Explore land, air, and sea

1. Gansbaai, South Africa
For what nightmares are made of, there’s no where in the World like South Africa to encounter the so called ‘man-eater’ Great White. 12kms offshore from Gansbaai (160km from Cape Town), there are two islands Dyer Island and Geyser Rock where all the action takes place. The islands covered with seals and jackass penguins are like a ready to eat fast food meal for the sharks who patrol the shallow and narrow channel that runs between the two islands, as if they were at a McDonald’s drive-thru.

Jump in a cage here an all that’ll separate you from the most feared shark in the sea is a few metal bars. It’s a front row seat to watch the dinning frenzy and maybe a closer encounter with a curious great white when it checks out your cage. You’re guaranteed you’re moneys worth and an experience of a lifetime.

2. Nassau, Bahamas
Think cage diving is for wussies? Want a little more thrill and excitement? How about coming face-to-face with tens of reef sharks without the metal protection. Nassau attracts tons of divers every year to witness a swarm of reefies in a feeding frenzy. The difference however is that the sharks are lured by the dive master/operators dressed in chain-mail that feed them while the other divers play spectators down below unnoticed by the hungry sharks.

With no cage or protection the thrill of this high can be described as a powerful dose of prozac. Shark encounters include tens of blacktip or white tip reef sharks circling you feeding on bait and on rare occasion and run in the daddy of all sharks -the great white.

3. Rhode Island, United States
A combination of frigid waters and plenty of sharks makes this one of the top shark diving destinations. Point Judith, three hours offshore of New England may not seem like a great place to dive, especially since the Atlantic’s bone-chilling waters aren’t very inviting. However, the migratory blue sharks have made it their pit stop on a long journey to the coast of South America.

 

Pulled in by chumming the waters (throwing in bait to lure sharks and fish), the blue sharks are drawn here for the diving which is done from a cage. Their slender bodies and pointed snouts are quite distinguishably different form other shark species. The fearless may opt to go cage-free but this isn’t advisable.

4. Cocos Island, Costa Rica
A must dive site for shark diving enthusiasts, Cocos Island is a unique spot to dive with literally hundreds of hammerhead sharks. Ranked as the 6th Best dive site by the PADI network, it’s a live-aboard only dive destination as it’s situated some 300 miles off the main coast of Costa Rica.

The silhouette view of swirling hammerheads as you gaze up on a dive here is an intense and almost surreal diving experience. The sheer numbers of hammerheads is shocking and makes you wonder if there are any fish left around there. Apart from hammerhead sharks, white tips, bull and whale sharks are frequently spotted in these parts too.

5. Rocas Atoll (Atol das Rocas), Brazil
A lagoon off the coast of Brazil in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Norte, 260 km (160 mi) northeast of Natal is volcanic formed island. This atoll was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because of it’s rich marine and coral life. The warm waters in this area are home to a caucus of brightly colored tropical fishes, coral reefs and it’s predator—the lemon shark.

With a thriving population of lemon sharks here, which pose very little threat to humans it’s possible to dive with a school of about 30 sharks at once making it a tangy experience.

Photograph by Scott Markewitz

Girdwood, Alaska

A former gold-mining town carved out of the forest at the foot of the famed Chugach Mountains, Girdwood has refashioned itself into Alaska’s premier ski town. Hippies and ski bums flocked here in the 1970s and, a luxury hotel at the ski area’s base notwithstanding, its laid-back, frontier-style ambience remains intact. Many roads are unpaved and Carhartt clothing is a popular fashion choice. Situated about 40 miles south of Anchorage (and its international airport), life in this humble hamlet of 2,000 revolves around skiing and snowboarding.

Rising up from the edge of town, Alyeska Resort is the largest ski area in Alaska. It has six lifts, two magic carpets, and a 60-person tram that climbs the mountain’s steep north face with views to the ocean. Tree line is low this far north, so the upper half of the mountain is wide-open alpine, more like the open terrain of the Alps than a typical American resort. There are ample blue runs and a smattering of beginner runs near the base, but experts will get the most out of the mountain. If you’re not afraid of a little in-bounds hiking, the ridges near Alyeska peak harbor an array of vertiginous chutes.

As you would expect in Alaska, crowds are nonexistent. There is also real-deal Chugach heli- and cat-skiing available right from Alyeska’s base area. Best to visit in March, when there is an average of 12 hours of daylight, though lifts keep running through April and on weekends in May.

