TravelChannel.com Names the Top 10 Best Adventures for 2014

The top 10 “Travel’s Best: Adventures” for 2014 (in alphabetical order by category title):

Biking/Cycling Adventure – Pacific Coast

See the beauty of the Pacific Coast from the seat of your bicycle. Pedaling down California's famous Highway 1, surrounded by towering forests and endless coastline is a cyclist’s dream. The epic journey starts along the breath-taking Olympic Peninsula in Washington and goes all the way down to the sunny beaches of SoCal in San Diego. Some favorite sections include the Redwood forests in Northern California and the mind-blowing beautiful coastline in Big Sur. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and Hearst Castle are other must-see sights you will find along the Golden State’s diverse landscape.

Camping Adventure – Andalusia, Spain

Some campers prefer to “glamp” while others stay true to traditional camping. Andalusia, Spain provides a night underneath the stars for both camps. If you are a glamper, you have the option of relaxing in a tricked-out tipi at Altiplano Tipis or in a hand-crafted luxury yurt at Hooting Owl Yurt Holidays. If you are more into roughing it, head to Desfiladero de los Gaitanes National Park. The rock climbing and hiking come highly recommended. Plus, the famous (and steep) Caminito del Rey trail is located right outside the Park. If you fall somewhere in the middle and want two different experiences, go camping on the majestic snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains, then travel to the Mediterranean coast and pitch your tent on a beautiful sunny beach in Málaga. They’re only an hour apart!

Eco-Friendly Adventure – Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia

Fraser Island is ideal for an all-encompassing eco-friendly adventure. Just off the coast of Queensland, it is the biggest sand island in the world, and home to a wide range of animal and plant life. Swamp wallabies, echidnas, possums and sugar gliders hide within the bush. You can take in the sights of this phenomenal giant sand system on a 4WD adventure, take a tour with an Aboriginal guide to see their side of island life, or swim in one of the many lakes around the island. Regardless of whether you choose to camp or stay in a luxury lodge, it’s certain you’ll be wowed by this impressive natural habitat.

Extreme Adventure – Orange, Virginia

From paragliding off Pedra Bonita in Rio to skydiving near the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, you can experience an adrenaline-rush adventure in your own backyard. Travel Channel’s headquarters are based in Washington, D.C., for example; and Skydive Orange is the largest tandem skydiving center near the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia region. Here, you skydive from 13,500 feet in the air with experienced instructors. And while you’re enjoying the extreme free-fall descent, take in the unpolluted, country-fresh air and awe-inspiring views.

Family Adventure – Yosemite National Park, California

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Yosemite National Park. Home to wildlife, glaciers, waterfalls, valleys, granite domes, cliffs, lakes and wilderness, Yosemite is an ecological wonderland. With almost 200 activities planned throughout the year to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Yosemite Grant Act to protect the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove, families have a buffet of options at their disposal including biking, backpacking, camping, fishing, bird watching, rock climbing and horseback riding. Stay overnight and camp in a tent, relax in a cabin at Curry Village, or enjoy a luxury stay at the AAA Four-Diamond Ahwahnee hotel.

Hiking Adventure – Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal

Trekking in the shadow of the ice-clad Himalayan summits is a dream-come-true for avid hikers. The sights, sounds and culture of Nepal surround you like no place on the planet; your psyche will be forever changed. On the trail, you pass singing children, black and white yaks with ornate woven harnesses and clanging bells, and locals carrying unimaginable loads of supplies bound for their remote villages. For clear, dry weather, the best time to trek to Everest Base Camp is from October to December. During these months, you will be in good company with many other trekkers. If you are looking for more solitude, consider hiking in March or April. There may be cloudy skies, but fewer hikers.

Off-the-Beaten-Path Adventure – Ubatuba, Brazil

As host country to the 2014 World Cup, Brazil is top-of-mind for travelers and sports-lovers alike. Escape the throngs of soccer fans, and embark on an underwater adventure around the coastal town of Ubatuba, in São Paulo state. Isolated beaches line the coast, and beds of corals and islands dot the surrounding waters, making the region heaven for scuba divers and snorkelers. Find a tour operator to take you into the pristine waters of Ilha Anchieta, Ilha Vitória and Ilha do Prumirim. In addition to underwater rock formations, you will see caverns, colorful corals, plenty of dolphins and even an underwater statue of researcher Jacques Cousteau.

Road-Trip Adventure – US Route 50, Nevada

Nicknamed “The Loneliest Road In America,” US Route 50 begins just past Lake Tahoe, CA and ends at the Utah state line. It was constructed over a historic corridor first used by the Pony Express, and within the stretch between Fallon, NV and Delta, UT (a span of about 410 miles), there are only three towns. US Route 50 is beautiful in its austerity and offers numerous photo opportunities. It traverses several large desert valleys and 17 mountain passes – in some cases, reaching altitudes of more than 7,000 feet! There are several must-see sites along the way, including the Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, the singing sand of Sand Mountain and the old mining town of Ely. As a bonus, you can detour south along Route 6 to NV-375 (also known as the Extraterrestrial Highway) that passes the alleged location of mysterious Area 51.

Watersport Adventure – Djibouti

If you are looking for an amazing water adventure, the tiny country of Djibouti is your destination. Djibouti is located on the Horn of Africa, sits on the Gulf of Aden, and is home to warm, clear waters full of pristine reefs and shipwrecks that have yet to be overrun by the diving masses. Marine life is plentiful and the biggest attraction (literally) is the whale shark. Seasonally, these gentle giants settle in to feed here, which provides divers the opportunity to share their space without crowding. There’s no other destination in the world that provides scuba diving inside the rift that separates Asia and Africa.

Wildlife Adventure – The Pantanal, Brazil

With wildlife sightings getting better and better each year, the Pantanal is one of the hottest animal safari destinations outside of Africa. You have the opportunity to observe rare and endangered species first-hand. These include Giant River Otters, Neotropical River Otters, Giant Anteaters, Tamanduas, Crab-Eating Fox and Tyra (a type of honey badger). And with Hyacinth Macaws, toucans and herons in the region, you can also expect to see as many as 50 species of birds in one day! Bring your camera and capture all the amazing wildlife in this not-to-be-missed destination.

TravelChannel.com editors enlisted a panel of experts that have collaboratively discussed, debated and determined the best adventures in 10 different categories. The 2014 “Travel’s Best: Adventures” panelists include: Tawanna Browne Smith (Founder, Mom’s Guide to Travel), Valerie Conners (Founder, passengerconners.com), Matthew Karsten (Adventure Travel Blogger, The Expert Vagabond), Linda McCormick (Founder and Editor, EcoTravellerGuide.com), Allison Otto (Documentary Filmmaker and Photographer), Jessica Pociask (Owner, Wildlife and Nature Travel Expeditions), Shane Reynolds (Founder, Color Earth), Ryan Van Duzer (Travel Journalist, DuzerTV.com and Host, TravelChannel.com web series, Bike Tour of California Wineries) and Justin Wood (Adventure Travel Product Development and Operations Manager, REI).

For more details on the “Travel’s Best: Adventures” for 2014, go to: https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/travels-best/articles/best-adventures-2014