The Adventure Park At Virginia Aquarium

Had a great time under the holiday lights and I have a few bruises to show for it! No really, I had fun!!! Can’t wait to go again. 6 levels. Level 4 had numerous zip lines and was very challenging! I didn’t get a change to try the level 6 but will not time… possibly. :)

Good place. Our group enjoyed it. Affordable prices. Staff was very helpfull. I will let my friends know. It was fun

My bf and I came to the adventure park for their Holiday Glow in the Park event where you climb at night with holiday lit trails and music by a local DJ this past weekend. I think they do this every once in a while and cheap (er) tickets are available online, so I would check first before going! You also need to fill out a waiver form before you climb and doing it before you get there will save you a bunch of time.
For the costly price of $ 39, you get 2 hours worth of climbing, ziplining, and teeter tottering in the trees at varying heights. Be warned that before you climb, there’s a 20 ish minute safety and practice session, so that will eat into your 2 hours. Once you’re all done with that then you can climb to your heart’s content! I am legitimately not a heights person but I felt safe on the trails that I did and it was a lot of fun! There are different difficulties of trails that would suit any experience and if you ever need help, there are staff members all over the place with easy access to ladders in case you need a rescue ;)
Fun place! Parking is easy since they share it with the aquarium. I’ll go back once I have a little more courage and money in my bank account!

This place is phenomenal. Legit. I am very impressed. I’m sad I’ve been driving past this place for a long time now. I’ve been twice in the last two months and plan to go again before it gets colder. I also have several friends who saw my photos and said they want to go climb so I imagine I’ll need to purchase the annual pass.
A group of friends and I did the Climbing through the trees at night adventure with music and glow sticks and fun in September and it was an absolute blast. It was crowded — since I did it the last weekend offered — but it was run like a well-​oiled machine and, although I was irritated at having to wait for this huge group of 40+ people (our group was 2 until our other 2 friends showed up later) to run through the safety drill and get harnesses on. Once that was finished we rushed to the large platform and stood in line to get started. I was worried about the courses being too crowded and it taking forever but once we got to the top of the starting platform I saw that it’s HUGE. There are 13 obstacles per course and they have something like 6 of them.
Hubs and I started on the blue course which is fairly challenging but this isn’t our first rodeo so we felt good about it. It was a bit of a challenge but it had several zip lines and we had a blast. It took us a minute to complete the course but it wasn’t crowded and we kept a good pace — by the time we finished it our friends had arrived and done the purple course as a warmup. Next we did the black course and had a great time with that — but the final drop was a little nerve-​wracking… my friend was scared after she saw me fall not so gracefully to the ground and had to be talked off the edge but she eventually did it.
I came back a few weeks later for twilight climbing with a girlfriend and we had a blast. There were probably only about 15 – 20 people climbing in total that night. We were the only two being fitted for harnesses and the only two who did the training portion in our group. We had a very relaxed and fun pace going while we climbed and talked — again — we did two courses and were too tired to climb anymore although we could easily have done at least 1 – 2 more before the night was over.
I used to work as an adventure camp counselor in college where we had rock climbing and a high ropes course with much the same setup and I was impressed with the way this is handled from start to finish. The harnesses are interesting in design — I’ve always worn ones where you step into them but never ones that you actually put your arms through — I like these better — I feel more secure. The system for training you how to use the safety system in the trees is easy and quick to learn. It’s a breeze and you have a surprising amount of freedom on the course once you’ve done the training and are up in the trees.
Staff have always been really friendly and I really enjoy myself.
I plan to bring at least two other friends back and might go climb again with my gf and her boyfriend.
What a fun new treat I’ve discovered so close to home!

I’ve heard so much about «Go Ape,» but I’ve never been because it’s such a far drive for me. If you’re in the Virginia Beach area, or if you’re closer to Virginia Beach than Williamsburg and are looking for a place to go Zip Lining, I would recommend this place.
#1: SAFETY, the staff was very meticulous about explaining how to use the harness and how to make sure everyone was safe while at the park.
The staff was friendly, helpful, and the zip lining was so much fun. 3 hours was just not enough, and the prices are a little high for 3 hours of zip lining but it is money well spent. I wished the cost was a little lower so we could do this and challenge ourselves every weekend. Overall, I would definitely come back real soon and try out zip lining in the dark.

