Orlando

Zip-a-dee-do-da: Swing From the Best Zip Lines in Orlando

by Valerie Conners

Photograph by Valerie Conners

Take your Orlando vacation to new heights — literally — with a zip line adventure, zooming through and above Central Florida’s treetops. Courses vary in difficulty, from kid-friendly jaunts to adrenaline-packed aerial tours. Gather your courage before climbing platforms as high as 65 feet, clipping into a harness and zooming across high-speed zip lines that stretch up to 500 feet. Here are our picks for Orlando’s best zip lines:

Gatorland: Screamin’ Gator Zip Line

Theme park meets wildlife preserve at Gatorland, the self-proclaimed “Alligator Capital of the World.” This 110-acre retreat teems with wildlife, including thousands of — you guessed it! — alligators, as well as crocodiles, birds and petting zoo critters. But the park’s real crowd-pleaser is the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line. Daredevils harness up and fly from tower to tower across 1,200 feet of zip lines, reaching speeds up to 30 mph. You’ll zoom past Cuban and Nile crocodiles, as well as above 100-plus gators in the park’s Alligator Breeding Marsh. The details: Participants must measure at least 37 inches tall, and weigh no more than 275 lbs. The $69.99 zip line fee includes all-day admission to Gatorland. Call (800) 393-5297 or email customerservice@gatorland.com for details.

Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park

Kids and adults gear up for an adrenaline fix at this aerial adventure course, set 10- to 60-feet above ground in the midst of a pine forest. You’ll test your mettle clambering across suspended bridges and scramble nets, clinging to Tarzan swings, and of course, shooting through the forest on a 425-foot zipline. The details: The park’s courses vary in difficulty and include four adult courses, three junior courses, and two kids courses. Admission is $29.99 for kids courses (ages 7-11), $39.99 for junior courses (ages 9-11), and $49.99 for adult courses (ages 12+). Call (407) 390-9999 for more details.

ZOOm Air Orlando

Tucked into the lush world above Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, ZOOm’s courses integrate almost seamlessly with the natural environment and offer views of flora not easily seen from the garden’s grounds. Kids (ages 4+) can weave their way through an easy children’s course that culminates in a short zip line ride, reaching heights of 10 feet. Other courses test adults’ courage, as they breeze through the trees and climb and balance their way across swinging bridges, swaying nets and suspended disks. The details: Reservations are not required for regular, daytime activities. Groups of 15 or more can make a reservation, if desired, by calling (407)330-0767. Prices range from $19.25 for children to $50.95 for adults. Children must be 36 to 60 inches tall. Family and annual plans are also available.