Good news: you can afford to travel this summer.
Better news: You can afford to try something different.
Herein, we have eight destination-worthy outdoor experiences for your must-do list.
The ideas are familiar: paintball, golf, fishing, kayaking, concerts. But the execution is otherworldly.
Read: A two-in-one golf course that changes entirely from one day to the next. Or a hike across a gorge that lights up with holograms and laserbeams after dark. Or an entire park dedicated to altering reality.
So step outside. You’ll be surprised.
Brooklyn Brewery Mash
Various cities
Our favorite roving craft beer party reinvents itself this year, offering an immersive Beer Mansion, elevated food/beer pairings and free concerts curated by the tastemakers at Paste. Oh, and it’s global: this summer, they’re hitting London, Stockholm, Chicago and Philly (with several more U.S. dates this fall).
The Void
Utah, NYC
Hey, you can pretend you’re outdoors! A layering of VR on top of “real-life interactive environments” (basically, it’s a Holodeck, right down to sounds and smells), this Utah center should be open later this year. But good news: they’re testing out a Ghostbusters-themed installation in New York. (July)
Play Paintball (Use This)
Anywhere
Dubbed “the world’s first double-barrel, air-cartridge paintball pistol,” the Goblin Deuce allows you to pump out either single paintballs … or 12 6mm bbs at a time. Plus, interchangeable barrels allow you to turn your Deuce into a Paintball Shotgun. As for the where: How about a paintball arena on an actual Marine base?
GoPro Mountain Games
Colorado
Formerly the Teva Mountain Games, Vail’s annual adventure sports Olympiad (think four types of kayaking, climbing, mountain biking, slacklining, etc.) is equal parts manly pursuits, parties and art (concerts, film, etc.). And, yeah, the highlight reel’s pretty great. (June 9-12)
Foresta Lumina
Canada
The best nighttime summer walk you’ll ever experience. This dynamically illuminated Quebec forest features North America’s longest suspended footbridge … as well as its own soundtrack and app. Like Disneyworld meets a National Park. A great, interactive family experience. (Dates TBD)
Baglioni Hotel London
London
With this new travel package, you begin at Baglioni’s posh downtown hotel (note: there’s a personal butler). At night, take your (included) Ferrari or Lambo out for a joyride. Three days later, hit the English countryside for a golf/spa retreat at a 300-acre five-star resort.
Waterfall Fishing Lodge
Alaska
Thoreau once opined, “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” But we know a place where you can have you unparalleled serenity and eat your salmon, rockfish, halibut, etc. too. Alaska’s top fishing lodge (a 90-minute flight from Seattle) is built for anglers of all skill levels, and offers possibly the best untouched views of nature you’ll ever witness. They also just spent millions to upgrade their boats and they’ll help you ship home everything you catch. (For a more upscale lodging experience, try nearby Steamboat Bay, pictured on top of the page)
Forest Dunes Golf
Michigan
The 2016 National Golf Course of the Year just got even more interesting: mid-summer, they’re opening “The Loop,” a reversible 18-hole course that allows you play the same holes in different directions depending on the day. Bonus: you can stay just 35 yards from the first tee at the on-site lodge.
This is but only one installment of 37 Things a Man’s Gotta Do This Summer, our annual compendium of everything worth seeing, doing, eating, drinking and generally making time for in your neck of the woods between now and September
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