List of Extreme Sports

People often talk about extreme sports and the adrenaline rush you get from it. Here's all the buzz
about the popular heart-racing sports you can try your hand at.
Adrenaline junkies, thrill seekers and even regular office-goers these days are constantly looking for
new ways to have a crazy time trying their hand at sports which range from the fun ones to the
absolutely insane! Extreme sports act as the perfect way for people to try out things that they would
otherwise never even dream of doing; All for the adrenaline rush from pushing themselves to
conquer their biggest fears by defying all logic and sense of reasoning and just taking the plunge,
quite literally! Here's a short list of the many popular extreme sports that could help bring out the
adventurer in you.
Mountain Biking
Top 5 Places - Buffalo Creek - Pine, CO / Porcupine Rim - Moab, UT / Tsali Recreation Area,
Robbinsville, NC / Slickrock - Moab, UT / Blankets Creek Bicycle Trail - Woodstock, GA
Best Time - Autumn, Spring
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Mountain biking involves riding special mountain bikes in extremely rough terrains. This can be very
challenging, and tests both your mental and physical strength to the limit. It's a must-do activity for
all the enthusiasts out there who want to get the feel of battling it out with the elements.
Skateboarding
Top 5 Places - Mount Snow, Dover VT / National Stadium, Warsaw / Aspen, CO / Los Angeles, CA /
Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Best Time - Summer, Spring
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Skateboarding has really caught on with the youth these days. It involves performing tricks and
maneuvers while riding a skateboard across the street, railing of the stairs, footpaths amongst other
places. There are dedicated skateboarding rings all over for professionals and real enthusiasts. This
too features in the X Games and is quite a favorite among the crowd.
Extreme Motocross
Top 5 Places - Mount Snow, Dover VT / National Stadium, Warsaw / Aspen, CO / Los Angeles, CA /
Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Best Time - Summer, Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
The name already has the term extreme in it, and that with a good reason, too. Extreme motocross is
not for the faint-hearted, as this is all about performing death-defying stunts on your dirt bike as you
take off from a ramp, traveling at great speeds. An integral part of the X Games, this is quite a crowd
puller.
Adventure Racing
Top 5 Places - Reveille Peak Ranch, TX /
Eagle Creek Park, IN / Lake Grapevine,
TX / East Fork State Park, OH / CYO
Camp Rancho Framasa, IN
Best Time - All through the year
No. of people - 2 to 3 per team
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Put together some extreme sports like mountain biking, paddling, and cross-country running and you
have the sport of "adventure racing". This sport truly pushes you to the limit and truly puts the
extreme in the extreme sports. There are a lot of adventure racing events organized the world over
which draws in scores of enthusiasts who train for these events right through the year. What adds to
the excitement is the fact that teams aren't allowed to use GPS or any motorized forms of transport.
Parkour
Top 5 Places - Any and all places outside
Best Time - All through the year
No. of people - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Originally from France, this is an extremely fast-paced and fun sport. It involves running through
your environment, as you jump, dodge, climb, and move past obstacles at speeds that almost make
you seem like a ninja! This is one sport that is pure unadulterated fun and simply a very interesting
way of traveling.
Indoor Climbing
Top 5 Places - Vertical Edge Climbing Center, Durham, NC / Hangar 18 Indoor Climbing Gyms,
Upland, CA / The Sports Center, Chelsea Piers, NY / Rockwall, New York University Palladium, NY /
Brooklyn Boulders, Brooklyn, NY
Best Time - Summer
No. of people - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
With time constraints and people wanting everything on the go, we've brought the outdoors,
indoors! For all those who want to experience the thrill of mountain climbing without all the risks
involved, this is the perfect solution for you. Indoor climbing gives you the feel of mountain climbing
with specially designed walls of different heights and varying difficulty. The techniques and the
equipment used are the same as in actual mountain climbing, and are very close to the real deal.
