9 Gift Ideas for the Adrenaline Junkie
Monday, December 20, 2021
Top Experience Gift ideas for Adventurers
As experts in adrenaline, we’ve got our fingers on the pulse of the best things to do for adrenaline junkies who need another serotonin smash-up. We’ve highlighted the best things to do in Charleston, Greenville, and Columbia, but this article will highlight our DREAM LIST of adrenaline junkie activities.
Below is a list of adventures we want to accomplish with outfitters who have great reputations! Our goal is to present some truly awesome adventure options that you may not have thought about.
Paragliding
Paragliding is the ultimate air sport that doesn’t require an engine or an airplane; it’s pure freedom of flight. In the small town of Purlear, NC (30 minutes east of Boone) is a magical resort known as The Sky Retreat. This relatively unknown treasure offers paragliding lessons, mountain biking, hiking, tubing, dance lessons, meditation, a sauna, accommodations, and even a wedding venue. This place has it all!
Powered Paragliding
Did you know that just north of Charlotte is a powered paragliding school called Mojo’s? If you’re unfamiliar with powered paragliding: think big parachute and a huge fan on your back.
Skydiving
Few things can top the world’s greatest adventure and as you might have guessed, it’s an activity we totally endorse! In South Carolina, we (Skydive Carolina) are the largest skydiving center serving Charlotte, Columbia, Greenville and Asheville. If living in the Raleigh area, Skydive Paraclete XP is a historic dropzone that’s been taking adrenaline junkies for their tandem skydives for decades. If looking for a coastal view, Skydive Coastal Carolinas in Southport, NC is another great place to jump.
If you’d like to purchase a skydive for the adventurist in your life, then a tandem skydive is what you’re after! A tandem skydiving gift certificate can be purchased here.
Flying Lessons
It shouldn’t be a surprise that our list focuses on aviation-related activities. What could be more exciting than flying? There is no shortage of flight schools in our area! Here’s a quick list:
ACES Flight School – Fort Mill, SC
Aerowood Aviation – Charlotte, NC
Stratos Aviation – Columbia & Greenville, SC
Charleston Flight School – Charleston, SC
Indoor Skydiving
Even though indoor skydiving doesn’t quite have the adrenaline factor of skydiving, it’s still a thrill. Indoor skydiving wind tunnels are routinely used by skydivers to improve their flying skills; it’s a tool of the trade as the conditions are very similar to free fall. Once proficiency is gained in a wind tunnel, the adrenaline goes to another level as there is no limit to the creativity one can have while flying completely free.
Locations for indoor skydiving in the Carolinas are:
Paraclete XP (the largest wind tunnel by diameter in the US and where the pros train)
iFly Charlotte – located near Concord Mills Mall
Whitewater Rafting
Many members of our skydiving community are big into whitewater rafting and if you live in the Charlotte area, you don’t need to travel far to get your adrenaline fix. Of course, we’re referring to the US National Whitewater Center. The Whitewater Center also offers whitewater kayaking, kayaking lessons, zip-lining, team building, mountain biking and so much more. Anyone that lives in the immediate Charlotte area knows all about this amazing place. It’s a bonafide playground for adrenaline junkies of all stripes.
If looking for an alternative to the Whitewater Center, then we’re all in with the Nantahala Outdoor Center. This place is the real deal!
Scuba Diving
What makes an experience adrenaline-filled? When we’re taken out of our comfort zone! Scuba diving is all of that in spades – new equipment, procedures and of course a different world under the water! Throw in some amazing animals to look at and you’ve got an activity you’ll fall in love with for the rest of your life. It’s no surprise that so many skydivers love scuba diving.
Of course, the journey begins with the basics and, fortunately, the basics aren’t ridiculously expensive. Here are a few of our favorite dive shops in the area:
Open Water Adventures (Charlotte)
Xplore Scuba (Fort Mill, SC)
Columbia Scuba (Columbia, SC)
Wateree Dive Center (Columbia, SC)
One More Chance Scuba (Charleston, SC)
Carolina Dive Locker (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Waterfall Rappelling
Rappelling is exciting enough, but down a waterfall? Where do we sign up?!!!!
Green River Adventures in Saluda, NC has it all for the keen adventurer – rappelling, whitewater rafting, paddleboarding, and ziplining. This place has our full endorsement!
Hang Gliding & Kiteboarding
There’s a unique hang gliding flight school located in the Outerbanks called Kittyhawk Kites. The school offers tandem flights and dune flying. The school also offers kiteboarding among other adventure activities like climbing, parasailing, biplane flights, surf lessons … what more could you want?
We hope this post helps spur on some great gift ideas for the adventure lover! If you’re wishing to get into skydiving, please contact us here!
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