Life on the Edge - Add Adventure to Your Vacation

A decade or so ago, when you asked a person what a vacation was, they'd give you several pat answers. Vacation was when you stayed home and didn't have to go to work. It's when you went to the beach, or the mountains, or grandma's house. You might go camping, you might go to a national park, or you might even visit the nation's capital. Now, however, that answer is changing for many people.

The wave of the future is Adventure Travel. It is not your ho-hum trip to the beach where you pack an umbrella and sand buckets. It would be a trip to the beach to learn to parasail, hang glide, snorkel or surf. It's not just a visit to the mountains to see snow. You'd go to ski, to snowmobile, to snowboard, or take a snowshoe hiking trip through the frozen tundra. It's not just a visit to grandma's house, it's a visit to the country where your family's ancestors came from, to explore the town where your great-great-great grandfather used to fish for a living.

Adventure travel has become big business in the U.S. and other countries. Individuals and families are paying big money to travel agencies to have a vacation of a lifetime that they will never forget. If you look online, there are numerous sites that offer trips beyond your wildest dreams. You're sure to find something that fits your personality and budget.

Adventure is, of course, different for everybody. Some people would be thrilled and exhilarated to raft down a river in Colorado. For other people, that's a regular weekend activity. Not too adventuresome at all. Those people might love to try hang gliding or sky diving, while for the former person, this is tantamount to committing suicide. Obviously, these people's definitions of adventure travel vary greatly.

When you include your family in the trip, you want to make sure that everyone enjoys the adventure. If only one person enjoys hiking, a hiking trip is probably not the best idea. If everyone loves horses, then you might look into visiting a dude ranch for a week.

One thing about adventure travel is that it takes time and money. The upfront time is spent looking around and deciding what you want to do and where you want to go. The actual vacations take time, too. Most last at least seven days, many go as long as 10-14. You will have to decide what fits into your schedule. The cost is impressive, too. Most trips, if you buy a package, will range into the $2000s per person. You'll have to decide whether it's cheaper to buy a package, or arrange it all on your own. Keep in mind, this will up the time it takes to plan the trip.

All in all, adventure travel vacations are becoming a big hit with families. It's not the same old trip, every year. It's new, it's exciting, and it's sure to make lasting memories. Look around next time you have vacation time. You might be surprised what you find out there to do.