• Tagged Acapulco, adrenaline rush, beach sunsets, beaches, cliff diving, cliffs, extreme sport, Mexico, sunsets

Winter Blahs? It’s currently cold and dreary outside in many places in the United States, so let’s heat things up with a virtual visit to warm and sunny Acapulco, Mexico. From romantic sunsets to playing on the beach, kicking back to relax, or going out to mix and mingle, there is something for everyone. Extreme sports fan in Acapulco can watch the La Quebrada Cliff Divers diving 125 feet (35 meters) from the high cliffs of La Quebrada into the sea far below. The music video “Whistle” by Flo Rida was filmed in this big party place, so enjoy your virtual globe hopping trip to play in Acapulco. [40 Photos, 1 Video]

• Tagged adrenaline rush, bizarre, brave people, extreme sport, polar bear, polar bear dip, polar bear plunge, polar bear swim

If you are adventurous and like adrenaline rushes, then have you considered starting off the New Year with a polar bear plunge? “Polar Bear Swims”, “Plunges”, or “Dips”, are a New Year’s Day tradition in numerous countries. Thousands upon thousands of brave souls race toward the icy cold water and then make a mad dash back out. In the USA, folks are freezin’ for a reason as most polar bear plunges are to raise money for a charitable organizations. In Canada and the Netherlands, polar bear plunges are associated with New Year’s Day. 36,000 people participated in ‘Nieuwjaarsduik’, New Year’s dive, January 1st 2012 in the Netherlands. Since 1960, every New Year’s Day, at least 10,000 people dive collectively into the icy cold sea water at Scheveningen which is the Netherlands’ main beach resort town. While New Year’s Day is not the only day for taking up such an extreme sport, for some it is Superbowl Sunday, one thing is the same worldwide for people in polar bear swims . . . the look of shocked faces as if they cannot believe the water is that cold or that they took part in a polar bear plunge. Whether it’s brave, stupid, or simply invigorating, kudos to all those folks! [50 Photos]

• Tagged adrenaline rush, architecture, Bjoeks, climbers, climbing, climbing tower, Excalibur, Excalibur climbing wall, extreme sport, Groningen, Kardinge Groningen, Klimcentrum Bjoeks, Netherlands

The area around Groningen, Netherlands, has been described as “flat as a pancake” which leaves climbers with nothing to climb outdoors . . . that is until the massive climbing tower Excalibur was built. Klimcentrum Bjoeks is considered one оf the best Dutch Climbing Centers. It has a boulder area both outside and inside, as well as 18 meters (59 feet) high indoor climbing walls for route climbing. Outside Bjoeks looms the mighty Excalibur, a spectacular and curved climbing tower that is over 121 feet high (37 meters) to reach the thrilling peak. The overhang curves 36 feet out from the base and offers numerous routes up, from the slabby side, to the “steep” side that requires some thought and climbing muscle. Being adrenaline rush fans, we thought it looked pretty cool. Even if it’s not made by nature . . . climbing to the top would allow adventurers, adrenaline junkies and extreme sport participants to see for miles. It would surely feel as if you reached the summit of Dutch mountain. [21 Photos, 2 Videos]

• Tagged adrenaline rush, adventure, cave divers, cave diving, caverneers, dive, divers, diving, eels, extreme sport, fish, Florida, freshwater diving, nature, people, travel, Vortex Springs

Vortex Spring produces 28 million gallons of crystal clear freshwater, not saltwater, and holds at a steady year-round temperature of 68 degrees. It’s located right outside Ponce de Leon, Florida. Yet instead of the famed Fountain of Youth, the commercial dive location is famous for teaching people how to cave dive . . . and a bit infamous for all the cave divers who have died there. We had not heard of this unusual yet beautiful piece of paradise, but we hope you find it as fascinating and mysterious as we do. From professional cave divers to curious adrenaline junkies, adventurers travel far and wide to dive the Vortex. There are more than 1,600 feet of underwater passageways. At 310 feet down, there is a locked steel gate that bars the way into the cave so the inexperienced and uncertified will not risk the underwater grim reaper. Sometimes even qualified divers get lost; sometimes they dive into the Vortex but they don’t come out. [32 Photos, 5 Videos]

• Tagged adrenaline junkies, adrenaline rush, extreme sport, fly, paraglider, paragliding, paragliding photographs, people, transportation

Paragliding is a simple form of human flight and also an adventure sport that people all over the world compete or participate in for high-flying fun. Much like an eagle, paragliders can soar in flights which last several hours and cover many hundreds of miles. The longest paragliding duration is 11 hours and covered more than 310 miles! Since paragliders are light, some adventurers choose to hike way up in the mountains; meaning paragliders have flown off of nearly every major peak in the United States and Europe, including Mt. Everest. By taking advantage of thermal lifts, paraglider pilots can stay aloft for 3 or more hours, climb to elevations of 15,000 feet, and go cross-country. Woot! As Leonardo da Vinci said, “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” [42 Photos]