This summer, identify the wilderness adventure that’s right for you and your group, and get there with the All-New Land Rover Discovery.
For you and your crew, the city life’s hustle and bustle is perfect—until it isn’t. When you’re on vacation, you want the open road paired with trees and big skies. Your idea of a good time involves rafting down rapids, hiking beautiful mountain terrain, and spelunking amid stalactites. If there isn’t a little physical activity involved, you and your crew aren’t interested. Well, buckle up! This is your guide to planning your next outdoor adventure vacation.
Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re well-equipped, too, and regardless of whether you’re water or mountain-bound, there are certain essentials you’ll definitely want to bring along. Finally, while you anticipate your wilderness getaway, we’ve got some wild reads to put you in an adventure state of mind.
First up, you’ll want to figure out where in the greater United States to go. If you’re after a classic American adventure, you can’t go wrong with a tour of our unparalleled national parks, including the Grand Canyon. Hike, bike, and don’t forget to take a group photo with stunning scenery as your backdrop. Depending on how much driving you want to do, you can check off quite a few national parks in one road trip, or just focus in on one or two.
Jason Thompson
DO: Zion National Park is stunning even from the driver’s seat, but get up close and personal with the terrain with a rock climbing tour for serious adrenaline. (There’s a kid friendly option, too!)
STAY: You spent all day clambering up sheer rock faces, so when it comes time for sleep, why not give glamping a go? Try Under Canvas.
EAT: Hit the grocery store while you’re in civilization and pack a picnic. Focus on getting lean protein and some carbohydrates for energy to fuel your adventuring, and don’t forget to hydrate.
If you’re looking for something even more epic, consider the untamed wilds of Alaska. Getting to Alaska is an adventure in and of itself, but it’s totally worth it for the out-of-this-world landscape. Once you and your group adventure to the Last Frontier, you’ll be forever comparing everywhere else on Earth to Alaska.
Jake Melara
DO: Take to the water with a kayak tour in Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Few things in nature can compare to seeing a humpback whale surfacing ten feet away.
STAY: In between Anchorage and Swear, Alyeska Resort is for adventure-seekers who don’t want to sacrifice style.
EAT: In Anchorage, Spenard Roadhouse is a must for reindeer sausage, bacon jam burgers, and tater tots. Adventurous travel means adventurous eating.
Our favorite trip idea, however, might be one that’s hiding in plain site—it’s the less-traveled alternative to Highway One. Think of Route 101 as Oregon’s less-traveled—but no less stunning—alternative to California’s Pacific Coast Highway.
Joshua Sortino
DO: Stand-up paddleboarding through coves only accessible by water. Book with South Coast Tours for your new favorite waterbound activity.
STAY: Roughing it during the day doesn’t mean you can’t stay bunk up somewhere with comfy beds. The Tu Tu’ Tun on Oregon’s Rogue River is our top pick, with access to the rugged turf you’re craving nearby.
EAT: Super-sized cinnamon rolls at Camp 18 — you’re sweating it out, you deserve one!