Dry off on the Blue Heron Adventure as you soar on the only dual zip lines in America that connect two states! Fly over whitewater rapids to Alabama to complete the Blue Heron Aerial Course, and fly back to Georgia.

After a day of rafting and zipping, relax on the Riverwalk: a popular place to run, bike, walk, or grab some great food. I love Banks Food Hall, and always recommend to those adventuring in the area. If you are interested in a custom, outdoor adventure weekend in Columbus, contact me here.

Looking to make a day of it? Lookout Mountain flight park is conveniently located 10 minutes from Cloudland Canyon State Park. You can hike in the morning and fly in the afternoon, or vice versa!

Wanting something more than a hike? Lookout Mountain Flight Park is just 30 minutes outside of Chattanooga, where you can explore the city, grab some amazing food, and rent a paddle board on the river.

5. Lake Lanier Islands, Forsyth County

Lake Lanier. The infamous man made, busy Georgia lake. While most people are familiar with its water park and boat rentals, what you may not know is that there is a teacher owned outfitter that is fully supported by Forsyth County Parks and Rec. Burton Outdoor Adventures (BOA) is an e-Foil (motorized board), kayak and paddle board rental and instruction facility. They currently have 5 locations on Lake Lanier, and they are continuing to expand.

I am so excited to be partnering with Burton Outdoor Adventures to bring to you Lake Life Summer Camp July 17th- July 20th 2023. Details to follow!

6. Historic Banning Mills, Whitesburg

Our final Georgia Summer Adventure has a little bit of everything. Welcome to Historic Banning Mill, an adventure resort in Whitesburg, Georgia. This resort currently holds TWO Guinness World Records: the world record for the longest zip line canopy tour and tallest free-standing rock wall. While most people come for the zip lining, you can complete aerial courses, tour on ATVs, hike, traverse suspension bridges, horesback ride, etc. There is so much to do!

Located about 45 minutes South of Atlanta, you can choose to stay on site or to drive to the Beltline for some post adrenaline dinner and drinks!

I hope you all enjoyed reading this Georgia travel guide and discovering the top Georgia Summer Adventures. Be sure to tag @ventresadventures during your favorite Georgia experiences!

Shop Some of our Recommended Gear for Summer!

The post Georgia Summer Adventures appeared first on Ventres Adventures.

We have  adventured with students all over the world. And now, it’s time to bring the adventure home. While we will continue to create specifically curated, adrenaline filled study abroad programs, we recognize that times are changing. From the cascading waterfalls in the North Georgia mountains to the undeveloped beaches on the coast, Ventre’s Adventures is creating regional adventures to unleash the weekend warrior in all of us.

What Kind Of Adventures?

Have you ever wanted to soar over Lookout Mountain? Hike the Little Grand Canyon? Rappel into the Abyss?

There’s so much to experience in the Peach State! Whitewater rafting, mountain hiking, paragliding, Georgia Grown parks, and signature breweries  just to name a few. We are combining adrenaline filled activities with Southeastern specific locations that will surely keep Georgia on your mind.

Who Are The Adventures For?

Anyone and everyone. We want everyone to experience the very best Georgia has to offer. However in keeping with our international initiatives, there will be some experiences specifically geared towards students and team building.

Who Will Unleash With Us?

Just like our international initiatives, we continue to practice sustainability as we partner with local small business to give back to the local community. Besides–no one knows Georgia better than the people who carry peach state pride.

Calendar of Events

Student & Family Adventures

21 & Up Adventures

Make sure you check out our Facebook and Instagram Pages for video recaps and pictures of previous events!

The post Unleashed in the Southeast appeared first on Ventres Adventures.

Oh Austin, how I love you so. There are few cities in the United States that leave an impact as grand Austin. To be fair, I grew up around Manhattan. The city of lights raised the bar pretty high.

There’s something especially cool about Austin though.  The vibe is something hard to describe until you fully experience it. Each time you visit, you’ll stumble upon a new restaurant, mural, or avocado dish.

First timer?

Pro Tip: Scooter Everywhere.

Here’s how to get weird when you venture to Austin.

How To Get There:

Flying to Austin from Atlanta is easy. Thanks to our Delta Hub, flights run to Austin every 2 hours.  I still advise using Sky Scanner to find the cheapest flights, and to find the cheapest time during the month to travel. Click here to start booking flights.

For those that have a little more time to explore, a road trip to Austin could be right up your alley. If driving from Atlanta, be sure to stop in New Orleans and Houston!

Where To Stay:

We stayed at the Lone Star Court, and we absolutely loved it. Located in The Domain, Lone Start Court embodies the spirit of a traditionally Texan environment with retro inspired accommodations.

Each room receives a complimentary smores kits for you to enjoy at any one of their outdoor fire pits. Throw in a few bikes, a classic car, and a super cute dipping pool, and you’ll never want to leave. Check out the rooms here.

Each stay also includes complimentary breakfast. Kera and I missed breakfast…every morning. Hey, Austin is a good time!

What To Do:

1. SoCo District

South Congress is probably my favorite area of Austin. Deemed “SoCo” by locals, this vibrant neighborhood south of Lady Bird Lake is a must-stroll for visitors and a popular hangout for locals. South Congress oozes homespun character with the very spunk that keeps Austin weird.

Kera and I shopped and ate our way through South Congress, and we aren’t even a little bit ashamed about it!

Our absolute favorite spot in the SoCo district is Lucy in Disguise. With rooms upon rooms of dresses, wigs, props, and jewelry, you can assemble almost any outfit you want. They have costumes for every genre and time period, and honestly, we were kids in a candy shop. Regardless of your plans, make sure you pop in to Lucy in Disguise.

