Quick answer: Pick a guided zipline tour if you want big speed, height and views without a climbing workout. Guides walk you through each zip and make sure your equipment is snug, so you can focus on the ride. Pick an aerial adventure park (a treetop ropes course) if you want a climbing-and-balance workout where you move yourself through obstacles. Near Nashville you can do both in one visit at Nashville West with the $80 Zip + Aerial combo.
Search for adventure near Nashville and you'll see two kinds of treetop attractions that sound alike but feel very different. Here's how they compare, so you can choose the one your group will actually enjoy.
Zipline tour vs. aerial adventure park at a glance
| Guided zipline canopy tour | Aerial adventure park / ropes course | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Ride a series of long cables between platforms, with short walks in between | Climb and balance across obstacles (bridges, nets, swings), with some short zips mixed in |
| Thrill type | Speed, height and views | Balance, problem-solving and strength |
| Physical effort | Moderate fitness | More physically and mentally demanding |
| Who runs the safety system | Guides walk you through each zip and check your equipment | Usually you, after a safety briefing; often a continuous-belay system |
| Best for | First-timers, families, mixed-fitness groups, nervous flyers | Active kids and adults who like a challenge |
| Typical time | About 1–1.5 hours at our Nashville parks | About an hour per course at Nashville West |
What is a guided zipline tour?
A guided zipline canopy tour is a fixed route of ziplines through the forest, led by trained guides. Our guides walk you through each zip and make sure your equipment is snug. You don't need any climbing ability: you step off the platform and ride, so it's the easiest way to get big heights and speed. Adventureworks has been in the business of adventures since 1987.
What is an aerial adventure park?
An aerial adventure park, also called a treetop ropes course or high-ropes course, is a network of platforms in the trees connected by obstacles: wobbly bridges, cargo nets, swinging logs and short zips. You move through it under your own power after a safety briefing. Many courses use a continuous belay, so you stay clipped in the whole time.
Which is better for kids and beginners?
For most young kids and first-timers, a guided zipline tour is the easier start. Guides walk you through each zip, there's no climbing, and the minimum age for our zip tours is 6. Aerial courses ask more of your balance and strength, and some have higher minimum ages: our Hot Springs Treetop Aerial Course, for example, is for ages 12 and up.
Which is the bigger thrill?
It depends on what thrills you. Ziplines deliver speed and height: at our Hot Springs park the ziplines run up to 1,000 feet long and around 80 feet high. Aerial courses deliver a slower, more personal kind of adrenaline, like the moment you step onto a swinging bridge with nothing but your own balance. Lots of people want both.
Can you do both in one trip near Nashville?
Yes. At Nashville West in Kingston Springs, you can book the Big Adventure zipline tour (10 ziplines, about 1.5 hours, $65.90 adults / $49.90 youth) and the Aerial Adventure course (three routes of 7–8 obstacles, about an hour, $38.00). Or book both together as the Zip + Aerial combo for $80.
Nashville-area options for each
Guided zipline tours (Adventureworks):
- Fontanel, Whites Creek: the Express Zip, 6 ziplines in about 1 hour, $59.90 adults / $49.90 youth. Closest to downtown and best for a short, first-time adventure. Book Fontanel.
- Nashville West, Kingston Springs: the Big Adventure, 10 ziplines in about 1.5 hours, $65.90 adults / $49.90 youth, inside Harpeth River State Park. Book Nashville West.
Aerial adventure courses:
- Nashville West Aerial Adventure: three treetop routes with a continuous belay, about an hour, $38.00 (or $80 with the zip tour).
- Other aerial adventure parks operate in the Nashville area, too. If a self-guided climbing course is what you're after, compare locations, minimum ages and session lengths before you book.
In Arkansas: our Hot Springs park offers a 10-line zip tour, a 16-element Treetop Aerial Course and a Zip & Aerial Combo.
How to choose in 30 seconds
- Mixed ages, first-timers or a nervous flyer in the group? Book a guided zipline tour.
- Active group that wants a workout? Add an aerial course.
- Can't decide? Do both at Nashville West with the $80 combo.
- Only have an hour near downtown? The Fontanel Express Zip.
More reading: Is ziplining safe? · How fast do ziplines go? · Outdoor things to do in Nashville