Where to Play

STORY BY ADRIAN LEE BUSH PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & AUDRA SPEARS

The Alabama Wildlife Federation is the oldest and largest nonprofit conservation organization in Alabama. Sportsmen established the AWF in 1935 to promote the conservation and wise use of state wildlife and natural resources and ensure a high quality of life for future generations of Alabamians.

The organization’s mission is to promote the conservation of Alabama’s wildlife and related natural resources as a basis for present and future generations’ social and economic prosperity, stewardship of wildlife, forests, fish, soils, water and air.

The mission statement can be seen in action at AWF headquarters located at Lanark in Millbrook. Lanark contains five distinct destinations: its staff offices; historic Lanark; Lanark Pavilion; Alabama Nature Center; and the NaturePlex.

The 350-acre property is used for training programs, nature hikes and numerous educational opportunities and events geared primarily toward children.

The NaturePlex serves as AWF’s 23,000-square-foot educational facility and welcome center. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and includes a 120-seat auditorium; classroom with lab; community room for meetings; and a gift shop, along with offices for staff and Discovery Hall.

Discovery Hall is a walk-through educational tour of Alabama’s natural history and its four physiographic regions. Spotlighted are the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, the state’s national forests, many of Alabama’s rivers and waterways, longleaf pine forests, prairies and much more. In addition, there are live animals indigenous to Alabama on exhibit and a walkin apiary where visitors learn about the importance of bees and fellow pollinators.

For those who love angling, the facility schedules days for fishing. Families have the chance to catch catfish and bream. The ponds are catch-and-release only.

If outdoor summer camps are of interest to your children, look no further than Expedition Lanark. The weeklong camps are held seasonally during weekday daytime hours and are

Kayakers enjoy the Coosa River geared toward children ages of 5 to 15. Camp programs cover a wide range of outdoor activities, including, art, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming and much more.

AWF is located at 3050 Lanark Rd. in Millbrook. For a complete list of the organization’s educational and event offerings, visit alabamawildlife.org or call 334-285-4550. YMCA

Grandview YMCA was founded in the 1920s on 65 acres of land as a summer camp exclusively for girls. Today, it serves thousands of kids in the River Region and offers amenities to more than 1,000 adult members. Step outside and enjoy the 190 acres of picnic areas, walking trails, a playground, athletic fields and its own lake. Bring your fishing gear or enjoy the use of funyaks (sit-on-top kayaks), canoes and pedal boats on member days at the lake. The facility broke ground in November 2019 on a new wellness space. The addition created a new childcare center, added family changing areas and converted the current wellness space into a brand new exercise facility. The multi-use venue has undergone significant changes over the last six years. The commercial kitchen was renovated; 130 acres were added to the land; additional space was added for soccer; a new shooting sports area was created; a covered open-air pavilion overlooking the lake was built; and an unused swimming pool was converted into an amphitheater. The original town recreation hall is being renovated, as well, for the kids to use.

Grandview YMCA is located at 4700 Camp Grandview Rd., Millbrook.

The Wetumpka YMCA has also undergone a recent expansion. The fitness center now includes more treadmills, elliptical machines, spin bikes, a new aerobics room and a renovated basketball gym floor.

The facility offers a variety of fitness programs, aquatics opportunities and youth and adult sports. Wetumpka YMCA is located at 200 Red Eagle Rd., Wetumpka.

YMCA Camp Chandler is now a year-round program with something for everyone. The camp has grown to serve more than 13,000 people and has visitors on the grounds more than 250 days a year.

The camp is located on beautiful Lake Jordan and offers day and overnight camps geared toward children from 5 to 15 years old.

The facility is also available to rent by groups for private retreats. It provides an outdoor classroom program in an atmosphere where children will develop a complete understanding of the full educational curriculum and an appreciation of the outdoors.

Camp Chandler is located at 1240 Jordan Dam Rd. in Wetumpka and can be reached at 334-229-0035. WIND CREEK CASINO

Opened in 2013 and constructed for $246 million, Wind Creek Hotel & Casino in Wetumpka features more than 2,500 Class II electronic bingo machines, a 283-room hotel, numerous dining options and much more.

Just like Vegas, the facility is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and draws more than 1,000 people every day.

While the major attractions of the facility are the gaming machines, a members-only program and the chance to win serious cash and prizes, there is much more to see and do at Elmore County’s lone location for gambling.

Guests staying in one of the four-diamond-rated hotel rooms can expect accommodations that rival those in Las Vegas.

The casino also offers five dining options.

Fire Steakhouse grills up prime steaks and seafood delivered in a premier, sit-down dining experience. Appetizers and salads range in price from $8 to $14 and steak dinners start at $37 for a 6-ounce filet mignon and top out at $89 for a 32-ounce porterhouse.

The restaurant also offers a variety of international, American vintage and boutique wines.

As of this writing, the casino’s buffet is suspended due to current COVID-19 regulations.

The buffet typically serves a variety of options from Italian pasta and pizza to American favorites, soups and salads, as well as numerous desserts.

But the grill is open again, and diners can expect traditional breakfast and lunch items, such as omelets, pancakes, burgers, chicken tenders and more.

