Updated March 9, 2023. We previously explained why Virginia Beach is worth the drive. But we neglected to mention a particular hidden gem that will help you work up a sweat as you emerge from your winter outdoor hiatus.
With spring right around the corner and everything in nature coming back to life, the Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium allows you to get back out into the fresh air. In our ongoing efforts to present to you pretty, post-culture light-up things, we give you Glow in the Park, an adventure course right out of Peter Pan, or A Midsummer Night’s Dream if you’re feeling highbrow.
During the day, the Adventure Park provides a combination of low-ropes courses (for people who don’t want to get too far away from the ground) and high-ropes courses (for people who want to grapple through the trees.) It’s a pretty crazy little tree-world: 33 ziplines, 17 treetop trails, and 258 treetop platforms connected by bridges, ropes courses, and ladders.
At night, they turn on multi-colored LEDs and “fairy lights” strung along the courses. A, because it allows them to keep the park open, and B, because it’s amazing. They also blast music the whole time, so it all feels a little bit like a healthy, wholesome, family-friendly rave (for kids 5 and up).
Tickets are a frankly pricey $55 for a two-hour climb plus prep time. But with inflation and everything, who knows what reasonable ticket prices are nowadays. Opening for the season on April 1, make sure to book your tickets for any weekend before slots are sold out for the season.
Feature image courtesy @adventureparkvb
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