10 Best Ecotourism Adventures

Going on vacation does not have to mean standing in long lines at commercial attractions. Outdoor adventures provide both enjoyment and discovery for traveling couples and family getaways. Spending time outdoors elicits thrills and laughter, while creating memories to last a lifetime. Ecotourism offers the opportunity not only to try something different during a getaway, but to help small communities. Dollars spent at state parks and areas offering outdoor adventures benefit small businesses.

Zip through the sky 200 feet above the air at Hocking Hills Canopy Tours. First timers snap on a safety helmet and gain a bird's eye view of the area. Participants learn how to work the ropes before taking off through the air.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anoy91Y-pas

Paddle down the Myakka River while dodging alligators. Kayakers maneuver past natural sinkholes and palm trees. See an eagle soaring through the air during the kayak cruise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7QkuOV9Znk

Visitors to Hawaii spend an afternoon swimming with dolphins in a lagoon enclosure. Frolicking dolphins offer kisses and dorsal fin tows. Trainers instruct participants on the art of giving a dolphin belly rub.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLg2On_WEfs

Follow a group of friends exploring Fort Bragg. The outdoor enthusiasts kayak through a cave encounter rough water and rocks. The group discovers native flora and fauna while hiking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4WKC5VbQRs

Watch as participants swim with stingrays. Visitors to the Grand Cayman Islands hop into the water with the sea creatures. Initial fear gives way to excitement while interacting with the stingrays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXcfcncCFyA

Brave the rapids at the New River Gorge in West Virginia. A group of rafters swerves past rocks. Strong waves tip over the raft during the trip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O66L74xVx4

Get up close and personal with sharks at the Florida Aquarium. Once in the tank, divers do not swim, but sit and watch while the sharks swim around. A diver with a safety prod shadows the diver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOaA9JxyIOo

Fly above the water on a South Carolina parasailing excursion. Watch as the couple braves a windy afternoon in the air. The pair grows anxious, as the boat grows smaller in the distance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVNN2PRdTQ0

Up, up and away in a hot air balloon. Watch a group of friends take flight in Tennessee. The balloon soars into the sky above the hills of Knoxville.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-dijHS5svE

Follow a hike through Old Man's Cave. View steep ravines while listening to the sounds of a nearby waterfall. Travel through dark tunnels and over the rim of the cave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHHXeOMYP1w

Sources used to complete this article include personal experience and You Tube.