Vacation With Adventure
The great thing about going on vacation is you get to relax, but the secret to getting the most out of your well-deserved break is to choose one with adventure. My family and I like to spend our vacations in Mexico where we can enjoy some of the best beaches while finding hidden Mayan ruins.
If you’ve been following my blog then you know I recently left on a backpacking adventure across Thailand. I also recently told you what I will be working on when I get back but I didn’t tell you about my trip itself. That’s because there is never enough time for me to write about it all.
This summer and autumn, we invite you to join us on a journey of nature, culture, and history. Adventure tours offer a unique blend of activity and relaxation, giving us the chance to escape the everyday—and have fun while doing it! This is the time of year when many take time off to relax by the side of a pool or at the beach, but they forget to do what they love — enjoy life itself. Why not add adventure? Expedition challenges our physique and brings an invigorating energy into our lives. And sometimes, as important, adventure gives us perspective as we realize there is much more to see outside our doorsteps than we may think.
While planning a vacation is exciting, it can also be stressful. There are many things to consider when deciding how to utilize your time, as well as what kind of activities and accommodations to include. The guidelines below will provide you with information you need to plan a successful vacation. You may even find that certain tips can be applied to non-vacation events!
It seems like vacation time is finally near. You know what that means? It’s time to start researching and planning! Are you ready for some travel inspiration?
“People have more access to the world now than any generation before,” says Chris Chesak, executive director for North America/Oceania at the Adventure Travel Trade Association.
Vacation With Adventure
What’s more, an adventurous vacation doesn’t always mean an expensive one. “Adventure travel at its core is incredibly economical,” he says. Here are some of the top destinations for active travelers seeking active and adventurous vacations.
1. South Walton, Florida
Seaside, Florida has a lot to offer those looking to stay active on vacation.
Image Credit: Facebook: Seaside Florida
Located in the northwest side of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, the town of South Walton provides access to all kinds of outdoor activities and adventures from hiking, canoeing, kayaking and camping. You can stroll the Seaside Farmer’s Market every Tuesday and Saturday, and then take a bike ride up the coast to Grayton Beach State Park.
From there, you can set up at one of the 59 campsites or venture out on a hike — either an easy one-mile loop or a more adventurous 9-mile trek. South Walton boasts 26 miles of beautiful coastline to enjoy, so take advantage with stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking or a fishing tour.
Read more: 20 Lessons You Can Only Learn Traveling
2. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
The turtles aren’t the only great thing about the Galapagos Islands.
For an adventure vacation like no other, visit Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. Walk in the footsteps of naturalist Charles Darwin as you learn how the geological history of this chain of islands allowed unique animal species to flourish. You can see endangered giant tortoises, sea lions, flamingos, Galapagos penguins, sleeping sharks, marine iguanas and birds such as the finches that first inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution.
There are also plenty of opportunities for diving, snorkeling, surfing, boating and hiking. If you have time, don’t miss the Ecuadorian mainland, which has some of the most beautiful canopy walks — raised walkways above the forest floor — in the world, says Chesak.
3. Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Walk part of the Appalachian Trail from Harpers Ferry.
Image Credit: Steven Heap/iStock/Getty Images
The Appalachian Trail passes through Harpers Ferry, a small town only 60-odd miles from Washington, D.C. You can look down from high bluffs to the dramatic meeting point of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the borders of West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland come together. It’s also where white abolitionist John Brown led a failed slave revolt in 1859 after raiding a U.S. armory.
Many active travelers arrive by bike on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal trail and stay at the town’s cozy bed-and-breakfast accommodations. “It’s a fantastic multi-day bike trail from D.C. to Harpers Ferry and beyond,” says Chesak. Go for a day hike or stay longer to raft, fish and canoe. You can also go zip lining and rock climbing.
Read more: 21 Hiking Trails That Will Inspire Wanderlust
4. Etosha National Park and Skeleton Coast, Namibia
See the largest free-roaming populations of black rhinos at Etosha National Park.
Image Credit: PobladuraFCG/iStock/Getty Images
Namibia’s commitment to conservation is very attractive to active travelers, says Chesak. More than 40 percent of this country on the southwestern coast of Africa is under conservation management. You can visit Etosha National Park in the north to see the largest free-roaming populations of black rhinos and cheetahs, as well as lions and elephants.
Travel the northern Skeleton Coast to view dramatic sand dunes that run into the Atlantic Ocean. The coastal city of Swakopmund, 170 miles west of the capital, Windhoek, is a good starting point for adventure travelers to book trips to go sand boarding or sand sledding on the dunes.
5. Acadia National Park, Maine
Acadia National Park offers some breathtaking views.
Image Credit: TomasRebro/iStock/Getty Images
Back in 1604, the explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed down the coast of Maine and spotted a large, rugged island dominated by tall mountains. Today Acadia National Park takes up most of Mount Desert Island and is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi. Travelers come to hike, bike, swim, row, fish and ski. It’s probably best to visit in summer, as many of the roads are closed in winter due to heavy snowfall.
Visitors should check out the many spots to do “via ferrata” climbing, using ladders, iron bars and cable attached to the rock to allow climbers a protected route to explore the scenery. You can hike the miles of carriage trails throughout the park, originally commissioned by industrialist John D. Rockefeller.