Street Luge
Top 5 Places - Winchester, UT / Providence, RI /
Goldendale, WA / Talimena, OK / Signal Hill, CA
Best Time - All through the year
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Street luge is for all the adrenaline junkies out there who really wanna push the very limits of
extreme. In street luge, you ride down the slope of a paved road, lying flat on your back on a
specially made luge board. As you speed down the slope at blistering speeds of up to 100 miles/hour,
you rely on your body and your legs to steer you and on your shoes to stop you (along with a little
prayer!) as gravity takes over.
Bungee Jumping
Top 5 Places - Great Canadian Bungee, Canada / Bloukrans River Bridge, South Africa / "007
Goldeneye" Bungee Jump, Switzerland / Victoria Falls Bridge, Zimbabwe / Bhote Kosi Bungee,
Kathmandu, Nepal
Best Time - Spring, Summer
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Over the years, bungee jumping has gained tremendous popularity with people, both young and old
alike. It features right on top of the to-do list of almost every other thrill seeker out there. In bungee
jumping, you jump off a tall structure like a bridge or a tower with a bungee cord to help break your
fall. The lengths of the cord are altered according to the weight of the person jumping.
Base Jumping
Top 5 Places - New River Gorge Bridge - Fayetteville, West Virginia / Perrine Bridge - Twin Falls,
Idaho / Troll Wall and Kjerag - Norway / Angel Falls - Venezuela / Trango Towers - Northern Pakistan
Best Time - Summer
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Few people actually know that base jumping is actually an acronym (B.A.S.E) for the place from
where you jump as part of this sport; B - Buildings, A - Antennas, S - Spans or bridges, and E - Earth
(cliffs). While base jumping, the enthusiast jumps off a tall structure and after free falling for a fair
distance, descends with the help of a parachute. This is a sport that only advanced jumpers tend to
attempt because it involves a higher risk element. Base jumpers often jump from tall historical
structures or national monuments to grab media attention, and many a time to support a cause. It is
banned in most US states and other countries around the world, because of the high level of risk
involved.
Skydiving
Top 5 Places - Skydive Lost Prairie, MT / Skydive Sebastian, FL / Pacific Skydiving Center, HI / Sky
Dive San Diego, CA / Skydive Space Center, FL
Best Time - Spring, Winter
No. of People - Solo, Duo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Man has forever been fascinated by flight, and although we have, over the years, built plenty of
aircraft of different sizes, the dream to actually fly without any other aid has always been an elusive
one. Skydiving or parachuting is the closest we have gotten to living this dream. It generally involves
a person or a group of people jumping off planes at heights of above 1,000 meters and free falling
towards the earth at great speeds. The thrill of falling from the sky is unmatched by any other form
of sport. Towards the end of the free fall, the parachute is deployed to break the speed and ensure a
safe landing.
Wingsuit Flying
Top 5 Places - Texas / Florida / California / Massachusetts / Maryland
Best Time - Summer, Spring, Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
A little-known sport called sky flying or wingsuit flying is a mix of base jumping and skydiving. It
involves a jumper jumping off a tall structure or cliff, wearing a special gliding suit, and unlike free
falling, glides through the sky with the help of the 'wings', which is actually a webbing that stretches
across the hands to the legs of the suit. The final descent is made with the help of a parachute.
Hang Gliding
Top 5 Places - San Jose, CA / Mojave Desert, CA / California City, CA / Sleeping Bear Dunes National
Lakeshore, MI / Makapuu Cliffs, HI
Best Time - Summer
No. of People - Solo, Duo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Imagine flying through the skies on one of the paper planes which you used to make as kids. Well,
gliding kinda lets you do just that. It involves taking off holding on to a glider, which looks very
similar to a kite, from a plateau at a high altitude. When the wind conditions are favorable, you can
take off into the sky with a small run up and glide around effortlessly. It can either be done solo or
with a partner and is a whole lot of fun.
