On Your Next Vacation, Try a Zip Line

     

       For some people, their idea of a great vacation is one continuous adrenaline rush.  For others, the thought of adding a little excitement to an other wise relaxing trip makes for the perfect vacation.  If either of these describe your vacation taste, or your somewhere in between, you need to experience an activity that has exploded in popularity in recent years in most of the more popular vacation areas around the nation.  Zip line courses offer everything from daring glides to more laid-back aerial adventures for family travelers - or those devoid of the daredevil gene.  Check out these great zip line spots on your next vacation for a sky high adventure.

Smugglers' Notch, VT.
       Located at the Smugglers' Notch resort in Northern Vermont, ArborTrek offers climbing adventures, treetop obstacle courses, and three different zip line tour options depending on the season.  Don't miss one of their award winning winter tours, complete with stunning views of the snow-covered canopies of the Green Mountains.  Depending on your experience level, you will spend one to three hours on a fully guided zip line canopy tour that combines the thrill of up to 4500 feet of high speed zip lines and commentary on the local ecology and natural history.  During this adventure, you will cross sky bridges high above the forest and rappel from trees, exploring areas that can't be reached by hikers.

Rockbridge, OH.
       Famous for their "SuperZip", Hocking Hills Canopy Tours can get you going up to speeds of over 50 mph as you sail down over a stream, caves and rock cliffs.  Get a bird's eye view of the native wildlife, plants and rocks at one of Ohio's top attractions.  They also offer nighttime zips, and separate tours for children.

Durango, CO.
       What does the historic "narrow gauge" railroad in Durango have to do with a zip line adventure?  It is the only way to reach the longest zip lining course in the world - Soaring Tree Top Adventures in Durango, Colorado.  Here, thrill-seekers zip over a mile and a half cable on 27 different zip lines.  After you zip through the trees for five incredible hours, you'll be treated to a four course gourmet lunch while overlooking the Animas River.

Big Sky, MT.
       For a change of scenery, Big Sky Resort will allow you to fly high along the rocky ridges just 18 miles from Yellowstone National Park after some mild hiking.  At Big Sky Resort, you can soar past expansive views of Lone Mountain and the Spanish Peaks of the Madison mountain range, or take the nature zip, which consists of three zip lines 30 to 60 feet in the air.  Up the fun factor even more by racing your travel partners on a twin zip line.

Park City, UT.
       Hold on tight as you experience a 500 foot vertical drop on the steepest zip line in the world at the Olympic Park in Park City.  The XTREME ZipRider course runs parallel to the 120 meter Nordic jump, (you might even be in the air at the same time as athletes during practice).  Sound a little to intense for you?  Olympic Park also offers a shorter "Ultra ZipRider" - a four cable zip line that's 750 feet long for the non-daredevils.

Charlemont, MA.
       The Berkshire East Zip Line is a great option for adventure lovers on a budget, with tours starting around $30.  They also offer something for everyone on their three family friendly tour options.  The Base Tour will introduce newbies to zip lining, while the Mountain Top Tour offers seven zips, two hikes and two great ski lift rides with incredible views of the valley.  Once you're ready for something more extreme, sign up  for the Valley Jump, which consists of two 1/2 mile long zip lines approaching 200 feet off the ground.  For one of the most colorful tours, take a trip in the fall during "leaf" season when the Appalachian Mountains look afire with red, yellow, and orange hues among the forest canopies.

Park City, Utah - A Great Summer Destination

       If your like my family, mention Park City, and the image of a world-class ski destination comes to mind.  Everyone in my family loves our annual ski holiday at one of the great ski resorts that surrounds the city.  From the perfect snow to the world class restaurants on Main Street, to the convenience of being located only a 45 minute drive from a major airport in Salt Lake City; to my family and thousands of other families, Park City offers the perfect winter holiday.  But those same traits, along along with some great new ones, make Park City a great destination for an unforgettable summer family vacation.

       In the summer, the city comes alive with great festivals and is a mecca for outdoor activities.  Summer lasts longer too, with moderate temperatures well into the Fall.  With quick and easy access from Salt Lake City International airport, Park City offers something most other western resorts do not - time savings -  in eliminating the hours waiting for a connecting fight at an airport, to reducing the hours of driving from an airport to arrive there.  Best of all, the hotel rack rates are drastically less than what you'd pay in the winter; including some world class facilities.

Outdoor Adventures
       From great and affordable public golf, with spectacular mountain views to hiking and biking, adventure parks to great mountain fishing, Park City has many ways to enjoy the great outdoors.  The Utah Olympic Park, where you can watch Olympic hopefuls training or enjoys activities including a bobsled ride on the actual Olympic course, or an alpine ride.   Don't miss the Flying Ace All Star Freestyle Show on Sundays, where the winter Olympic hopefuls zoom down ski ramps and land in the pool.  The three Park City City ski resorts, (Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, and the Canyons Resort), each offer many miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking surrounded by spectacular scenery.  If you want even better vistas for enjoying the view, consider a ride on one of the gondolas or chair lifts the resorts run during the summer.  The Canyons and Park City resorts also offer even more activities including ziplines, an alpine coaster, fishing and horseback riding.

Entertaining Arts
       Summer in Park City offer seemingly endless opportunities to enjoy the arts, surrounded by the great outdoors.  Festivals are held throughout the season, including the Park City Kimball Arts Festival, held in early August with over 200 artists exhibiting along with local artisan food tastings.  The always popular Deer Valley Music Festival features the Utah Symphony giving pop-style outdoor concerts.  Other great music venues include the Saturday Summer Concerts Series, running all summer at the Canyons Resort, and the Big Stars Bright Nights Concerts Series at Deer Valley, featuring world famous artists that reach across the music spectrum from Lyle Lovett to Mandy Patinkin.  If your a foodie, then the Savor the Summit, and the Park City Food and Wine Classic are for you.  These two events, both taking place on Main Street, are great outdoor dinner parties, with tastings and classes, showcase why Park City has so many award winning restaurants.  If you have ever wanted to attend the Sundance Film Festival in January, but can't make it, go to the Canyons Resort Summer Film Series.  Shown outdoors all summer beginning at dusk, the film series presents a selection of Sundance Festival films.

Main Street
       Even with three great resorts, and all the area activities, the heart of Park City can still be found on Main Street.  The street itself is lined with great local restaurant serving a wide variety of mouth-watering delights that will satisfy any appetite. Mix in numerous shops featuring local artists and plenty of artisan and craft bars, yes you can drink in Utah, and you have a great place to enjoy a relaxing day or evening and hiking the trails.  Don't miss the weekly Park Silly Sunday Market, held every Sunday, where Main Street is closed to autos and the street is open to pedestrians to enjoy local arts and crafts, activities for the kids, food vendors, and a beer garden with live entertainment that runs all day.  If you want to learn about the colorful past of Park City in the 1800's as a mining town, check out the Park City Museum or take a popular ghost tour of the old town.