I am so excited to tell you all about Go Ape! I was provided 2 tickets in exchange for a fair review. As you will see, all the opinions and excitement are my own. We visited the location in Maryland however there are 12 locations in the US with more opening this year.
There are lots of activities to do with younger kids but once my my kids got to be teens, it was harder to find adventures to do together that could keep their attention. Enter Go Ape! My 15 year old son and I headed out to take on our adventure not really knowing what to expect.
What is Go Ape?
I would describe Go Ape as a high ropes, zip line and obstacle experience for the whole family. It includes tunnels, bridges, tipsy walkways made of ropes and wood. There are ladders to navigate before arriving at the top of the trees only to fly across long zip lines and Tarzan type rope swings to the next obstacle. Check it out here:
Your Go Ape adventure is 2-3 hours which literally “flies by” as you enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and the excitement of the challenges.
Our Adventure started with a 20 min safety briefing where our guide, Mike, demonstrated how to use the harness and how to safely attach the Carabiner to the zip lines. Safety is taken very seriously and we had to pass a quick demo test before starting the actual course.
There were 6 stations that each had multiple obstacles and zip lines. There are options within some of the stations to go the easier or harder route. Of course, I wasn’t going to let my son show me up so “difficult” course it was!
I am someone who is sometimes afraid of heights so this was challenging at first. After completing the first station and feeling confident that my safety straps would hold me, I felt much more relaxed and excited. And wow was it gorgeous up there in the trees!
Who is this good for?
Go Ape recommends their courses for kids 10 and up with some locations having junior courses as well. In my opinion, I think the course is more suited for 12 and up. Participants should have a moderate fitness level as some of the obstacles require lots of balance and stability. Participants also have the option of by passing any of the challenges and moving onto the next.
Our entire experience was almost 3 hours of fun, laughs, challenges and family bonding. We supported and cheered each other along the way which made the day so much more fun. A great way to enjoy the fall foliage too!
I think challenge courses like Go Ape would be an amazing team building experience for corporate or club groups. In fact, I am planning on organizing an outing for my MRTT group in the spring.
I can honestly say that I haven’t had this much fun in a long while. I surprised myself with some of the challenges that I never thought I could have done. That’s the best feeling ever! If you are looking for a fun, active outing for the whole family, GO APE!
How does your family like to stay fit & have fun together?
Linking up with Nicole
That looks like SOOO much fun! I will have to see if there is anything close to us up here. My boys would LOVE this. I did a ropes course once for a corporate teambuilding event. That was a blast, although it was more focused on working together and some low ropes activities.
You would love this! There were some really hard challenges my arms were shaking
Love GO APE!!
I went with a girlfriend of mine and we had a blast.
I am thinking of taking my football team as a team building activity!
Looks like you all have a blast!!
It’s so much fun! I can’t believe I never knew it was there. The football team would love it
So fun! I love ropes courses! I actually won tickets from a giveaway to here. I have yet to go, but can’t wait!
Oh you should go! It’s so much fun and quite challenging
darn, there isn’t one in Florida yet 🙁 Looks like a ton of fun! My kids would love it!
It was some serious fun!
How fun to have something you can do with your teens!!
You would love it! It’s really challenging and fun. My son and I haven’t had this much fun in a while
How much fun! I’ve done courses like this before and they really test your limits! Very empowering experience.
I know so much fun!
Ooh… thanks for posting! This sounds like a lot of fun. I’ll have to look and see if there’s one by my niece and nephew because this definitely sounds like something they would enjoy doing together.
Oh I hope you have a chance to do it with them. It was a blast!
Sounds like so much fun!!! Wish there was one near Atlanta
It was a blast can’t wait to go back!
Ummm no thanks. I think the zip line would make me sick…can’t stand hills in the car or even the teapot ride at the fair.
This looks like so much fun!! The last time I went zip lining was in 2012 in Costa Rica – it was awesome! Thanks for linking up today!
It was a blast and thanks for hosting!
this seems like it’d be a really great group activity!
It definitely would! I can’t wait to go back again in the spring
Sounds so fun!
Have a great weekend!
You should go it’s so much fun!
Oh man! They’re all on the east coast. It looks like so much fun! I’d love to take my grandsons. They’re 10, but very athletic so I think they’d love it. Family adventures like this are so awesome!
By the way, your second to the last Go Ape link is wrong. It takes you to Zenga Cycle.
ah too bad they don’t have any near you! It was so much fun and thanks I will check the link 🙂
Sounds so fun… I clicked and they don’t have it in LA yet…. but they actually have it where I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. Who knew that Pittsburgh would have something before LA! Will need to tell my friends there!
Ha lol you might have to go back and visit 🙂
Oh my gosh, this looks like so much fun! I’d love to do this with my family!
You would love it! It’s fun and challenging at the same time
I tried Go Ape in Pittsburgh before and I love it! I’ve tried a few other ropes courses and this was definitely my favorite. Such a great workout and it tests your limits for sure. I thought I was afraid of heights but I had no problems with this! Thank goodness for harnesses..
I thought I would be afraid as well but once I trusted the harness it was great!
Wow! This is awesome!! Looks like so much fun! My kids would love this but they will have to wait till they get older for this one! 🙂
Yes they need to be a little older but you are all so active you would love it!
That looks like a freaking blast. My family would love it!
So so much fun!
Ahh I’ve heard about this place!! Looks kind of scary but fun 🙂
Not scary for you! You all should check it out
That looks like so much fun!
It really was more fun than I’ve had in a while!
This looks like so much fun! I have done one of these yrs ago. Loved to try it out again.
It was so much fun to do as a family! I can’t wait to go back in the spring
Wow, this is such a great way to bond with your teen! My little guy is only 2, but I can see our family doing something similar when he gets older. I’ve never been zip lining, and I’m scared of heights too, but I think I’d try this, looks like fun!
You certainly have a few years before you can bring your son along 🙂
That looks like SO much fun! I’d love to give it a try!
Such a blast!
That looks like so much fun! What a great way to spend time with your son.
Your family would love it! Hope you check it out maybe in the spring
That looks like SO much fun!! We have something kind of similar out this way, but it’s still meant for younger kids. If there was a Go Ape out here I have a feeling I’d be spending a lot of time there haha
It was a blast! Can’t wait to go back
Oh how fun!!! Looks like you had a blast doing this all with your son. I am not sure I could handle the heights but maybe I would find a new type of fun?!?!
I thought I would freak out on the heights too but after realizing that I was harnessed in I was good!
That is so cool! My family would love this!
It was so much fun! Hope you have a chance to check one out sometime
Sounds like a really fun adventure, and a great opportunity for some mother-son bonding time.
It really was!
There is one in Memphis but it is crazy expensive. I am glad you guys had fun!!!
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I believe there are discount coupons floating around sometimes check it out. Thanks for stopping in!
I love doing stuff like this! Playing is the best exercise. 🙂
Absolutely! It was so much fun 🙂
I want to go! Perfect for Mom with Boys! You look great at all these tasks!
Oh it’s a blast hope you have a chance to!
What an adventure! I wish we had places like this in Minneapolis! Maybe I’ll have to start looking into finding a place like this in my neck of the woods!!!
Oh it was such an adventure! WE had the best time
I always wanted to try something like this. It’s weird though. As I get older, the more heights frighten me! I had an incident recently trying to cross a wide log 3-5′ above a creek. And looking at pictures that have you “looking down” any long distance makes me dizzy! LOL So weird. Maybe being hooked on to the course would help ease that fear. It does look like so much fun!
I was a little scared at the beginning but once I trusted that I was strapped in it was all good.