500 Adrenaline Adventures (Frommer's) - Lois Friedland [263]
Cedar Grove Inn, Vicksburg, Mississippi: The wealthy Southern gentleman John Klein gave this stately Greek Revival mansion to his bride Elizabeth as a wedding gift in 1840. Guests to the inn describe smelling the smoke from his pipe at odd intervals. After several family graves were moved in 1919, visitors started seeing a young girl whose grave was among those moved. www.cedargroveinn.com.
The charming Eliza Thompson House hosts a variety of ghosts.
Eliza Thompson House, Savannah, Georgia: If you’re a light sleeper, avoid Room 132 in this lovingly restored B&B. Guests there report hearing the gleeful laughter of children all night long—sometimes even being pushed out of bed to join in the play. Eliza’s son James, a confederate soldier, was killed by a horse right in front of the property, and his visage is sometimes seen looking out the window. www.elizathompsonhouse.com.
Sturdivant Hall, Selma, Alabama: Wealthy banker John Parkman, president of the First National Bank of Selma, owned this elegant home during the Reconstruction period until he was arrested for cotton speculation. While trying to escape from prison, he was killed. He still wanders the grounds of his former home, opening doors with strong breezes on otherwise windless days, and leaving imprints on freshly made beds. www.sturdivanthall.com.
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Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park
One-Stop Adrenaline Shopping
Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.
If you’re looking for one-stop adrenaline shopping that’s kid friendly, the Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park in Dallas is the place for you. This adventure playland promises fun for the whole family—assuming, of course, you have a pretty daring family.
Start off by bungee jumping from the park’s seven-story Air Boingo tower. Next, try the Skycoaster, which simulates hang gliding 110 feet (34m) above the ground and reaches speeds up to 60 mph (96kmph). When you’re all strapped in and ready to fly, you can pull your own ripcord and off you go. If you’d rather not go alone, that’s fine too. Thanks to ultra-strong steel cables and professional hang-gliding harnesses, up to three people can fly together at a time.
After you come down from these heights, check out the Texas Blastoff, which rockets you and a friend (or family member) up into the air for 150 feet (46m). Using four strong bungee cords attached to two steel towers, this ride launches you in a seat-like harness made from racing seats. With your whole body, including your feet, strapped in, you’ll race up toward the sky, going from zero to 70 mph (112kmph) in 1.2 seconds! Expect to flip, twist, and turn along the way.
With adrenaline coursing through your veins, you should feel free to call it a day. But if you’re ready for one more thrill ride, it’s time to attempt a freefall from Nothin’ but Net. You’re lifted almost 16 stories high, just below the top of the tower, and then dropped 100 feet (30m) into two safety nets below. There’s no bungee cord, no parachute, no harness—it’s just you soaring through the air. A patented release system ensures that you’ll fall straight on your back, even if you try to twist or turn, guaranteeing a smooth landing—a welcome end to your fast-moving day. —JS
Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park, 11131 Malibu Dr. ( 972/484-8359; www.gojump.com).
When to Go: Sept–May.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (15 miles/24km).
$$–$$$ Hotel Palomar Dallas, 5300 E. Mockingbird Lane ( 888/253-9030;www.hotelpalomar-dallas.com). $$ Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West, 1590 LBJ Fwy. ( 972/869-4300;www.omnihotels.com).
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Interactive Flight Simulators
Fly to the Space Station
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Would you rather test your skills at air-to-air combat in an F-4 Phantom II jet fighter, or launch