Spring has sprung ... Go out and play!
There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun in the Marion area for families ready to break out the shorts, sandals and sunscreen and put Ohio's record setting winter weather in the rear view mirror for good. The following is a sampling of area destinations and fun spots.
SplatterPark Paintball Games, 5560 County Road 109 (Pulaskiville Road), Mt. Gilead. 419-946-4964 www.splatterpark.com
Have the urge to indulge your inner-warrior, choose up sides and shoot up your friends? The bullets may be filled with paint, but once that first projectile whizzes by your ear, you'll know you're not playing a video game. Players suit-up, divide into teams and lock and load before tackling one of 12 different wooded or urban style courses on about 100 acres. Open play for players 10 years old and up is on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with private group outings available during the week by appointment only. Concessions and equipment rental available at the park. Costs depend on how much paint you shoot, but plan on spending $25 to $45 per player.
The Lincoln Park Family Aquatic Center, 879 N. Prospect St., Marion. 740-387-2118 www.marionohio.us/aquatics
Marion's award-winning waterpark on the city's north side, now in its fourth year of operation, is scheduled to open on Memorial Day weekend. The city's $3.5 million investment on the site of a former swimming hole has yet to turn a profit, thanks in part to Ohio's unpredictable weather and an ambitious list of state-of-the-art features designed to appeal to families beyond Marion's Lincoln Park neighborhood. The pool features a six lane lap and diving pool that is 11 feet deep, as well as a pair of high-rise twisty slides that guarantee a high-speed wet-wedgy. Daily fee is $5 for kids 4-17 and seniors over 55 and $8 for adults. Individual and family season memberships range from $62.50 to $250 for a family of six.
Heart of Ohio Tailwinds Bicycle Club, 740-382-5330 www.hot-tamale.org
If you ever considered joining a bike club for fun and fitness, but were intimidated by the pace of the peloton or the serious cyclists, then Tailwinds might be your kind of laid-back, peddle-while-you-chat kind of bike club. The club meets on Saturday mornings at the McKinley Park Shelter house at 8 a.m. (beginning whenever Spring-like temperatures arrive in Marion) for a casual 25- or 30-mile ride through quiet, rural routes within the county, typically with a breakfast stop somewhere along the way. Tailwinds is all about the social aspect of riding while peddling at a pace that allows riders to appreciate the scenic back roads of Marion County, according to club member Dan Sheridan. The club's signature event is the Hot Tamale ride on June 6, which includes loops ranging from 8 to 62 miles. Riders are required to wear a helmet, and younger children should be accompanied by an adult. If you're up for faster-paced challenge, a group of accomplished riders meets at Rocky's Cyclery & Fitness at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays for a ride that guarantees to burn your quads and sear your lungs.
Eco Center, 1757 County Road 59, Caledonia, www.ecocenterohio.com
If you're looking for a unique birthday party destination for a kid who loves to interact with animals and play in the dirt, the Eco Center in Caledonia provides an afternoon of educational activities designed to teach young people about the environment and sustainable living. Kids can run wild across 10 acres of fields and trails, or sit in on inter-active live animal and farm craft demonstrations. The one-time working farm converted to a community education center is the brainchild of husband and wife researchers Paco and Emily Ollervides. Admission is $10 for children, $7 for adults and $4 for seniors 55 and over. Check the website for other upcoming events and for discount coupons, but don't wear your school shoes.