Photograph by Ryan Creary, Corbis

Fernie, British Columbia, Canada

Best For: Adventurous skiers with a hunger for the steep and deep

Though it serves up some of the most spectacular terrain and best snow in all of Canada, this historic mining hamlet of 4,217 people tucked into the far southeastern corner of British Columbia still somehow flies below the greater ski-scene radar. Which isn’t a bad thing—its wide-open alpine bowls, knife ridges, and daredevil chutes are rarely crowded, and fresh tracks can still be found in afternoons on powder days. For many skiers and snowboarders it hits the Canadian sweet spot, with more consistent powder than Whistler and warmer temperatures than Banff.

Similar to its American cousin, Whitefish, a hundred miles to the south, Fernie is a small, funky town with a tiny yet charming downtown. Restaurants are eclectic and unpretentious, the old train station has been converted to an arts center, and ski bums abound. It’s the kind of town where old skis are turned into fences, benches, and coat racks. Thanks to new developments at the base of the hill and in town, lodging options at all price points abound, from hostels to luxury lodges.

Fernie Alpine Resort overlooks the Elk River Valley from 4.5 miles outside town, clinging to the sculpted faces of the Lizard Range. Its five distinct bowls will keep advanced skiers and snowboarders drunk on adrenaline all day, while the new chairlift to the summit of Polar Peak opens up hundred-mile mountain views and 3,497 feet of vertical drop. Diehard powder addicts can head up to the Bear Lodge of Island Lake Catskiing, a few miles past the ski area, for world-class cat skiing.

Photograph by Kurt Müller, Zermatt Tourismus

Zermatt, Switzerland

Best For: Photographers with a taste for old-world culture and never-ending descents

Switzerland is a country of classic ski towns, but Zermatt is its crown jewel. To many, it is the world’s ultimate ski resort. Though surrounded by several glacier-clad peaks, everything here—the town, the skiing, the sky—is dominated by the spiking pyramid of the mighty Matterhorn, one of the most distinctive mountains on Earth. The village itself allows only electric cars (you arrive by rail), and luxury hotels sit side by side with centuries-old wooden barns. Streets are narrow and cobbled; restaurants are abundant and expensive. It’s everything you imagine a Swiss ski village to be.

Zermattt offers three interconnected Swiss skiing zones, each with its own cluster of lifts and all skiable with a single ticket and accessible directly from town. There are also two ski zones just across the Italian border. The scenery is unrelentingly stunning but the skiing and snowboarding is even more so, with vertical drops of up to 7,152 feet on terrain that varies from never-ending cruisers to north-facing powder runs. The more than 50 on-mountain restaurants are among the finest anywhere, and taking time for a relaxed lunch is de rigueur.

Don’t miss the ride on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car—the highest in the Alps—on which you can descend 12 miles into the Italian area of Cervinia (joint lift tickets available), where a midday meal costs half the price you’d pay in Switzerland.

Vacation is can be expensive, depending on a multitude of factors, but one of the main expenses in travel is lodging. If you’re smart, you can save a solid amount depending on where you stay. However, not everyone wants to stay in a small, uninviting room every night. Here are the top five most expensive hotel rooms in the world.

#5  – The Bridge Suite at the Atlantis

With a price tag of $25,000 USD per night, the Bridge Suite at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Bahamas, comes in at the bottom of this list. Atlantis is an ocean themed resort and has two Royal Towers. The 10 room Bridge Suite connects the two Royal Towers and is at a height of 16 stories. It boasts of a majestic view of the lagoons and pools from the 800 foot balconies on either side.

While the pricey stay is not exactly a steal, this very popular suite has a waiting list of over 2 years!

#4 – The Ty Warner Penthouse

Second to last, but no cheap buy, The Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons, New York costs the patron $34,000. The nine room suite is said to float in Manhattan. Imperial views of the Gotham City are always for the taking from the cantilevered balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows.

With the choice of a Rolls Royce Phantom or a Mercedes Maybach to chauffeur you, the distinctively designed suite has a Thai canopy bed threaded with gold and a waterfall in the Zen Room.

#3 – Hugh Hefner Sky Villa

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but this got out – each day you stay at the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas your pocket is lighter by $40,000.

The suite is playfully themed on Playboy and has a cantilevered $700,000 jacuzzi with glass walls that showcases a view of the entire Las Vegas strip. Live grand in this two-story suite with gym, spa and a rotating bed!

