Airbnb Adventures are a great way to see the United States and experience some of the most wonderful adventures that North America has to offer. Whether you’re into backcountry camping or want to spend your time in the ocean, there is an Airbnb Adventure for just about everyone.
The seven best Airbnb Adventures in the US are:
- Malibu Beginner Surf Camping Retreat
- Jeep 4×4 Camping Hiking GA Mountains
- Sailing Adventure to Catalina Island
- Alaskan Wilderness Dogsled Adventure
- 3 Day Wild West All American Camping
- Forest Farm – Tours, Meals, and Glamping
- Colorado Ski and Horse Ranch Adventure
Airbnb Adventures are an excellent way for travelers to schedule multi-day itineraries chock full of regional activities that will be sure to wow friends and relatives back home. Read on to learn more about Airbnb Adventures and how to find your next great travel quest.
Unlock the secrets of Airbnb Experiences and discover a world of exciting activities and local-led adventures. Find out how these experiences work and how they can enhance your travel experiences across the United States.
What Are Airbnb Adventures?
Airbnb Adventures are similar to Airbnb Experiences, with the main difference being that on an Airbnb Adventure, you’re signed up for more than a single activity – you get days of fun all in one convenient package! These adventures include multiple days of activities that usually adhere to a theme such as camping, scuba diving, or even dogsledding.
Airbnb Adventures include many of the amenities of a full trip, including the following:
- Necessary equipment
- Food and drinks
- Transportation
Lodging may or may not be provided with an Airbnb Adventure, depending on whether the adventure involves camping or not. Details of each Airbnb Adventure are provided on each Adventure’s page on the Airbnb website.
The 7 Best Airbnb Adventures in the US Waiting for You
The United States is vast, and Airbnb Adventures can be one of the best ways to see the most remote parts with a local expert as your guide. The seven Airbnb Adventures listed below are some of the best Airbnb Adventures in the US from coast to coast.
Location: Malibu, California
Notes: 2-day adventure, food and drinks included, one night of camping accommodation included, moderate activity level
Have you ever felt the call of the ocean? If you’ve always been interested in learning how to surf but never quite got the opportunity, a few days away at the Malibu Beginner Surf Camping Retreat will let you get intimately acquainted with your longboard in style.
Here are some of the things you can expect at the Malibu Beginner Surf Camping Retreat:
- Both novice and intermediate instruction from seasoned surf instructors
- Hiking in the Santa Monica mountains and camping under the stars in a California vineyard
- A guide with the following certifications: CPR, Red Cross Lifeguard, Wilderness First Responder, and American Mountain Guides Association SPI
For people who have always wanted to learn to surf but are intimidated by the prospect of surfing alongside salty veterans, this Malibu surf retreat is the perfect weekend getaway to learn how to surf in a low-pressure environment with others who want to kick back and have a great time.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Notes: 3-day adventure, food and drinks included, two nights of camping accommodation included, strenuous activity level
Have you ever seen a Jeep or other SUV type vehicle in a TV commercial conquering the open, unpaved wilderness? This is an activity called Overlanding, and it’s an activity you can do through Airbnb Adventures.
Jeeping, or Overlanding, is a unique way of seeing the forest, and this trip through the backwoods of northern Georgia lets you see the woodlands without having to hike. However, this adventure does include a strenuous five-mile hike on Blood Mountain, so adventurers should be prepared to sit back and relax and walk on this Airbnb Adventure.
Here are some of the things you can expect at the Jeep 4×4 Camping and Hiking Adventure in the Georgia Mountains:
- Five miles of hiking on Blood Mountain
- Breathtaking views of the Hiawasee Lakes from the top of Bell Mountain, one of the most iconic peaks in Georgia
- Overland driving expeditions on the unpaved forest roads of the North Georgia Forest
- Off-roading and an in-vehicle water crossing at Charlie’s Creek
- Two nights of primitive camping in some of Georgia’s most beautiful wilderness
Luis, the guide for this Jeep Overlanding adventure, is warm and welcoming to all guests on this excursion, leading to its status as one of the best-reviewed Airbnb Adventures offered in the US. Going on this Airbnb Adventure will let you see Georgia in a way you’ve never experienced it before.
Location: Newport Beach, California
Notes: 3-day trip, includes food, drinks, and equipment, moderate activity level
For everyone who has ever wanted to chart a course and sail away to an island getaway, this sailing adventure to Catalina Island is the closest that most people can probably get. Adventurers will get to board the traditional tall sailing ship the Mayflower under Captain Andrew. They will experience a full sailing adventure complete with island hikes, snorkeling, and even kayaking on the open ocean.
