9 Zany Zipline Tours

Zip, zip, hooray! Leave your drone at home, and still get a bird’s-eye view of some of the world’s most popular tourist attractions by treating your event attendees to a zip line tour. Not only can this team-building activity encourage bonding, but experts say “exposure therapy” is one of the most effective ways of helping those with a fear of heights to conquer their acrophobia. Zip lines have been installed at such landmarks as the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China, and Costa Rica is known for its canopy zipline tours through the rainforest. Strap a GoPro onto your helmet and get ready for the thrill of a lifetime. Off you go!

Las Vegas trade-show goers can already go high in the sky on the High Roller observation wheel, and soon they’ll be able to spread their wings and fly. Caesars Entertainment Corporation announced last month they’ll be building Fly LINQ. The $20 million project will feature 10 side-by-side zip lines that can run simultaneously. Construction is due to begin in Spring 2018. Once complete, Fly LINQ will be the first and only zip line on The Strip. Riders have the option of zipping in a seated position or “Superman”-style.

“Fly LINQ will further establish The LINQ Promenade as a must-visit destination, particularly for distinctive Las Vegas entertainment experiences,” Bob Morse, president of hospitality for Caesars, says.

Feeling lucky? In Downtown Las Vegas, adrenaline junkies will hit the jackpot on the SlotZilla zip line at the Fremont Street Experience. The world’s largest slot machine (or replica, at least) measures 12 stories tall, and offers two levels of zip lining. The upper route hangs 114 feet above ground and sends riders soaring at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. The lower lines are at 77-feet high. Many hotels line the promenade, and it is only a short drive from The Strip.

Risking your life going over Niagara Falls in a barrel is so yesterday. Today’s thrill is harnessing up for an aerial vantage point of the breathtaking waterfall on WildPlay Element Parks’ MistRider Zipline. Unleash your inner Peter Pan to descend from 2,200 feet into the Niagara Gorge, giving you the best seat in the house to see the American and Canadian sides of the falls. WildPlay offers groups several obstacle activities on weekdays as part of their Monkido Adventure Course.

“We are excited that our efforts will engage everyone who is young at heart, from ages five to adult, to experience this unique and captivating adventure,” says Tom Benson, CEO of WildPlay Element Parks.

Scotiabank Convention Centre has 288,000 sq. ft. of event space on the Canadian side of Horseshoe Falls, and on the American side Conference & Event Center Niagara Falls has 116,000 sq. ft. at your disposal.

A short ferry ride off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina Island sits prettily in the Pacific. A series of five zip lines descends from 600 ft. above sea level to 300 ft. above the floor of Descanso Canyon. Riders stop at eco-stations along the course to catch their breath, and learn about the wildlife and history of the island. Four of the main meeting venues in Avalon are the Catalina Casino, Catalina Country Club, Catherine’s Terrace at Descanso Beach and Descanso Beach Club.

New Zealand is below the equator, so it only makes sense to swing upside down there, right? Known as the adventure capital of the world, Queenstown is, fittingly, home to the world’s steepest zipline. The grand finale of the 3-hour, guided Kea tour is a 30-story descent that sends riders propelling down the line at 44 mph. Corporate groups of up to 260 flyers zip through the forest and stop at treehouses, which can be branded with a company logo, along the way.

“Since Ziptrek opened in Queenstown it has been a very popular activity for our conference and incentive groups,” Malcolm Blakey, general manager of QT Events, says on the company’s website. “Their ability to look after any size of group means that we can use it for an incentive activity, partner program or team-building event with great results.”

A popular meeting venue is Heritage Queenstown’s Icon Conference Centre, which boasts lake and mountain views from the ballroom and rooftop terrace.

Colorado is gorges! In addition to the scenic Royal Gorge Route Railroad, visitors can take in the sights on the Royal Gorge Cloudscraper. It runs parallel to the bridge and treats riders to a view 1,200 ft. above the Arkansas River.

Once a working monastery, Abbey Events Complex in Canon City is situated on more than 200 acres and features 7,000 sq. ft. of event space. Guests can wine taste at The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey and stay in the onsite sleeping accommodations.

Santa doesn’t only get around on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. While vacationing somewhere a lot warmer than the North Pole, Jolly Old Saint Nick zipped across the deck aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. He’s not the only celebrity to go for a ride out on the great ocean blue. Music group DNCE and actress and Royal Caribbean Adventurist Shay Mitchell also took the leap of faith. A new ship, Symphony of the Seas, will be added to the fleet in 2018, and she will also feature a zip line. Among the reasons cruises are great venues for meeting professionals to consider: no additional charge for use of audiovisual equipment and services.

The world’s largest zip line over water is Dragon’sBreath Flight Line. It’s located in a port of call exclusive to Royal Caribbean passengers. Thrill-seekers begin 500 ft. above the beautiful beach and enjoy a massive 2,600-foot-long flight down to Dragon’s Breath Rock. Several of the cruise line’s Caribbean itineraries offer this excursion during their stop in Labadee.

Race through the moss-covered Douglas firs on the zipline offered by Skamania Lodge Adventures. The tour includes a circuit of seven lines. Located 45 minutes outside Portland, Skamania Lodge, A Destination Hotel has 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 254 guestrooms, including exciting, new tree houses.