ST. LOUIS, April 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For many, the term "adventure travel" means long trips to exotic and faraway places or activities that border on the extreme. But, as the warm weather travel season finds so many of us eager to hit the road, roll down the windows and escape, travel expert Julia Dimon is reminding us that true adventure is closer to home than we think.       

"You don't need to travel 1,000 miles from home, skydive or zipline across a canyon to have an adventure," said Dimon, who is an adventure travel journalist, on-camera TV host and founder of the Travel Junkie blog. "There are plenty of adventures to be had right in your own backyard."

Dimon suggests five tips to turn weekend getaways into big adventures:

• Excite Your Senses: Consider a self-guided culinary tour of the ethnic communities in your city. For example, eat dim sum in Chinatown or barbeque pork ribs and pan fried octopus in Koreatown. Journey around the world through your taste buds, using your palate, not your passport.
• Get Out in Nature: Explore the great outdoors. Hike, bike, raft, kayak or climb. A little research into outdoor activities in your community will likely identify tons of opportunities.
• Embrace the Random: Write down a bunch of adventurous activities in your area, dump them into a hat, pick one and do it. This "choose your own adventure" approach will keep things fun and interesting.
• Sleep Somewhere Strange: Instead of the traditional hotel experience, research more bizarre accommodations, such as treehouses or retro-fitted campervans. Or, if you're in a Mongolian mood, try out a yurt. Vacation rental sites offer a wide array of adventurous options.
• Trade in Your Wheels: Renting a car that's not your own can add a sense of adventure to a weekend getaway. Plus, you won't have to worry about mileage or wear and tear on your everyday vehicle. Just hop in and go.

For example, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is making it even easier for travelers to turn weekend getaways into adventures with a weekend special that offers customers rates of $9.99 per day when they rent Friday through Monday at participating Enterprise neighborhood (non-airport) locations. The rate applies to economy and compact car rentals and includes 300 free miles per weekend. Enterprise provides similar savings on larger vehicles, and unlimited mileage packages are also available at most locations. For more information about Enterprise's weekend special, visit www.enterprise.com.

About Julia Dimon:
Julia Dimon is a hard-core adventuress, a travel journalist and TV travel personality who has traveled around the world across all seven continents, to over 80 countries. Her website, traveljunkiejulia.com, shares expert travel advice, stories from exotic destinations and budget travel tips.

Julia is the co-host of Word Travels, a 40-episode TV series about the real lives of travel writers, broadcast worldwide on National Geographic Adventure, Travel Channel UK in over 100 countries and 21 languages. She is also author of "Travel Junkie: A Badass Guide to Solo Female Travel," featuring tried-and-true travel tips and advice for the next generation of adventurers.

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SOURCE Enterprise Rent-A-Car