Most  tourist head for Rio's spectacular beaches and the obvious attractions, such as the Corcovado and the Sugar Loaf, but the city is also brimming with a variety of excursions for your delight.

Hang Gliding
            There are great spots for hang-gliding in Rio, especially around Pedra Bonita, near Pepino beach.

Surfing
 

            Surfing is popular all along the coast, but there is also plenty of surf close to Rio.

Sailing
 

            Sailing is big in Búzios and off the larger resorts along the coast. Inland, the Rio Araguaia in Goiás and Tocantins is known as a fishing paradise.

Hiking
 

            There are excellent opportunities for rock climbing in and near Rio and in the national and state parks, and hiking is great along the coast.

Parque Dois Irmãos
 

            The newest open-air scenic viewpoint in Rio is the Parque Dois Irmãos Belvedere. The area has recently been redeveloped and is now a park, complete with three different scenic areas. From the highest one, up at Dois Irmãos Hill, you can see the Leblon and Ipanema seashore from an unusual angle that shows how the beaches are connected to the nearby Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon.

Wet 'n' Wild Water Park

            The green Serra da Grota Funda mountains surround the water rides at Rio's Wet' n Wild Water Park. Dozens of splashy attractions—pools, slides, and rides make this a great place to go, especially when the mercury rises into the nineties. It's great for the whole family.

Rio Water Planet

            Rio Water Planet, an amusement park on the city's West Side. What I like most here is the way the rides and attractions blend into the nature surrounding them. Coconuts, palm trees, and other tropical foliage are all part of the scenery as you splash along on rides like the Lazy River or in the wave pool.

Planetário
 

            More than ten thousand stars cover the sky of the Planetário dome, shining in blue, yellow and green. The planetarium, built in 1970, then renovated and expanded in 1998, now offers all kinds of astronomy adventures

Jardim Botanico
 

            The Imperial Palm trees, the orchids, and the Victoria regias are just a few plants from the more than 8,000 species of flora in this international botanical collection. The Jardim Botanico, created more than 200 years ago, remains a delightful carioca oasis, spreading over 338,527 acres halfway between the city's residential and financial centers.

Shopping

            Rio has over 30 shopping centres located throughout the city, most of which contain supermarkets, department stores, fashion boutiques and music outlets, as well as places to grab something to eat. The most central is Rio Sul, Rua Lauro Muller 116, in Botafogo. Other options include the São Conrado Fashion Mall, Estrada da Gávea 899, in São Conrado, and Shopping Center de Copacabana, Rua Siqueira Campos 143, in Copacabana. The markets are colourful and entertaining places in which to browse and purchase souvenirs.