Things That Are Exciting

Welcome to our list of things that are exciting!

“Exciting” generally refers to things that are interesting and cause us to feel enthusiasm. Usually things that are new are exciting, as are things that are rarely seen, beautiful, or dangerous.

It’s also a subjective measure, as a thing that one person finds exciting (like trying a new cake recipe) would be considered a boring activity by someone else. In this list we’ve tried to include things that would be considered exciting by most people.

Here’s a visual list of things that are exciting:

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Hopefully that visual list of exciting things was useful! Here’s a longer and more descriptive list of things that are exciting:

• Travel: Traveling to new places can be exciting for many.
• Parties: While cleaning up parties might not be fun, attending and planning them certainly can be.
• Festivals: Generally large-scale events that feature live music, and can be themed.
• Animal Rescue: Rescuing, improving and protecting lives can be considered one of the best feelings.
• Sledding: Also known as sleighing. A winter sport where you slide down a slope on a small sled.
• Skiing: A common winter sport where you traverse down steep snowy slope using skis.
• Rock Climbing: A means of travel, exploration and a sport.
• Diving: This can refer to two things – the sport of diving into water or recreational diving.
• Hiking: Long walks along trails or paths in mountains and countryside.
• Swimming with Sharks: This can be done in two ways – being lowered into shark-infested waters in a cage, or freely swimming with them in a scuba suit.
• Whale Watching: Watching whales for scientific purposes or entertainment.
• Swimming with Jellyfish: Some jellyfish species have evolved without stingers, so you can swim freely and safely alongside them.
• Gorilla Trekking: Trekking through a remote mountainside to view gorillas in their native habitat.
• Mountaineering: Also known as mountain climbing or alpinism.
• Volcano Hiking: If a volcano is not listed as being on high alert, you can hike on and around active volcanoes.
• Visit an Ice Hotel: A hotel made entirely of ice and snow.
• Camping: Sleeping for at least a night outdoors, usually in the woods or mountainous areas.
• Inca Trail Hike: A 42km long trail in the Peruvian Andes mountains.
• Skydiving: Jumping out of a plane with a parachute – considered one of the ultimate thrills.
• Bunjee Jumping: Jumping off a cliff or high bridge attached to a flexible cord.
• Hot Air Balloon Ride: Riding through the air suspended in a basket held up by a large air balloon. Considered exciting because of the atmosphere and grandeur.
• Parachute: A large piece of strong fabric used to slow down falling objects. We use these to float safely to the ground from large heights.
• Parkour: Also known as freerunning. The sport and skill of travelling between two points as quickly as possible by jumping, flipping and springing through and over architecture.
• Ziplining: Also known as the aerial runway. Travelling down a cable using a pulley.
• Bridge Climbing: A tourist attraction of climbing on large bridges.
• Car Racing: Racing at high speeds in cars specifically designed for racing.
• Rafting: A recreation and sport of navigating through rough or white water on an inflatable raft.
• Canoeing: A small, narrow boat propelled with a paddle.
• Sandboarding: An extreme sport where people surf down sand dunes on boards.
• Rappelling: Also known as abseiling. The act of descending down a cliff face using a rope and pulley system.
• Caving: Also known as spelunking and potholing. The activity of exploring wild caves.
• Paragliding: A competitive sport where gliders similar to parachutes are flown.
• Hang Gliding: An air sport and recreation where a non-motorised glider is flown.
• Parasailing: Also known as parascending or parakiting. Using a parachute to float through the air while being towed behind a boat.
• Skateboarding: A sport where you ride and perform tricks using a board with wheels.
• ATV Driving: A sturdy vehicle known as an all-terrain vehicle or a quad. Similar to driving a motorcycle but with more stability, slower speeds, and the ability to drive over more uneven areas.
• Glacier Climbing: The sport of climbing large areas of ice.
• Kayaking: A small boat propelled by using an oar.
• Surfing: The sport and recreation of using a board to ride waves.
• Waterslide: A long, usually curved and steep slide with water running through it.
• Rollercoaster: A ride where small carriages follow a rail along dips, steep slopes and sometimes full loops.
• Theme Park: A park with a collection of rides, attractions and games.
• Paddleboarding: A recreational activity where you stand on a long, sturdy board and use an oar to direct and pull yourself through the water.
• Ice Cross Karting: An extreme winter sport involving downhill ice skating using a small cart.
• Megavalanche Bike Racing: A downhill mountain bike race held annually at Reunion Island.