The grill to-go dining option serves up hot dogs, barbeque sandwiches, chili cheese fries and salads, and the casino also has a Starbucks coffee shop.

For those looking to spend a day of being pampered, the casino is set to open Spa Reserve at Wind Creek Wetumpka by the end of summer.

If live music and entertainment is more your speed, the casino offers two options via an entertainment center and center bar.

The entertainment center has hosted various prominent names in the music world, including CeeLo Green, Big & Rich, Billy Currington, Blues legend Buddy Guy and many more.

The center bar gives listeners the chance to catch live acts while lounging in posh chairs and watching sharks circle above the bar in a 16,000-gallon shark tank.

Wind Creek Wetumpka Casino is located at 100 River Oaks Dr. in Wetumpka. For information about the facility’s current COVID-19 operating procedures, call 866-946-3360 or visit windcreekwetumpka.com.

Wetumpka Sports Complex 2350 Coosa River Pkwy., Wetumpka | 334-514-5412 There are two pods of five baseball fields with a concession stand and press box. Each field has dugouts and bullpens. There are 10 batting cages and three warm-up areas in between fields. Wetumpka Municipal Park 815 Kelly Fitzpatrick Dr., Wetumpka | 334-567-5147 Swayback Campground 2656 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka | 334-782-1695 This small rural campground features RV hookups and picnic tables. Millbrook City Parks and Recreation Department 3400 Shirley Rd., Millbrook | 334-290-2047 Mill Creek Sports Complex 3511 Shirley Rd., Millbrook | 334-290-2047 This state-of-the-art baseball facility includes six fields, two batting cages and a 1/2-mile walking trail.

Robinson Springs Park 3576 state Route 14, Millbrook | 334-290-2047 This 3-acre park features an underground spring and foundation with a gazebo for rent. Legacy Park 1889 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook | 334-285-4447 An 8-acre complex with a 1/2-mile walking trail serves as a practice facility for the Millbrook Mustangs League. It also has a rental building with a pavilion. Memorial Center Park 3108 Park Ct., Millbrook | 334-285-7277 This 15-acre park has a 1/4-mile walking trail and is home to the Village Green, which is used as a focal point for many of Millbrook’s public events. Tallassee City Parks and Recreation Department 450 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee | 334-283-4726 The Tallassee Recreation Center features a variety of ways to get active, including a weight room, basketball court, public swimming pool, senior aerobic and more.

Tallassee Dixie Youth Baseball Park 409 Redden Ave., Tallassee Aaron Park Aaron Park Rd., Eclectic | 334-541-9902 Panther Park Jean St., Eclectic Sunset Park and Playground Sunset Dr., Eclectic

Even if you end up as the greatest golfer in the game, you’ll always have a worthy and challenging opponent – yourself. Elmore County has many public courses to challenge golfers of all skill levels.

Emerald Mountain Golf Club is located in Wetumpka and nestled in the hills of Emerald Mountain. The 18-hole, 7,023yard Bermuda grass course has a 73.5 slope rating and five sets of tees perfect for beginners and experienced golfers alike. The facilities also include a putting green and driving range, a clubhouse, gas-powered golf carts and a recently reopened grill featuring a new, fresh menu.

Emerald Mountain is located at 245 Mountain View Dr. Tee times, which are required, can be made by visiting emeraldmountain.golf or by calling 334-514-8082.

The Pines Golf Course is located in and owned by the City of Millbrook. The course has 18 holes and plays at 6,318 yards from the longest tees. The par72 course has a rating of 68.5 with a slope rating of 113. The practice area at the facility includes a separate putting green.

Rental services are available and include golf carts, pull carts and golf clubs. Snack food and beverage options are available in the clubhouse.

The course is located at 307 Deatsville Hwy. For information and to book tee times, call 334-285-7529.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is the largest golf course construction project ever attempted. The trail is made up of 11 locations consisting of 26 courses across Alabama.

Located in Prattville, Capitol Hill is one of the more popular RTJ locations and features three 18-hole courses.

The Judge is considered the star of the three courses and is primarily played along the Alabama River. It is also the longest and toughest of the three courses, measuring 7,813 yards from the longest tees with a slope rating of 142.

The Legislator features 7,323 yards of golf from the longest tees for par-72 play. The course has a slope rating of 126 on Bermuda grass. This is a more traditional course and plays in and out of pine trees and along a bluff. The view riding down the Sky Bridge for holes laid out in a native cypress swamp is an impressive sight to see.

The Senator is a Scottish links course with more than 160 pothole bunkers and mounds 20 to 40 feet in height to create a secluded setting for each hole. The course measures 7,654 yards from the longest tees at par 72 and has a slope rating of 132 to challenge the most seasoned of golf enthusiasts.

Publications such as Golf Magazine called the Judge course one of the 10 public courses in America worthy of hosting the U.S. Open, and the Senator course was named among the Top 10 New Courses in the nation. In addition, the Zagat Survey of America’s Top Golf Courses ranked it among the top 50 courses in America.

Elmore County has many public golf courses to challenge golfers of all skill levels