Soar through forests, over vineyards, and into canyons on the best ziplining spots in California.
California is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. With its jewel-toned lakes, fog-shrouded redwood forests, and snow-capped mountains, California offers a range of breathtaking scenery.
But while hiking is fun, why not step it up and experience the stunning California landscapes from the sky on an adrenaline-pumping zipline ride?
Ziplining is a thrilling way to enjoy the natural beauty of California, and there are adventure parks strewn across the Golden State.
Soar through the fresh air above Lake Tahoe or Big Bear, glide through the canopy of a California redwood forest, or sail over lush vineyards– then try the wine.
Whether you’re looking for a challenge, a fun twist on date night, or a family day out, check out these aerial adventure parks for the best places to go ziplining in California.
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Tahoe City Treetop
Tahoe City Treetop in Tahoe City, California offers a different experience from most ziplining tours. Instead of an instructor or tour guide clipping you in, they’ll train you to use the harness and land safely on the platform.
The 27 ziplines are part of an overall aerial adventure course involving bridges and platforms high in the canopy.
With ten different courses available, all abilities are welcome, from beginner to advanced zipliners. Participants must be 49” tall and over the age of six.
This zipline park is a fun option if you want a ropes course adventure in addition to zooming through a red cedar and pine forest with stunning views of Lake Tahoe.
Tahoe City Treetop is one of three aerial adventure parks based in Tahoe and run by Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks.
The other two are Tahoe Vista Treetop and Olympic Valley Treetop. Of the three Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks, Tahoe Vista Treetop has the longest zipline.
Margarita Adventures
Margarita Adventures, in Santa Margarita near San Luis Obispo, California, is a highly-rated zipline course with five-star scores on Yelp and Trip Advisor.
Soar over vineyards, mountains, and valleys on six ziplines over your 2.5-hour zipline course.
Ziplines include The Woodlander, which takes you through a mountainside oak forest, and the Pinot Express, a zip line over a pinot vineyard.
You can also test your reactions by dropping a bean bag into a bucket as you fly by to win some Margarita Adventures swag.
The zipline experience includes a tour around the historic Santa Margarita Ranch and a hike across a 300-foot suspension bridge above a deep canyon that Margarita Adventures built to connect the zipline courses.
You’ll get beautiful views of the Santa Lucia Mountains and the rugged Santa Margarita terrain below.
For a fun date trip, pick the Margarita Adventures zip-and-sip package, which includes wine tasting and a cheese board after your zipline course.
Orange County Ropes Course
Orange County Ropes Course is the largest adventure ropes course in Southern California, with two 277-foot ziplines.
Participants enjoy panoramic views of Disneyland while tackling the sky bridges and soaring through the air on zipline courses.
Orange County Ropes Course is one of the only ziplining centers in California that offers tandem ziplines, so if you’re worried about doing it on your own, you can zipline with your partner.
Sonoma Canopy Tours
Sonoma Zipline Adventures (also known as Sonoma Canopy Tours) offers ziplining through the canopy, plus a fun and unique overnight treehouse experience in the Northern California redwoods.
Visit during the day for a Forest Flight Tour, the company’s original tour for beginners. Or test your skills on the Tree Tops Tour, which features the longest zipline in the park.
For a real thrill, try the popular Night Flight Tour, zooming through the dark redwoods under the stars at 30mph.
If you stay overnight in one of the treehouses at Sonoma Canopy Tours, your accommodation includes the Forest Flight Tour and the Tree Tops Tour. This package would make a fantastic gift for adventurous, outdoorsy types!
Kids are welcome at Sonoma Canopy Tours but must be ten or older to stay in a treehouse or participate in the zipline course.
Catalina Island Zipline Tour
Take off on an adventure zip lining on Catalina Island through a canyon with Catalina Island Zipline Tour.
Catalina Island is a small, car-free island, an hour’s ferry ride from Newport Beach, California.
Soaring 600 feet above the beach, you’ll get the treat of sweeping ocean views, plus the beach and eucalyptus grove below. Tour guides will secure you in your harness and tell you about the island’s unique flora and fauna.
The zipline tours end at Descanso Beach Club, where you can finish your trip and celebrate with a meal or a beachside cocktail.
Skull Canyon Ziplines
Skull Canyon Ziplines offer several fun zip line courses, all overlooking the beautiful Corona Lake in Southern California.
Kids and beginners will love the Original Course, which takes two hours, while thrill-seekers can attempt the higher, longer, and faster Skull Canyon Ziplines Extreme Course.
If you’re up for a longer challenge, try the Monster Course, which features seven ziplines and takes about three hours to complete.
Continue your aerial adventure on Skull Canyon Ziplines’ Sky Gym, a fun and challenging set of sky bridges up to 40 feet off the ground.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
For a unique experience ziplining in San Diego, California, head to San Diego Zoo Safari Park for Flightline Safari.
You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the wildlife, including rhinos and giraffes, as you zipline 130 feet above the savanna.
You can combine the zipline course with a jeep safari, where tour guides show you the park’s species.
