As summer approaches, our appetite for adventure increases, with 43% of 18-24-year-olds having taken a hobby or activity-based holiday in the past two years. From hiking to scuba diving, summer brings out adventure enthusiasts worldwide. But which countries are the best for thrill seekers?
Determined to find out, researchers at VIP Grinders have analysed country data from skydiving spots, hiking, diving, climbing, and surfing spots, to unusual attractions and extreme sporting activities to determine the best locations for adventure lovers.
The best countries for adventure seekers
The full dataset is available here
The United States is the best country for adventure enthusiasts, scoring 83.1 out of 100. The third-largest country by area, with a modest coastline length of just 19,924km, Americans are offered up plenty of opportunities for water sports with 1.3K surfing spots and PADI diving sites (285).
There are 109.4K hiking trails on offer, including the Grand Canyon, Appalachian Trail, and many mountains that rock climbers can tackle (182.5K climbing routes). There are endless opportunities for adventure, including 11.7K unusual attractions, such as haunted houses like the famous Winchester Mystery House and abandoned train stations. The US also boasts 531 ski resorts dotted throughout the country.
Sitting in second place, Italy scores a high 75.7 out of 100. The country is a prime spot for thrill seekers, offering everything from volcanoes, mountains, sprawling coastlines, caves, and lakes. Hiking trails are scattered throughout the beautiful country, with 17.7K recorded, including Mount Etna, which also boasts ski resorts, giving a bucket-list experience to envy as you ski or snowboard on one of the most active volcanoes in the world – one of the 765 extreme sporting activities the country has to offer.
Claiming third place is Australia with 70.9 out of 10. The island is surrounded by water, making it a great spot for water sports, with 812 surf spots and 157 PADI diving sites. It’s estimated that 350K Australians participate in outdoor rock-climbing, abseiling, or caving, with over 100K rock climbing routes; climbers here are spoilt for choice.
Following closely behind, France places fourth with its beautiful lakes to swim, and majestic mountain ranges to climb, including the French Alps, scoring 70.5 out of 100. In fifth place, the UK garnered 68.7 points out of 100, with 33.9K hiking trails reported in the UK, with its highest point, Ben Nevis (1,345m), being a popular spot for tourists and locals alike.