Here are some of the things you can expect to experience through the sailing adventure to Catalina Island:
- A visit to the tiny island village of Two Harbors at Catalina for hiking, relaxation, and photo ops at a scenic overlook
- Chances to go swimming, snorkeling, diving, and kayaking in the crystal-clear blue waters around Catalina Island
- Two nights on-board the sailboat in queen-sized accommodations
- Underwater views from the pilothouse that include local wildlife such as dolphins, seals, sharks, and seabirds
Sailing is a bit difficult to try out unless you were raised in a seaside town, so for those landlubbers with no experience in sailing who want to know what it’s like to engage in this old-fashioned mode of transportation at sea, this Catalina Island adventure is a great way to dive in.
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Notes: 3-day trip, two guest minimum, food, drinks, and equipment included, transportation included, moderate activity level
Dogsledding may be something you’ve only read about in Jack London novels. But for the truly intrepid traveler, this Airbnb Alaskan Wilderness Dogsled Adventure offers guests the chance to experience a slice of life in the Alaskan wilderness alongside a real dogsledding team.
This Airbnb Adventure features a wide variety of experiences you’re unlikely to find outside of Alaska. Rather than forcing you to brave the elements overnight, this adventure features home-cooked Alaskan meals and cozy accommodations on the homestead of your dogsledding guides.
Here are some of the cool things you’ll see and do on your dogsled adventure in the Alaskan wilderness:
- Dog mushing: Guests will travel with the guide to their backcountry survivalist homestead by dogsledding trail, acting as a uniquely Alaskan introduction to this Airbnb Adventure. Guests will also have the chance to interact face-to-face with authentic Alaskan sled dogs and listen to stories about the dogsledding lifestyle from real-life mushers.
- Ice fishing under northern lights: On the second day of the adventure, guests will have a chance to accompany their guides to an ice fishing location as well as on a trek to see if you can spot the aurora borealis or the northern lights, one of Alaska’s most beautiful natural wonders.
- Snowshoeing: Guests will have a few chances to snowshoe through the Alaskan wilderness, allowing them to traverse the wilds like a true outdoorsman. The beautiful locale of the homestead allows for plenty of scenic photo ops.
- Survival skills and crafting: Guests to the homestead will learn many different survivalist skills that the guides use to survive in the Alaskan backcountry and will even have the chance to carve a spoon to bring home with them as a souvenir of their adventures.
- Fire making: Guests will get the chance to help the guides create a fire, one of the essential skills to master in the Alaskan wilderness.
The small scale of this Airbnb adventure ensures that each guest gets a personalized experience that will stay with them for a lifetime. For adventurers who are interested in getting the most out of their Alaskan vacation, you can’t get much better than this cozy dogsledding cabin.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Notes: 3-day trip, includes food and tickets, light activity level, tours offered in multiple languages (German, English, Spanish, French, and Italian), transportation included for an additional fee
Many people may not think of camping when they think of Las Vegas, but this Airbnb Adventure set in Las Vegas offers some of the best camping in the American West. This tour guided by a Navajo native features a jeep tour through Monument Valley, a trip through two different national parks (Zion and Bryce), and even a helicopter ride for an aerial view of this vast American desert.
This Airbnb Adventure features many optional additions to the basic adventure package, including a trip to Antelope Canyon (one of the most iconic geographical wonders in the world) and an optional traditional taco meal cooked in a Navajo home.
Here are some of the other things you can expect to see and do on your three-day Wild West All American camping trip:
- Trip to the Grand Canyon: Guests will visit Antelope Canyon and two national parks. They’ll also travel to the Grand Canyon, one of the eight wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon is a vast crevasse large enough to see from space and results from millions of years of geological evolution.
- Eat on Route 66: One of the meals provided is a stop for burgers at the Snow Cap Diner, one of the most iconic restaurants on Route 66. Route 66 is one of the most famous historic roads in the United States.
- Hiking in Zion and Bryce National Parks: The trails in these national parks feature some of the most heart-stopping vistas in all of America, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more photogenic landscape. From the sandstone cliffs of Zion to the hoodoos of Bryce, there’s plenty to see when you’re out hiking on this camping adventure.
- Sunrise in Monument Valley: Going to sleep under the massive blanket of stars in the American desert is a singular experience, but so is unzipping your tent to wake up and see the sunrise over Nevada’s Monument Valley.
