Extreme Fear

Getting a grip on the brain's alarm system.

by Jeff Wise

5 Unforgettable Active Vacation Experiences

Published on April 3, 2010 by Jeff Wise in Extreme Fear

As I've written earlier, pushing your boundaries on vacation is a way to make your whole experience more memorable. I can't think of a more enjoyable way to do that than by playing ball with one of your sports heroes - or by carving turns, paddling a whitewater river, or surfing a wave with a legendary athlete. Here are five ways to make the magic happen:

Surfing. Hit the waves on Costa Rica's legendary Tamarindo beach with famed shredder Robert "Wingnut" Weaver.

Baseball. Since 2005, the Baseball Hall of Fame has held a yearly fantasy camp each October in upstate New York where participants get to play baseball with former pros such as George Brett and Ozzie Smith.

Tennis. There are at least a dozen events around the world scattered throughout the year where guests can play tennis with their retired heroes and heroines.

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Sailing. Every year at the end of October the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands hosts a Pro Am Regatta, where amateur sailors get to take to the waves alongside some of the sport's biggest names.

Dogsledding. Austin's Alaskan Adventures runs seven-day trips during which you can mush your own dog team under the tutelage of Jerry Austin, an Iditarod Hall-of-Famer.