#2 – The Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi

Carrying a price tag of $50,000 per night is The Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi Athens, Greece. Beautifully camouflaged in a 72 acre peninsula in South Athens, this runner up most expensive resort has every luxury served to you on a silver platter.

The trance of the tranquil waters of the Aegean Sea along with Greek hospitality liberates you from all tensions and worries. While your personal butler, chef and trainer pamper you, a heated pool and private deck perfectly indulge the majestic side of you.

#1 – Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel

A staggering $65,000 will get you one night at our winner – The Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel, Geneva, Switzerland. While the price tag mentioned is the best estimate, The Penthouse Suite is indisputably at the top of the charts of the most expensive resorts.

The suite occupies the entire top floor of the hotel and can be accessed by a residents-only elevator. With four plush bedrooms and six enormous bathrooms, the suite can host a party of about 40 people. Once inside, you get a spectacular view of the city and of Lake Geneva. The living room and cocktail lounge are beautifully decorated in contemporary style and the bulletproof windows plus state of the art security system keep the crème de la crème safe from trespassers.

radventurers:

a foggy pacific coast landscape.

california. 2012

-chip

futurejournalismproject:

Apparently, the more mobile devices you have, the higher your perceived value of media is. According to BCG’s recent study, Through the Mobile Looking Glass, when you get a second mobile device, there is a 41% increase in perceived media value, a 40% increase when you get a third, and a 30%…

The average American family takes two trips a year, including one visit to relatives. For the other one - the vacation - many people pick popular and potentially overcrowded destinations, but some of the best kept secrets among travel enthusiasts are the lesser-known places in the U.S. with great beaches, nightlife, and unique opportunities to find solitude. Here are ten of the best vacation spots in the U.S.

1. Charleston, South Carolina

Named after King Charles II of England, Charleston was originally called ‘Charles Towne.’ Today it is the oldest and second largest city in South Carolina, and offers visitors a variety of interesting features and activities.

History buffs, for instance, have plenty to see and discover, since the city dates all the way back to 1670. As a result it has adopted the slogan: “Charleston: Where History Lives.”

With scores of historic buildings, and several Civil War sites (including a Civil War battleship monument), one can almost feel the Old South come alive in this sunny southern harbor town.  Art lovers will also be able to appreciate Charleston as one of the top 25 art destinations in the U.S., according to the magazine American Style.

Aside from the cultural features, visitors can also opt for carefree fun in the sun on five major pristine beaches, world-renowned golf courses, and tennis courts.  After all that action, countless seafood restaurants and steak houses offer excellent re-fueling opportunities. And don’t forget about the city’s signature candy bar, Charleston Chew!

2. New Braunfels, Texas

Originally a German settlement named ‘Neu-Braunfels,’ the city of New Braunfels is located in the heart of Texas, near San Antonio. In recent years, it has turned into an up-and-coming vacation spot with a myriad of recreational opportunities that include popular water sports.Originally a German settlement named ‘Neu-Braunfels,’ the city of New Braunfels is located in the heart of Texas, near San Antonio. In recent years, it has turned into an up-and-coming vacation spot with a myriad of recreational opportunities that include popular water sports.

Due to the mostly warm climate, visitors can tube, raft, or water-ski on the city’s two rivers, the Comal and the Guadalupe, almost year round. Fishing is also an option here. In addition, New Braunfels attracts a lot of water enthusiasts with the nation’s largest water park, Schlitterbahn. One great aspect of the attractions in New Braunfels are home or condo rentals within walking distance to the water park and the rivers so you don’t have to worry about parking hassles.

The town is also home to honky-tonk music, the most popular venue being Gruene Hall; Texas’ oldest dancehall, where Lyle Lovett and George Strait honed their chops before they became famous. It’s a great place to don Wranglers and line-dance to the break-a-dawn.

3. Orange Beach, Alabama

Sister city to the more well-known Gulf Shores, Orange Beach is becoming a popular destination in its own right due to its amazing beaches with cotton white sand and warm gulf waters.

Orange Beach is also home of the largest Ferris wheel of the Southeast, located at The Wharf, and hosts many sporting events at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. In addition to the beach and shopping there is everything from seafood, art and even German Sausage festivals to Mardi Gras celebrations in Orange Beach. With year round activities there is always something to enjoy while vacationing here.

4. Tybee Island, Georgia

Tybee means “salt” to Native Americans who used to inhabit this island prior to the arrival of Spanish settlers in the 1600s. One of the main attractions of Tybee Island is the wide, three-mile long beach that’s backed by grass-covered sand dunes. With only a little over 3,000 full-time island residents, it hardly ever gets crowded in Tybee. Visitors are able to get a taste of the laid back lifestyle by staying in one of the local neighborhood homes for rent in Tybee Island.
 
