top » life » activities » adventure activities

77 Examples of Adventure Activities

John Spacey, March 11, 2022

Adventure activities are activities that involve calculated risk taking in an uncontrolled environment. This can be contrasted with thrilling experiences that are fully controlled such as an amusement park attraction or a video game. Adventure activities can be quite dangerous and require an individual to mitigate risk with training, advice and proper equipment. Their popularity may reflect life in a society where people are protected and/or prohibited from taking risk such that adventure may be viewed as an element of self-fulfillment and personal development. The following are illustrative examples of an adventure activity.

Archery	BASE Jumping
BMX	Bobsleighing
Bodyboarding	Bodysurfing
Bungee Jumping	Camping
Canoeing	Canyoneering
Caving	Cliff Diving
Climbing	Concerts & Events
Cross Country Running	Cross Country Skiing
Cycling	Dance
Diy	Dog Sledding
Entrepreneurship	Expedition Racing
Farming Experiences	Fishing / Spearfishing
Freediving	Hang Gliding
Hiking / Trekking	Horse Riding
Hot Air Ballooning	Hydrofoiling
Ice Climbing	Ice Diving
Ice Skating	Inline Skating
Kayaking	Kiteboarding / Kitesurfing
Luge	Mountain Biking
Mountaineering	Nature Exploration & Observation
Nightlife	Orienteering
Paddleboarding	Parachuting
Paragliding	Parkour
Public Speaking	Race Car Driving
Rappelling	Rodeo
Sailing	Sandboarding
Scuba Diving	Sea Kayaking
Seaplanes	Skateboarding / Longboarding
Ski Jumping	Skiing
Skijoring	Skydiving
Sledding / Tobogganing	Snorkelling
Snowboarding	Snowshoeing
Space Travel	Surfing
Swimming	Tactical Urbanism
Theatrical Performances	Tightrope / Slacklining
Traditional Festivals	Travel
Urban Exploring	Walking
Water Skiing	White-water Rafting
Windsurfing

The delineation between adventure and regular activities doesn't have so much to do with the activity itself as how you do it. For example, walking isn't usually adventure but a long walk in an unfamiliar environment could qualify.

Some activities that are perceived as adventure may be fully controlled such that they are really entertainment or regular recreational activities.

Activities that involve social risk taking such as public speaking are arguably adventures -- particularly if you are facing a fear.

In some cases, cultural events such as traditional festivals involve some degree of adventure. For example, the Japanese festival tradition of carrying ceremonial items known as mikoshi that can weight thousands of pounds as teams. This can involve physical exertion, endurance and risk and is viewed as a rite of passage.

There is a huge disparity in risk between different adventure activities such that it is advisable to do much research before trying one.