Gallery: Forget the Tan, Take a Maker Vacation!
01hawaii-sunset-wired-design
Spend a week getting fried on a beach and feasting on macadamia nut brittle, or learn something new? Tough choice, but we know what we'd go with. And for all you other fair-skinned, restless souls out there hunting for something fun to do this summer, we created this brochure of vacation spots where you can sharpen your skills, or learn some new ones. Spend a week in sunny San Diego learning from the masters of comic book and animation. Watch artisans of the explosion practice a thousand-year-old craft in Montreal, or bust out your chisel and learn the art of carving carousel horses in Alabama, along with seven other mind-expanding excursions! Photo: [Cord Cardinal](http://www.flickr.com/photos/imcdn/5383640212/sizes/l/in/photostream/)
02cupcake-racer-makerfaire-wired-design
__MakerFaire__ [MakerFaire New York](http://makerfaire.com/newyork/2011/) happens Sept. 29 and 30, 2012. It's the East Coast equivalent of Midwestern county fairs. But instead of butter sculpture and prize pigs, makers of all stripes show off robots, 3-D printers, and muffin-shaped go-karts. MakerFaires are filled with eye-popping sights, utopian inventors, and hands-on demos aplenty that would make Bill Nye jealous. __Cost:__ Admission to the two-day fair costs $15 to $55 depending on age, but bring plenty of walking-around money to buy products from the talented makers. Photo: [Jim Driscoll](http://www.flickr.com/photos/netdance/506765707/)
03haystack-smithy-wired-design
__Haystack Mountain School of Crafts__ [Haystack Mountain School of Crafts](http://www.haystack-mtn.org/index.php) is part of Maine's picturesque coastline and offers hand-on workshops in a variety of arts including clay, glass, blacksmithing, weaving, woodworking and more. You can go for one- or two-week sessions and room there, making this a true art-nerd-for-adults summer camp. __Cost:__ $1,000 to $2,500 depending on length, class type, and room preference. Photo: [Kirsten Skiles](http://www.flickr.com/photos/knitsteel/2557656679/)
04disney-plant-tour
__Walt Disney World Behind the Seeds at Epcot__ [Walt Disney World](http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tours-and-experiences/behind-the-seeds/) isn't just about hair-raising rides and oversize mice. If extreme gardening is your thing, Disney's Florida theme parks offer a swath of behind-the-scenes tours where you can learn the art of high-touch horticulture and how they make a topiary Snow White out of shrubs. __Cost:__ Prices for tours range from $14 to $18 depending on age. Photo: [Disney](http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tours-and-experiences/gardens-of-the-world-tour/)
Keith Ferris/The Culinary Instit05san-antonio-class2
__Culinary Institute of America Boot Camps__ [The Culinary Institute of America](http://www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts/bootcamps/) has graduated celebrity chefs like Anthony Bourdain, Cat Cora, and Grant Achatz. Their alumni carve up the competition for James Beard Awards. Aspiring foodies can enroll in one of the CIA boot camps, available in Texas, California, and New York. There is no guarantee that you'll be an *Iron Chef* Star, but you'll kill it at your next dinner party. __Cost:__ You're looking at $1,000 to $3,000 depending on the type of class, but gratuities are included. Photo: [Culinary Institute of America](http://www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts/bootcamps/)
06trickster-san-diego-wired-design
__Trickster__ [Trickster](http://trickstertrickster.com/) was founded as a response to the increasingly corporate San Diego ComicCon. It's a weeklong event where comic nerds and pop-culture aficionados hang out in a bar, drink fine wines, and discuss the finer points of superhero storytelling. The main draw is a symposium led by famed comic creators, pundits from Pixar, and other pop-culture luminaries. __Cost:__ Costs are still being worked out for 2012, but symposia cost a couple hundred dollars at the inaugural event last year. Photo: [Pop Culture Geek](http://www.flickr.com/photos/popculturegeek/6004009101/sizes/l/in/photostream/)
07carousel-carving
__Carousel Carving__ [Ira Chaffin](http://www.irachaffinsculpture.com/chaffin.html) is a supremely talented practitioner of an art form that dates back to the 16th century. Carousels were invented as a way to let knights show off their skills without killing each other. Today, they are woodworking feats that the entire family can enjoy. If you'd like to create a little theme park magic yourself, stay in a quaint Southern B&B while learning how to carve in the workshop of a master. __Cost:__ The cost varies by horse size (starting at $500) and magical creatures like hippogriffs are available for a premium, but you might need to swing by Gringott's en route. Photo: [Ira Chaffin](http://www.irachaffinsculpture.com/index.html)
08yarn-wired-design
__Extreme Knitting__ The beauty of [Knitting](http://www.knittersjourney.com/Knitting_Vacations.html) is that it's a portable activity. Devotees have found all sorts of fun ways to combine fiber arts and faraway places. There are regional getaways and even knitting cruises, but for more adrenaline-raising adventure sign up for this [workshop held near an active volcano](http://www.icelandrovers.is/knittingTours/knittinginthenorth/) in Iceland. Bonus: You can knit yourself a scarf to keep warm while you're there. __Cost:__ The volcanic workshop costs $2,100, but airfare and troll repellent will cost extra. Photo: [Liralen Li](http://www.flickr.com/photos/liralenli/241240206/sizes/l/in/photostream/)
09canadian-fireworks-expo
__Competitive Fireworks__ [The International Feux Loto in Quebec](Photo: internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec http://www.internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec.com/en/historique/album_photos.aspx) proves that Americans don't have a lock on summertime fireworks. At this annual festival and competition, the world's leading fireworks artists use the sky as their canvas and highly fissile explosives as their paint. Go to cheer on your country, if you think it will be heard over the "Pyromusical" extravaganza. __Cost:__ Admission is $35 to $60, But do yourself a favor and invest in ear plugs and aspirin as well. Photo: [l'International Des Feux Loto-Quebec](http://www.internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec.com/en/)
10local-motors-wired-design
__Local Motors__ [Local Motors](http://www.local-motors.com/) offers the ultimate getaway for gearheads. Customers don't just buy a car, they build it. Spending a week in their headquarters/factory, wannabe Henry Fords assemble their car using the Local Motors state-of-the-art workshop. __Cost:__ If you need to ask, you can't afford it. This vacation package costs approximately $50,000, depending on options, and includes food and lodging near the Local Motors factory in Arizona. On the bright side, you can drive your souvenir home! Photo: [Local Motors](http://www.flickr.com/photos/localmotors/5157975333/sizes/l/in/photostream/)
11risd-id-metal-shop-vim-vigor
__RISD Summer Sessions__ RISD Summer Sessions allow would-be artists and designers to get the art school experience without the facial piercings. Take courses in antique arts like drawing and painting, or cutting-edge digital media, and experience a tradition that has shaped artists for hundreds of years. __Cost:__ Tuition for most classes is [$2,375](http://www.risd.com/cfm/ce_courselist_summer.cfm?choice=DESI&field=Category). To complete the experience, find a place to stay using [Airbnb](http://airbnb.com/), which was founded by two RISD alumni. Photo: [Vim & Vigor](http://vimvigordesign.com/)
