This past New Year, I made a resolution to get outside of my comfort zone, try new things, go new places, and live more adventurously. We’ve all been close to home for the past two years and it’s time to get back out there!
As a family, we are always looking for activities to do with our children who are aging out of the playground scene, so I was happy to find an outdoor adventure course. Go Ape was the perfect way to challenge ourselves, all while spending quality family time together outdoors!
I received Go Ape admission and compensation for this article. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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My family and I had the opportunity to try the activities at our local Go Ape in Cleveland. Go Ape is more than just ziplines, it offers multiple aerial adventures for all skill levels. We chose the Treetop Journey, the brand new course at this location for 2022.
Treetop Journey consists of 3 levels of high ropes courses ranging from Easy, Moderate, and Difficult, totaling 25 unique and exciting obstacles. The course sits 25 feet up in the trees and has a dual zipline, perfect for racing! With Treetop Journey we were all able to participate, as the course is designed for all ages – the only requirement is that you are a minimum of 3’3” tall.
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The #1 thing I loved about Go Ape was the SAFETY! From the moment you walk up to the course, you are given instructions on safety, a crew member puts you in your harness so it is correctly fastened, and you walk through a mock mini-course to make sure each person understands and knows how to operate the equipment. Once up top, there are gates for all the courses and ziplines, that are only opened by crew members (who are also strapped in at all times). Each time you start a course you are given the instructions again. At no time was I worried about our safety 25 feet up in the trees! Go Ape takes fun seriously and ensures that all its equipment and course components regularly pass rigorous safety standards.
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Other activities offered by Go Ape include Treetop Adventure, which is available at all 14 locations nationwide. This course takes 2-3 hours to complete and is 50 feet up into the tree canopy. It has an age requirement of at least 10 years old and a height requirement of 4’7”. It has multiple ziplines and over 40 obstacles to challenge you! This will be our next adventure!
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Five locations, including Cleveland, offer Axe Throwing. A great way to have some friendly competition with your feet on the ground! Four locations offer Monkey Drop, which is a freefall from a 40-foot platform, don’t worry, you are attached to a harness! Monkey Drop has a minimum age of 5 and at least 44 pounds.
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Two locations, including Cleveland, offer Forest EscAPE, an interactive and unique outdoor experience. You’ll have 60 minutes to work together with your best problem-solving skills to solve 6 unique challenges in a fun and immersive natural environment. Forest EscAPE is perfect for birthday parties, team building, scout groups, and more.
Also offered is Treetop Nets at the Chicago location, a jungle gym in the sky! Gorilla Golf is a mini-golf course newly added to the Memphis location this year.
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I also found out that a portion of every ticket sale goes back to the park it’s located in, which in turn makes it easy to preserve natural areas and provide a rich outdoor experience for everyone.
With 14 locations nationwide, and courses designed to suit a variety of skill levels, Go Ape offers a balanced mixture of challenge and fun. It is the perfect family fun day, and since all Go Ape locations are located in a park, pack a picnic and make a day of it!
Go Ape has 14 locations nationwide:
- Bear, Delaware
- Chicago, Illinois
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Rockville, Maryland
- Kansas City, Missouri
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Omaha/Lincoln, Nebraska
- Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Plano, Texas
- Springfield, Virginia
- Williamsburg, Virginia
Book your family adventure at your local Go Ape and live adventurously!
