11. Explore on foot. Of course, you can rely on your travel agent, travel guides, maps or a tour bus to get you acquainted with a new location. But only by getting out and walking can you truly get the feel for a place. Spend the first few hours at your vacation destination walking around the area. If you're in a city, pick a few restaurants to try to make your reservations in person. Locate the parks, museums and shopping areas.
12. Get on the water as much as you can. Paddle boats are fun. Canoeing is a joy. Row boats are romantic. Powerboats exhilarating. Sailboats serene. Kayaks pure adventure. Even standing at the rail of a steamboat is exciting. Boats make you feel young, and whether you are propelling them or not, being on a boat burns calories and engages your muscles more than being on dry land.
13. Schedule an activity-based vacation. Plan your entire vacation around an activity, such as sailing, hiking, cycling or swimming. No expertise is necessary – just a willingness to take on a new challenge. There are any number of vacation packages targeted at novices to experts, adolescents to older people, singles to whole families. A skiing vacation with lessons for different ages and ability levels is perfect.
