If you're looking for an adventurous and safe way to enjoy yourself, consider sailing vacations. With a variety of locations and packages, sailing vacations call to the explorer in everyone.

Sailing vacations are offered in such diverse spots as the Great Lakes, Maine, the Caribbean and India. No matter your inclinations, you should be able to find a location that will call to your soul.

Sailing vacations can be as luxurious or as spartan as you wish. With no sailing experience, you would need a crewed boat. Even with experience, you may want the freedom to just enjoy the breeze as you glide over the water, without having to worry about making the boat do that gliding.

If you're experienced and enjoy the challenge of sailing, then a barebones charter may be the thing for you. Barebones is a boat that is fully supplied with everything you need except a crew. Sailing vacations using a barebones package will be a bit more work and less pricey.

What if you want the barebones experience but have never set foot on a sailboat? Many sailing vacations are offered with lessons, so that you can become certified or at least experienced enough to take out your own boat. If you enjoy sailing, this may be the type of gift to yourself that just keeps on giving.

Other options include sailing vacations that provide the crew but invite guests to work alongside them, handling the sails and riggings.

So, what can you expect with sailing vacations? What should you take? What costs will there be? These questions vary from company to company. Be sure to look for information about food. How is food handled? Who provides it? If this is a crewed ship, does the crew cook? Do you have a responsibility for feeding them? Sailing vacations will be much more fun with a full stomach, especially if you know in advance who is expected to do the cooking.

Make sure you find out before your trip what clothing is appropriate. While sailing vacations in the Caribbean will likely be much warmer than some other locales, being on open water may be significantly cooler than you'd expect.

Other questions to ask of the outfitter or sailing company include how many people will comfortably fit on the boat? What are the sleeping accommodations? This is important to know. If you aren't getting enough sleep, it may ruin your sailing vacations.

What facilities are there? How do you take care of waste? While these are very basic questions and not something most people want to think about, knowing ahead of time will help ensure all your sailing vacations are fun, not drudgery.

What emergency procedures are in place in case of a problem? While the likelihood is nil of a company letting you sail out with the threat of a hurricane, Mother Nature likes to shake things up once in a while and sailing vacations aren't immune. Is there more than one radio? How many batteries? Life preservers? Flotation devices? Emergency rations? No, this isn't the most enjoyable topic when considering a vacation, but it's one that is vital to your continued good health.

Finally, be sure to compare companies at http://www.logonsailing.com/sailing/sailing_vacations.html or a similar site when looking at sailing vacations. Look at professional and former client reviews, find out each company's safety ratings. While you may not want to pay top dollar for your adventure, neither do you want a bottom of the barrel company if it's not one with a good proven record.

No matter what option you choose, sailing vacations can provide the adventure of a lifetime.