The Ultimate Adventure Bucket List for 2019

Lose weight, read more books, better your career, spend more time with friends and family—resolutions are typically all about improving yourself. And sure, you could go through the same list of New Year’s resolutions that you make every year, but let’s mix it up for 2019. Instead of thinking about what you want to improve (and inevitably abandoning those things by the middle of January), why not make a list of things that would be super fun to experience instead?

So ditch the resolutions this year and check out our list of bucket list adventures that you’ll actually look forward to.

1. Run the Krispy Kreme Challenge

Running and doughnuts, what’s not to love? The challenge started as a dare (as most good things do) back in 2004. A dozen North Carolina college students raced to see who could run 2.5 miles to a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop, eat a dozen doughnuts, and make it back in under an hour. It’s now a huge race, attracting more than 5,500 participants last year. It’s considered the top Thing to Do Before You Graduate according to the North Carolina State Student Government, and it’s on the list of 200 Races to Run Before You Die.

2. Learn to Surf at the Paskowitz Surf Camp

No matter where you live, Southern California surf culture has an undeniable appeal. Become a part of it this year at the Paskowitz Surf Camp—the current owner’s dad pretty much invented the concept and it’s the oldest surf school in the country. They’ve taught thousands of people how to ride the waves, including rock legends and Hollywood stars, so you never know who you might be out on the water with when you take a class.

Looking to use your passport in 2019? They also offer classes south of the border in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

3. Zipline at Hunter Mountain

If skydiving is a little too extreme for you, jump on the longest, fastest, and highest zipline in North America at Hunter Mountain in upstate New York. You’ll fly from mountain peak to mountain peak at speeds of up to 50 mph—all while 600 feet off the ground. The entire experience includes six ziplines, four rope bridges, nine tree platforms, and a 65-foot rappel. Ramp it up a notch by signing up for a night zip, with only the moon lighting the way.

4. Stand-Up Paddleboarding in San Marcos, Texas

Stand-up paddleboarding is a great workout anywhere, anytime, but taking a 90-minute Glow Tour under the stars is something to add to your bucket list. The SUPs equipped with underwater LED lights that change colors, illuminating the river, wildlife, and underwater grasses on the crystal-clear San Marcos River. The town is about halfway between Austin and San Antonio, so if pigging out on authentic Texas BBQ also happens to be on your bucket list, knock out both in one shot with a trip to the Lone Star State this year.

5. Sandboard at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Who needs snow to bust out their board and hit the slopes? In Southwest Utah, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is home to 3,000 acres of colorful, ever-changing dunes, some up to 350 feet high. It’s a hotspot for ATVs and dune buggies, but you can rent a board at the park and leave the buggy behind. Cruising down soft, fine sand in the middle of a desert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you’ll never forget.

Pro tip: Hit the park at dawn or dusk when the light hits the dunes just right. It’s the best time to take Instagram shots that will make your friends jealous.

6. Saddle Up in Wyoming

The beautiful A Bar A Ranch lies in the heart of southern Wyoming’s Medicine Bow Mountains and is one of the oldest and largest guest ranches in the country, which means you’ll definitely get an authentic cowboy experience here. With blue-ribbon fishing and hundreds of miles of private trails to explore on foot or horseback, there are plenty of ways to take in some fresh air—without a single car or high rise in sight. There are no TVs in rooms at the ranch, but you won’t miss it with live music, a cowboy tale or two, and amazing food each night.

7. Have a Beer in Church

Church is a place where you’re barely supposed to speak above a whisper, much less throw back a beer, but tradition goes out the window at Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally built in the early 1900s, the church fell into disrepair in the 1990s. The building has been painstakingly refurbished to its former glory and now serves award-winning beers to sinners and saints alike (and the food is pretty good, too).

8. Attend an Iconic Tailgate Party

Tailgating at a football game is as American as football itself. And no one does tailgating like the University of Mississippi, better known as Ole Miss. On any given weekend during football season, more than 100,000 fans pack the “The Grove,” a 10-acre slice in the center of campus with mature oak and maple trees. This is no ordinary cookout, as some of the tents are decorated by professional interior designers, and sought-after chefs are brought in from far and wide to whip up meals. Often imitated but never duplicated, tailgating at Ole Miss is legendary and should be on any football fan or foodie’s bucket list.

9. Conquer Stage Fright by Singing Karaoke

When it’s time to step up to the mic, it’s best to go big. The Cat’s Meow in New Orleans has been called the best karaoke bar in the world for the last 25 years (self-proclaimed or not, we’ll give it to them). The bar is located smack dab in the middle of the historic French Quarter, which is a place that’s probably already on your bucket list anyway. If the thought of belting out Bohemian Rhapsody on stage seems daunting, check out their famous (infamous?) three-for-one Happy Hour. It’ll definitely help ease any pre-performance jitters.

10. Take the Carnivore Challenge

Adventure means different things to different people. If your idea of adventure means attempting to eat an 11-pound all-meat pizza in under an hour, then bump Big Pie in the Sky in Georgia to the top of your bucket list. The rules are simple with the Carnivore Challenge: two friends, 11 pounds, and one hour. The pizza is loaded with pepperoni, ground beef, Italian sausage, ham, and bacon. It’s $50 to try—but you win $250 in cash if you’re successful. Only seven teams have completed the challenge to date, so grab your hungriest friend and give it a go.

Written by Shaine Smith for Knockaround.