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Most of these adventure parks, ropes courses, and zip lines near NYC are seasonal, closing during the cold and snowy winter months and reopening in the spring. Please call ahead to confirm hours, book tickets, and pay attention to height and age requirements, as well as the dress code, which typically includes closed-toe shoes.

Adventure Courses and Zip Lines in NYC

1. Alley Pond Park Adventure Course – Oakland Gardens, Queens

Ages 8 and up
Alley Pond Park is famous for its amazing educational programs and an increasingly well-known, top-notch Adventure Course. The course includes a zip line, a "trust fall" station, a climbing and bouldering wall, swings, nets, and balance stations. Because the Adventure Course is so large, it can accommodate all abilities. Best of all, Sunday programs from June through October are FREE for families. High demand means families must register through a lottery. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

2. Area 53 Adventure Park – Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Ages 5 and up
This massive indoor playground is a wonderland for kids and adults. In addition to rock climbing, massive ball pits, roller skating, mini bowling, and much more, Area 53 also has indoor zip lines and an aerial ropes course. One ticket lets you enjoy everything the space has to offer (except the arcade), so once you've had your high-flying fun, you can try the other activities available at the adventure park. Note that in addition to the age minimum, there's also a height requirement of 48 inches or 42 inches with an adult to use the Sky Trail ropes course and Sky Rail zip line.

3. Urban Air Adventure Park – Sunset Park, Brooklyn

No age minimum, but kids must be at least 48 inches tall.
Urban Air has plenty to do for adventurous kids, including high-flying trampolines, climbing walls (and a hill), battle beams, and more. The mid-range tickets also grant visitors access to the ropes course, which is suspended over a huge ballpit. Daring climbers can also try the Stairway to Heaven, a series of pillars that extend ever-higher with no hand-holds. 

Adventure Parks, Ropes Courses, and Zip Lines near NYC

4. The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum – Bridgeport, Connecticut

Ages 5 and up
While the Discovery Museum is an "adventure in art and science," the five-acre aerial adventure park behind it offers more visceral thrills. This adventure park also hosts special Adventures in Stem and Glow in the Park events. That's all in addition to 15 treetop trails (coded by levels of difficulty), 43 zip lines, and 190 challenge bridges. Our Connecticut Mommy Poppins team visited and had a blast. Sessions are three hours long, and reservations are required.

5. The Adventure Park at Long Island – Wheatley Heights, Long Island

Ages 7 and up
This Long Island ropes course is barely an hour from Midtown (closer if you're in Brooklyn or Queens), and visitors can climb and zip among the trees. Guides are available and are happy to assist, but you're encouraged to explore what interests you after your safety orientation. Aerial "trails" stretch from tree to tree, and each provides a new type of challenge. There are 49 zip lines, 14 trails, and more than 200 "challenges." Everyone in your group can pursue appropriate activities because there are four color-coded levels of difficulty. Reservations are required.

6. WildPlay Jones Beach – Wantagh, Long Island

Ages 5 and up for rope courses. The minimum age is 7 for the zip line.
About an hour from Midtown, this fun-filled attraction, situated at Field 4 of Jones Beach State Park, features three courses with ropes, bridges, and tunnels, a 40-foot bungee jump, and a 700-foot-long zip line. While the courses are quite rigorous and take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to complete, depending on which you choose and your speed, there are other activities with varying degrees of intensity. One adventure course is specifically designed for kids ages 5 through 12. Afterward, reward the kids for their hard work with a run through the nearby splash pad or a cool dip in the ocean.

7. Kalahari Resorts & Conventions – Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
In addition to a huge indoor water park and an outdoor water park, this resort is home to the Gorilla Grove Treetop Adventures. Here, kids can participate in a wide range of adventures, including ropes courses for varying skill levels that include 87 challenging elements and zip lines. While you're here, be sure to also check out the Legends of the Lost Jungle Mini Golf. Reservations are required.

8. TreEscape Aerial Adventure Park – Vernon, New Jersey

Age and height minimums vary; see full details here.
About an hour and a half from New York City, this ski resort is a great place for year-round fun (you may recall its '80s heyday as Action Park). It may genuinely have everything kids think is fun—a bike park with mountain trails, a water park, zip lines, and an aerial ropes course and zip line tour. The Kids Park is perfect for the younger members of the family. Reservations required.

9. Boundless Adventures – Purchase, NY

Ages 7 and up
Less than an hour away from NYC, Boundless Adventures offers visitors a thrilling treetop adventure. Four levels of difficulty give everyone a challenge to overcome. The ropes course has 28 zip lines built into it, as well as 140 bridges and 4 leaps of faith across 16 obstacle courses. Tickets grant you access to the park for three hours. Reservations are strongly encouraged to avoid long wait times.

10. Turtle Back Zoo TreeTop Adventure Course – West Orange, New Jersey

Ages 6 and up; 48 inches minimum height
Located next to the popular New Jersey zoo, this recently expanded aerial park (the adults-only zip line measures more than a football field in length) offers junior courses: 15 unique challenges with an average run time of 30-45 minutes. Parents are welcome to join their kids on the smaller elements. It's a one-hour drive from New York City, and reservations are highly recommended for guaranteed admission. If you're visiting this zip line near NYC with multi-age kids, take the little ones to the zoo while the big kids zip along, or tempt little ones with the nearby playground and nature trails.

11. Camelback Mountain Adventures – Tannersville, Pennsylvania

Ages 8 and up; children must reach a height of 5-feet-11-inches with one arm "raised comfortably above the head" to participate.
About an hour and 45 minutes away from New York City, this park is specially designed for fun-loving types, offering zip lines, adventure courses, and mountain rides like the mountain coaster and sun bowl tubing. Soar through the sky on 1,000- and 4,000-foot zip lines and explore the alpine treetops with the ropes adventure course. Reservations are strongly suggested. A stay at the resort isn't required, but an overnight might free you up to visit the water park!

More Adventure Parks and Zip Lines near NYC

We've mentioned a few favorite spots above, but the greater NYC metro area is loaded with adventure parks, especially if you're willing to drive a bit further. We loved the zip lines near NYC at Hunter Mountain. If you're staying in the Hudson Valley, there's an outdoor ropes course in Peekskill, overlooking the water: Spins Hudson. For indoor picks, don't miss the Palisades Climb, the 85-foot, five-level ropes course at the Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York. At the Jersey Shore, Jenkinson's Boardwalk includes a mini zip line with a complimentary sea breeze.

A version of this article was published in 2018, but it is updated annually.