• Bobsledding: A winter sport where sleds are ridden downhill at high speeds.
• Snowboarding: A recreation and sport where you slide down snowy slopes on a board, generally at high speeds.
• Rollerblading: Also known as blading. A recreation and sport where you travel around on boots that have wheels attached to the bottom.
• Heli-Skiing: Offtrail skiing or snowboarding which is reached by helicopter (instead of a ski lift).
• Slacklining: Walking along a suspended length of rope. Similar to tightrope walking, but with less tension in the rope.
• Ice Climbing: Climbing up ice walls using axes and spiked shoes (among other equipment).
• Canyoning: Also known as canyoneering and kloofing. Travelling through canyons by walking, jumping, swimming, abseiling and more.
• Fighter Jet Flying: Also known as a fighter aircraft or just a fighter. A military aircraft designed for air combat.
• Storm Chasing: Pursuing extreme weather conditions for science, adventure, curiosity or for news.
• Speed Flying: Also known as speed riding. A high performance paraglider used to travel down steep mountains.
• Wing Walking: Moving up and down an aircraft’s wings during flight.
• Wingsuit Flying: Also known as wingsuiting. Using a webbed wingsuit to fly through the air.
• Base Jumping: The sport of jumping off tall fixed objects and buildings using a parachute to land safely.
• Jet Boating: Riding in a small, generally bumpy boat.
• Rally Driving: A type of motorsport with specially built cars driven at high speeds.
• Cliff Jumping: Jumping off cliffs into water.
• Bouldering: Climbing small rock formations without using harnesses or safety ropes.
• Ice Swimming: Swimming in icy water.
• Volcano Boarding: Also known as volcano surfing. The extreme sport of sliding down volcanic slodes using plywood or metal boards.
• Gliding: An air sport where people fly gliders through rising air currents. Also known as soaring.
• Luge: A small sled that will fit only one or two people and goes feet first at high speeds down icy slopes.
• Snowkiting: Also known as kite skiing. A winter sport where skiers use kites to power them over large jumps.
• BMX Biking: Also known as bike motocross. Extreme cycling that involves jumps and stunts on offroad tracks.
• Dune Motorbiking: Riding quad bikes or motorbikes over large dunes.
• Ski Jumping: A competitive winter sport where skiers try to perform the longest jump on skis.
• Trimaran Sailing: A boat designed for racing.
• Speedboat Racing: Small boats that can run at high speeds.
• Marathon: A long distance race that generally requires training before participation.
• Bootcamp: A general term that refers to an intense learning or training experience.
• Survival Training: Generally intense training that teaches participants how to survive in the wild.
• Bodyboarding: A water sport where a surfer uses a wider, shorter board than a usual surfboard and lays flat on the board rather than standing up.
• Hydrospeed: Also known as riverboarding and white-water sledging. A water/boardsport where you lay on a board and wear fins on your feet to help steer and propel you through the water.
• Windsurfing: A combo of surfing and sailing. A sail is attached to a surfboard, helping the surfer gain momentum.
• Scuba Diving: A form of diving where the diver uses a tank of oxygen to breathe underwater.
• Shipwreck Freediving: Underwater exploration of shipwrecks.
• Land Sailing: Also known as land yachting, dirtboating and sand yachting. Riding a cart which has a sail attached to it.
• Snowmobiling: Riding a snowmobile (also known as a motor sledge, snow scooter, snowmachine or motor sled).
• Aerobatics: Short for aerial acrobatics. Flying stunts like rolling and diving. Generally for entertainment and sport.  
• Flyboard: Also known as hydroflying. Riding a board which is connected to boots with jet nozzles underneath, providing enough thrust to push the rider up to 22 metres into the air.
• Microlight Flying: Also known as ultralight aviation. Flying a lightweight plane that has only one or two seats.
• Formula 1 Driving: Driving racing cars at high speeds.
• Glamping: Short for “glamorous camping”. Camping but with luxury tents and amenities.
• Cliff Camping: Setting up camp on cliffsides rather than on flat ground.
• Speed Skiing: Skiing downhill at high speeds.
• Space Exploration: The exploration of outer space.
• Explore Ancient Ruins: Exploring ancient ruins for recreation, science and archaeology.
• Starting a New Friendship: New friendships can be emotionally fulfilling and exciting.
• Starting a New Relationship: Like starting a new friendship, but with the stress, excitement and expectations of romance.
• Proposing: Generally considered a high-pressure endeavour, even if you and your partner have positively discussed marriage before.
• Moving Country: Moving country is generally stressful and exciting, especially if it’s for a new job or to be with family.
