East Coast Adventures
WILD THINGS
*Step out of your comfort zone with these East Coast adventures.
words by > Diane Bair and Pamela Wright
You can lounge on the beach with the best of them, and what’s not to like about a spa? But some of the best getaways shove you out of your comfort zone. According to a recent Travel Industry of America report, half of all US adults, or 98 million people, have taken an adventure trip in the past five years. It’s one of the fastest growing segments of the travel business.
Think you have to go west to go wild? Think again. Here’s a roundup of adventure getaways—all easily accessible from East Coast destinations.
Out of Charlotte
BEECH SPRING MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK
Poplar Tent Road, Concord, 15 miles north of Charlotte.
A little blood, a little mud, a couple of bruises: all souvenirs from a fun day on a mountain bike. This park delivers the goods, including technical thrills, stunt jumps, drop-offs and scenic beauty. The main trail is a 4.8-mile single-track loop— optional loops make it longer—and it’s suitable for beginners. Warm up on bumps and jumps in the parking lot; count on lots of rocks and roots along the way; and beware of the difficult “Gravity Cavity.”
US NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER
Rocking and rolling on Class III and IV rapids of roiling whitewater is a rush. At the US National Whitewater Center, they add another adjective: adjustable. This custom-made whitewater river, located just outside of town, features multiple channels ranging from mild to wild. Even wet-behind-the-ears types will learn to surf the waves and make tight turns, covering five miles of whitewater in an hour and a half. The newly-opened facility will ultimately serve as an Olympic training center.
RICHARD PETTY DRIVING EXPERIENCE
This is as close as it gets to a real NASCAR experience. Cars are exactly like the Winston Cup cars, with the same safety features and the same 358-cubic-inch, V-8 engines. Plus, there’s that racing vibe in the air—North Carolina hosts more Winston Cup races than any other state. The three-hour-plus Rookie Experience runs eight laps around the track at speeds up to 160mph. Open through mid-December.
Out of Boston
WHITE MOUNTAINS
Craggy mountaintops, rocky cliffs and lush forest dotted with alpine lakes and a spider web of waterfalls and streams greets hikers along the Crawford Path, the oldest continuously maintained trail in the US. You’ll hike 8.2 miles each way and gain more than 4,000 feet in elevation on your way skyward to the top of mighty Mount Washington. Drop down into Tuckerman’s Ravine or the Great Gulf Wilderness and make a weekend of it. Appalachian Mountain Club offers guided excursions and runs a system of mountain huts—some are open throughout the winter.
MORRIS CAVE
Spectacular. That’s how spelunkers refer to Morris Cave, the largest and longest cave in New England. The cave, located in an abandoned lime quarry near Manchester, Vermont, about a three-hour drive from Boston, is an all-marble labyrinth with 1,845 feet of explored passages and a crystal-clear lake. It’s a damp, muddy affair, with tight pinches and passages, bat-filled chambers and the rushing sound of a waterfall flowing beneath. The Vermont Outdoor Guide Association can set you up with a handy guide; no experience necessary.
FRANKENSTEIN CLIFF
New England boasts some of the best ice climbing venues in the country. Frankenstein Cliff, as scary as its name would suggest, tops the list. This monster, in Crawford Notch State Park—about three hours from Boston—is scarred with icy cracks and frozen waterfalls. It’s dark, cold and “wicked tough.” Pick a route up the blue ice, dig spiked crampons into slippery toeholds, find the perfect spot to land an ice ax, and conquer the mountain. Eastern Mountain Sports provides lessons and guided excursions.
Out of Philly
EVANSBURG STATE PARK
www.freewebs.com/redbuffaloranch
Saddle up and hit the trails at Evansburg State Park, prime territory for equestrian adventure. The 3,400-acre park, located 45 minutes from downtown Philadelphia, boasts 15 miles of horse riding trails, most skirting Skippack Creek and rolling through woodlands, old farm fields and meadows. Red Buffalo Ranch offers guided trail rides.
SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL
Grab a water bottle and your camera for a ride along the picturesque Schuylkill River Trail. Start in downtown Philly, biking through the trails of Fairmount Park and Manayunk Canal Tow Path, before picking up the multi-use paved trail. You’ll cruise past pretty countryside, open fields and a few historic mill towns, with lots of river views. It’s a gentle grade, but you’ll get your exercise as the miles add up; it’s a 21-mile trip to Valley Forge National Historic Park. The return trip will earn you that cheesesteak.
BOATHOUSE ROW
It may look graceful and easy, but rowing takes punch, power and teamwork. It’s a heart-pounding, full-body workout. There’s no better place than Boathouse Row in Fairmount Park to learn how to glide a sleek, 60-foot-long, two-foot-wide boat through the water. Rowing clubs with Olympic-caliber competitors take over the structures along the row. Open throughout the year, some of the clubs hold programs for rowers of every skill level.
Out of Tampa
HILLSBOROUGH RIVER
In fall, it’s not unusual to see 30 or 40 alligators as you paddle four-and-a-half miles downriver through tangly mangroves and tropical wildness. Paddling alongside gators is, trust us, very exciting—especially when you have to jump into the river to pull over a log or two. For the extreme, hardcore crowd, there’s the rollicking “17 Runs Swamp” section of the Hillsborough.
SKYDIVE CITY
Skydive City, in Zephyrhills, is the place to go for sky-high adventures, and a tandem jump is the easiest way to take that first leap. After 20 minutes of training, you’ll fly to an altitude of 13,500 feet, and— gulp!—jump, attached to your instructor by a harness. You’ll accelerate to 120 mph, freefall for about 60 seconds, and then, at about 5,000 feet, your instructor will open the parachute. You can help steer, or just enjoy the sensations as you ride down to the drop zone.
CRYSTAL RIVER
In the winter, manatees congregate in the warm springs of Kings Bay in the Crystal River, about 60 miles north of Tampa.
Last January, a record 322 manatees were spotted in Kings Bay, according to the folks at Birds Underwater, a local dive outfit. Don’t worry about the manatees endangering you—they’re more interested in eating plants and gently checking you out.