"Out of the Box" Happy Holidays Adventures

“Out of the Box” Happy Holidays Adventures

As we prepare for Christmas 2014 and look forward to ringing in the New Year, most of our country’s travelers are “going home.” Home to loved ones, home to their roots, or just swapping houses according to whose turn it is to cook the turkey this year. And then there’s the rest of us.

Those of us to whom a holiday means leaving home and going off to a favorite getaway, where we don’t have to fight the local shopping flurries, the same traffic patterns and life patterns in which we have become complacent. Leaving home for a place that gives us a different attitude, where we can let our hair down and be something other than what we are every day.

In the spirit of the season, for those wandering souls who absolutely must experience something new, something breathless, and perhaps a little quirky - it’s always a good thing to shift it up, don’t you think - here are a couple surprises for doing the same destination with a different end game!

The Wild West Side of Las Vegas

There’s another side to this exciting city that so few travelers know about. Beyond the neon Strip, the Mojave desert is alive with fun loving, historical - even legendary - places to explore. With the region’s temperate weather, you can book a Vegas Off Road Tours adventure any time of the year. ATV touring is a breathtaking way to get out of the box, away from the noise, lights and crowds.

Some of the best ATV tours Vegas offers feature climbs through steep hills, rocks, sand and asphalt, mine explorations, and even petroglyph sightings. What’s even better is that the scenery changes with every season, so your excursion will be brand new with every visit. If you’re traveling to Las Vegas in the winter, you’re sure to enjoy the brisk weather and light dusting of snow on the mountain caps of Potosi and Charleston in the distance. In the spring and summer, the desert comes alive with vibrant flowers.

The plentiful and active wildlife of the desert is surprising, especially the wild horses of Goodsprings, which are still prevalent in the Las Vegas Valley. These beautiful creatures are exquisite, and free roaming - something rare these days, especially so close to civilization. There are several breeds common to this area, each with their own interesting history. You’ll certainly come away with a different attitude about Vegas than you had when your plane circled in for its landing just next to The Strip!

The Big Island of Hawaii - Mele Kalikimaka

Unless your relatives live there, you probably wouldn’t think of trekking to Hawaii at Christmas time, right? But, it’s honestly a great time to visit - to take advantage of fewer crowds, good prices, and a very warm winter experience. The temperature drops in the evening to lows of 67 degrees and normally top out in the early afternoon peaks at 81 degrees - and guess what that means? Yep, the beach is on! Now, how many places in the U.S. can you go to where you can swim and surf in the ocean in December? There’s even a Jingle Bell Beach Run on December 21 in Kailua-Kona.

And, then let’s talk about the never-ending eruption of Kilauea crater on the Big Island. Seriously, it’s been flowing (at some level) continuously for 30 years now, since 1983, and most recently regained daily exposure when it threatened the little village of Pahoa. The flows have steadily taken over bits and pieces of the south-southeast section of the island, spilling into the ocean, and adding new future real estate to this biggest of islands in the Hawaiian chain. In 1990 the black sand beach at Kalapana was inundated with the smooth, billowy, ropy surface of pahoehoe lava.

And did you know, there’s a brand new island on it’s way to the surface? According to Wikipedia, Loihi is an active submarine volcano located around 35 km off the southeast coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, about 975 m below sea level. This seamount lies on the flank of Mauna Loa, the largest shield volcano on Earth.” In 1996 one of the largest swarms of earthquakes in forever was recorded at Loihi; seemingly a harbinger of things to come. So, while you’re exploring the newest land in the United States, see what you can discover about this upcoming sister island.

Okay, I’ve given you a good head start. What are some your snowbird location ideas for ‘out of the box’ holiday trips?

Photo credit: https://flic.kr/p/adqS2D