15 Laps at Kenny Wallace Dirt Racing (Up to 80% Off)
Professional dirt cars take the speed and acceleration of asphalt racing and combine it with the sideways thrills of drifting
Stockton Dirt Track
•
49 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
Half-Day Whitewater Rafting on the South Fork American River
Sacramento
$117
Gun, Mask, and All-Day Admission for Two, Four, Six, or Twelve from Paintball Tickets (Up to 92% Off)
Fields are designed especially for recreational players, where they can feel safe and have fun at the same time
Multiple Locations
•
2.2 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
TOP SELLER
All-Day Paintball Package with Equipment Rental for 4, 6, or 12 (Up to 89% Off)
Equipped with rental paintball guns and masks, groups vie for supremacy over outdoor fields
Multiple Locations
•
2.2 mi
88% OFF
$24 for Splatmaster for Up to 10 at Davis Paintball Center ($250 Value)
Groups get together on a private field with a trained referee for Splatmaster, which includes smaller and lighter paintballs
Davis
•
2.2 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
One or Two Bike Tune-Ups at Apex Cycles and Services (Up to 57% Off)
Bicycle technicians provide a standard tune-up and ensure safe riding; service includes wheel truing, chain lubrication, and more
Olive Drive
•
0.4 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
One Month of Beginner Fencing with Optional Two Months of Intermediate Fencing at Davis Fencing Academy (Up to 62% Off)
Beginners’ and intermediate fencing classes introduce the footwork and blade techniques of sport fencing with a foil, sabre, and épée
Davis
•
0.9 mi
52% OFF
$48 for One Month of Tai Chi Classes $88 Value — Davis Kung Fu
Local businesses like this one promote thriving, distinctive communities by offering a rich array of goods and services to locals like you
Davis
•
0.2 mi
5 bought
45% OFF
Bowling and Shoe Rental for Two, Four, or Six at AMF Bowling Co. (Up to 67% Off)
Long-time bowling industry leader with 200+ locations across the country offers two-hour bowling packages for groups of two, four, or six
Multiple Locations
•
13.2 mi
67% OFF
Two-Hours of Bowling with Shoe Rental for Two, Four, or Six at Stars Recreation Center (56% Off)
This 24/7 entertainment complex boasts a bowling center with 40 modern equipped lanes
Vacaville
•
17.4 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
Half- or All-Day Paintball Outing for 5, or 90-Minute Private Party for 12 at Midway Paintball (Up to 84% Off)
Referees match players by skill level and set up matches across six outdoor fields with buildings, inflatable cover, and natural terrain
Vacaville
•
14 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
One Round of Mini Golf for Two, Four, or Eight People at Monster Mini Golf (Up to 60% Off)
Golf balls ricochet around 18 black-lit indoor holes decorated with eerie, luminous murals, large monsters, animated props, and music
Rancho Cordova
•
29 mi
Sale Ends 9/21
Roller-Skating with Skate Rentals for Two or Four at The Rink (Up to 50% Off)
Roller-skating with traditional quad skates under a light show to the sounds of DJ’ed music
Rancho Cordova
•
21.9 mi
50% OFF
Groupon Guide
Five Tips for the Beginner Rock Climber
Midwesterners who dream of scaling mountains are largely out of luck. Prairies and plains are the region’s predominant geological features, and neither makes for the best rock climbing. But there’s one glaring exception to all that flatness: Wisconsin’s Devil’s Lake State Park, where rocky outcroppings and quartzite cliffs rise hundreds of feet above the glassy waters of Devil’s Lake.
Read More