Cross post from the New York Travel Festival blog.  Written by OutdoorFest's Morgan Noll. 

Why NYC is the Best Basecamp for Adventure

New York City has a particular magic to it. The lights, the buildings, the people – they all contribute to its incredible personality. It has a life all its own.

So what makes it the ideal permanent address of travelers and adventurers who spend a significant amount of their days in other countries?

First, with two major international airports and a wealth of job opportunities in every field imaginable always waiting upon return, New York City is an obvious base camp for any and all kinds of travel. Simply put: it’s a great place to return to. However, the location and resources are not the most important factors in determining New York City as the ultimate home base for world travelers. It is the underlying energy that runs the city. An energy that comes from the largest population of foreign-born residents of any city in the world and has attracted people to it for decades (centuries!) from around the country and around the world. All in pursuit of their dreams.

New York City is a very fluid place, full of people constantly coming and going. It is also home to a population that values experience, exploration and adventure. In line for a backpack fitting at REI Soho, I heard a fitter ask the man in front of me where he was going. The latter’s response? “Oh just Kilimanjaro.” Where else can two entities as distinct and different as Soho and REI come together in the perfect combination of city life and outdoor adventure? This man and his relationship to adventurous travel are coming to represent a larger and larger population of New Yorkers, a population hungry for authentic travel and adventure experiences, outdoors and worldwide.

There’s a reason why organizations like OutdoorFest and events like the New York Travel Festival have come alive in New York City. It’s the reason why we at OutdoorFest have deliberately chosen to establish our adventurous selves in New York City and use it as our launching point for great adventure. It’s the same reason why many world travelers make this city their permanent regrouping site before the next big trip. Many an adventurous spirit is attracted to New York City because life itself in the Big Apple is an adventure.

Want to hear hear more about this, with more practical details about how to make the most of New York City as a springboard for outdoor adventure, both near and far? Check out these recommended sessions at New York Travel Festival:

* New York State Bucket List w/ Josiah Brown (“the New York Sherpa”) – 4:00PM Saturday, April 26
* Five Boroughs in 30 Minutes – 4:30PM Saturday, April 26
* Queens, NY – The World’s Most Diverse County – 5:00PM Saturday, April 26
* Having It All: Balancing Traveling with Kids, Careers, and Stability – 2:00PM Sunday, April 27

OutdoorFest is a start-up designed to connect New Yorkers to nature and the outdoors. Meet them at this year’s New York Travel Festival by stopping by their table or the Five Boroughs in 30 Minutes session at 4:30PM talk on Saturday.