To book this zipline experience, you will also need to buy a ticket to the zoo itself, so this is a whole-day adventure.
To learn more about the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, check out our article that breaks down the differences between the two.
Quarry Park Adventures
Quarry Park Adventures is an outdoor adventure park in Northern California with rock climbing aerial adventure courses and ziplines.
Quarry Park is open year-round, so this is an excellent option if you’re heading to Tahoe during the winter season.
Quarry Park has a unique location as the only aerial zipline adventure park in California–and the entire U.S.– built from a disused rock quarry, so you’ll be zooming through mountainous terrain on your zip line adventure.
The entire zipline park is very kid-friendly, with activities suitable for younger kids in addition to the ziplines. The zipline course has no age limitation, although all participants must weigh at least 70 lbs.
There are two side-by-side ziplines, so you can ride next to a family member or friend as you hurtle through the quarry. Ziplines are just one activity at this park, so if your main focus is a zip line course, you may want to consider an alternative.
However, this is a great option if you want a full day of fun outdoor adventures with multiple activities.
Action Tours California
Action Tours California in Big Bear Lake is another year-round zipline tours operator, offering intrepid customers the chance to soar over a snow-covered mountain in Big Bear.
The zipline course takes about three hours to complete and consists of nine ziplines that become longer, higher from the ground, and faster as you progress on your trip.
You’ll get fabulous views of the mountains and the valley around Big Bear Lake during the experience.
The half-day zipline adventure includes pick-up from Big Bear Lake Village and transport in an off-road vehicle through the forest to the ziplines.
Add-ons include renting a Go-Pro camera so you can record the trip, plus a wine or beer tasting at Barrel 33 in Big Bear Lake after your ride.
Ziplines at Pacific Crest
Ziplines at Pacific Crest is one of the closest zipline courses to Los Angeles, located 75 miles from the city in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Here you’ll find some of the longest zip line courses in California, with lengths of over 1,500 feet. Ziplines at Pacific Crest has two zipline tours, the Canopy Tour and the Mountain View Tour.
The Canopy Tour takes 3.5 hours to traverse nine ziplines through the canopy, up to 300 feet off the forest floor.
The Mountain View Tour comprises six ziplines over 2.5 hours and features a unique “leap of faith” from a tree platform.
If you’re looking for the best zipline in Los Angeles’ surrounding area, head to Ziplines at Pacific Crest in the San Gabriel Mountains. You might not be ziplining in Hollywood, but you’ll be experiencing some of the best ziplining in Southern California.
Mount Hermon Adventures
Mount Hermon Adventures, based in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is an aerial zipline adventure park deep in the California redwoods.
There are two zipline challenges to attempt at Mount Hermon Adventures, the Sequoia Aerial Adventures course, and the Redwood Canopy Tour.
The Sequoia Aerial Adventure is ideal for those looking for challenging zipline tours, with 40 elements, including two ziplines.
The Redwood Canopy Tour consists of six ziplines at a maximum of 150 feet, keeping you continuously in the branches.
Coastal redwoods are the tallest tree species in the world, and this redwood zipline experience gives you a close encounter with these incredible trees.
Families are welcome at Mount Hermon Adventures, but kids must be ten or older to participate.
Vista Lago Adventure Park
About halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on California’s sunny Central Coast, is Vista Lago Adventure Park.
At Vista Lago, you’ll find several levels of rope adventure courses, from beginner to advanced challenges, plus three ziplines.
Vista Lago Adventure Park is suitable for a range of abilities and ages, with a section for 5-8-year-olds who are too young to tackle the bigger ropes course.
Go for the ziplines as part of a ropes course challenge, or pick the Just Zip It package and enjoy the three ziplines without all the climbing.
After ziplining, re-fuel at the on-site restaurant with a burger or toast to your zipline flight with a glass of wine.
Tahoe Vista Treetop
Tahoe Vista Treetop is one of three Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks in Tahoe. Like its sister park, Tahoe City Treetop, this fun adventure park has several ropes challenges plus zip lines.
There are nine different courses for all abilities: two for beginners, five for intermediate, and two for advanced. It’s pretty kid-friendly, with seven courses available for children under six or those under 49” tall.
In total, there are 39 ziplines throughout the courses – up to 300 feet in length. If you want to prioritize ziplining, go for the Lakeview course, which has almost 1,000 feet of ziplines.
Best of all, you’ll get beautiful lake views of Tahoe as you climb and fly through the forest.
Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks has another location in Tahoe, at Olympic Park. This location has six ziplines, and features mountain views rather than views of the lake.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah McDonald
Sarah McDonald is a travel writer based in the Bay Area. She writes for the national parenting website Red Tricycle and on her own family travel blog, Tiny Trailblazers. She loves exploring California’s outdoors and has a weakness for a national park gift shop.
Sarah enjoys sharing her Bay Area expertise with readers curious to try popular restaurants and off-the-beaten-path adventures in California. When she’s not writing reviews and travel guides, you’ll likely find her trying to keep up with her kids on a hiking trail or deciphering the menu at a new restaurant.
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