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Fancy summer fun and games

By Stephanie Steinberg, Special to CNN
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Expensive summer toys and furniture for families with money to splurge
  • Outdoor adventurers can buy their own ATV or 14-foot inflatable iceberg
  • The Puzzle Set unfolds into beach chairs, lounges and tables for $18,170
RELATED TOPICS
  • Outdoor Recreation
  • Toys
  • Florida

(CNN) -- Summer has barely begun, but are you already bored and dreaming of fun things to do? How about climbing up an inflatable iceberg, riding an ATV through dunes or continue dreaming while swinging on a state-of-the-art hammock.

Unusual summer toys and outdoor decor might not be necessary, but they look like they could provide hours of fun and relaxation.

Take the 14-foot Iceberg Climb Slide Wall Mountain.

Hundreds of people buy inflatable toys like the iceberg each summer, according to sales associate Elizabeth Herrera at CozyDays Inc., which sells the iceberg, water trampoline and large rafts. The inflatables are so popular this time of year the company often runs out of stock, she said.

Most buyers of big inflatables live on lakes, according to CozyDays spokesman Ken Ozturan. Though devices can be anchored in the ocean, Ozturan says the ocean is "too unpredictable with winds and waves, which makes it harder to handle large inflatable rafts."

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Families that would rather stay dry and have an adventure on land can splurge on motorized vehicles such as All Terrain Vehicles, Recreation Utility Vehicles and scooters.

Joe Bromley, director of racing for the American Motorcyclist Association, says ATVing is a sport in which the whole family can get involved. Serious ATVers can enter races around the country, but riders who just want to feel the wind through their hair can breeze through local or state parks with designated ATV trails.

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The cost to buy an ATV ranges from $1,000 for a vehicle fit for a 6-year-old to $7,000 for the most "elaborate" kind, Bromley said.

Sales of RUVS have exploded the past five years, according to Sean Alexander, a spokesman for Kawasaki Motor Corp. U.S.A., which sells RUVS, ATVs and Jet Skis. The four-wheel drive features allow the vehicles to travel over rough terrains, including beaches, deserts, mountains and even snow.

"This means they sell well from Florida to Alaska and everywhere in-between, Alexander said.

The one place you can't easily drive an RUV: the city.

"Obviously, being off-road, they do not do well in the city, so dealers in suburbs and rural settings sell more of them than dealers in Manhattan," Alexander said.

Besides having all the latest recreational toys, consumers are burning cash on high-end outdoor decor for the season. Plush outdoor daybeds with canopies that block the sun are the item to own for homeowners looking for comfort.

Steve Reisman, CEO of Neoteric Luxury in Miami, says daybeds have risen in popularity the past few years. He attributes the spike to a growing awareness about skin cancer and the dangers of UV rays.

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"These days the philosophy is not to stay in the sun," he said.

All Neoteric products are UV protected and made with heavy, long-lasting materials such as polypropylene, which don't release toxins when exposed to heat. The furniture ranges in price from about $3,000 to $14,000 for canopy daybeds.

Then there's the Puzzle Set that's taken seating to a whole new level.

Nine pieces, including five chairs, two lounges and two tables, fit into the foam square that can be taken to the beach or stored by the pool.

Debuting in Paris in September, the Puzzle Set -- available for $18,170 -- has sold in Europe, Israel and Australia and has had "great success," according to EGO Paris spokeswoman Nathalie Jacquemin.

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