Ice Skating
Top 5 Places - Sun Valley, ID / Trump Wollman Skating Rink, NY / Toyota Sports Center, CA /
Rockefeller Center, CA / Leon Black Family Ice Rink, CO
Best Time - Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Few things match the poise and grace of an ice skater performing. Well, now you too can try your
hand out at ice skating, with special ice skating rings coming up all over the place. Ice skating is a
perfect way to step out with the family and have a great time. It does not quite push the extreme,
although a lot of people with broken bones and bruised egos from their last ice skating trip might
not quite agree!
Speed Skiing
Top 5 Places - Salt Lake City, USA / Vancouver, Canada / Sochi, Russia / Salzburg, Austria /
Pyeongchang, South Korea
Best Time - Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
This is one for those who have intense urge for speed. The point of the sport is skiing down a snow-
clad mountain slope in a straight line in the shortest possible time. Traveling at mind-boggling
speeds of up to 125 miles/hour, this is just the sport for all the speed lovers out there, although this
is a purely professional sport and is not advised for amateurs because of the high risk involved.
Snowboarding
Top 5 Places - Park City Mountain Resort, UT / The Canyons Resort, UT / Squaw Valley, CA /
Mammoth Mountain, CA / Mount Bachelor Ski Resort, OR
Best Time - Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
A mix of skateboarding and skiing, snowboarding involves coming down a snow-covered mountain on
a snowboard attached to your feet. Snowboarding is a professional sporting event at the Winter
Olympics, although amateurs too can test their skills with it. As is the case with skateboarding, you
can come up with some stunning acrobatic stunts as you slide down the snow-clad mountains.
Ski Jumping
Top 5 Places - Vikersundbakken, Norway / Einsiedeln, Switzerland / Pragelato, Italy / Jyvskyl,
Finland / Salt Lake City, USA
Best Time - Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Ski jumping is not as popular a sport as some other extreme sports because it is confined to certain
large snow-clad mountains in Northern Europe, but it still is pretty extreme nonetheless. In ski
jumping, one goes down a long specially designed ramp wearing skis and the point is to have the
longest flight after taking off from the ramp. It is now an integral part of the Winter Olympics.
Scuba Diving
Top 5 Places - Bonaire, Netherlands / Turks and Caicos, West Indies / Cayman Islands, United
Kingdom / Bahamas / Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Best Time - Spring, Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Now we come from the sky into the deep blue sea! With most of the earth being covered with water
bodies, it was just a matter of time before man took to the seas. Not just over the water, but within
it. While scuba diving, you get to see the beautiful marine life of the area up close and in person.
Wearing a wet suit along with the scuba gear, you can explore the depths of the ocean and quite
literally reach out to the rich aquatic life of the region. Scuba diving is especially popular in areas
with a prosperous marine life and around coral regions. A lot of tourist destinations around the
world with large water bodies are now actively promoting scuba diving to attract tourists.
Snorkeling
Top 5 Places - Puerto Rico / Bonaire, Netherland / Turks and Caicos, West Indies / Curacao,
Netherlands / Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Best Time - Spring, Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Snorkeling is quite similar to scuba diving, minus the wet suit and the heavy scuba gear. In
snorkeling, you wear a snorkeling mask which lets you breathe out of a pipe and you can swim
underwater and explore the marine life for as long as you can hold your breath. Snorkeling is usually
done in shallower clear waters, and is another fun way of enjoying the water and exploring it at the
same time.
Waterskiing
Top 5 Places - Lake Ouachita, USA / Lake Ozonia, USA / Moogerah Dam, Australia / Yarra River,
Australia / Lake Pepin, USA
Best Time - Summer, Fall
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Waterskiing is mainly skimming the surface of the water, wearing skis while being pulled by a boat.
It's a fun activity and can be tried on a fairly small water body. Professional skiers add fun tricks and
complex moves to add to the excitement and fun quotient of this sport.
