Samuel Adams Hopfenpflücken Adventure
Really, really, really love beer? Then book yourself a spot for the Samuel Adams Hopfenpflücken Adventure ($2,980+). Put together by travel experts Abercrombie and Kent, this once-in-a-lifetime trip will have you joining Boston Beer Company brewers and execs on a trip to Bavaria, Germany — the birthplace of beer. Apart from visiting the legendary Munich bier gardens, touring the German Hops Museum, taking a brewery trail pilgrimage to Bamberg, and stopping off at Stanglmair farm for a guided hop field tour and beer tasting, you'll also make appearances at the BMW museum, Olympic Park, and take a cable car ride to the top of Zugspitze — the highest mountain in Germany — for panoramic views of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Volcano Boarding
Looking for a cheap, exotic, and thrilling Summer adventure? Check out Bigfoot Hostel's Volcano Boarding Packages ($28). This 4.5-hour excursion will have you climbing to the top of Nicaragua's ominous Cerro Negro volcano, only to mount a sit-down board and travel at speeds of up to 50 mph while flying down the slope to the bottom. To add to the thrill, Cerra Negro remains an active volcano, and Bigfoot even throws in a post-boarding mojito to help ease any bumps and scrapes you may have earned on your trip down. [via]
Lamborghini Academy
Let's face it, we all want to drive a Lamborghini. And now we can. The Lamborghini Academy ($4500) helps you build your high-speed driving skills in the world's ultimate sports car. The Track Academy is an entry-level course where beginners get the chance to develop real-world racing skills under a professional's guidance, driving a Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4. Other options include the Advanced Academy where drivers master their existing track skills, and the Winter Academy where you can truly put the bull's extreme road-holding abilities to the test, in the snow and ice. Average drivers need not apply. [Thanks, Ethan]
OnPoint Tactical Survival School
Springing from the legendary scouting, tracking, and wilderness survival skills of Apache warriors, OnPoint Tactical Survival School ($TBD) teaches training for modern-day professionals and civilians who want to learn the kinds of advanced outdoor skills they don't teach in college. OnPoint Tactical trains elite units like SEALs and Force Recon, as well as law enforcement units like the US Marshals. Now, just like John Locke, you can earn a professional certification in skills specialized for urban life, like Urban Escape and Evasion, Search & Rescue (SAR) tracking, as well as more traditional survival techniques like primitive wilderness survival, animal trapping, camouflage, off grid medical care, and counter and anti-tracking. Finally you'll be prepared for that walk-about in Australia, the next extended power outage, or those pesky zombie invasions.
Timberland Earthkeepers Casco Bay Canvas Shoe
Prepare for casual summer days with Timberland's® Earthkeepers® Casco Bay Canvas Shoe. These lightweight, laid-back kicks will add a stylish pop of color to any no-sock, warm-weather look. Choose either a fun slip-on style or the one-eye moccasin style, with a choice of four colorways ranging from blueberry to poppy. See the entire collection here.
SPiN New York
Like a setting straight out of Rockstar's Table Tennis, SPiN New York is a fantastic ping pong destination. The sickeningly hip facility boasts 15 individual tables and a stadium-style center court, Olympic-caliber Teraflex cushioned flooring, a 30-foot bar, pro shop, a host of professional coaches and players to help with your game, and a private room — complete with a mirrored glass ping pong table. Table rates are $15 per half-hour for standard tables, $20 per half-hour for pro courts, and $50 per half-hour for the stadium court. Members ($60/month) get half off those prices, plus table reservations, paddle storage and locker room access, unlimited number of guests, and members-only events.
Mpix
From wall-clinging prints and buttons to business and playing cards, Mpix has you covered. The online printing service offers tons of options and sizes, from 20"x30" prints on premium paper to fully-mounted, standout-boxed prints, as well as fun items like statuettes, puzzles, calendars, and more. Just upload your photo, choose your print selection, and your custom order is delivered right to your door.
Visa Black Card
Don't qualify for a Centurion Card? Maybe the Visa Black Card ($495 annual fee) is a little more your style. Made with carbon graphite, the exclusive card comes with personalized assistance from a 24-hour concierge service, "luxury gifts," access to the Priority Pass airport VIP lounge program, and a high-end rewards program. Membership is said to be limited to only 1% of U.S. residents, so get that credit rating up.
Kiva
Help spread the entrepreneurial sprit across the globe with Kiva. This service allows you to make loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, empowering them to better their own situation and hopefully helping to drive ingenuity and innovation worldwide. Simply browse the profiles of hopefuls, and choose one to lend to using PayPal or credit card. Kiva will collect the funds and pass them along to the selected entrepreneur. Over time, the business person repays the loan, after which you can withdraw the funds, donate them to Kiva, or re-lend to another business. Terrific. [Thanks, Jeremy]
Maghound
Like Netflix for magazines, Maghound lets you cherry pick which magazines you receive monthly, and lets you change which titles you want month to month. You currently have your choice from nearly 250 magazines. Monthly plans include: 3 mags ($5), 5 mags ($8), 7 mags ($10), and 8 or more mags ($1 per mag). And, as the commercials say, you can cancel at anytime.
PleaseDressMe
If Uncrate's T-shirt section and Rumplo's indie picks just aren't enough to satisfy your need for fresh tees, then check out PleaseDressMe. This T-shirt search engine, co-founded by wine guru Gary Vaynerchuk, lets you locate torso covers by search term (example: TV), tag (example: food), color (example: green), or price (example: under $10).
Harley-Davidson Museum
Celebrate 105 years of American muscle at the new 20-acre Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, WI. Featuring a stunning design by Pentagram, the Museum and the surrounding buildings are attractions by themselves, and include the two-floor museum, an Archive building where visitors can take a look at hogs of the past and see items being restored for introduction into the museum, as well as a restaurant, cafe, and the requisite museum store. Admission runs $16.
Astronaut Training Experience
If you're planning on making a trip to Florida this summer, consider stopping at the Kennedy Space Center for the Astronaut Training Experience ($250 per person). The all-day program includes first-hand info from veteran NASA astronauts, a run in a Spaceflight Training Simulator, a full scale space shuttle mission simulation, a VIP tour of the Space Center, and some Training Experience swag. [via]
