As an active, outdoor enthusiast, you don't want to let summer go by without taking advantage of all the exciting opportunities Georgia has to offer. From ziplining to hang gliding, you're sure to find fitness experiences that provide you with a mountain of uplifting memories you'll remember all year long.
Check out these top picks for summer.
Ziplining at Callaway Gardens
17800 U.S. 27, Pine Mountain. 800-852-3810. www.callawaygardens.com.
Zip your way to excitement with the Callaway Gardens TreeTop Adventure ziplines. With many activities to choose from, you and your family will have a full day of fun with this outdoor adventure suitable for the whole family. Choose from the full course with 10 ziplines and 34 obstacles, including ladders, logs, discs, wires and netting, or take your kids ages 4 years old and up to the Sapling course, just right for little ones. Everyone must wear close-toed shoes, and the full course takes around two to three hours to get through. Prices starting at $35 per person plus Garden admissions.
Whitewater rafting at the Wildwater Chattooga Adventure Center
U.S. 76, Clayton. 800-451-9972. www.wildwaterrafting.com.
Turn this summer into the ride of your life by rafting down the Chattooga River with the experienced guides at Wildwater Chattooga Adventure Center. Known as one of the most beautiful whitewater rivers in America, rafting the Chattooga will give you the summer thrills you're seeking. If you're not up for too bumpy of a ride, go a little further into the season -- the later it gets into summer, the more gentle the river will become, making this whitewater rafting adventure perfect no matter how much experience you have. Prices starting at $69 per person.
Catching some air with Balloons Over Georgia
235 Castleberry Road, Cumming. 678-283-4033. www.balloonsovergeorgia.com.
Get a bird's eye view of Georgia this summer by taking a once-in-a-lifetime balloon ride with Balloons Over Georgia. Although located in Cumming, your flight might take you over Lake Lanier, Kennesaw, Stone Mountain and more. Each balloon ride begins around one hour before sunrise or two hours before sunset, and will last between 45 minutes to one and a half hours, depending on wind and weather conditions. Always make sure to wear close-toed shoes, and don't forget your camera. Flights starting at $250 per person.
Floating the river with Cool River Tubing
590 Edelweiss Drive, Helen. 30545. 706-878-2665. www.coolrivertubing.com.
Find out just how relaxed you can get by floating down the Chattahoochee River on a tube. Cool River Tubing offers a few different trip lengths, ranging from one hour to two and a half hours, and you can choose from a tube with or without a bottom. Prices are $8 per person.
Kayaking at The Sandbar
3435 King Hall Mill Road, Bowman. 30624. 706-245-4163. www.thesandbarbroadriver.com.
Experience the exhilaration of kayaking down the Broad River on either an ocean or sit-on-top kayak, which includes room for a small cooler, so you can bring your lunch. The Sandbar will provide you with your craft, life jackets and paddles just make sure to bring along a towel, change of clothes, sunscreen and an eyeglass strap if you wear shades. Each kayak trip takes around three and half hours. Prices start at $20 per person.
Skydiving with Skydive Atlanta
2333 Delray Road, Thomaston. 800-276-3583. www.skydiveatlanta.com.
If you're feeling particularly brave, consider going skydiving with Skydive Atlanta. You'll complete paperwork, watch an instructional video and take a short 30-minute class before heading out with a licensed Tandem Instructor. Decked out in a jumpsuit, goggles, helmet, altimeter and harness, and attached to your instructor, you'll jump from around 14,000 feet and feel the freedom of a free fall. Call for pricing.
Soaring over hilltops with Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding
7201 Scenic Highway, Rising Fawn. 706-398-3541. www.hanglide.com.
Find out what it feels like to soar like a bird with Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding's Introductory Experience. This all-in-one package includes the Beginning Ground School, practice on smaller 5- to 10-foot-high hills and a Tandem Instructional Aerotow Flight that reaches 1,500 feet. Prices start at $149 per person.
Looking for even more excitement this year? Find out how to dive, bike and paddle to these North Atlanta outdoor adventures.