I’ve been out to the Adventure Park a few times now, but after going a few times it definable does start to get boring. I do wish there were more Zip-​lines in this particular course but I also know that limited space is a factor. One thing I don’t understand is why they don’t have you wear hard hats up in the trees as I cant remember hitting my head numerous of times out on the course. Then there is the harness system they use that seemed to become loser every time you traversed an element. I personally don’t like having to grab myself all the time to adjust my harness, especially around women and children.
Newly recent this past summer, was the addition of 2 zip-​lines across Owls Creek on the Black Storm course. So far I’ve found this to be the best one out of all the different elements I’ve done and you get some pretty decent speed on both of them. After finishing the Black course I decided to step up and do the Commando Course. Let me just say it now, that it really kicked my ass. The Double Black Commando course requires ALL upper body strength to make it through the course. I ended up using just about ALL of my arm strength climbing up the skinny ladder to the first element on the course. I only managed to get past the first two elements before I was beaten and it seemed like after that I just zip-​lined between the elements (I think management discourages this) but doing so was better than giving up and being rescued by ladder.
**Overall this challenge course is just alright. Nothing about it really blows you mind enough to consider coming back after your 3^rd or 4^th time and completing all the challenges. If you doing it for the workout at $ 51 for 3 hours is fairly expensive. However this challenge course is nicer than both the OBX course and the Williamsburg course.
Happy Climbing.

Back for a second time. Can’t say enough about the support and attention the staff gave our group. Another wonderful experience on our holiday. I will be back again next year. I wish we had such a well run park close to my home.

So much fun! BUT, two days later I broke out into a HORRIBLE rash. Dr says it is poison ivy. I hugged those trees for dear life and the inside of my forearms are now covered in the rash. A warning would have been nice!

Amazing! First time ever going and it couldn’t have gone better. The staff are super nice and helpful, they explain everything in full and are there for any questions. The courses were so unique and each level higher was noticeably more challenging.
The prices were a little high but well worth it, especially if it’s a one time deal. The two hour option was perfect. We made it from purple to yellow to green then to blue and were pooped afterwards. Such a good workout and so much fun.

This place is awesome for active families looking for some adventure. My kids ages 8&10 had a blast and so did the adults. It is well worth the money for this experience. 3 hour time limit was ample because we started to get tired from all the fun. Staff was friendly and helpful. Two thumbs way up!

Brought my 14 yr old girls here on the way out of town. Showed up at 9am on a Sunday with no waiting. All shade so the temperature was perfect. Staff very professional and helpful. The park very safe. The girls loved it!

First time here and I definitely enjoyed every minute of time. The price was reasonable and all the staff members were great and very helpful.
Each obstacle course was enjoyable and and even the even the easy levels can be appreciated by adults.
**It is definitely advisable to work your way up through the courses**
My favorite is the black diamond course. It has two zip lines that go across the water.
(If there is any negative things I can say about this place is that 3 hours is not enough!!! But other than that I absolutely LOVE this place!!)

My first time here at adventure park and I must say that I was amazed at the work these people done building this fabulous zip line !
I have a fear of heights to an extent and I am proud to say I done good! It’s a bit scary for someone like myself, but trust me it’s not long and your in the trees like Jane with Tarzan! Ha!
If you have not went do swing by and give it a try. I will say it’s not cheap perhaps a membership may be something to ponder either at the park or aquarium where it’s a wee discount.

This is an awesome place for a date, gathering with friends, families, children, everyone! I was really impressed with the equipment, obstacles and the friendly staff. The class in the beginning was super informative. They broke down the proper usage of the equipment and made sure you knew how to use them before performing in any actions. Everything is safe and the staff is always there looking out for you even if you don’t see them. Such a great experience.

This was an incredible activity for my sister and I.
It’s fairly understandable and we had so much fun together. The only thing I would have changed is that there were many times we had no supervision at all and had to wait for an employee to come by for guidance.

