With These Getaways Near and Far
Whether you’d like to fly high or take to a rushing river, several local outfitters can set you up with trips that are anything but ordinary.
Offshore: Grab your paddle, get your gal pals and grab an offshore view. Rutabaga Paddle Sports offers day tours to Mirror Lake, Kettle Moraine Lakes and the Upper Dells of the Wisconsin River. Or, book a full-moon tour or a cruise under the stars this summer. rutabaga.com.
Up, Up and Away: Not all hot air is bad. Check out the options at Madison Hot Air Balloons. Go as a group or with your soul mate to look far down your nose at Madison. And you can keep that high a bit longer with a champagne toast after you touch down. Cheers! madisonhotairballoons.com.
Snag even more airtime with Biplane Rides of America in Middleton. Take off from Morey Field and see the upside of all the sights. biplaneridesofamerica.com.
Get Wild: Get your adrenaline pumping with a whitewater rafting trip through Wildman Adventure Resort, which takes to the Peshtigo and Menominee rivers. The resort also offers a crazy-high 60-foot ropes course, rock climbing and rappelling outings. wildmanranch.com.
Superior Fun: Get a natural high on the sea—an inland sea, if you will— with a kayaking trip through Living Adventure Incorporated. Take a full or half-day adventure through the red sandstone caves of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore at Lake Superior. You’ll find out why the word “awesome” was coined. livingadventure.com.
Farther Afield
For those who like to adventure best upon two wheels, Bike Wisconsin offers great bike trips. The Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River (GRABAAWR) offers avid cyclers a tour with spectacular food stops, cool swimming holes and lively celebrations. The family-friendly Schramm’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Wisconsin (SAGBRAW) offers a multi-day tour for intermediate-level cyclists. bikewisconsin.com. If you’re eager to pedal distant turf, with time for relaxing and exploring, Trek Travel Cycling Vacations offers an expansive group tour destinations list, including Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific. trektravel.com.
If foreign cuisine is your kind of adventure, Eat Smart Culinary Tours offers upcoming trips to Indonesia and Turkey, guided by leading culinary experts, restaurateurs and authors through local markets and cooking classes. eatsmartguides.com. Local Chef Susan Holding of The Little French Bakery leads a tour of Paris—think boutique hotel, city tours, Monet’s Garden and the joie de vivre of delectable Parisian dinners, cooking demonstrations and gourmet foodie tours. littlefrenchbakery.com
If foreign lands fuel your adventurous spirit, try Inroads Ireland Tours’ trip along the back roads of north, west or southern Ireland, where you’ll cozy up in quaint boutique hotels and enjoy the welcoming spirit of locals. inroadsireland.com. In Splendid Company can take you to Positano, Italy, where can delight in spring wildflower blossoms or autumn ocean dips—plus great Italian food and wine—on a mixed, women only, or LGBT group tour. insplendidcompany.com
For more travel goodies, from road-worthy fashion to tales of solo journeys, see the May edition of BRAVA or read the digital edition online at BRAVAmagazine.com.