From a drive through the Mojave Desert to hikes through some of the most iconic Western landscapes in the US, you can’t get much better than this Airbnb Adventure for an authentic Wild West experience you’ll never forget.
(Trying to figure out how to get there? Check out cheap flights to Las Vegas to learn more!)
Location: Marshall, North Carolina
Notes: 2-day trip, includes food, drinks, and equipment, moderate activity level
For those travelers who want something a little different out of their next Southern adventure, the Watershed Forest Farm in Marshall, North Carolina, offers an eye-opening look at permaculture in Appalachia.
This adventure is perfect for people who want to learn more about permaculture practices and eco-forestry. These conservation concepts promise to help protect the wild areas of North Carolina and the rest of America for decades to come.
Here are some of the things you’ll get to take in at the Watershed Forest Farm:
- A two-hour farm tour: This tour includes a basic introduction to permaculture for those who aren’t familiar with the concept, followed by a comprehensive walk through every area of this eco-forest from the mushroom and livestock yards to the gardens, nursery, and apiaries. Tours also include walks through the farm’s eco-orchards and the Appalachian hardwood forest.
- Lunch in a log cabin: Guests will have the chance to sit down together in an 1800s-style log cabin for a diverse sampling of foraged food gathered from the nearby forest and the food products produced on the eco-farm itself.
- Forest bathe at leisure: After a hearty farm breakfast, guests are let loose on the farm to take in the scenic views, enjoy some self-guided additional tours through the farm, or take some hiking and yoga.
- Opportunity for extended stays: For those guests who want to stay past the baseline two-day Airbnb Adventure, additional glamping can be arranged in the botanical sanctuary for additional lodging fees. During extended stays at the farm, tours are replaced on additional days by hands-on experiences in each farm’s area, from the chicken and duck coops to the beehives.
The Watershed Forest Farm is a fantastic adventure for people who want to relax in a beautiful woodland location while also learning about sustainability and other ecological concepts.
Location: Alamosa, Colorado
Notes: 8-day trip, includes food and drinks, includes transportation, tickets, and equipment, moderate activity level
Eight days is barely enough time to pack in all the cool activities travelers get to participate in on this Colorado ranching adventure. Guests will have the chance to go skiing and snowboarding for three days while also enjoying scenic horseback rides and other local trips to outdoor attractions.
Here are just a few of the things you’ll get to do and see on a Colorado Ski and Horse Ranch Adventure:
- Tour the Great National Sand Dunes
- Hike up to Zapata Falls
- Check out Ford Garland, Colorado’s only military fort
- Take a soak in the world’s deepest hot springs at Wolf Creek
- Ski at Monarch or Wolf Creek ski resorts, some of the most popular ski resorts in Colorado
- Shoot a variety of different guns (including flintlock muskets)
- Go wildlife-spotting for deer, elk, and mountain lion
- Visit the location of the last hanging in Colorado as well as an old stagecoach relay station used by Doc Holiday
For those travelers who want a well-rounded skiing vacation complete with other exciting outdoor activities punctuated by some of the best home-cooked pioneer fare in Colorado, this skiing and horseback riding adventure is a great option.
What to Bring on Your Airbnb Adventure?
Airbnb Adventures are as diverse as the people that go on them, and you won’t need the same packing list to go dog sledding in Alaska that you’d need for going camping in the Nevada Desert. Most Airbnb Adventures give a full itinerary and breakdown of every day of your tour, so you know exactly what you need each day of the adventure.
Here are a few ways to figure out what you need to bring on your Airbnb Adventure:
- What is the climate like? Hot climates will call for much lighter clothing than cold climates, and you’ll want to bring waterproof clothing if you plan on visiting somewhere with snow. Planning outfits with layers can prepare you for a variety of weather conditions.
- What time of year are you going? You’ll need to bring warmer clothes for winter adventures than you would for a summer stay, so make sure to check the seasonal weather when you make your reservations to set your packing list.
- How long are you staying? You’ll need to bring enough clothes for the number of days you’ll be out on your adventure, plus a couple of spare outfits in case you get very dirty or wet and want to change
- What kind of activities will you be doing? Hiking adventures require sturdy footwear, especially if you’re planning on visiting more advanced hiking trails. Water-based adventures may require equipment such as snorkels or fins, but much of this equipment is also available for rental if you want to keep your packing as light as possible.
- What equipment is provided? Some equipment is provided free of charge by your Airbnb Adventure guides, while other equipment needs to be rented or purchased ahead of time. Check your specific Adventure itinerary carefully to see what kind of equipment is required for the activities planned.
