As has been discussed on this site before, people don’t take vacations like they used to, but this shift is not always lamentable. The ubiquitous cross country car journey may have made it’s final exit, but this has opened up a new field for companies such as Sailing Collective, which offer trips that can only be described as “adventure tourism.” Sailing Collective, which was only founded back in 2011, specializes in trips that are really about the experience, not just the destination.

Taking a trip to Croatia, or the British Virgin Islands, or even Maine, is one thing, but what Sailing Collective provides is the opportunity to take in these beautiful locales in a completely unique way. With Sailing Collective the trip actually really starts once you land at your destination. From there you meet the rest of your boat (typically six passengers and two crew) at the dock for a week long trip at sea. For co-founder Dayyan Armstrong exposing passengers to the unknown side of these well known destinations is what Sailing Collective is all about. By boat you’re more likely to stumble upon a quiet village, or a picturesque enclave, or a hole in the wall restaurant, and these discoveries are the true advantage of a Sailing Collective trip.

Fortunately for those of us that have never set foot on a boat, sailing experience is not a requisite, and while some passengers do choose to lend a hand, Armstrong stresses that this is not at all mandatory. Sailing Collective is more concerned with creating a memorable trip for all everyone, including the captains. Armstrong told me that his company’s upcoming trip to Thailand is a first not just for Sailing Collective, but for him as well, and he’s looking forward to exploring a place he’s never been before along with the rest of his passengers. With Sailing Collective, the journey really is the destination.