The call of the wild is like a call from an elderly grandparent: though you can’t quite make out what’s being said, you feel better about yourself when you answer. Pick up nature's phone with today's Groupon: for $36, you get a wind-turbine tour and general admission at Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver (up to a $72.80 value with tax included). Additionally, Groupon customers have the option to receive $20 off an annual membership (normally $99).

Grouse Mountain offers stressed and hardened city-dwellers a serene and stunning naturescape, where dramatic peaks jut toward the sky only about 15 minutes north of downtown Vancouver. Your Groupon is good for general admission to various activities, a tour of The Eye of the Wind turbine, and the scenic, mile-long skyride it takes to get there. You'll soar above the mountain's Douglas firs, in full view of the glittering Pacific Ocean and the mighty Vancouver metropolis, before arriving at your destination, the peak-top turbine. Once there, you'll ascend the 20-storey giant in an elevator located within its supporting shaft, until you reach the viewing area below the hub of the rotating blades, where, on a clear day, you can take in the mountain-top 360-degree views of Mts. Baker, Rainier, and Garibaldi, as well as the frighteningly close revolving blades and teeth-baring kittens.

Back on the ground, you'll enjoy the perks of the peak-top activities and be free to experience summer or winter shows and more such as the endangered wildlife refuge, the Lumberjack Show, whimsical winter fun (snowshoeing, skating, sleigh rides, snow-angel seeking archeological digs, etc.), and the Theatre in the Sky, a high-def cinematic parlour showing documentaries that explore the area's history and wildlife. So seize this rare opportunity to lift off the ground without the Ouija board, or gift this Groupon to a visiting couple of cousins.

Children under 12 can take The Eye of the Wind tour for free if accompanied by a paying adult; however, children still must pay for general admission ($13.95 plus taxes).

Reviews

Grouse Mountain is a Frommer's Very Highly Recommended destination and one of the Daily Mail's Six Things You Must Do in Vancouver. It was also featured by NileGuide, the Straight, and the Sun and was given a four-star average from TripAdvisors:

• For non-skiers, Eye Of The Wind is one of the most thrilling visions on a mountain. – Gareth Huw Davies, Daily Mail
• The views from The Eye of the Wind are of the jaw-dropping variety. All of Vancouver and its busy harbour, the Coastal Mountains (including the twin peaks known as The Lions) and a vast, green wilderness spread out before you. – Sun