• Moving into a New House: Being able to move into a new house and settle into a new environment.
• Getting Married: Adjusting to married life can be tough but interesting and educational.
• Learning Something New: Learning a new subject or skill is enriching as well as exciting.
• Travelling the Trans-Siberian Railway: A railway network that connects Moscow to the Russian Far East. The third longest railway in the world.
• Opera: A form of musical theatre accompanied by an orchestra.
• Musical: A form of theatre that heavily involves music and dance as well as acting.
• Riding in a Helicopter: A flying vehicle that relies on horizontally spinning rotors.
• Waterfall Viewing: A long, vertical drop of water.
• Tightrope Walking: Also known as funambulism. Walking across a thin, suspended rope.
• Trapeze: A common circus act that involves swinging between short bars suspended by ropes.
• Gymnastics: A sport that mixes balance, flexibility, agility and strength.
• Acrobatics: A sport that is similar to gymnastics in that it combines balance, strength and agility.
• Calisthenics: Sport that involves bodyweight exercises.
• Dancing: Rhythmic moving along to music.
• Juggling: An activity done for sport, recreation and entertainment. The action of throwing and catching three or more objects in the air. Usually done with balls, clubs or swords.
• Magic Shows: A stage show that involves illusions and sleight of hand.
• Unicycling: Riding a single-wheeled vehicle, which requires a lot of core strength and balance.
• Birthdays: Celebrating birthdays with friends and family tends to involve a lot of anticipation and excitement.
• New Year’s Eve: Celebrating the past year and looking forward to the next, involving planning and making goals.
• Christmas: Celebrating Christmas with friends and family involves plenty of excitement, especially in regards to parties and presents.
• Holidays: Having time off work and being able to spend time with loved ones or on hobbies is a generally exciting and fulfilling time.
• Stunts: Physical feats that are difficult, unusual, and usually require some kind of specially trained skill.
• Circus: A group of performers and entertainers that commonly include clowns, acrobats, magicians, jugglers, tightrope walkers, dancers and more.
• Room Escape Games: A type of game where participants are locked into a room with a series of puzzles and clues to help them escape.
• Performing: Performing is a stressful thing for many people.
• Public Speaking: Public speaking is more feared than death, so it’s definitely considered exhilirating and exciting by many.
• Starting a New Business: While starting a new business can be anxiety-inducing, confusing and stressful, it’s also fun and exciting for many.
• Theatre: A form of art and performance involving live acting and sometimes music and dance.
• Firebreathing: The theatrical performance of “swallowing” fire or spitting alcohol out at a flame, greatly enlarging it.
• Sword Swallowing: The dangerous act of passing a sword through the mouth and esophagus to the stomach.
• Tumbling: Also known as power tumbling. A part of gymnastics where a gymnast performs a series or pattern of acrobatic skills down a long, springy track.
• Trampoline: A taut, springy fabric stretched over a steel frame and springs. Used to bounce on and also known as a bounce mat.
• Aerial Silks: Also known as aerial tissues, aerial ribbons, tissu or aerial contortion. The sport of performing acrobatics with the aid of one or two long pieces of hammock silk.
• Stilt-Walking: Tall poles used to walk on to help a person stand at taller heights.
• Plate-Spinning: A circus act where plates and bowls are spun on top of long poles.
• Human Cannonball: An act where a human is ejected as a cannonball from a specially made and designed cannon.
• Strongman/woman shows: Acts showcasing feats of great physical strength.
• Argument: While arguments may not be fun, they meet the criteria for being exciting.
• Wrestling: A combat sport that uses grappling techniques. Is a popoular competitive sport.
• Judo: Translates to “gentle way”. A Japanese martial art known for grappling.
• Boxing: A combat sport between two competitors that revolves around punching, ducking and blocking.
• Karate: A martial art involving punching, kicking and striking.
• Vaudeville: A French theatrical genre of entertainment revolving around comedy.
• Comedy Shows: Variety shows that are centred around making people laugh.
• Carnivals: A large-scale event that involves celebration, music, dance, costumes and pageantry.
• Fairs: A large-scale event that involves games, competitions, prizes, food and stalls.
• Fetes: A large and elaborate celebration or party.
• The Colour Run: An international 5km paint race inspired by Holi.
• La Tomatina: A Spanish festival centred around tomato fights.
• Flash Mob: Public performances where people assemble quickly and suddenly, peform for a short time and disperse quickly without talking to one another.
• April Fool’s Day: An annual tradition of practical jokes and tricks that occurs on the first of April.
