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Tags: Strange Scuba Spots / Scuba / Scuba Dives / Active Travel / Florida Travel / → All Tags

If You Squint Just Right, You Can Pretend To Dive With Mermaids

If you’re still catching your breath after swimming with the sharks, you might want to consider a more low-key choice for your next underwater adventure. Nothing screams calm, cool, and collected than a trip below the water to swim with a manatee or two. We still don’t understand how sailors once mistook these creatures for mermaids, but maybe you can get close enough to figure it out for us.

American Pro Dive will be happy to help you have a close encounter with these big guys and gals. No need to know how to scuba dive, as there’s an option to snorkel with them in the Crystal River as well as in Homosassa, Florida. Instructors will hit the water with you to ensure that the manatees, and you, don’t get too frisky.

Tours run throughout the year in the Crystal River, but it’s winters only for the location in Homosassa. Don’t worry, they have heated and enclosed boats so you can stay comfy when above the water, and flattering wet suites will help you keep toasty when you enter the manatees’ home turf. If you want to turn your whole trip into a Discovery Channel special, you can even take a specialty class following your excursion to learn more about the cute critters.

Related Stories:
· American Pro Dive - Manatee Tours [Official Site]
· The One Seattle Place Where Starbucks Doesn't Rule: Underwater [Jaunted]
· Active Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Smudgie's Ghost]

Tags: Strange Scuba Spots / Scuba / Scuba Dives / Active Travel / Seattle Travel / → All Tags

The One Seattle Place Where Starbucks Doesn't Rule: Underwater

Water—especially rain—is one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Seattle. Despite all this water, underwater activiies are not exactly as synonymous with Seattle. That’s slowly changing thanks to a local Scuba club and their shore dive adventures into Puget Sound.

The Scuba Schools Group has a location in Seattle, and they’d be happy to have you join them in one of their club dives. Don’t worry though, there’s no secret handshake or membership dues at this club, just a bunch of people enjoying the underwater universe. Best of all, the club dives are free, so just bring your gear and get going. Just make sure you have some experience doing cold water dives, because even though its summer, the water is a little chilly.

On August 29, the dive crew will be hitting up the Alki Junkpile. It’s kind of an artificial reef, Seattle-style, where they’ve seen some “cute” grunt sculpin on recent dives. If you can’t make it to that dive, there’s also one planned off the Keystone Jetty on September 27. You’ll be burning through your digital camera battery as you snap off pictures of rockfish and other critters. There’ll be a cookout after the dive, so be a pal and bring something to throw on the grill.

Related Stories:
· Seattle Scuba Shore Diving [Official Site]
· Say Mazel Tov To Underwater Weddings [Jaunted]
· Scuba coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Dan Hershman]

Tags: Summer-Vacations-With-An-Edge / Active Travel / Space Travel / Space Tourism / → All Tags

Summer Vacations With An Edge: Go To Mother-effing Space

If you're very rich, very bored, and have a very deep need to one-up your shark diving and sandboarding friends, space tourism company Space Adventures will train you, put you on the back of a Russian rocket, and shoot you into outer space. They've been doing it for over a decade and they've become pretty good at it, sending several tourists into orbit to the tune of over $170 million.

The company offers all kinds of packages, from a lunar mission and orbital spaceflights to zero gravity walks on the International Space Station. This is usually where we'd give you the pricing for each separate package, but after the first dozen or so million dollars we lose track. Suffice it to say that the lunar mission, which takes tourists around but not onto the surface of the moon, clocks in at a cool $100 million. No one has taken them up on the offer yet so there's still a chance for you to become the world's first private lunar explorer.

Apparently the Earthrise as seen from the dark side of the Moon is quite stunning this time of year. Or any time of year.

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Tags: Summer-Vacations-With-An-Edge / Active Travel / Desert Travel / Peru Travel / Green Travel / → All Tags

Summer Vacations With an Edge: Sandboarding In Peru

It turns out that the highest sand dune in the world is Peru's Cerro Blanco, which rises more than 2,000m above the ground and more or less resembles a mountain. It also turns out that if you want to sandboard down the side of it, Peru Adventure Tours is more than willing to put together a package for you, drive you out there in a sand buggy, and watch as you indulge in one of the world's most extreme sports.

Sandboarding is an all-season sport, one of the upshots of basing an activity out of a desert. Sandboarders either stand on snowboard-like boards or lie down on mats for "trayboarding," and try to pull off the same tricks that snowboarders do. That means catching air, doing tricks, and carving up the ground. Instead of kicking up snow, though, these athletes shred grainy sand. And instead of getting to ride sky lifts up picturesque mountains, they have to access some of the most unforgiving environments in the world.