This was my first time on a ropes course so I can’t say how it compares to any others. However, I had an excellent time! First, the staff were very friendly and willing to answer my many questions. I went with some coworkers that were here from out of town on a business trip.
I liked that there were a great variety of courses with different skill levels and obstacles –ranging from beginner/​easy to expert/​very challenging and lots in between. We first tried a green course which was a somewhat challenging intermediate level course. After that we decided to try a blue course which turned out to be significantly more difficult, but also more exciting. I’ll definitely be feeling it tomorrow– it was a great workout! I recommend the blue course with the three zip lines over the marsh! Along the way there were staff available for questions and suggestions on techniques for how complete each step or to explain a segment of the course when we were confused.
It was a little pricey ($ 51 per person) but by the end I felt the experience was well worth it. As a local, I will definitely be back to try some of the other more difficult courses. This would be great for an «activity» themed date or to bring adventurous friends from out of town. We went after work and there was plenty of daylight available for several hours. And it’s close to the oceanfront so plenty of great places to eat within a couple of miles after you tire yourself out!

This was an awesome experience!
You get a brief tutorial about what to do (which is simple as you go along), and then you’re ready to go. You start at the lowest difficulty and after you complete that, you can do whatever you want. I had a blast, did about three or four courses until I had to leave due to time constraints. But man, what a workout! I was climbing huge rope ladders, gliding on skateboards suspended thirty feet in the air, zip lining 40 feet in the air through a huge marsh … it was a trip.
The different courses really do present different challenges. It’s fun to be up there, high in the air, as people walk back and forth on the trail. Make no mistake: it does take some guts and physical aptitude to complete the courses (even the lowest difficulty). Some people won’t be cut out for this type of activity.
I docked one star because of annoyance: I went one day when it was raining pretty hard and thundering for about a half hour. The employees said that the storm had to be 10 miles away for us to go up into the trees, but it was only 1.5 miles away. The storm never returned, but I had to return the next day to actually do the course.
Oh well. This was really cool and is the best part about the entire aquarium area — wear your big boy pants if you decide to show off your athletic skills!

Well, I’m addicted. I initially checked the Adventure Park out last weekend with some cousins and we had a blast! It was a first for all of us.
The initial strapping on of your gear and the practice runs are a bit slow but it’s understandable since everyone learns at a different pace and it’s for your safety. With the price being reasonable for three hours, I don’t understand why people complain. The staff keep the place upbeat and the courses are challenging!
The most recent visit, I took my roommate, his girlfriend, and a date. Sadly his girlfriend didn’t like Fern Gulley so she quit. He caught up to us after some exciting cable work. After Fern Gulley, I convinced my roomie to hit the black diamond with me «Black Storm»! The triangular ropes you have to walk over come pretty close to burning you out and it’s only the second obstacle! Zipping over the water into the woods was beautiful at night! They don’t have much for light over there so it’s peaceful yet eerie.
Next round I’ll be dominating COMMANDO, the double black diamond!
Be on the lookout for more courses to populate next year once the aquarium can build a bridge to the other side of the water. I’m definitely looking forward to it!