You will work up quite an appetite after playing dress up—for 3 hours. Step into Home Slice and reward yourself. Dress up is hard work! As a New Yorker, I can honestly say that Home Slice is as authentic as it gets. PLUS they serve cannolis. No, you’re not in heaven. You’re still in Austin.

2. Pose with Austin’s Famous Murals

Austin has a vibrant art scene. It’s probably one of the best that I have seen in the United States. South Congress is home to many of the “gram-worthy” murals. Grab your friends and model away. You will see the majority of the murals as your boppin’ around SoCo. However if you don’t have a lot of time and you need to plan our your attack, check out this blog post with the exact addresses of Austin’s infamous artwork.

3. Check Out the Austin Motel

No. You don’t have a dirty mind. We see it too.

In the 1930s, when the country was experiencing a boom in automobile culture, the Stewarts built a landmark motel that opened its doors in 1938. While the Austin Motel is infamous, the sign is…well, an institution. Yes—we all see it. The sign is both bold and suggestive, but that’s part of the motel’s appeal. In addition to the coolness of the rooms, the motel is heavily invested in the community.

4. Explore the Texas Capital

As a history teacher, I think it’s really important to immerse yourself in some local history when traveling. The capital building is the perfect place for history buffs. Draped in Texas pride and lone star nationalism, the capital is the perfect intersection of past and present. The building itself is beautiful and stoic, standing 14 feet taller than our country’s capital in Washington D.C.

You can tour the capital with your group, or on your own. I recommend taking an independent guided tour. Check out this video of the capital. It’s narrated by Matthew McConaughey, and it will provide you will all the information that you would get on a typical guided tour. You can also use this guide as you walk through Texas history.

If you want to dive further into the Lone Star State, I do recommend taking a specialty group tours. These tours are offered during certain times of the day or year. You can check them out here.

5. Rainey Street

Try explaining to Rainey Street to someone who has never been, and they might have a hard time believing its real. An adorable, “neighborhoody” street with houses that are actually bars, with string-light covered patios, food trucks, and craft cocktails. While Rainey Street has become a bit of a tourist destination, plenty of Austinites venture out too.

We had the most fun at these places:

Half Step—an alluring and dark atmosphere with the absolutely best craft cocktails around. Seriously. This is the kind of place where you go up to the bar, and tell the bartenders to surprise you. Don’t embarrass yourself by ordering a redbull and vodka.

Un BAR lievable—a carnival-like atmosphere, this bar has a slide… I repeat, a slide. Our group hurled our bodies down the slide in multiple different ways, even trying to see how many people could fit down the slide at once. Pro tip: no more than 5 people at one time or you will get an elbow to the face.

Parlor Room—a hot pink living room with a giant neon sign that says DRINK UP on the patio. The music is always bumping, and the dance moves are always interesting. I had to practically peel Kera from the dance floor.

Icenhauer—a backyard BBQ feel with hundreds of your closet friends. It’s the kind of place where you can stay awhile and have a great time.

Want more information on bars and restaurants down Rainey Street?  Click Here.

6. Spend One Night (only one night) on Dirty Sixth

Contrary to the coolness of Rainey Street, Dirty Sixth is the kind of place that you swear to yourself you won’t journey back to. The cheap prices and stale smell of beer will remind you of your college days. However everyone must experience Dirty Sixth…. but only once. Kera and I are a big fan of slides in a bar, so we had a great time at the Aquarium on 6th.  No need to plan your attack here. Just wander in and out of the neighboring establishments, and try to make good decisions.

7. Watch a Patriots Game at B.D. Riley’s

The pub is named after Bessie Dee Riley, whose grandson John Erwin founded it.  She was born to Irish immigrants in Hempstead, Texas, one of 3 sets of twins in a family of 10 children!  She also never drank alcohol, so her portrait on the East wall of the bar faces away from the taps.

The food is absolutely amazing. After devouring their award winning fish and chips, you absolutely must try the Irish Coffee Ice cream. The ice cream (made especially from Amy’s) is mixed with real Baileys Irish Cream and Jameson Whiskey. The flavor is created exclusively for B.D. Riley’s, and does not leave Austin.

My absolute favorite part about B.D. Riley’s is that it is the official and largest fan club for the New England Patriots in all of Texas. I dragged Kera here (3 hours before game time) in order to secure a seat. The atmosphere is absolute perfection if you are a Patriot’s fan. Steve Basile celebrates every first down, and the bar erupts with a Patriot’s score. Featured in both the Boston Globe and on ESPN, B.D. Riley’s is my pick for the best place to watch the Patriots play outside of Boston.

There are a few more things to do in Austin, but they are seasonally dependent.

We visited in January. Here are three things to do in Austin when the season gets a little warmer:

1. Bat Season

Underneath the Congress Avenue Bridge lives the largest urban bat colony in North America. When they emerge during “bat season” it’s like a dark moving cloud. There are several locations where you can see the bats emerge. You can stand on the bridge itself, hang out at the Austin-American Statesman Park, or on a boat at Lady Bird Lake. “Bat Season” takes place April through October, early November.

Image From BatsInAustin.com

2. Lake Day

Located in the heart of downtown Austin, you’ll find no shortage of outdoor fun on Lady Bird Lake. Not only a perfect place to watch the bats take flight, Lady Bird Lake is a great spot for hiking, kayaking, and stand up paddle boarding.

3. South by South West

South by South West is a multi-genre, multi-medium showcasing festival and conference series during mid March. The festival side is a split across five areas including music, film, comedy, gaming, and interactive media, while its conferences cover a wide range of topics such as marketing, fashion, sports, and technology.

Check out the schedule and get your tickets here.

Austin, you were a dream. Ready to Venture?

The post Austin City Guide appeared first on Ventres Adventures.