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Tags: Tubing / Best Tubing Spots / Water Sports / Active Travel / Vermont Travel / → All Tags

Tube The Rivers Of Vermont Before They're Back To Being Frozen

When you think of warm weather, Vermont isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind. However, temperatures this weekend will be in the upper 80s in some places, so it’s fine to put the off the yard work for another week and hit the river. Vermont River Tubing fired up the tubing season in June, and things will run through Labor Day weekend—so you only have a few more weeks to start floating.

Reservations aren’t required, so you can just show up and drop your butt in a tube. It’s only $10 to take a trip down the White River, and you’ll be rewarded with an afternoon of relaxation. If you get lost looking for the place, just ask locals where the Stockbridge Yacht Club is located—they’ll know where you’re talking about.

Things start each day at 10:00, so if you get there around opening you’ll be able to get in a couple trips before the sun starts to set. Lately the river has been doing pretty well, so you don’t have to worry about dragging your lower half along the rocky river bed. Still, wear some old sneakers to protect your tootsies, just in case.

Related Stories:
· Vermont River Tubing [Official Site]
· Seattle's Terrain Is Good For At Least One Thing: Rivers For Tubing [Jaunted]
· Tubing coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of wacky tubers in another location: Evil Erin]

Tags: National Parks / Active Travel / Summer Travel / Barack Obama / Presidential Travel / → All Tags

The First Family Packs Their Bags For An Old-Fashioned Western Road Trip

It won't be too old-fashioned however, as we’re thinking that they won’t be taking the family station wagon to get to the National parks they're visiting next weekend. President Obama and his crew will be hitting up some of the country’s natural gems including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. The trip hopes to highlight the national park system and encourage everyone to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors.

The visit coincides with the park service’s fee free weekend, so the Obamas are clearly trying to save a couple of bucks. For regular park visitors this isn’t the best timing. The parks are probably going to be packed, especially at the Grand Canyon, where the normal entrance fee is $25 per carload. Add in a little security detail in preparation of the President’s arrival, and there’s going to be a big traffic mess.

Obama will be bringing his town hall style meetings with him, and will probably be chatting up the masses about his ideas regarding health care. He’ll also be swinging through Phoenix to speak at the VFW convention. Maybe after he’s done speaking, he’ll get a spot in line at one of our favorite pizza spots.

Related Stories:
· First Family to Visit National Parks [CBS News]
· Three For Free: Summer Weekends at 100 National Parks [Jaunted]
· Presidential Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Ken Lunc]

Tags: Sailing / Boats / Active Travel / Los Angeles Travel / Marina del Rey Travel / Yacht Charters / Zac Efron / → All Tags

Sailing Around California's Marina del Rey In A Myriad Of Ways

Not far from the hustle, bustle, and general madness that is Los Angeles lies Marina del Rey, a refreshingly laid back waterfront city. Idyllic weather and beautiful scenery provide the backdrop for sailing its surrounding waters, we're hard-pressed to find reasons why you wouldn't want to hit the high seas yourself.

Sailing lessons in Marina del Rey attract both out-of-towners and high-profile celebrities, such as Zac Efron, who's also an occasional thrill-seeker.

In addition to sailing, there is a myriad of options for seagoing adventures depending on your taste. Get in touch with your inner sea captain this summer with Marina de Rey's top activities:

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Tags: Tubing / Best Tubing Spots / Water Sports / Active Travel / Seattle Travel / → All Tags

Seattle's Terrain Is Good For At Least One Thing: Rivers For Tubing

High temperatures in and around Seattle have finally settled down, but residents of the The Emerald City probably still need a good way to beat the heat. Our suggestion is to head a few hours outside of the city proper and make Leavenworth your day trip destination. Not only will you be able to test out your kayaking and rafting skills, but you can also just sit back, relax, and slowly tube down the Wenatchee River.

The tubing season has finally opened on the river, and things will run until the end of summertime—we’re thinking that means Labor Day. To get outfitted for your 2-mile down river journey, the outfitters at River Rider provide fancy tubes equipped with handles and cup holders—perfect for holding your Snapple.

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Tags: Tubing / Best Tubing Spots / Water Sports / Active Travel / Florida Travel / → All Tags

Tube The Rivers Of Florida's 'Redneck Riviera'

There’s plenty of fun in the sun to be had on Florida’s Emerald Coast, the stretch that encompasses much of the panhandle, but sometimes you want a little more than sand and clear water. That’s why, during your next spring break massacre in Panama City, head westward to Milton and book a tubing trip with Adventures Unlimited.

