CEDAR FALLS - College entertainment options may seem limited for students under the age of 21, and after reaching that all-important milestone, some students feel the only thing to fill the down time is drinking. But there's more to college life than late nights and hungover mornings. Though bars and clubs are always offering drink specials, there are many activities that don't involve the words "two-for-one."

"I think the area offers good opportunities for students that are not affiliated with drinking," UNI Programming Coordinator Mike Bobeldyk says.

Renee Romano, vice president for educational and student services at UNI, agrees and says colleges help provide those opportunities.

"All of our programs on campus are non-alcoholic," Romano says. "We think the Cedar Valley has a lot to do, and we really try to get students active."

For college students and minors in Waterloo, Cedar Falls or Waverly, here's a list of 21 things to do under the age of 21 - and beyond:

1. Play disc golf. The sport is exploding across the country, so it's not hard to find a few people to play. Free courses are available at Exchange Park and Tourist Park, as well as at Brookwood Park and on the Wartburg campus in Waverly.

2. Go bowling. Valley Park Lanes, Maple Lanes, Cadillac Lanes and the Waverly Bowl Inn are just a few.

3. Visit galleries. Among them are the expansive Waterloo Center for the Arts, the Waldemar A. Schmidt Art Gallery, the Hearst Center for the Arts and the UNI Gallery of Art, open year-round.

4. Think a tractor's sexy. But only after you tour the John Deere Waterloo Works Plant, that is. Reservations are required to marvel at the entire tractor production process, from engine assembly to casting and more.

5. Ride your bike. The Cedar Trails boast over 80 miles of paved bicycle trails throughout the Cedar Valley, and joggers, rollerbladers and dog walkers are also welcome.

6. Knit your own scarf. When the snow does come, join a club like the Wartburg Hookers, a crochet club on campus, or learn from the pros at places like Three Oaks Knits in Cedar Falls.

7. Giddy up. The Boy Scouts Camp Ingawanis in Waverly is home to horseback riding on the weekends in fall and spring. Reservations are required.

8. Practice your spike. Sand volleyball courts are at many city parks, like Island and Birdsall parks in Cedar Falls and Crestwood Park in Waverly, as well as at the Black Hawk Tennis Club. In the summer months, bars such as Coconuts and the Stein have their own outdoor sand volleyball courts, and teams can compete in a league, although some require players to be 21.

9. Be brave. During the summer months, try your luck free-falling down Lost Soul Falls at Lost Island waterpark in Waterloo. Or, try making your way up: UNI's Wellness and Recreation Center (WRC) lets students attempt the climbing walls, whether you're a beginner or an expert.{M3

10. Play a round of putt-putt. Airline Amusement Park and Lost Island both boast two 18-hole mini-golf courses. Each also has its own go kart track and driving range.

11. Catch a foul ball, or try not to get hit by a puck. The Waterloo Bucks "Northwoods Collegiate League" baseball team has regular home games at the Waterloo Riverfront Stadium throughout the summer, and the Waterloo Black Hawks "Junior A" hockey team plays September through March at Young Arena.

12. Practice your ollie. The Cedar Falls Skate Park on Grove Street, Memorial Park Skatepark in Waverly and Riverside Skate Park at Exchange Park in Waterloo are havens for skateboarders, rollerbladers and the like who want to practice their skills.

13. Lie by the pool. The Waverly Pool, Gates Pool and Byrnes Pool are open during the summer and offer a way to cool off on the cheap, while Holmes Pool, Peet Jr. High and UNI have indoor pools open year-round. Construction will complete next summer on an aquatic center on Jennings Drive in Cedar Falls.

14. Stop and smell the roses. The Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is just east of Hawkeye Community College and is open Tuesdays, Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons in nice weather.

15. Roast s'mores by the fire. Black Hawk Park and George Wyth Memorial State Park, as well as the Cedar Bend Park in Waverly, make for a great way to get back to nature before the snow hits. If the weather is just too chilly, make s'mores at home over the stove or in the microwave.

16. Catch a flick. The Palace Theatre in Waverly, College Square Cinemas in Cedar Falls and Crossroads 12 Theatres in Waterloo all offer the latest movie releases year-round. Crossroads 12 will be closed until second semester for renovations.

17. Learn about your past. Historical sites such as the Little Red School House No. 5 and museums like the Ice House, the Bremer County Historical Society and the Grout Museum of History and Science let students educate themselves without taking an extra class.

18. Attend Thursdaze. This student-run UNI event attracts several hundred students each week with a movie and various other activities, all for free. Wartburg's Entertainment ToKnight program has dollar movies on occasion, and the Waterloo Center for the Arts has frequent open mike nights for other entertainment.

19. Watch a performance. The Waterloo Community Playhouse, the Oster Regent Theatre, the Strayer-Wood Theatre and the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, as well as the Wartburg Community Symphony, all display diverse talent from community and around the world. Their schedules run throughout the year.

20. Get a hole in one. Cedar Falls has Pheasant Ridge, Walter's Ridge and Washington Park Golf; Waverly has Centennial Oaks and the award-winning Waverly Golf Course; and Waterloo has Gates Park Golf, Irv Warren Memorial, Red Carpet Golf and South Hills Golf if you want to dust off those clubs.

21. Volunteer. There are countless organizations that need the help of students. UNI has a Volunteer Fair Sept. 7, and Volunteer UNI and the Volunteer Center of Greater Waverly are both available to help people find volunteer opportunities. Romano says this is the best activity of them all.

"We try to tell them, 'Get out in the community, do volunteer activities,'" she says. "Students make these decisions quickly and early, and they're enthusiastic."

Contact Amie Steffen at (319) 291-1473 or at amie@uni.edu.