Faint of heart need not apply.
Thrill seekers rejoice!
If you're passionate about adventure and consider yourself a real thrill-seeker, this list is for you!
(1) Race! | (2-4) Adventure Camps | (5) Whitewater! | (6) Roller Coasters
(7) Downhill Ski/Snowboard | (8-12) Fly | (13) Go Kart
(14) Buy a Pony | (15) Deep Sea Fishing
Drive a Racecar!
1. Richmond International Raceway - Drive the 3/4 mile "D" oval track for as little as $109 with a professional instructor as part of the Richard Petty Driving Expericence™. Then become a Rookie and drive yourself around the track for 8 laps starting at about $399.
The King's Experience is a 5-hour, 18-lap program costing about $800. But, heck, you only live once! Bristol Motor Speedway offers its own Richard Petty Driving Experience™ 12-lap program for about $450. More Info
Go to an Adventure Camp!
2. Ever wonder what it was like to be a Civil War soldier? The Civil War Adventure Camp at Pamplin Historical Park takes you back 140 years to become a buck private. Dress in either a Union or Confederate uniform, participate in drills, period games and skirmishes. Sleep in a platform tent, eat the Civil War era meals, and learn military codes and communications.
3. Virginia Space Flight Adventure Camp is for students 11-15 years of age. Wallops Island, an operational NASA base, is the campsite where you can see F-18s, C-130s and research aircraft. Experience model rocketry, robotics and flight simulation in the classroom, as well take field trips to other NASA facilities.
4. Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing offers Low Ropes Team Building course, High Ropes Adventure Trail, a 900-foot Zip Line as well as a 50-foot climbing wall. Other adventures include mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, caving and rock climbing/rappelling!
Enjoy a White Water Adventure!
5. Awaken your senses and invigorate your spirit on a white water adventure. Begin with experienced instructors to navigate the river and the rapids, and provide transportation back to your vehicle.
Central Virginia: Adventure Challenge, James River Runners, James River Reeling and Rafting
Shenandoah Valley: Front Royal Canoe Company, Massanutten River Adventures
Heart of Appalachia: Russell Fork Whitewater Adventures
Read about Virginia's Waterways.
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Ride 15 Roller Coasters in 12 Hours!
6. Virginia has two theme parks within a 75-mile radius: Kings Dominion in Doswell and Busch Gardens.
Start the day at Kings Dominion and get in line for the most popular and newest coasters first, followed by the classics, of course. Then, drive south on I-95 to I-64 east to Busch Gardens and ride more!
For more information on roller coasters, see Roller Coaster Mania.
Learn Downhill Skiing and/or Snowboarding!
7. Virginia has four mountain resorts where you can learn to ski and snowboard. They even have children's classes, so bundle up the cuties and bring 'em on!
Bryce * Massanutten * The Homestead * Wintergreen
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Fly!
8. Skim the tree tops in a Hot Air Balloon. The average flight is about an hour, followed by a champagne toast inspired by the first hot air balloon flight in 1783 in France. A special celebration is reserved for First Time Balloonists, too! More Information
9. Skydive with an instructor on a tandem parachute jump or jump alone from a static line, which automatically opens your chute! Accelerated Free Fall classes teach you everything you need to know for your first solo jump. More Information
10. Take an old-fashioned hair-raising Open-Cockpit Biplane Ride at the Flying Circus Airshows in Bealeton, May-October. Goggles are provided; bring your own white scarf.
11. Take Flying Lessons in a Cessna 172, Piper Warrior or Diamond Eclipse at one of the airports affiliated with Heart of Virginia Aviation or Norfolk Flight Center or with Ultralight Introductory Flights at Precision Windsports! Most instructors offer a Discovery Flight to see if you will take to the sport ... but of course you will.
12. Hang Glide off a 40-foot-high training hill with an instructor at High Peak Hand Gliding and then move to higher and higher ground.
Make the buoyant air over Virginia your personal playground!
Virginia Air Sports
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Ride a Go-Kart!
13. If you didn't get to ride a go-kart as a kid, now is your chance! Motor World in Virginia Beach offers eight different tracks and 14 different styles of go-karts.
Drive high-speed endurance races along a half-mile road course or try an over/under figure-8 slick track. There's even a Grand Prix track with hairpin turns and windy S-curves.
Virginia International Raceway provides The Euro Rally School and Corporate Motorsport Experience, featuring instruction all all levels for go-kart racers on their 5/8-mile Plantation Valley Kart Track. All drivers must be 16 or older.
Buy that Pony You Wanted as a Kid
14. Remember when all you ever wanted was a pony? Your folks never bought you one, and Santa didn't either! It's time you got yourself
Visit the Chincoteague Pony Centre and see all the ponies that trace their lineage back to the original Misty of Chincoteague! You can buy yourself a pony there or wait until the annual Chincoteague Pony Penning & Auction in July.
Go Deep-Sea Fishing!
15. What does John's Addiction, Smokin' Gun, Jamestown Hooker, and Miss Linda have in common?
They're all charter fishing boats that sail the Chesapeake Bay and Hampton Roads coastal waters, the Atlantic Ocean and the inlets of the Eastern Shore.
More Information on Charter Services
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Go to More Exciting Adventures: 16-30