Read more: 25 Dream Fitness Vacations
6. Big Sur, California
There’s plenty for the active adventurer to do in Big Sur.
The breathtaking views on this part of California’s coastline, where the Santa Lucia Mountains drop into the Pacific, have long inspired travelers and artists. Inaccessible by road until 1937, it was one of the state’s most remote areas.
There’s ample hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing and beach combing, but ocean swimming can be dangerous. Take a dip instead in the Big Sur River, which has many access spots. You can camp among the redwoods at the state parks in the area. Take the hike to Pfeiffer Falls, and if you’re fit, try the challenging trail to Sykes Hot Springs. You can also visit the historic Point Sur lighthouse. Big Sur is home to the Esalen Institute, a famous retreat center with its own hot springs and spectacular views.
7. The Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are famous for a reason.
Image Credit: DieterMeyrl/E+/GettyImages
In both summer and winter, the Swiss Alps are an active traveler’s dream. The skiing in winter is unparalleled, and in summer there’s no better place for hiking and even biking. You can stay in one of the region’s famous chalets and explore the region’s many highland lakes and meadows.
Be sure to try the sledding, also known as sledging. “You ride on Swiss sleds that take you down several kilometers,” Chesak says. You can also visit in the Swiss National Park in Graubünden and the Parc Ela, a 600-square-kilometer protected area.
Read more: 16 of the World’s Best Marathons
8. Sedona, Arizona
The views at Sedona are legendary.
The red sandstone formations of Sedona have awed many a traveler. Some say the rocks harbor mystic vortexes of energy. Even if you’re a skeptic, you’ll surely appreciate Sedona’s ability to rejuvenate the soul through hiking, camping, mountain biking and yoga.
“Sedona could keep you busy for weeks,” says Kathleen Ventura, co-creator of the Our Favorite Adventure website. The town has served as a backdrop for movies dating back to the 1920s. Be sure to check out Devil’s Bridge Trail and the petroglyphs in the Coconino National Forest. The town is host to an international film festival as well as music festivals throughout the year, ranging from bluegrass to jazz to classical.
9. Norway
You can’t go wrong with any place in Norway.
Image Credit: Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
Sparsely populated, Norway remains largely unspoiled, and its natural beauty attracts visitors in the hundreds of thousands each year. Visitors can go hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding and fishing, as well as skiing, sledding and dogsledding. View huge fjords with tall cliff faces that drop right into the ocean.
You can also travel north of the Arctic Circle to the city of Tromso to view the Northern Lights and take a ferry down the country’s coast, where you can hop on and off to take part in the outdoor activities each port has to offer. Intrepid winter travelers can visit the famous ski jump at Holmenkollen outside Oslo, site of the 1952 Winter Olympics, which has hosted ski jumping competitions going back to the 1870s.
Read more: The Top 10 Spectacular Fall Foliage Hikes
10. Diamond Highlands, Brazil
Explore the beauty of Poco Azul.
Image Credit: By Ronaldo Melo/Moment/GettyImages
Travelers to Brazil often don’t realize the massive size of this country, says Chesak. The tropical country is nearly as large as the United States, and offers diverse activities for the adventure traveler. Visit the Chapada Diamantina highlands, named for the region’s famous diamond mines, to see beautiful waterfalls, and swim in Poco Azul, a pristine underground cavern pool.
Many travelers have described the area as a giant garden, filled with wild orchids and other plants. Explore the sanctuary of Mucugezinho with its waterfalls, along with the flooded Cave Partinha, and crystal-clear Lake Paratinha. You can also take a hike up the tabletop mountain Morro Pai Inácio. Many of the region’s waterfalls run over large, flat rocks that overlap, and visitors can slide down the rocks in their swimsuits, Chesak says.
11. Southern Utah
You’ll feel like you’re on another planet in Southern Utah.
Image Credit: Matteo Colombo/Moment/GettyImages
Southern Utah is home to five spectacular national parks, as well as the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Zion National Park‘s amazing natural formations are not to be missed, especially the 1,488-foot-tall Angel’s Landing, says travel blogger Kathleen Ventura.
From there, it’s a few hours by car to Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. All can be explored by hikers, mountain bikers and backpackers or on horseback. You can visit the many holistic retreats for meditation, yoga, pilates and tai chi, says Paul Joseph, co-founder and director of Health and Fitness Travel, a company that designs vacation for active people.
12. Olympic Peninsula, Washington State
The Olympic National Park is one of the quietest places on earth.
Image Credit: kanonsky/iStock/Getty Images
With its 73 miles of protected Pacific coastline and old-growth temperate rainforest, the Olympic Peninsula is just a short ferry ride from Seattle. There’s fishing, boating, wildlife watching, hiking and camping. Olympic National Park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, covering nearly a million acres. Olympic National Forest covers nearly another half-million acres.
You can bike down Highway 112, the Strait of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway, which follows the breathtaking shoreline between Port Angeles and Sea Stacks. The byway is the most northwest point in the continental United States and is home to old-growth forests, bald eagles, migrating gray whales, puffins and auklets. After a long day traversing the wilderness, savor delicious fresh salmon, or take a soak in the many natural hot spring pools in Olympic National Park.