43 Amazing Adventures
Looking for some action? Here are our picks for the best ways to get your adrenaline pumping.
DIVE OFF A CLIFF
© JAMAICA: RF LOCATIONS/PHOTOLIBRARY
DIVE OFF A CLIFF
The local divers jumping off 70-foot limestone cliffs for tips may look calm and collected from your table across the water at the famous Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica, but make no mistake: Even 35 feet is a long drop, as you’ll find out when you’re inspired to try the smaller cliffs yourself. 52 miles from Montego Bay; www.rickscafejamaica.com
GO FOR A LONG SWIM...
...UNDERNEATH FLORIDA
MARIANNA, FL
The Florida Panhandle’s clearest scuba waters are buried beneath it, in deep, crystal-blue springs. Explore these freshwater caverns—like Jackson Blue, Twin Cave and the enticing Shangri- La—in the 4.5-mile-long Merritts Mill Pond. Some are just wide enough to squeeze through with side-mounted oxygen tanks, but all are complex warrens extending thousands of feet into the limestone. Bring your sense of adventure and, if you’re smart, a veteran guide like Cave Adventurers’ Edd Sorenson, who explores the caves year-round. 136 miles from Pensacola; www.caveadventurers.com
TULUM, MEXICO
Believed by the ancient Mayans to be gateways to the afterlife, cenotes—sink- holes filled with ultra-clear water—are the primary sources of freshwater in the Yucatán Peninsula. Located north of Tulum, the Dos Ojos underwater cave sys- tem has not been thoroughly explored, and stretches more than 40 miles and features at least 25 cenotes. Snorkel- ers and scuba divers flock to the area, attracted by its otherworldly limestone formations, remarkable visibility and a bat cave that’d put the Caped Crusader’s to shame. Guided dives are available through the Xibalba Dive Center. 80 miles from Cancun; www.xibalbadivecenter.com
...IN AN ABANDONED MINE
BONNE TERRE, MO
Even legendary adventurer Jacques Cousteau marveled at the size of the Bonne Terre Mine, a former lead mine 150 feet below the surface of the Ozarks. Ramshackle remains—including a movie theater, a locomotive and thousands of tools—lay undisturbed in a billion gallons of freshwater. “Every artifact is authentic,” says the mine’s co-owner Doug Goergens, whose guides lead tours for groups of up to 12. Goergens’ dive tip: Take advantage of the 100-foot visibility at the Structure, the old No. 1 Elevator shaft, for a dizzying look several stories into the center of the earth. 60 miles from St. Louis; www.2dive.com/btm.htm
...TO FIND BURIED TREASURE
JUPITER, FL
Running along the Atlantic, Florida’s Treasure Coast hides the remains of several sunken Spanish galleons from the 17th and 18th centuries. Spend a day as relic hunter Doug Pope’s sidekick aboard the Polly-L and sift sands up to 30 feet below the surface. You just might get lucky: Thirty-five silver coins were recovered in 2009. 17 miles from West Palm Beach; www.ameliaresearch.com
BIKE THROUGH SCENIC WOODLANDS
SINGLE TRACK MIND
The trails at Big South
Fork go right up to the
river gorge.
BIKING: TOM GAINESONEIDA, TN
Some might argue that the Herculean climbs and wide open spaces of the West put it in another league when it comes to mountain biking, but our money’s on the rolling, wooded terrain of the East for the purest thrills on two wheels. Take the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. This hidden gem straddling the border between Kentucky and Tennessee is the kind of place that mountain bikers dream of, with technical single-track trails chock-full of streams, roots, tree trunks and sandstone overhangs to negotiate, plus beautiful views of the Cumberland River.
“The trails go right onto the edge of the river gorge a lot,” says Gary Chambers, co-owner of Bike Zoo, a shop in Knoxville, TN. “There are other river gorges around here, but there aren’t many places where there are trails built right up to ’em. It’s pretty dramatic.”
Big South Fork also offers the one thing that can make a good day of riding something sublime: “Nobody’s ever there,” Chambers says. “It’s very, very quiet.”
