"Life is either a great adventure or nothing" ~Helen Keller

We can use simple adventures to get out of the ruts we so often find ourselves in.  An adventure is an activity that involves some uncertainty.  Often we manage our lives down to the last detail leaving no room for adventure.  We then find ourselves unchallenged, bored, and feeling trapped.  If this is where you are at, then it is time to break free of the routine, open yourself to exploration, and spice it up a bit.  Finding a little adventure doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated or excessively dangerous.  Here I will offer some ideas that anyone can use to find adventure in their own backyard.

1.  Paddle your way to fun.

Getting out on the water is an excellent way to find a little adventure.  Taking a kayak or canoe out for a few hours to explore a local river, lake, or wildlife preserve is super way to get outdoors.  It will also offer a chance for wildlife viewing.  A kayak or canoe puts you in charge.  You can go wherever you decide.  It gives you the opportunity to discover that beautiful spot that is uniquely yours.  With your paddle in hand, it is hard to turn back.  Who knows what lies just around the next bend?

2.  Ride a rollercoaster.

Get your heart racing and adrenaline flowing!  We visit our local amusement park at least once a year to ride the rollercoasters and other thrill rides.  It will bring out the kid in you again!  It is funny to watch how adults react at amusement parks.  You can literally see them come to life again.  It is as if the rides wake up the adventurous part of them that has been lulled to sleep for so long.

3.  Go camping.

Load up the kids and car it is time to spend a weekend at the state park!  There is something about sleeping under the stars and eating out of an ice chest that will reawaken your primitive side.  Camping is an excellent way to break the doldrums of living in the suburbs.  Find a place in the woods and pitch a tent.  At the very least, it will give you a new appreciation for your home and the daily conveniences you enjoy.

4.  Pedal a trail.

Pull the mountain bike out of the garage, dust it off, air up the tires, and hit the trail!  Pedaling your way through the woods is an adventurous way to spend an afternoon.  It will challenge you mentally and physically.  Start on the easy trails and work your way up to something more technical.  If you don’t own a bike, then check into renting or borrowing one.  Just riding a bike and feeling the breeze on your face will make you feel like a kid again.

5.  Take a hot air balloon ride.

Soaring high over your city in a hot air balloon is an adventure everyone should experience at least once.  Ballooning will give you a different perspective in more ways than one.  You won’t find any long security lines, baggage charges, or fasten seatbelt signs on this flight.  Of course, you will see some fantastic views and experience the thrill of floating quietly through the sky.  The landing is what surprised me.  It was certainly an experience!

6.  Learn to wakeboard.

If you desire something a little more challenging, then give wakeboarding a try.  I’d recommend getting an hour or two of instruction on your first time out.  It will give you a jumpstart to ensure you skim right into fun without delay.  If you water-ski, then you’ll find wakeboarding similar, but with just enough differences to make it  a challenge.  I love the feel of gliding over the water and catching a little air as I pass over the wake!

7.  Get your motor running.

Head out on the highway this weekend on a motorcycle and feel the speed as you crank the throttle back.  There is nothing like the power and freedom you experience hitting the road on a high-octane motorcycle.  If this doesn’t wake up a sense of adventure and excitement in you, then nothing will.  Of course, be sure to wear a helmet and drive defensively.  Motorcycles can be lots of fun, but other drivers don’t always give them the respect they deserve on the road.

8.  Go backpacking in a national park.

Walking off into the woods knowing that you have to survive with what you are carrying on your back is fun and exciting.  There is such a feel of freedom and challenge to it.  National parks are excellent settings for a backpacking trip.  It doesn’t matter if this is your first trip or your hundredth.  Backpacking will ignite your senses and raise you up out of the deepest rut.

9.  Climb your way up a rock face.

Rock climbing will get your heart racing.  It is both a physical and mental challenge.  It requires a great deal of concentration so it is a fantastic way to get your mind off of other things for awhile.  If you are like me and the area where you live lacks a lot of natural settings for rock climbing, then look for an indoor climbing gym.  These gyms will rent you everything you need and also offer instruction to get you started.

10.  Speed across the water.

Boating is always an adventure.  There is nothing like pushing off as the captain of your own vessel.  This is true regardless of whether you are in a ski boat, sailboat, WaveRunner, or pontoon boat.  The feeling of cruising across the water with the wind in your face is invigorating!  You are in control and there tons of places to explore and discover out on the water.

11.  Engage friends in a paintball battle.

What is it about challenging a group of friends to a mock war that is so much fun?  I’m not sure, but paintball will certainly enliven an afternoon.  Why lie around on the couch when you can sneak up on your buddy and pop him with a plastic bubble full of your favorite color?  Paintball will put all your senses on full alert and get you moving.  Find a range near you and become a paintball hero!

Take the initiative and be the fun one!

I hope these ideas will help you create a little adventure in your life very soon.  You need to get out and enjoy all that life has to offer!  It isn’t difficult.  It just takes a little initiative and planning, but trust me, you’ll thank yourself for it.  If you do it, your friends might even start thinking you are the fun one to hang around!

What do you do for adventure?

Photo by Davichi