As an additional bonus, Savannah is only 18 short miles away from Tybee Island, and offers visitors art, cuisine, and exceptional ambience.
 
Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the most celebrated and raucous parades in America, with people painting their bodies green and drinking green beer in the streets (which is legal as long as it is in a plastic cup).

5. Virginia Beach, Virginia

The beaches are wonderful (and plentiful!) in Virginia. The waves that roll in from the Atlantic are much higher and conducive to surfing than the waves on most other East Coast beaches. Moreover, the boardwalks, restaurants, and nightlife in Virginia Beach are second to none, and summertime is the perfect time to play in Virginia Beach.

Naturally, there is a lot more to the area than just the beach. As case in point, the surrounding area, also known as Hampton Roads, contains two of the most historically preserved towns in the United States: Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg.

Jamestown is the first permanent and still existing settlement in America, which makes it a legendary must-see-before-I-die location. Colonial Williamsburg has a multitude of exhibits and activities relating to America’s Revolutionary period. The area is also home to one of the top amusement parks, Busch Gardens.

6. Carolina Beach, North Carolina

Carolina Beach is also known for its sand. Windsurfing is a popular activity in this resort town, with scores of colorful wind sails peppering the surf on windy days.

Deep sea fishing is extremely popular among locals and tourists alike. Charter a boat or go on one of many group excursions available. In addition to water activities also check out the boardwalk, enjoy great local restaurants, shopping and family activities, such as miniature golf, bumper cars or renting bicycles.

7. Perdido Key, Florida

“Perdido” means “lost” or “hidden” in Spanish, and refers back to how this elusive bay was discovered by Spanish cartographer and scientist, Don Carlos Siquenza in 1693. As a result, many local residents refer to Perdido Key as Lost Key.

This barrier island is located in extreme northwest Florida and southeast Alabama with beautiful beaches, parks, and preserves making up 61% of the area. Visitors can enjoy trails and endangered wildlife, such as the Perdido Key Beach Mouse and sea turtles.

Diving enthusiasts can go on an adventure at the resting place of the U.S.S. Massachusetts that was sunk at Fort Pickens State Park Aquatics Preserve after 100 years of duty.

8. Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island served as summer vacation spot to the White House for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower. Moreover, John and Jackie Kennedy got married at the local St. Mary’s church.

The harbor town is home to some of the freshest seafood on the Atlantic Coast. Aside from that, some of the most opulent mansions in the world are located in Newport including the Vanderbilt mansion, The Breakers.

Newport is also home to many private and public sailing clubs that offer sailing excursions and lessons for beginners. There are also many cultural attractions in the area to enjoy such as lighthouse tours, museums and brewery/winery tours.

9. Laguna Beach, California

Forget what you know about Laguna Beach from the MTV reality show. This town is not just a stomping ground for over-privileged teenagers, but rather offers plenty of activities and events that are accessible to anyone.

The seven miles of coastline are considered to be among the most beautiful in the world. Giant 15-foot waves provide great surfing, as well as windsurfing and body boarding.

Also, Laguna Beach is home to a vibrant arts community. The Laguna Playhouse is the oldest continually operating theater on the West Coast, providing both well-known and obscure productions in an intimate setting.

The Laguna Art Museum hosts exhibitions as well as the largest permanent collection of artwork by California-artists. The town also hosts three major art festivals: The Festival of Arts, the Sawdust Art Festival, and Art-A-Fair.

10. Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Lake of the Ozarks is a reservoir that serves as a paradise for fishing enthusiasts with large mouth bass, walleye, and bluegill populating the lake year-round across over 1,150 miles of shoreline. Local fishing guides are available to take visitors directly to the “hot spots,” and provide tackle and bait.
                                            
Other recreation options in the area include gambling. The Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville has 27 table games, a live poker room, and three great restaurants.

1 Brazil

While travelling to Brazil gives you the chance to gaze over the 250 mesmerizing Iguacu Falls and kayak the Amazon, cities like Sao Paulo unfortunately have high rates of gang violence, and even tourist-ridden Rio de Janeiro has scary levels of murder, rape and theft. If you’re leaning towards that Amazon kayaking adventure, watch out for piranhas, Black Caimans, army ants and jaguars.