For now, that is. The area recently opened up many of its hiking trails to mountain bikers during the week, effectively tripling its trail network—which means you better hurry up and go. 87 miles from Knoxville; www.nps.gov/biso
RIDE IN (AND PILOT) A VINTAGE BI-PLANE
Live out your Red Baron fantasies with a customizable ride in one of Biplane Adventures’ two fully restored WWII aircraft: a single-passenger 1941 Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 and a two-passenger 1940 Waco UPF-7. A pilot will take individuals or teams of two on sightseeing tours that feature views ranging from downtown Atlanta to the North Georgia Mountains. Solo daredevils can also opt for stomach- churning aerobatics and “you-fly-it” options (yes, you get to take control). 20 miles from Downtown Atlanta; www.biplaneride.com
SURF MAVERICKS
Three intrepid surfers and a dog named Maverick discovered this Half Moon Bay, CA, big-wave spot in 1958, but it wasn’t until 1990—when Surfer Magazine published a now- famous photo—that this section of the Northern California coast caught the attention of surfers worldwide. The spot’s legendary break is caused by an abnormally shaped underwater rock formation, and the huge waves regularly climb 25 feet and can reach more than 50 feet. Even watching from the sidelines doesn’t guarantee your safety; at this year’s Mavericks Surf Contest (which takes place between November and March, when top international surfers are given 24-hour notice), some spectators were injured by rogue waves. Gnarly. 20 miles from San Francisco; www.maverickssurf.com
Kayak a Bioluminescent Bay
The waters of Mosquito Bay off the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, are full of dinoflagellates, organisms that turn a nighttime kayaking trip into a surreal experience. When they come in contact with something else—a moving paddle or hand—they emit a burst of blue light. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Mosquito Bay is the most bioluminescent bay in the world, with 700,000 of these microscopic beings per gallon of water. Check the moon calendar before booking; light from above can obscure the magic below. Ferry service from Vieques ends in the evening, so plan on spending the night. 32 miles from San Juan; www.bluecaribekayaks.com
LIVE OUT YOUR ASTRONAUT DREAMS
TAKE A WEIGHTLESS FLIGHT
WASHINGTON, DC
Some people eat astronaut ice cream when they want to get a taste of life in space. But why settle for a snack when you can experience complete weightlessness? On a ZERO-G flight, pilots will fly to 34,000 feet in a modified Boeing 727, performing aerobatic maneuvers that create zero gravity. For eight minutes, you’ll get to turn somersaults, do back flips, climb on walls, toss water in the air and drink the slow-moving droplets, and anything else you can come up with. The next one is Sept. 12—but if you miss the ride in DC, there are others throughout the year in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Cape Canaveral, FL, and Miami. www.gozerog.com
BLAST OFF WITH THE FAMILY
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL
If your family has dreams of leading a mission into space like the Robinsons, the half-day Family Astronaut Training Experience at the Kennedy Space Center is the perfect place to start. You and the kids (ages 7 to 14) will ride space simulators, build and launch a rocket, meet a NASA astronaut and perform a mock shuttle mission. 48 miles from Orlando; www.kennedyspacecenter.com
Drop in on a Classic Skate Park
by many professional skaters. Before Tony Hawk pulled off the 900, there was the ollie. And before there was a MegaRamp, there was Kona Skate Park—the oldest outdoor, privately owned skate park in the US—in Jacksonville, FL. Try the 700-yard Snake Run, which has been there since the ‘70s. (If you skate, it’s probably older than you.) Don’t know a kickflip from a nosegrind? The park offers lessons. www.konaskatepark.com
JUMP OFF A BRIDGE
If you think of West Virginia’s 876-foot-high New River Gorge Bridge as nothing more than a world-class diving platform, you’re probably a BASE (Building, Antenna, Span and Earth) jumper. On Bridge Day (Oct. 16), you can soar into the gorge with 450 adrenaline-charged compatriots. Not feeling so brave (or experienced—a minimum of 100 previous parachute jumps is required)? Watch with your fingers crossed while those glorified flying squirrels make the leap. 54 miles from Charleston; www.officialbridgeday.com
Sail on Land
Rolling downwind, a three-wheeled land yacht can go approximately the same speed as the wind. Not too shabby. Position yourself crosswind, though, and brace yourself: A strong gust may have you zoom- ing at 50 miles an hour. Aruba, with its Caribbean breezes, is a perfect spot to give it a whirl. www.aruba-active-vacations.com
Reader Comments
- fun i what to go on the first one (Posted on 15 Mar 2013)