Smart Traveller

If you’re looking for the ultimate adventure holiday, how about storm chasing? There are many different storm chasing companies in the USA offering holidays that will allow you go in search of tornadoes in order to see the Mother Nature release her wrath up close.

The USA’s famous “Tornado Alley” is the media name given to the area of the country where most tornadoes occur. Although tornado experts don’t agree about exactly which areas are covered by Tornado Alley, the U.S States featured are predominantly in the Mid-West and include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Most storm chasing companies offer trips which last 7 - 14 days and which take place during the height of the storm season (April to June). You’ll spend much of your time travelling in an SUV chasing storms, but on days when the weather means that storms are unlikely, many tour operators will arrange for visits to local attractions, so you’ll still have plenty to keep you occupied. You’ll be accompanied by a professional storm chasing team and will learn all about the science of storm chasing and how tornadoes are formed, as well as hopefully being able to actually see tornadoes.

Storm chasing holidays usually aren’t cheap, with prices for a week’s trip starting from $1,800, and this doesn’t include flights or food. However, for a unique experience, it’s well worth the money.

Storm chasing tour operators include Tempest Tours, Tradd Storm Chasing Tours, Weather Gods and Violent Skies.

Ok, so initially a Land Rover might seem like a bit of an expensive purchase when planning a holiday. But with the range of off-road adventures and experiences available both in the UK and overseas, it might be one of the best buys you make.

With more of us planning to holiday in the UK due to the current financial climate, an off-road 4×4 holiday could be the perfect choice for adventure seekers looking to beat the credit crunch.

There are off-road Land Rover clubs throughout the UK and many of them provide off-road training and organise adventures which can last from anywhere from a day to a fortnight or more. Land Rover even organises its own driving adventures, so you can get a taste of off-road driving before you join a club.

If a UK off-road driving holiday isn’t quite adventurous enough for you, there are also a number of clubs that organise Land Rover driving adventures in Europe and more remote parts of the world. Be warned though - off-road adventures can become addictive!