“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.”–Oprah Winfrey

The word adventure means something different for everyone. For some, that means skydiving or SCUBA diving with sharks (that’s my favorite), but for others, it’s just trying something new like horseback riding or going to a country where you don’t speak the language. For this post, I’m going to focus on the more outrageous adventures you can take, but don’t worry I’ll have something for everyone.

SCUBA Diving

I tried SCUBA for the first time in college and was so hooked I took classes for several years and am now a Divemaster (one step below an instructor). I’ve been diving in zero visibility, to 130ft deep, shipwrecks, coral reefs, with sharks, in rivers, and in quarries. SCUBA is the ultimate adventure and almost anyone can do it!

How: There is almost always at least one dive shop in a major town. You can get certified in one to two weekends and will have both classroom and pool sessions. If you aren’t sure it’s for you try a Discover SCUBA. It’s a great intro before you commit and spend a bunch of money.

Pros: You can dive almost anywhere. Quarries are a great place to start if you don’t want to conquer the ocean at first. They sink airplanes, buses, basketball courts, etc and you can play to your heart’s content.

Diving is different every single time. You can go in any season with the right gear, it’s a great way to meet people and get some exercise. Most people miss out on this massive part of our world, so the next time you’re planning a vacation give SCUBA a try!

Cons: It’s pricey. You can always rent gear instead of buying, but there are a few items you have to buy such as a mask.

You have to get a physical to make sure you are in diving shape. Medications can act differently under pressure and some heart conditions will keep you from diving.

Sky Diving

Again, I tried this in college and loved it. I don’t think I would do it again, but I’m very glad I tried it.

How: Chances are if there is an airport nearby you can sign up. My advice is to go skydiving in your home country or a country that is known to have safe and reputable skydiving companies.

Pros: You get major cool points from your friends and family.

You get to see your vacation from a whole different perspective.

YOU GET TO JUMP OUT OF A PLANE

Cons: It’s expensive.

You will scream and it won’t be manly/ladylike.

Parasailing

How: Some companies require a few days’ notice before you come and others you can walk up and make an appointment immediately. Research where you want to go and talk to the company to see what would work best for you.

Pros: If you love the water you will absolutely love this. You get to make your day at the beach a whole lot more epic. You can do it with a friend!

Cons: Don’t go if you’re afraid of heights or if you don’t like getting soaking wet (depending on the tour guide). You have to travel to a place with a large enough body of water.

Horseback Riding

How: Find a reputable place that does lessons and is located in a scenic area such as a forest, rolling hill or even a beach. When I say scenic, think of the English countryside. Go to a company that has good ratings and is known for treating their horses well. #animallivesmatter

My favorite place to horseback ride was England. One of my best friends and I took a road trip around the UK and stopped in the Trossachs in Scotland. We spent a whole day riding horses with a tour and couldn’t have had more fun if we tried.

Pros: You get to hang out with animals all day. You get to spend all day in nature. You can do this as a family, with friends or even solo. You can do this almost anywhere in the world.

Cons: Horse poop and sore butts. That’s really the only cons I could think of.

High Ropes Course/Zip Lines

How: These are more restricted to forested areas because, well, you need tall trees. Unless you’re a squirrel, and I doubt it if you’re reading this, you want the biggest trees possible. The east coast of the US is known for this. I’ve gone to Go Ape high ropes adventure course 3 times and loved every second of it. You are given lots of safety instructions, are fully harnessed, and can go at your own pace.

Pros:  You’re safe, it’s inexpensive, zip lines, you can go at your own pace, there are multiple difficulty levels, it’s family friendly, ZIP LINES, you’re getting exercise, you can watch your friends and/or family get nervous or turn into actual vine-swinging monkeys as they enter beast mode, did I mention zip lines?

Cons: You won’t like it if you’re afraid of heights.

Adding a hint or an explosion of adventure into your trip can be the thing that turns a good trip into one that you can’t stop talking about and are forever trying to relive in your memories.

Next week I’ve got 5 more, yes more!, adventures you can take. What was your favorite from this list?

Have questions? Especially about SCUBA? Feel free to contact me. I’d love to chat/help.