Travel Picks: Top 10 quirky vacation camps for adults

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - Ever dream of being an astronaut, an elephant trainer or a ghost hunter? Your dreams could come true with a growing number of camps catering for adults who want to try something different.

Travel Web site Travelandleisure.com, which is owned by American Express Publishing, has come up with a list of the top 10 quirkiest camps for adult. The list has not been endorsed by Reuters.

1. Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp - New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and London

Campers learn the ropes from their rock 'n roll idols including Joe Walsh, Slash, and Max Weinberg. Bring your own instruments or use those at the camp to write and rehearse a song with a celebrity musician/counselor. There are daily jam sessions and a finale Battle of the Bands performance with guest stars like Roger Daltrey and Brian Wilson.

2. Gladiator Training Cavalieri Hilton, Rome

Over this three-hour course, participants learn ancient gladiator combat techniques and history while wearing the traditional costume and brandishing authentic gladiator-era replica wooden and iron weapons. The instructors are representatives from the Gruppo Storico Romano, the organization dedicated to the study and reenactment of gladiator culture.

3. Elephant Mahout Training Four Seasons Tented Camp, Northern Thailand

For this half-day to three-day adventure, participants work side-by-side with local mahouts, who are expert trainers in the 2,000-year-old Thai tradition of elephant care. A maximum of 30 guests interact directly with the rescued elephants while the mahouts teach them about the animals and their well-being.

4. Wine-Making Camp Sonoma and Napa, California

The Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines Crush Camp allows wine lovers to get out in the vineyard with winemakers for three days to harvest, crush and blend wine.

5. Space Camp Huntsville, Alabama

The three- to eight-day program simulates astronaut training and an actual shuttle mission in as realistic a setting as possible. You'll don real flight suits and work with NASA-developed training equipment, which demonstrates how your body feels during a launch or what it's like to walk on the moon.

6. Ghost Hunter University Hotel Maison de Ville, New Orleans

Christopher Moon, licensed paranormal investigator and publisher of Haunted Times magazine, teaches the basics of ghost hunting. It takes place during two nights at the hotel, set in a building that dates to 1742 and said to be riddled with spirits. You're encouraged to bring your own camera to learn how to catch orbs or spirits on film and decipher them in photos.

7. Crossword Puzzle Creation, 7-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Holland America ship, Statendam

Editor of Newsday's syndicated crossword puzzle and author of 125 books, Stan Newman teaches participants how to improve their crossword-solving skills, strengthen their vocabulary, and recognize the tricks over at least 10 hours of instruction.