- How much storage space is available? On some Airbnb Adventures, transportation is provided, and the storage on that transportation is limited by the number of guests. Read up on the transportation and lodging in your Airbnb Adventure to figure out how much bag space you’ll have access to on your commutes to and from your adventure location.
The best way to figure out what to bring on your Airbnb Adventure is to check out the itinerary on the Airbnb website. If you still have questions on what you should plan to bring with you, the next thing you should do is try to contact the guide of the Adventure. Most guides are more than happy to provide clarification to let you know precisely what you need to bring on your trip.
Things to Bring on Any Airbnb Adventure
No matter where you go on your Airbnb adventure, there are a few items that no traveler should be without. Here are a few things you should consider bringing with you on your Airbnb adventure:
- A good camera: Most of the places you’ll visit in an American Airbnb Adventure are some of the most gorgeous places in the United States, and you’ll want to spend half your trip in photo mode documenting the beauty of the locales you’ll visit. For ocean-based trips, be sure to bring a waterproof camera and attach a flotation buoy to it in case it ends up overboard.
- Sunscreen: No matter what kind of outdoor adventure you’re on, you’ll want to bring UV protection if you don’t want to spend half of your trip utterly miserable with sunburn. This is especially true for beachside Airbnb Adventures or adventures that take place in the desert.
- A comfortable pair of shoes: No matter where you end up going on an Airbnb Adventure, chances are you’re going to do more than your share of walking. Be sure to bring appropriate footwear so that you don’t end up crippled with blisters by the end of the first day.
- Reusable water bottle: Staying hydrated while you’re adventuring outdoors is essential no matter whether you’re kayaking off Catalina Island or dog sledding in Alaska. Bring a water bottle to make sure you’re not distracted by thirst when you’re supposed to be having fun.
- A travel journal and a pen: A travel journal is a great way to take notes on some of the cool things you see on your trip for scrapbooking later, and for more artistic types, it’s also a terrific place to store sketches of anything you want to record.
- Wallet and identification: You’ll need all of your identification for traveling during your Airbnb Adventure, and you’ll want to make sure that it’s stored in a secure location so that you don’t lose it when you’re transitioning from one place to another. This is especially important on adventures that involve multiple locations from day to day.
Airbnb Adventures are diverse, and you’ll need a slightly different packing list for each one depending on what you plan to do. But packing the above items will have you prepared for just about anything.
Things Not to Bring on an Airbnb Adventure
Along with a few travel essentials you should bring with you, no matter what Airbnb Adventure you pursue, you might want to know how to travel light for a more comfortable experience. And there are a few things you shouldn’t bother to bring with you on most Airbnb Adventures.
Here are a few things you won’t need to bring:
- Food and drinks: Most Airbnb Adventures are all-inclusive and will serve full meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages. Check your individual Airbnb to see what kind of meals are provided.
- Tents: Airbnb Adventures that involve camping usually provide tents and related camping equipment, so you don’t have to bother packing all that equipment in with you. This can make a camping vacation much more convenient than if you had to arrange it yourself.
- Pets: Most of the Airbnb Adventures include visits to places that companion animals like dogs can’t go unless they’re working service animals, so plan on leaving your pets at home if you’re going on an Airbnb Adventure.
Most of the major things you’ll need on an Airbnb adventure like food, lodging, and transportation will be provided, but every adventure is a little bit different. Check with the guide beforehand to make sure you don’t head out without something essential.
How Far in Advance Should You Book Your Airbnb Adventure?
Airbnb Adventures should be booked a few months in advance and can be done through the Airbnb website. Bookings are performed by going to the individual page of the Airbnb Adventure you’re planning on attending, then toggling the date you want to reserve out of the available booking dates. Booking dates will vary from adventure to adventure.
Some adventures occur less frequently than others, depending on how long the adventure is, so it’s worth planning if you want to get the most options for available dates. It’s also a good idea to contact the Airbnb guide if you’re planning on reserving an Airbnb experience for a large group or if you are going to need special accommodations for some of the guests in your party.
Airbnb Adventures Are One of the Most Unique Ways to See the US
The United States is a massive country, and you could spend years exploring all the things to see and do here. Apart from adventures, Airbnb offers unique airbnb experiences in the US as well. This is a great way to explore some of America’s most enjoyable outdoor scenery and activities while being guided by knowledgeable subject matter experts with extensive backgrounds in providing a once-in-a-lifetime hospitality experience. When you are ready for you next adventure, check out the best Airbnb experiences in the USA!
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