When lounging the day away on a beach isn’t your thing, and you’ve seen more museums than you can count, where do you turn? When ‘vacation’ and ‘travel’ are two words that go hand in hand for you, where are the best spots to unwind by getting all wound up?

Yakutat Bay, Alaska

Adventurous Alaska! Just about anywhere you go in these parts you’ll be facing something exciting and adventurous; but Yakutat Bay has something that no other part of Alaska can offer – surfing! Yes the water’s a bit cold, but you wanted to get your heart racing, didn’t you? Get into a wet suit to keep warm, and grab a board – waves here are known to get up to 20 feet high. You’ll be able to walk over snow-covered water to get to where the waves are, and the gorgeous snow-capped Saint Elias Mountains will provide the perfect backdrop.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

When you visit the Great Barrier Reef, you can strap on a diving suit and hop right in to check out the coral and aquatic life that lay below us all; or you can receive training to do so while there. However many times you’ve gone scuba diving before (or not) you’ll be sure to see some of life’s greatest mysteries in these reefs – and some of its most beautiful creations too! For yet another other-worldly view when you’re finished, take a helicopter tour that will fly you over the Reef – and where you’ll be able to see Heart Island. The coral here are actually in a perfect heart formation!

The Sahara Desert

Why would you want to spend your vacation traversing the Sahara Desert? Because of all the towns, the markets, the history, and the fantastic scenery you’ll find along the way. Not to mention the fact that you’ll be doing so on the back of a camel – talk about adventure! Yes, smaller towns and bigger metropolis cities have emerged throughout the 12 countries and 3.6 million square miles the desert covers. All of them are light brown or white, making them look like actual sandcastles, and all of them carry their own piece of history. In fact, every inch of the Sahara is historical, and you can walk among the same sand dunes so many generations before you did!

African Safari

There’s nothing that says adventure more than mixing it up with some massive beasts and living to tell the tale, and that’s exactly what you’ll do on an African safari. You’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for Africa’s Big 5 (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and cape buffalos) but you’ll see tons of other wildlife too. Warthogs, wildebeests, zebras, and giraffes are just a few of the amazing sites you’ll see. And if you’re lucky, you’ll even get to camp near these majestic animals before heading out on another safari the next day!

Grand Canyon

Peering over the edges or hiking along the huge rock formations is kid stuff. When you want real adventure and you want to do it in the Grand Canyon, strap on a helmet and get ready for white water rafting! Here you’ll battle some hugely strong white water waves as you try to battle your way out, and you’ll be treated to some breathtaking scenery for the entire ride. Just don’t forget to hold on, so you don’t miss any of it!
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The Running of the Bulls

What’s more adventurous than high-tailing it down a cobblestone street while a herd of horned bulls chases after you? The most famous Running of the Bulls festival is held in Pamplona, Spain but there are many held throughout different cities in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, France, and the United States.

Yellowstone Park, Wyoming

When you want an adventure that the whole family can enjoy, nothing beats Yellowstone Park. The scenery within the country’s first national park simply can’t be beat, and you’ll be able to take it all in as you hike among the waterfalls and ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ at the amazing geysers. When you’re looking for adventure of the family-fun variety, Yellowstone has it all.
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Whether you’re looking for adventure of the extreme variety or you just want something to spice things up a little bit, there’s adventure waiting for you at every turn. All you have to do is decide whether you want your next adventure to be on the waves, or in the abyss!