Ten Outdoor Destinations With Everything!

Your brain enjoys going outside to have fun in the great outdoors.  We recently moved to Buena Vista, CO where it is so easy to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors year around.  It came as no surprise to read the following blog from www.Galding.com, the world’s top travel blog, written and edited by passionate travelers and writers, mentioning Buena Vista, CO as one of the top ten destinations with everything!  The blog states Buena Vista, Colorado just might be the hidden adventure gem of the Rockies.  The Arkansas River runs thru this small town offering world class fly fishing, rafting, kayaking, and the mountains also provide opportunities to bike,  hike, camp, rock climb, cross country ski, and snowmobile.  Below is the entire blog on the Ten Outdoor Destinations with Everything, http://www.gadling.com/2010/03/19/ten-outdoor-destinations-with-everything/  and it was so cool to see my new home town as the #1 outdoor town with everything on the list.

If you enjoy the outdoors then Buena Vista, Colorado is a place to put on your bucket list of top ten destinations to visit to play in the mountains. 

By Jason Heflin (RSS feed) on Mar 19th 2010 at 2:00PM

Who says you can’t have it all? For many travelers vacation time is limited. Those in search of adventure want to maximize that short window of travel time. Here are ten cities where adventure-seekers can expand their options with a range of heart-pounding choices.

Buena Vista, Colorado
Buena Vista translates to “beautiful view.” It’s easy to understand why the name stuck. Nestled into the central Colorado highlands, this Colorado town just might be the hidden adventure gem of the Rockies. Peak-baggers have twenty 14ers within roughly an hour-and-a-half drive from Buena Vista, making it a perfect base camp for high-altitude hiking. Ski Cooper, Monarch and Aspen are all close by for a winter sports fix and the class III-V Arkansas River provides thrilling whitewater rafting all summer long.

Cape Town, South Africa
South Africa is considered by many to be the adrenaline capital of the world. Cape Town has no shortage of blood-pumping options. Traditional sports like sea kayaking and mountain biking are epic here, but there’s also more unique endeavors like sand boarding. If that’s still not enough to get adrenaline junkies excited, there’s always the shark cage diving experience.

Vancouver, Canada
Adventure pursuits like sailing and kayaking are synonymous with this famous Canadian coastal city. Of course, skiing is the main draw in Vancouver, a fact reinforced by the city’s selection as host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. One visit to Whistler Blackcomb, among the top ranked snow resorts in North America, and the powder crazed will fall in love.

Quito, Ecuador
I was on the summit of a 15,763 foot active volcano within four hours of leaving my hotel in Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. This short trek with dizzying altitude is but one of the quick fixes found in this city of less than two million. Rural Ecuador is still developing its adventure sports attitude, but when using Quito as a starting point guides can be found easily. Cotopaxi, one of the world’s most perfectly shaped volcanoes, is only a two hour drive from town. Cycling and mountain biking have seen a huge boom in recent years and bike rental companies are eager to take visitors on epic rides through the Andes for up to two weeks in length.

Bar Harbor, Maine
In Summer, the population of this quaint Maine fishing village swells from around 5,000 inhabitants to 18,000, and for good reason. Surrounded by paddling and sailing opportunities, those making their way into the area’s bays can not only watch whales and seals but can spot a variety of stunning bird species such as Bald Eagles and Puffins. During my stay I found that land based options are equally as spectacular with Acadia National Park sitting just out the back door. Hiking provides views of the channels and bays while the park’s abundant exposed rock opens up endless climbing opportunities. There is even a climbing school in the city for those uninitiated to the sport.

Castries, St. Lucia
Once travelers work their way past the cruise ships and trinket shops, a world of adventure awaits in Castries, the capital city of St. Lucia. Professional mountain biker Tinker Juarez designed a trail system specifically for the Anse Chastanet Resort. Beginner, intermediate, and expert single track trails wind their way through former plantations and lush jungle vegetation. Diving and snorkeling opportunities abound along St. Lucia’s shore. More experienced divers will find wreck diving just off the coast. This Caribbean island is even home to a diving shop named Scuba Steves. What more could a beach bum want?

La Paz, Bolivia
Trek along ancient Inca trails, raft the class II-IV rapids or the Rio Tuichi, or take on the world’s highest ski resort Chacaltaya. If that’s not enough adrenaline, mountain bike the Death Road, reported to be the most dangerous mountain bike ride in the world.

Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland boasts average highs between 59 and 75 degrees year round. The mild temperatures make for an ideal adventure sports hub. Rappel into massive caverns with Waitomo Cave Adventures to explore the underworld of New Zealand. You will need at least two weeks to take in all the adventure Auckland has to offer. Surfing, horse trekking, sailing, and magnificent hiking can all be found near this city in the “Land of the Hobbits.”

Bend, Oregon
With a beautiful trout stream rippling through town and ski slopes just up the road at Mount Bachelor, Bend accommodates Winter and Summer visitors alike. I found a trail run around Todd Lake that was the perfect way to take in a pristine alpine setting. Backpack the 40-mile Three Sisters Loop and enjoy jaw-dropping views of these triplet peaks.

Chamonix, France
France’s Chamonix has long been known as the site of world-renowned ski resorts and awe-inspiring vistas of the Alps. But these days, the French city is also home to an “air park” where brave visitors can paraglide from just below snowy summits and soar above green pasture. For those who prefer their adventures a bit closer to the ground, there’s the Via Ferrata course. Via Ferrata takes rock climbing to the masses with metal steps and small ledges for climbers to use, all while clipped in to a secure cable system.

Having your cake and eating it too was never so easy. Any of these world-class destinations should be a crowd-pleaser for even the most ambitious adventure travelers.

Filed under: Biking, Hiking, Paddling, Scuba Diving, Skiing, Surfing, South Africa, France, Canada, St. Lucia, United States, New Zealand, Bolivia, Ecuador

Island of Success

I love to vacation on Jekyll Island and stay at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel.  The island is located just off the Georgia coast and includes some great biking trails.  I very much appreciate the islands beauty and rich history.  The February 1904 issue of Munsey’s Magazine quotes, “the richest, the most exclusive, the most inaccessible club in the world.”  Jekyll Island Club Members included great brains like J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Vincent Astor, Joseph Pulitzer, William K. Vanderbilt, and other recognizable names on the roster were Macy, Goodyear, and Gould.

I took a history tour of the island and the message was loud and clear that many of these successful club members, and their wives, made millions and lost millions during their lifetime careers.  When these individuals hit hard times they did not give up, they just seemed to enjoy somehow creating a new way to make money, as they had so much ambition to continue to succeed even after experiencing failure.  It seemed like it was a fun experience for them to climb back up the ladder so to speak.

Another interesting story is about club member Richard Teller Crane, Jr., President of the Crane Company.  Richard and his wife built the largest ”cottage” on the island with 20 rooms and 17 baths.  It was the largest and most expensive home built on the island and Crane Cottage was the first home on the island to have indoor plumbing.  This may not come as any big surprise as you may be aware that The Crane Company specializes in creating plumbing fixtures.   The next time you see the Crane Company logo on a toilet , their logo is a picture of a crane, you just might think of this story of the Crane family and the beautiful cottage they built on Jekyll Island in 1919.

It is encouraging news to know that we don’t need to give up when hard times come our way.  Our unique brains just need to think of a different and creative way of making money.  Creating a new product or idea is what made many of the Jekyll Island Club members so successful over a hundred years ago.  And, a lot of hard work.

The hotel website is http://www.jekyllclub.com/ and you may book Crane Cottage for weddings and special events.

If you would like to learn more about your unique brain then I invite you to visit my website at www.YourBrainPro.com