2 Colombia

Colombia has paramilitary groups prone to kidnapping people, and it exports 75% of the world’s cocaine. While Medellín may no longer boast the title of murder capital of the world, narco-terrorist groups are still active in several rural areas and firearms are common.

3 Antarctica

Antarctica’s wilderness is breathtaking, and if you’re on a cruise or travelling with an experienced guide, it can be a safe place to visit. But if you wander off, be prepared for weather that could kill you in little less than an hour thanks to temperatures that drop beyond –60 degrees Celsius and powerful winds.

4 Mount Everest

Everest’s peak is one that not many people can claim to have conquered, and rightly so: many experienced climbers die attempting to reach it. Nature is unkind on Everest, and if you climb into trouble, it’s incredibly difficult to get help.

5 Haiti

The 2010 earthquake that destroyed Port au Prince launched the already-impoverished nation into devastation. Haiti is recovering, but still suffers from outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and violent crime.

6 Afghanistan

The world’s top supplier of opium, Afghanistan is home to landmines, political unrest, and frequent bombings. There are continual terrorist attacks, high risk to foreigners of kidnapping, and even if you leave its cities, millions of landmines pepper the countryside.

7 Somalia

Unlike the friendly Disney version portrayed by Johnny Depp, Somalia has real pirates, and the nation is famous for its rocky government, poverty rates, and frequent crime.

8 Sudan

Since 2003, nearly a quarter million Sudanese refugees have left for Chad, spurred on by terrorism, military regimes, and insurgent groups. Don’t look for safety away from urban areas, either – Sudan has a desert-like terrain that is especially unforgiving.

9 Izu Islands

High levels of gas on these volcanic Japanese islands have led to evacuation twice before. If you decide to visit, make sure to bring a gas mask – all residents are required to carry them in case of sudden gas level hikes.

10 Ilha de Queimada Grande

Just off Brazil, this island boasts 1 – 5 snakes per square metre, and not just any snakes: the golden lancehead, whose bite will melt your flesh, has caused 90% of snakebite fatalities in Brazil. If that’s not enough to turn you off the island, maybe the paperwork will – all visitors require permits due to the island’s danger.

fastcodesign:

Check out the USDA’s new interactive Food Access Research Atlas maps out access to healthful groceries- use it to find the closest healthy “food desert” near you.

See NPR’s story about it here.

Deciding where to go on vacation is stressful. Stressful enough to want to cancel the trip entirely. Dont do that. You deserve this trip, youve been working hard.

High on the list of considerations when deciding on a travel destination is the number of dollars stashed in the travel piggy bank. Starting with the amount you have to spend, “try out” a destination with a probable budget. Subtract transportation costs, whether for car, train, or plane, from your travel fund. Divide what’s left by the number of days you want to stay at your destination and determine if that amount will cover lodging, food, admissions and miscellaneous expenses. You might want to keep in mind that, according to Shelley Frost, writing for USA Today Travel Tips,“the smaller expenses add up quickly and can cause you to go over budget without planning.” So at this point, if the numbers don’t work out, you can either opt for a shorter stay or start the process over with a new destination.

When a travel magazine whets your appetite for a place you’ve never visited, Barcelona, for example, but you long to return to Paris, a city you’ve visited several times, deciding between the two can be a tough call. You might consider alternating destinations between somewhere new and somewhere old from one vacation to the next. Consider alternating city vacations with adventure vacations. Fodor’s adventure guide lists questions that may help you narrow down the kind of adventure vacation you might enjoy. You might choose to get out the travel photos and simply take a trip down memory lane before jetting off to a brand-new location.

Once you add even one travel companion, your choice of destination becomes more complicated; a spouse who hates the cold won’t want to spend a February weekend in Chicago, for example. Once a vacation becomes a family matter, it’s up to parents to make sure both they and the kids will enjoy the choice — and that doesn’t always mean heading for a theme park. According to away.com, the top 10 family travel choices in the United States include, in addition to theme parks, Acadia National Park, Boston, the Grand Canyon, San Diego and Yellowstone National Park.

If you have traveled, even briefly, outside of the United States, you will soon arrive at a conclusion which many before you have reached: American do not travel.

Not to the same degree which Europeans travel at least. No matter where I’ve gone, I’ve found more British, Australians, Germans and Dutch. I’m not talking about percentages either, but raw numbers. The United States – a nation of 300 million – often has fewer travelers than the Netherlands, with a population of 17 million. Many Europeans are shocked to learn that most Americans don’t even hold a passport (Only 21% of the US!).

