Where to Get Your Adrenaline Fix Near Sacramento

Are you a thrill seeker? Do you love nothing more than the blood pumping, heart pounding rush that comes from extreme sports? If so, Sacramento is the place for you. It’s a city that thrives on adventure and there are plenty of places to go to get that stomach-dropping sensation you crave. Following are some of the places in and around the greater Sacramento area where you can get your adrenaline fix.

Aerial Adventures

Photo courtesy Quarry Park Adventures

At Quarry Park Adventures in Rocklin, you can get your adrenaline fix high above terra firma. Clip into the safety system and tackle the three-story aerial adventure course, leap off a 40-foot freefall, rappel down a 60-foot wall or fly across a quarry on a zipline. Or, buy an all-access ticket and do all of the above!

Wakeboarding

Photo courtesy Wake Island Waterpark

If wakeboarding is your thing but you don’t happen to have a boat (or a friend with a boat!), you can get the same thrill via boatless wakeboarding. Both Wake Island Waterpark in Pleasant Grove and Velocity Island Park in Woodland have complex overhead cable systems to tow you across the water, with rails and jumps to keep it interesting. Afterwards, bounce your way across the inflatable obstacle courses.

Caving

Photo courtesy Moaning Caverns Adventure Park

Moaning Caverns Adventure Park in Calaveras County is home to the largest single-chamber cave in the state, where you can belly-crawl through the small cracks and crevasses more than 65 feet below the surface. Above ground, zoom across the ¼ mile zipline at 35 miles an hour, or ascend the 32-foot climbing tower.

Indoor Cart Racing

Photo courtesy sputnik on Flickr

If you have the need for speed, get your fix at K1 Speed near Rancho Cordova. These are no ordinary go-karts; rather, they are high-performance electric karts. Test your skill and strategy and go wheel-to-wheel with other drivers in a timed race. Or, if you think you’ve got what it takes, join a racing league and compete with other top racers.

Off-Roading

East of Sacramento near Rancho Cordova lies the Prairie City SVRA, an 800-acre park loaded with rolling hills, cobbled mine tailings and ancient river beds, all of which are ideal for all-terrain vehicles. Take a private trip with Enjoy the Mountain and explore the area on a single-rider quad, or visit Prairie City MX, a motocross track within the park. You can even rent a go-kart and hit the Prairie City Kart Track.

Whitewater Rafting

Sacramento is centrally located near some of the wildest rivers in the state, so it’s only natural that it’s also home to some of the best whitewater rafting. Most outfitters are located in the communities of Lotus and Coloma in El Dorado County, with trips down the South, Middle and North Forks of the American River. Multi-day trips, complete with riverside camping and meals, are also available. Check out the trips led by American Whitewater Expeditions, Action Whitewater or Whitewater Excitement.

Whitewater Kayaking

Eddy turns, peel outs and rolls are part of the fun at Current Adventures Kayak School & Trips, a whitewater kayak school that also offers trips to some of the best rivers and lakes in Northern California and beyond. Special programs are available for kids and paddlers over the age of 50.

Ropes Course

In addition to whitewater rafting, Mother Lode River Center also offers off-water adventures, including a ropes course 20–40 feet off the ground. You can climb up a tree, leap for a trapeze bar, balance on beams and fly over the river on a zipline. They also have a low-to-the-ground ropes course for those aren’t quite ready for the high-rise challenge.

Paragliding & Hang Gliding

Next to a wingsuit, nothing comes closer to the feeling of flying than paragliding or hang gliding. While flying a paraglider solo will require a pilot’s license, a tandem flight takes only a brief lesson prior to launch. Air Addict Paragliding in Auburn offers tandem flights as well as certification courses. Hang gliding is also available in the Sacramento area via Sacramento Hang Gliding. Start with ground runs and low flights, and make your way up to a formal training program.

Bungee Jumping

What do bridges, trees, dams and rocks have in common? They’re all jumping-off points for bungee enthusiasts! Bungee Adventures provides adventures from all of the above in beautiful locations throughout Northern California. The super-adventurous can climb a giant redwood tree and jump from its branches, or rappel down a granite cliff and jump from an overhang.

Skydiving

Photo courtesy SkyDance Skydiving

Nothing says adrenaline more than jumping out of a plane and soaring towards the Earth at over 100 miles per hour. If you’re seeking the ultimate skydiving rush, visit Skydive Sacramento in Lincoln or SkyDance Skydiving in Davis, both of which offer tandem jumps and freefall training programs. If you’re not quite ready to make the jump (pun intended), check out iFly Indoor Skydiving in Roseville, where a giant wind tunnel gives the feeling of skydiving without the jumping-out-of-a-plane part.

Exotic Car Racing

Ever dream about being behind the wheel of a Lamborghini or Ferrari? CaliSpeed Motorsports makes your dream a reality with its exotic car racing experiences. You choose the car, they pair you with a racing expert who guides you around an autocross course. Oh, and in case you were wondering, no, there is no speed limit, so put the pedal to the metal.