Wakeboarding
Top 5 Places - Lake Ouachita, USA / Lake Ozonia, USA / Moogerah Dam, Australia / Yarra River,
Australia / Lake Pepin, USA
Best Time - Summer, Fall
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Wakeboarding is another form of waterskiing, the main
difference being that the surfer rides a wakeboard instead
of skis. There are plenty of wakeboarding competitions that have come up over the years and
wakeboarding is now a part of the X Games as well. If the Wind Gods are gracious enough, you can
get some serious air, soaring several feet in the air as you skim the surface of the water.
Surfing
Top 5 Places - Gold Coast, Australia / Mentawai Islands, Indonesia / Jeffreys Bay, South Africa /
Fuerteventura, Spain / California, USA
Best Time - Fall, Summer
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
One of the most fun water sports, surfing has for long been a rage amongst adventure seekers. It's a
feeling of being one with the water around as you surf on a long board riding the waves. It's totally
dependent on the waves and can be loads of fun, although it does come with its fair share of risks.
Barefoot Skiing
Top 5 Places - Lake Waco, USA / Lake Ozonia, USA / Yarra River, Australia / Lake Ouachita, USA /
Lake Pepin, USA
Best Time - All through the year
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
As the name suggests, barefoot skiing or water skiing is skiing without the aid of skis, as you are
tugged along over the surface of the water by a boat. The fact that there is little that separates you
from the water surface adds to the thrill of this sport. Tons of fun, this sport will make you feel like
you've been transported back into the Flintstones' era!
Open Water Swimming
Top 5 Places - Birmingham, AL / La Jolla Cove,
CA / Malibu, CA / Denver, FL / Maui, HI
Best Time - Summer
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Open water swimming is the sport of
swimming in large water bodies like oceans,
rivers and even reservoirs. If you love the
water, and swimming comes as second nature
to you, then this is the sport for you. The
bigger water bodies make the swimming
challenging, and it is a true test of your fitness and stamina. It has now been included in the Olympic
Games as a medal event.
Kayaking
Top 5 Places - Chickasabogue Park, AL / Big Bear Lake, CA / Burrows Island, WA / Colorado River,
CO / Kayak Kauai, HI
Best Time - Spring
No. of People - Solo or Duo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Kayaking can be one crazy ride or a calm little time out enjoying the beauty of nature, depending on
the locale you choose to explore. You could either choose to go solo or team along with a partner to
go kayaking. You don't really need any special skills to try your hand at this sport, unless of course
you are enrolled for one of the many kayaking competitions or if you choose to go kayaking in the
beautiful Scottish Highlands, trying to escape from the Loch Ness Monster!! Kayaking is tons of fun
and also is a great form of exercise which will work up quite a sweat.
River Rafting
Top 5 Places - Colorado River, CO / Rogue River, OR / Summersville Lake, WV / Skykomish River,
WA / Penobscot River, ME
Best Time - Summer
No. of People - 8 - 12
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
White water or river rafting is one of the few real extreme water sports that anyone can try out.
Being a team sport, it is all about working together to steer clear of obstacles as your inflatable raft
gets tossed and thrown about by the mighty rapids, although deep down within it seems as though
you are just holding on to your dear life! This sport is most fun during the rains when the river flows
close to its peak with real strong currents.
Windsurfing
Top 5 Places - Paros Island, Greece / Langebaan, South Africa / Fuerteventura, Spain / Columbia
River Gorge, USA / Bonaire, Netherlands
Best Time - Spring, Winter
No. of People - Solo
Expense Meter - $ $ $ $ $
Adrenaline Rush -
Windsurfing or sailboarding is somewhere in between sailing and surfing. In this sport, you rely on
the wind and the surf to push you on. It uses a surfboard which has a small sail attached to it to
catch the wind. This sport is all about balance and skill and the weather conditions being right.
These sports should do more than get your heart racing, and take you on one helluva ride. So strap
on your helmet and get padded up for the thrills, the chills, and zipping away at the speed of light
(although I'm not too sure if your Health Insurance Company is gonna be too happy about it)!