The outfitters offer more than just inner tube travel; they also have canoe, kayak, and even fishing expeditions. However, for those looking for an afternoon float, you’ll enjoy a four-mile trip down the Coldwater River. Nevermind the river's name—you’ll be comfortable—but the organizers do recommend an 80-degree daytime temperature for ultimate enjoyment.

It’ll set you back $17 per person and if you want a separate tube for your cooler, as this is the Redneck Riviera after all, that will be an additional $8 please. Give a call or check online for river conditions, because if the water gets too rough, certain trips are canceled and they’ll ban booze on the river. Lately it’s been green—which means you and your beverages are good to go.

Related Stories:
· Adventures Unlimited [Official Site]
· Float Through The Tunnels of an Old Sugar Plantation In Hawaii [Jaunted]
· Water Sports coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: ian_ransley]

Tags: Tubing / Best Tubing Spots / Water Sports / Active Travel / Kauai / Hawaii Travel / → All Tags

Float Through The Tunnels of an Old Sugar Plantation In Hawaii

Most of the tubing adventures that we’ve covered so far can be easily accessed by car, but today’s trip will cost you a little bit more cash to get there. If you find yourself on the island of Kauai, and need a little bit more excitement than relaxing with umbrella drinks, then you may want to consider giving Kauai Backcountry Adventures a call. They offer exclusive access to the irrigation system of the former Lihue Plantation, and you get to see it all from the comfort of a tube.

The ditches and tunnels were once used to keep sugar crops nice and hydrated, but things have been quiet since 2000, and are now open for us to enjoy. Hop in your tube and take in views of the coastline, ocean, and the island’s vast valleys. Just be thankful that you are enjoying the hard work of the former plantation workers—all the irrigation channels were dug by hand.

Tours depart throughout the day, so if you want to hit up that buffet breakfast at your resort, you’ll be fine. The trip is a little expensive at $100 per person, but you will get a picnic lunch and everything else to float safely through the plantation. They even throw in headlamps so that you don't get too scared floating through the tunnels.

Related Stories:
· Kauai Backcountry Adventures [Official Site]
· Tube Flotilla Set To Travel 8 Miles Down Michigan River [Jaunted]
· Best Tubing Spots coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Official Site]

Tags: Rock Slides / Water Sports / Active Travel / Georgia Travel / State Parks / → All Tags

A Hike Into A Georgia Gorge Awards You With A Water Slide

If you're not into the water park scene, then it seems like Georgia is the place to cool off in the summer. We’ve already told you how to get down in The Hooch, and now we’ve found another rock water slide to entertain on a warm summer afternoon. The two sites are actually pretty close to one another, so if you’re really into water sports, you can go for a double-header.

Tallulah Gorge State Park has a lot to offer. There’s campsites, hiking trails, and waterfalls to help fill your day with fresh air and sunshine. Just try to keep your cool when you cross over the rickety suspension bridge as it sways above the bottom of the gorge. All that other stuff is fine and dandy, but the best part of the park is the natural rock water slide.

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Tags: Tubing / Best Tubing Spots / Water Sports / Active Travel / → All Tags

Tube Flotilla Set To Travel 8 Miles Down Michigan River

If you’ve yawned at our best tubing spots so far, we’ll try to intrigue with something a little more exciting. The River Rat Society is prepping for their Second Annual Port Huron Float Down. It’s less a lazy tube drift and more like a hilarious adventure. Participants are welcomed (and encouraged) to hop into whatever floating device they have, whether it be tube, raft, or blow-up boat, and just head down the river.

This year’s event kicks off on Sunday, August 16, at 1:00 pm as sailors and floaters drift down the river from Port Huron, Michigan to Marysville. It’s a pretty far journey, about eight miles, and life jackets are required for anyone daring to make the trip. Although we’re thinking booze will help keep everyone warm, there are some warnings on the site about hypothermia—so this little jaunt isn’t necessarily as safe as the lazy river at the local water park.

The event is absolutely free to everyone, just BYO floating device. Be sure choose a good one that you can maneuver quickly; you’ll want to stay clear of the commercial traffic trying to get work done on the river. Keep your passport handy in one of those waterproof baggies, because if you float too far to one side of the water you’ll be entering Canada. You don’t want any trouble with the Mounties.

Related Stories:
· Port Huron Float Down [Official Site]
· Get Ready To Float Down The Hooch In Northeast Georgia [Jaunted]
· Tubing coverage [Jaunted]