Grandparents, Kids & Grandkids — Bonding over Ziplining

One of the great things that we get to experience at Soaring is seeing lots of family members coming out and having a great day together. It is very common for a ziplining group to have kids, their parents, and their grandparents all together. The fact that all three generations are participating in the same fun activity at the same time makes for a wonderful bonding experience and lifelong memories.

Great Activity for Grandparents

As any grandparent knows, being able to spend quality fun time with the grandkids is priceless. After all, no mater how often you see the grandchildren it is usually not enough. Plus, since different generations often have vastly different interests, finding an activity that everyone can agree is awesome is… well, awesome.

Three generations enjoying ziplining and taking in the view at Soaring’s riverside lunch platform.

One concern that people of grandparent age often have is whether they physically will be able to participate in a zipline. They may have been intimidated by seeing videos of young athletic types in helmets and gloves pulling themselves along cables, giving the impression that ziplining is only for the young and athletic.

Luckily, this is not the case at Soaring Treetop Adventures. Two main features of our course make it accessible to nearly anyone. First, our patented braking system means that zipline guests are naturally slowed down near the end of each cable and therefore arrive gently on the ending platform. Second, guests are both sent and received by our expert guides (who we call Sky Rangers), meaning that no one has to worry about doing the physical work while ziplining at Soaring. We take care of all of that, leaving our guests free to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Essentially, if a person is able to walk up a flight of stairs, they can participate in Soaring. In fact, our oldest guest (so far) was 94!

Great Activity for Kids

While it may seem obvious to say that kids love ziplining, parents often have concerns that their children may be too scared to go on a zipline. At Soaring we’ve found that not to be the case — even those kids who may be nervous at the start need only get on our first introductory line to get over that fear. In fact, we often find that by the end of the course, those who started off with the most fear are the one who do not want the day to end.

Out on the course, Mom and Kids watch as Grandpa gets ready to zipline across the Animas River.

It’s also worth noting that we have a collection of harnesses which have been designed specifically for children. We exclusively use Petzl brand harnesses as we feel they are the best on the market, and from little ones to teens there is a Petzl harness that will fit them just right (and the model which fits the smallest children, those around 40 lbs., even has a great design which features prints of cartoon animals!)

In addition to the great ziplining, guests at Soaring are also treated to a great lunch, and we even feature a full kids’ menu. While adults may love one of our our homemade gourmet selections — such as a wonderful Asian Chicken Wrap or a tasty Turkey on Focaccia Bread Sandwich — the kids can feast on mac and cheese and all beef hot dogs.

Kid (and Adult)-Friendly Train Ride

A big reason for many people to come to Durango for vacation is the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which is a historic train ride though the mountains of Colorado. As luck would have it, the only way to get to our remote Colorado zipline is on this historic train. Also, the portion of train ride that gets you to Soaring is the most scenic part of the line.

The part of the train ride that brings guests to Soaring is the section of the train ride which is hands-down the most photographed. On the way to Soaring, the train hugs along a narrow cliffside 200 feet above the Animas River. These fantastic views add to the Soaring experience, giving our guests a “best of” the railroad trip. And since the ride to our Durango zipline is only half as long as the ride to Silverton, the shorter amount of time on the train is great for the shorter attention spans of little ones.

Outdoor Time in a Unique Location

At Soaring, ziplining is a great activity for grandparents (and their grandkids)!

Soaring Treetop Adventures is located on a very unique piece of property. Six miles from the nearest road, this 180 acre private property is completely surrounded by the San Juan National Forest. This means that every direction you look is mountains and trees — no town, no highways. And this unspoiled setting is where we spend our day on the ziplines within the forest.

Getting out and into nature is a big part of the fun at Soaring. And there is an unexpected plus for families: the remote location means spotty cell reception, which in turn leads to less time staring at a screen and more focus on nature and the present activities of the day.

So if you’ve been looking for an activity that kids can do with their grandparents — whether a skip-generation trip or something in which all three generations participate — why not book a day of Soaring? At 27 unique zipline spans, we are the longest zipline course in the world, our adventure includes the famous Durango train, and we enjoy a fantastic gourmet lunch (with mac and cheese option) by the river.

Book now for a family vacation activity that the whole family — and we do mean the whole family — will enjoy!