• Graduating: The awarding of a degree after a period of academic study. After such hard work for an extended period of time, the prospect of not studying anymore is exciting for many.
• Getting A New Job: While stressful, the opportunities and experiences that come with starting a new job are very exciting.
• Mooncake Festival: Also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival. A harvest festival celebrated by East and Southeast Asians involving tea, paper lanterns and mooncakes.
• Diwali: The Indian festival of lights.
• Chinese New Year: The start of the new year in accordance with the lunar calendar. Celebrated with firecrackers, red packets, tea ceremonies and shrine visits.
• Seeing the Northern Lights: Aurora are extremely beautiful and seeing them is a rare and exhilirating occurrence.
• Gondola Ride: A small boat similar to a canoe which is operated by an individual rower.
• Burning Man: An annual large-scale festival held in Black Rock City in Nevada.
• Sumo Wrestling: Japanese full-contact wrestling that involves grappling. The aim is to push your opponent out of the ring or off their feet.
• Mardi Gras: Also known as Fat Tuesday. A huge celebration that involves costumes, pageantry, dancing and music.
• Float in the Dead Sea: Also known as the Sea of Salt, Birket Lut or Buhayrat. It has a high salt content and is very dense, so is easy to float in.
• Fireworks: Pyrotechnic explosions known for their bright colours and loud noises. A common part of large-scale celebrations, like on New Year’s or on national holidays.
• Archery: The sport of firing an arrow into a target. Can be done for recreation, sport, competition or hunting.
• Ice Skating: Gliding across bodies of ice using skates. A popular winter sport.
• Rollerblading: A form of transport and sport and can involve stunts.
• Roller Derby: A contact sport played in teams on roller skates.
• Tennis: A sport involving using a raquet to hit a ball over a net to your opponent within a given area. It is a popular sport, and successful players can earn a lot of money.
• Wakeboarding: A water sport where a rider stands on a board and is pulled along behind a motorboat.
• Snorkeling: Swimming while wearing fins, a diving mask and a snorkel, allowing for deeper dives.
• Soccer: A team ball sport centred around kicking a round ball into a goal.
• Football: A team ball sport centred around passing, throwing, handballing and kicking.
• Gift Giving: Giving and philanthropy is considered fulfilling and exciting.
• Swordfighting: A sport involving fighting using swords.
• Disneyland: A large theme park owned by Disney.
• Masquerade: A costumed party where attendees wear fancy masks that cover their eyes.
• Costume Parties: Parties where attendees wear costumes in accordance with a theme.
• Halloween: An annual celebration where people dress up and knock on doors for candy, and/or attend costume parties.
• Gaming Arcades: A shop filled with arcade games. Most of the games dispense tickets that can be swapped for prizes.
• Makeovers: Changing your look is a traditionally exciting thing to do.
• Renovations: Changing around your house can be exciting, but also very useful (though expensive).
• Blind Date: A date, but with the added excitement of never having seen your date partner before.
• Winning a Prize: Winning a prize can be a very exciting experience, especially if loud noises and flashing lights are involved.
• Keno: A lottery-style gambling game.
• UFC: Short for Ultimate Fighting Championship. A mixed martial arts contest held in Las Vegas that is televised internationally.
• Fencing: A combat sport involving thin, flexible swords called rapiers.
• Muay Thai: A martial art that uses striking and clinching moves. Is known for its use of knees, elbows and shins.
• Road Trip: A long car journey, usually taken with at least one other person.
• Backpacking: A style of travel that is low-cost, long-term and independent.
• Attend A Protest: Attending a protest for a good cause is sure to get your heart rate up.
• Seeing Snow: Seeing snow for the first time is generally considered a magical experience.
• Snowball Fight: Being able to throw and get hit by snow with loved ones is a fun exercise.
• Moshpit: Also known as slamming or slam dancing. An aggressive and energetic style of dancing where participants slam their bodies into each other in a crowd.
• Secret Santa: A holiday exercise intended for low-cost social bonding. People are secretly assigned someone to buy a present and the group is given a low budget to adhere to.
• Playground: Play equipment in parks intended for children to play and exercise on.
• Pantomime: A live musical comedy performance that involves heckling and interactivity.
• See a Wild Animal: Seeing wild (and usually dangerous animals) in their natural habitats is an exhilarating experience.
• Glastonbury Festival: A five-day long performing arts festival in England.
