Adventure Travel Basics (38)
Adventure Travel Basics will help you define your personal adventure travel style and offers suggestions about the types of trips that might fit your dream list. Here you'll find tips for planning your vacation and packing for a trip, plus where to find companies that offer the trips you dream about taking.

Ecotourism (10)
What's ecotourism? The Merriam-Webster online dictionary reads: "The practice of touring natural habitats in a manner meant to minimize ecological impact." The International Ecotourism Society says: "Responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people." Whichever you prefer, tour operators now offer many ecotourism trips.

Water Adventures (12)
Our planet is actually more than 70 percent water, so there are lot of opportunities for adventure travel both in and on the water. Scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking and canoeing are just a few of the ways to get wet. Prefer to stay drier--maybe? Try cruising, sailing or riding in a motor boat.

Hiking/Walking (10)
Moving slowly through new settings, whether it's hiking in desert canyons, walking through a grape-scented vineyard or trekking with Sherpas, enhances the experience. Here are tips for choosing a trip, preparing for a trip and an array of intriguing walking hiking, trekking vacations.

Exotic Adventure Travel (23)
Touring countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan or China, which are so dramatically different than the U.S., opens travelers' eyes and minds to different worlds. It doesn't matter if you're bargaining for saffron in a Vietnamese street market, watching giant condors fly through two-mile deep Colca Canyon in Peru or riding an elephant in Thailand, it's an intensely personal and exotic adventure.

Volunteer Travel (28)
Wikopedia defines volunteerism: "A New Trend that combines traditional travel/tourism with volunteer work. Travellers are given opportunities to contribute either money or time to causes related to their destinations." More teens to babyboomers include volunteering for causes -- from feeding African lion cubs to building homes in Costa Rica and preserving Caribbean reefs while diving.

Bicycling: Touring/Mountain (9)
You spend hours riding your bicycle around the city but picture yourself pedaling along a country lane in Italy or zipping down a rocky mountainside. It's easy to make these dreams real. If you don't own the right bike for a trip pick an outfitter who does. Here are tips for finding and getting ready for trips, plus colorful locales – from Moab, Utah, to Provence, France – that want you to visit.

Sky High Adventures (13)
There are many routes for treetop and sky high adventures. You could stroll on canopy walkways 100 feet above the ground, hook yourself to a zip line and slide from one tree to the next, or float overhead in a hot air balloon. Want to go even higher? Why not try sky diving, parasailing or pilot a fighter plane ride? Here's how to find these adventures and other experiences high in the sky.

Family Vacation Adventures (8)
Taking the family on an adventure travel vacation is an exciting way to strengthen family bonds. You could take the family rafting, hiking or biking in the U.S. or traveling overseas. Here are some basics for planning a family adventure travel trip, experiences other families love and where to find reputable companies who offer these vacations.

Horseback Riding (8)
Whether you're an experienced rider or you've never been on a horse before, there's a horseback riding adventure waiting for you. Looking for a family friendly dude ranch or a luxurious lodge with a spa? Want to play like Billy Crystal in City Slickers and go on a cattle drive or take a wagon-train journey? Here's how to find horseback riding trips and other riding experiences.

Adventure Travel Companies (28)
Adventure travel is trendy, but not all companies offering such vacations have experience running these types of trips. Here are tips for choosing a reputable tour operator or outfitter, plus information about some experienced companies who are offering innovative trips.

Travel Health & Safety (8)
Adventurous travelers may find themselves in dicey situations at times, so it's wise to be as prepared as possible. Here's a selection of travel health and safety tips. Taking a first aid kit is a must. Unexpected things can happen, so here are ways to deal with disasters such as finding bears and mountain lions sharing your hiking or biking paths, getting lost in the woods or taking a tumble.

Winter Sports Trips (35)
Winter sports trips are excuses to play in the snow. Do you prefer extreme winter sports that push your body and mind to new highs, or less strenuous sports so you can enjoy the outdoors? Here's where to find resorts and regions with parks, pipes and terrain for skiers and snowboarders, ice climbing, dog sledding and other outdoor activities.