Day Trips from the South Bay :
Zipping through the Redwoods ... & Peanuts
by Madeline Martin
Imagine yourself flying through the dense California coastal redwoods , sun peeking through the trees , and the fresh smell of the forest filling your senses .
All this awaits you at Sonoma Zipline Adventures in Occidental , California . You don ’ t have to go far to experience the fun . Operated by the Alliance Redwoods Christian Conference Grounds , it ’ s an easy day trip from the South Bay .
I booked a Sunday morning zipline tour for myself , my two teens and their friend . We left early , allowing plenty of time to get there . ( Rates are cheaper Sunday through Thursday .) The drive took us about 2.5 hours . As recommended , we brought along their directions because there is no cell service in the mountains .
Staying hydrated is important , just don ’ t drink too much before your zipline tour — it ’ s a 2.5 hour experience , and there are no bathrooms up in the trees ! There are two tours to choose from : the Forest Flight Tour ( recommended for beginners ), and the
Tree Tops Tour ( the one we chose ). Both tours are eco-tours , and have a 45-foot rappel at the end .
Our guides Aiden and Zane kicked off our group ’ s Tree Tops Tour by leading us up a 100-step spiral staircase to get to the first zipline . They shared some of the secrets of the forest and the famous redwoods with us throughout our tour , along with some pun-filled tree jokes . They were fantastic guides — reassuring , funny , and accommodating .
The most thrilling zipline stretched 1,500 feet between the trees . We all took time to appreciate the views and yelled in delight as we flew along . Another zipline reached up to 45 mph — perfect for those who want to fly at top speeds .
After the final zipline , we crossed over a suspension bridge to a platform where the guides prepared us to rappel to the ground , back to where we started . We smiled for photo ops on the bridge and on the rappel , and purchased our pictures in the visitor center as souvenirs .
Fun facts :
• If you want to make this an overnight trip , Sonoma Zipline Adventures has Tree Houses you can book to stay up in the redwoods , and they include both zipline tours , delivered gourmet dinner and hot breakfast
• The Tree Tops Tour is 250 feet above the ground and reaches speeds up to 45 mph . It has seven ziplines , two sky bridges , a total zipline length of 2,907 feet ( ⅔ mile ). The longest zipline on the Tree Tops Tour is 1,500 feet .
Important to know :
• Participants must be at least 10 years old
• Weight requirements are between 70-250 pounds for safety reasons ( continued )
18 SPRING 2023 gmhTODAY Magazine gmhtoday . com