• San Diego Comic Con: A non-profit annual comic convention held in San Diego that spans over four days. Known for having famous guests and exciting stalls and events.
• Met Ball: The annual fundraising gala for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Each year has a specific theme and attracts many famous guests.
• Cannes Film Festival: Also known just as the Cannes Festival or as the International Film Festival. An prestigious annual French festival which previews films and documentaries from around the world.
• Oscars: Also known as the Academy Awards. Awards that are given for artistic and technical achievement in the film industry.
• Golden Globes: Awards for excellence in the television industry.
• Coachella: A music and art festival in California that spans multiple weekends.
• Casino: A business where people go to gamble. Often combined with hotels, shops and restaurants to make a large entertainment complex.
• Immersive Art: Art that is particularly good at helping the audience suspend their disbelief, generally through immersive tech like virtual or augmented reality.
• VR: Short for virtual reality. A technology that provides an immersive simulation of reality.
• New/Emerging Tech: Watching new technology evolve and grow is exciting to see and try.
• Motorcycling: Due to its high speeds and added risk and danger, riding a motorcycle is seen to be quite exciting.
• Ultra Music Festival: An outdoor electronic music festival held annually in Miami.
• Drag Shows: Performance art shows by drag performers. Known for their charisma and creativity.
• Live Music: Music that is performed live. Generally shown to large audiences with light shows and sometimes special guests.
• The Olympics: A prestigious sports event for elite athletes to compete in. Held only once every four years and televised internationally.
• FIFA World Cup: Also known as the World Cup. An international football cup held every four years.
• Sapporo Snow Festival: An annual Japanese festival showcasing snow statues and sculptures.
• Bonnaroo Music Festival: A four day music and art festival held annually in Manchester.
• Lantern Festival: Also known as the Spring Lantern Festival. A Chinese festival where children carry paper lanterns at night and solve puzzles on the lanterns.
• Rubber Duck Race: A festival where thousands of rubber ducks are raced on a river. Usually used as a fundraising event for the city they’re held in.
• The Winter Games: Also known as the Winter Olympic Games. A major and prestigious sporting event held only once every four years specifically for sports that require snow and ice.
• Wimbledon: An old and prestigious tennis tournament.
• Rugby World Cup: A rugby tournament held every four years between international teams.
• Carnival of Venice: An annual Italian festival that is renowned for its fantastical masks.
• Elephant Festival: An Indian festival held on the same day as Holi.
• Tomorrowland: A Belgian EDM festival held over two weekends.
• Wexford Opera Festival: A festival celebrating opera held in Ireland.
• Cork Jazz Festival: A music festival held annually in Cork city.
• Sundance Film Festival: An annual festival by the Sundance Institute held in January each year.
• Day of the Dead: A Mexican holiday associated with All Souls’ Day. Celebrated to remember deceased friends and family members.
• The French Open: A tennis tournament held over two weeks in Paris each year.
• Cherry Blossom Festival: Annual festivals to celebrate the blooming of the cherry blossoms.
• Fringe Festival: International festivals that celebrate art, theatre, comedy and music.
• Finding Lost Items: Finding things you lost a while ago is exciting, especially if they’re valuable or sentimental.
• Axe Throwing: A recreational activity where you throw axes at targets.
• Laser Tag: A competitive team sport where you fire lasers in an attempt to earn more points than the other team. Similar to paint ball, but with lasers.
• Scavenger Hunt: Finding a list of items before the opposing team does.
• Ultimate Frisbee: A team sport played with a frisbee.
• Go Karting: A type of road race using open-wheeled karts.
• Fantasy Sports: Esports that are played on teams.
• Mud Running: Also known as mud bogging, mud racing or just mudding. A type of off-road motorsport where vehicles are driven through muddy pits.
• Stock Market: Investing on the stock market is generally seen to be a stressful and exciting activity (like gambling, but more drawn out).
• Uno: A card game that is notorious for the cumulative punishments the cards can dole out.
• Geocaching: An outdoor activity where participants use GPS to hide and find things marked by international coordinates.

We hope this list of exciting things was useful and that you found what you needed!

We did our best to cover all of the varied meanings of “exciting” with our visual gallery of exciting things and descriptive list. But if you feel there’s something we missed, please feel free to let us know and leave a comment.

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