Want to Really Get Away? Try Imaginative Escapism.

From the moody and mysterious to the physical challenges of an exotic locale, the vacation has evolved into something else entirely.

The world’s more and more hectic, information bombards you 24/7, and the pace doesn’t look to be slowing anytime soon.

It’s made people approach vacations differently. They want to escape like never before, embarking on vacation alternatives not just to relieve stress, but to obliterate it.

For this group, sightseeing, hectic cities, even relaxation doesn’t cut it anymore. They’re looking for something immersive, meaningful, and experience-rich, a trend driven, in its first days at least, by Generation Z[1]. The umbrella term for this kind of experience is Imaginative Escapism[2], and while there are several types, two of the most popular are called Mystic Outlands and Darecations.

Turns out they couldn’t be any further from each other in approach.

Mystic Outlands

A Mystic Outlands escape is for travelers who seeking out a little reflection and enchantment in their journeys. They want landscapes and experiences that are atmospheric, moody, and transcend plain old normal life; dreamlike, even. Let’s look at two examples of what we mean.

We’ll start with the Western Coast of Ireland. It’s foggy, green with dampness, and incredibly remote. The mist-topped hills go on forever; you won’t see a house for miles among them. This is where the ancient roots of Irish folklore[3] took hold, so if you’re looking for a place set aside from the rest of the world, Western Ireland certainly qualifies—there’s a reason there’s so many good Irish ghost stories.

Our other example in this category is the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. Visitors immerse themselves in towering green stalks of bamboo, an environment—a canopy, really—that encourages stillness and tranquility. When wind moves through the forest, a hollow gentle rush is created, which adds to the reflective mood.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Darecations

If the Mystic Outlands experience promotes calm and looking inward, the Darecation experience emphasizes action and celebrating one’s tangible surroundings. These are activities that test the participant’s physical limits in some way—rafting, climbing, extreme hiking and camping, etc.—in exotic, picturesque locales far removed from life back home.

Take volcano boarding at Cerro Negro in Nicaragua, for example. That’s right, skateboarding down a volcano. After hiking to the summit, riders strap on protective gear, sit or stand on reinforced boards, and slide down black volcanic gravel at speeds that reach 30–40 miles an hour, sometimes more. It’s part endurance challenge, part controlled chaos.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Meanwhile, back in the United States, more specifically, in Utah’s Zion National Park, visitors come from hundreds, even thousands of miles away to take part in a darecation called canyoneering. It combines hiking, climbing, rappelling, and swimming through narrow sandstone canyons shaped by flash floods. Routes wind through tight corridors, slickrock drops, and cold pools, requiring both physical effort and careful movement. It’s equal parts adventure and problem-solving, with dramatic scenery at every turn.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Everyone needs a little mystery and distraction in their lives, but that’s not the case when you’re running a convenience store. For that, you have to be vigilant and detailed, monitoring and managing the numbers moving through your store on a daily basis. SSCS created the Computerized Daily Book back office software to help you do exactly that, while speeding the process, for good measure. Increase your profit and create more opportunities for immersive experiences, or any other way you want to spend the extra time. Call us at (800) 927-7277 and we’ll explain how we can help.

[1] “Gen Z’s Travel Preferences: Reflective and Nature-Rooted Tourism with the Concept of Eco-Experiential Tourism”; Endy Marlina, Annisa Mu’awanah Sukmawati, Tulus Wahyuhana, Desrina Ratriningsih, and Adam Amrullah; Tourism and Hospitality Abstract; January 4, 2026

[2] According to Expedia’s 2026 travel forecast, travelers are increasingly planning trips built around immersive experiences reflecting a broader appetite for non-traditional vacations.

[3] Including Halloween.