7 Extreme Adventure Activities to Try—If You Dare

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Bungee jumping and skydiving? So passé. All the cool travelers have moved on to these crazy adventure activities that you’ve probably never even heard of. So next time you’re in the mood for an adrenaline rush, try one of these—if you dare.

Adventure Activities for Daredevils

Think you’re brave enough to try these on your next vacation?

JetSurfing

If regular surfing is just too tame for you, don’t worry—there are now gas-powered surfboards out there that will let you reach speeds of up to 30 mph on your board, with no need to paddle. Bonus: Unlike on a normal surfboard, you’ll be able to speed away from any sharks you encounter.

Ski Biking

If you’ve ever endured a long day on the slopes in painful ski boots, you’ve probably wished that you could ski while sitting down. Now you can, thanks to ski bikes. These are lightweight bike frames that have no wheels—instead, you strap your feet into short skis and slide down the mountain in comfort. Ski bikes are becoming popular at many resorts (including Killington, Winter Park, and Steamboat), so you can rent one yourself this winter and check one of these adventure activities off your list.

Jetpacking

The future is now and jetpacks are real. The jetpacks of today are water-powered—you’ll be strapped into a harness attached to two hoses that use the force of water to propel you into the air. You’ll be able to steer your jetpack while reaching heights of up to three stories.

Riding a Seabreacher

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Do you dream of owning a personal flying submarine? If you have a spare $100,000, you can make that dream a reality with a Seabreacher. Not in the vacation budget? You can rent one at many beach destinations (like Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, and Miami), so you can get just enough of a taste to know what’s missing from your life. This personal watercraft mimics a whale, diving up to six feet down, leaping out of the water, and motoring on the water’s surface at speeds up to 50 mph.

Flowboarding

You may have spotted flowboarding while on a cruise ship or at a waterpark, or maybe just entertained yourself by watching flowboard wipeout montages. Flowboarding is basically surfing on fake, stationary waves in a small space. The waves don’t move forward, so riders can perform tricks and jumps without needing much room—or just desperately try to stay upright, as is the case for most people.

Ski Ramp Bungee Jumping

If you watched the Winter Olympics and thought you might want to give the giant ski jumps a go, the Bun J Ride is the safest way to try it. You’ll be strapped into a bungee harness before skiing down a nearly 100-foot slope that ends in a 131-foot drop. Luckily, you don’t have to stick your landing, as the bungee cords will pull you up for a wild ride before you hit the snow.

Ice Sailing

Real sailors don’t let a little frozen water stop them from getting out there—they simply turn to ice sailing, a sport that is exactly what the name implies. Specially designed sailboats use wind and sails, plus skate-like runners to glide along the ice. Be sure to bundle up—these boats can go fast, and the wind chill gets pretty cold at 50 mph. You can try it out everywhere from New England to Estonia.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 8 Crazy-Fun Sports to Mix Up Your Winter
• 10 Amazing Animal Adventures
• 7 Adventure Tours You’ll Need a Doctor’s Note For

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Caroline Morse Teel wants to try all of these adventure activities. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline for photos of her adventures.

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