The Origin Story of Adventure Travelers Club
Childhood Adventures in the Woods
I grew up on a quiet country road in New England, with endless woods stretching out behind my house. That forest was my playground and sanctuary. I loved being able to walk out my back door and spend time in the forest building forts in trees, floating rafts over ponds, or just walking around observing the natural world. Sometimes I’d head out with my brother, other times with my dog, and often just by myself. Even as a kid, I wasn’t afraid to explore on my own.
Nature was where I felt most alive, adventurous, and free. It was an escape from the trials of youth, and an incubator for my fertile imagination. Wandering through the trees and brush, I would imagine I was an explorer off on an adventure in a faraway place. In the summer, I pretended I was bush whacking through steamy jungles exploring lost civilizations like Indiana Jones. In the winter, I imagined I was trekking across snowy mountain passes.
Those early explorations lit the spark of adventure in me—and like many small-town kids, I dreamed of one day escaping and seeing the world.
The First Taste of Global Travel
In college, I earned a degree in finance, but after working in the field, I realized I wanted more than a typical desk job. So, I pursued an MBA in International Business, which allowed me to learn Japanese language and culture and study in Japan. Tokyo’s energy, the kindness of its people, and the depth of its culture fascinated me.
We visited the stock exchange, toured cultural landmarks, and stayed out until the wee hours eating sushi, drinking, and singing karaoke. It was a fun and exciting experience. I even stayed behind and traveled by myself to the countryside and spent some time in a Zen temple on a remote mountain where they grew green tea.
Knowing about the language and culture helped me immensely to connect with the local people on a deeper level and navigate through the country on my own. That trip opened my eyes. The world was bigger, richer, and more exciting than I had ever imagined. I was hooked on travel, and I yearned for more.
Love, Travel, and an Unforgettable Honeymoon
Not long after, I found a partner who shared my wanderlust. We explored England together—where I learned the terror of driving stick shift on the “wrong” side of the road—and then set off on a cruise to the Greek Islands.
On the island of Santorini, overlooking the deep blue sea, I proposed. A year later, we spent our honeymoon on the Royal Clipper, the world’s largest sailing ship, drifting through the Mediterranean.
But fate had other plans. During that trip, 9/11 happened. We were cut off from news, stranded in Europe, and unsure what was unfolding back home. In the midst of fear and uncertainty, strangers showed us incredible kindness. That experience shaped me as a traveler—it reminded me that the human connections we make along the road matter as much as the destinations.
Adventures With Family
Years later, my brother Jim, my dad, and I traveled together to England and the Netherlands. We soaked up history in museums, explored castles and countrysides, and enjoyed watching the world go by, sipping pints in cozy pubs.
A number of hilarious things happened on the trip, in particular involving our dad and his cultural faux pas, lack of packing skills, and poor selection of luggage. We still talk about and laugh about it to this day, and it reinforced how much travel can enrich our lives with priceless memories.
That trip also sparked something bigger: a conversation with Jim about not waiting until we were “too old” to see the world. We reminisced about our childhood exploring the forests and our dreams of seeing faraway places. We realized money could be replaced, but time could not.
That decision—to prioritize adventure travel—changed everything.
The Call of True Adventure: The 'Brothers Rice'
When my brother Jim and I came to the realization that money was replaceable but time was not, we knew we didn’t want to run out of time at the end of our lives without experiencing the grand adventures we had fantasized about in our youth. From that moment on, Jim and I set out to chase the adventures we had once only dreamed about as kids in the woods of New England.
We started reading about other explorers and studying everything we could about destinations, gear, and adventurous activities around the world. With that inspiration, and a “now or never” attitude, the ‘Brothers Rice’ began going off on trips every year to faraway places that we had either dreamt about when we were younger or read about as adults. Luckily, some dreams stay with us until we realize them!
We’ve been blessed and fortunate to have experienced adventures in awe-inspiring places that you can read about on this website, in our books on Amazon, and on our social media profiles.
The forests of our youth became the jungles of South America and Asia. The wildlife we once saw in our backyard became elephants, giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles, and piranhas. The lost civilizations we imagined turned into the wonders of Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, Easter Island, and the Pyramids of Giza.
Through our years of travel, we’ve learned a great deal—not just about the world, but about ourselves. Along the way, we met extraordinary people, including local residents, indigenous communities, guides, and fellow travelers who became lifelong friends.
From Facebook Group to Global Club
In 2019, I thought: why not share these experiences with others? Why not create a place for like-minded travelers to connect, share tips, and inspire each other?
That’s when Adventure Travelers Club was born on Facebook. What started as a Facebook page and small community has now grown into a worldwide group of like-minded adventure travelers.
Our mission is simple: to connect adventurers with the best destinations, activities, guides, gear suppliers, and travel businesses—so more people can experience life-changing journeys.
Why Adventure Travel Matters
Some of my most meaningful memories happened on trips:
– Watching the sunrise from Mount Fuji with Jim.
– Rappelling down a 100-foot waterfall in Costa Rica with my family.
– Tracking wildlife deep in the Amazon jungle.
These are moments money can’t buy. They’re the milestones that shape a fulfilling life.
I know when I look back, it won’t be the hours I spent in an office that stand out. It will be these adventures—and the people I shared them with.
Join The Adventure Travelers Club
Adventure has transformed my life, and I believe it can transform yours too. That’s why I created this community—to support, encourage, and inspire travelers from every corner of the world.
If you love adventurous travel—join the club!
– Jay Rice
Founder, Adventure Travelers Club