If you ask Europeans why this is, the immediate answer they will give is vacation time. Europeans on average receive three to four more vacation weeks per year than the average American. This is certainly part of the reason, but it only compares averages. In a country of 300 million there are still millions of people who have European amounts of vacation. The population of people in the US who get five weeks of vacation per year is probably equal to or greater than the entire population of the Netherlands, so it really doesn’t explain why you see more Dutch than Americans abroad.

While vacation time is certainly part of the equation, the real reason isn’t quite so simple. Here are seven reasons I believe Americans don’t travel:

#1 – North America is Huge

The collective size of North America is larger than that of non-Russian Europe. When Europeans visit another country, geographically, it isn’t that much different than visiting another state or province in North America.

The diversity of regions in North America is also much greater than in Europe. You can visit tropical regions in the Everglades, deserts in Death Valley, mountains in Colorado, grasslands in the Great Plains, high deserts in Oregon, fiords in Alaska, Polynesian culture in Hawaii, Latino culture in Puerto Rico and coniferous rainforests in the Pacific North West, all without ever using a passport.

That list doesn’t even include Vegas and Disney World. To visit the equivalent in Europe would require visiting several countries and, until the recent integration of the EU, required several border crossings.

Sunset Over a Greyhound Bus /© safaris

#2 – Americans Don’t Need a Passport

Until recently, Americans didn’t need a passport for most travel. Prior to the changes made after 9/11, there was no need for Americans to have a passport to visit Canada, Mexico and most of the Caribbean. That is a large area and quite a few countries to explore without ever needing a passport.

Now that passports are needed for any border crossings this may change. It is funny that Europe and North American are moving in totally opposite directions in this respect. Europeans can now travel farther without a passport while Americans and Canadians cannot.

#3 – Americans Value Time Over Money

Europeans and Americans place substantially differing value on time and money. Many Europeans who came to America did so expressly to work. It should come as no surprise we value work and leisure differently.

Europeans get more time off, yet earn less money, while Americans earn more, yet have less time off. It is a trade-off.

What isn’t often mentioned is that even though Americans have less vacation time, one third of all Americans still have unused vacation time at the end of the year. Why? Many employers will compensate employees in cash for unused vacation hours.

If Americans really were itching for more vacation, you would probably see it appear in more negotiations and you would see more Americans use up the time they have. Again, Europeans and Americans have different preferences.

Another fact often ignored is that American vacation rates are higher than those found in Asia, where you see even greater preference towards work. Globally, Americans are closer to average than Europeans.

Lounging in Oahu, Hawaii /© tata_aka_T

#4 – Americans Take Their Leisure Time in Shorter Bursts

Americans at all income levels are much more likely to own a cottage or second home, recreational vehicles (snowmobiles, ATVs and boats, etc.), and to take vacations by car than Europeans.

Given space and income levels in Europe, that isn’t an option for most Europeans. Hunting, fishing, and camping are all more popular in the US where there are much more open spaces and wildlife than in Europe. All of these activities take much less time and are closer to home.

#5 – Americans Lack a History of Living Overseas

Europeans have been running colonies for hundreds of years. During that time, it was very common for entire families to live, work and grow up overseas. By contrast, America is relatively new at the overseas living game, and it has only done so in an era of jet travel, where you can return home or only be gone for relatively short stretches.

There are thousands of British who grew up in places such as India, Kenya, South Africa, and Hong Kong. Comparable American spots were relatively small places such as the Panama Canal Zone and Guam.

#6 – America is More Diverse

Another factor often overlooked by Europeans is that Americans don’t have to travel as far to experience different cultures in the US. The United States, particularly in large urban areas, is an ethnic smörgåsbord of people from around the world. Even major European hubs can’t approach the diversity of cities like New York and Los Angeles. Once you escape large urban areas in Europe, diversity decreases dramatically. Even smaller communities in the US can have populations of recent immigrants.

#7 – Americans Pay More for College

Americans typically accrue a great deal of debt in the process of paying for their higher education. This necessitates the need to start earning money immediately after graduation (or not) and curbs any chance of taking a year off to travel.

For many, the prime years they can spend long-term traveling is in their 20s, and for many Americans, that time is spent working off loans.

Likewise, the idea of a gap year between high school and college has never really caught on in the US. Many students are eager to start college, especially if they endured a highly competitive process to get accepted. The issue of debt can extend well into their 30s when they have already settled down and started a family, further dwindling their opportunity to travel.