You're already counting down the days until spring break; time to start planning your fun. What better place to "get wild" than the wilderness? By no means are we telling you to mimic "Buckwild." What we've got is  way better— extreme family-friendly excitement.

ADVENTURE

Pack up and head into the trees and through the sweeping mountains, till you reach the adventure center of the New River Gorge. Tear through the treetops with a zipline race, swing off the edge of an 80-foot cliff or swirl through the skies in a biplane. There's also hiking, biking, horseback riding, and any outdoor sport you can think of (as well as some you wouldn't).

Start one day with a whitewater rumble down the Lower New with your 7 closest paddle-wielding river rats. Fight through the ferocious Double-Z rapid, and work together to swing through the pounding waves.

STAY

Order up some 'mallows and a chocolate mountain to stock the shelves of your cabin, then indulge around the campfire. Wind down with a dip in the hot tub with your friends. You can fit more than 10 people into a luxury cabin, or sleep more than 25 comfortably together in a retreat home like Lynn's Pond House.

On a budget? Bunk in a scaled-back cabin. Or, rough it with a campsite and a tent. Either way, you'll get a spot for an open bonfire and room to make memories.

ENJOY

The charm of the Gorge can be enjoyed in many other ways. Take the local dining culture, for instance. It's fresh, both in terms of uniqueness and quality. A blend of traditional and foreign dishes with unexpected twists. If there's a new way to fix it, you can find it in Fayetteville. Grapes on your pizza? Bacon Jam on your sandwich? Gator with your gumbo? Make your meal as tame or as tasteful as you desire.

The shopping is just as diverse. Sift through handcrafted Appalachian art and pottery, earthy lotions and jewelry or mason-jarred dips, sauces and salsas. You can also snag some top-of the-line supplies for your outdoor adventures.

So who needs a typical beach trip? Return to class with better stories than your classmates.

What New River Gorge experience are you hoping to indulge in this spring break?