Where is Virginia Beach’s newest and most popular attraction? Surprisingly it’s at the Virginia Aquarium. I have been watching the media buzz on The Adventure Park for several months now and decided to strike today with one of the coolest July days on record. I had also scoped the place out last month when touring the Aquarium and figured this would be a great activity with the kids.
Ticketing is run by the Virginia Aquarium, the same place you would get tickets otherwise. They offer discounts if you have a membership to the aquarium, but it’s only about $ 7 off. Regular ticket prices are broken down in three categories. If your child is a 6 and under admission is FREE if accompanied by an adult. 7 – 9 is $ 41, 10 – 11 is $ 45 and 12& older is $ 51. If your looking for a bargain do the twilight special for $ 36 which is available 3 hours prior to closing. The courses are broken down by age/​skill and color coded. Can a child get off on an upper level course if not supervised by an adult… yes, I witnessed this.
The adventure Park’s U.S. operation is run by a Connecticut based company with a long track record of building them. The Mother ship is in Switzerland where they have been building climbing structures like this for around 10 years. Virginia Aquarium leases out the space and runs the ticketing. However, everything else from the construction, to the employees is independent. A Swiss/​French team came into Virginia and built the park in four months running a month behind due to the weather. They opened May 30^th.
It takes a lot of staff to pull this all together. At the height of a weekday approximately 15 staff members are present. On a weekend the staff could increase to 20. The employees are trained well and provide a great experience for the climbers. The staff are in charge of everything from the beginning of getting equipment and signing the liability waiver, to training climbers on how to use the equipment.
Designated employees are also supervisors and in charge of safety which is a priority of their operation. On duty today was supervisor Joe who I had a chance to talk with a bit. Some of the staff are lifeguards and firefighters, but the majority are Summer seasonal high school and college staff. Ladders are positioned under the main starting platform and other places off the trail. They also have bags of rope gear and first aid supplies as needed. I witnessed several rescues of climbers that got to a point and could not move due to fear of heights, or issues with equipment. At no time was anyone in danger of falling, they just needed either help verbally, or possibly did not want to continue.
You start in hut area where you get gear and sign a liability waiver. There are retail items you can purchase such as a large selection of climbing shoes. You then move onto an area where staff assist you putting on the gear which is around 5 – 7 pounds. A card with your ending time is put on your harness for the staff to see. Your climbing time does not start until you leave this area. After this you leave to pick up gloves which you will most definitely need. Now onto a briefing of the courses the finally a demonstration of how to pull it all together. I thought the demo was good, but at least one item seemed to be left out… possibly not heard that created more of a learning curve. Bottom line you will be constantly hooking and unhooking from the lines all day. At NO TIME are you ever completely unhooked, you always have one line attached at all times.
All courses begin at the starting platform. So let’s talk about what is offered. Customized courses for age and skill level from novice to expert. So if you are a novice and wish to do lower easier climbs you can do that. If your a more advanced stronger climber you can be up three stories high on some ridiculous looking lines it’s your choice. It absolutely take balance, strength and practice to pull it all together. It took my kids of 9 and 11 around 45 min to get really comfortable with just operating the equipment. But what was sweet is the 3 hour limit was flexible and we were allowed to climb an hour over. How many would do this… few. Why you may ask, be cause it is exhausting to do a few hours. Most climbers I saw were ending at an hour, or two. Picnic tables for rest. and refreshment are present.
So when is the best time of the year to go? I would recommend Fall, or Spring due to the heat. The course is among big beautiful trees that shades the whole area which is sweet, however if 90 degrees with humidity you will still feel it. Another great idea is the twilight option in the evening. Strings of lights are flipped on that light the course. A helmet with a light on it is provided.
I cannot deny, I was impressed with the entire operation from construction, to staff to safety protocols. In my opinion this is something the whole family can partake in and have a fantastic time.

We did this as a corproate outting with 40 people ranging from 23 to 60ish. First, is the briefing and gear.
They did an excellent job with getting the harnesses on, fit and snug. The part I liked was the actual demonstration portion. They go through all the stations and explain what goes where, where hands go, etc… Plus you have to go through a little demo course to prove you heard what was said. I felt well prepared as I started my adventure.
The only small critique I had was I wish there was a sign at each station in the trees that gives reccomended tips for some of the more complex elements. While walking across a board is pretty straight forward, placing your feet into free floating triangles can definitely cause some stress!
The obstacles were well maintained and are checked routinely for issues (courses were being closed/​reopened throughout the day.
Yellow courses were reasonable for everyone that attended, green had some that required concentration, blue and black diamond is where things get real. Oddly, the course is more punishing for people who are not average height (e.g. some obstacles are really tough for very short/​very tall people!).
Double Black diamond I wouldn’t reccomend for anyone but the most extreme, it looked positively terrifying haha.
All that being said, there wasn’t a single moment where I didn’t feel completely safe even as my foot was dangling off a slim wire. Not only that, it was very amazing that with all the people there, there was nevery really any waiting to get onto courses!
This is definitely worth your time and one of the more unique experiences that Virginia Beach as to offer.