SC has one of the best aerial parks in the nation, USA Today says. Here’s why
A Greenville park is among the top 10 aerial adventure parks in the United States, according to USA Today’s 10 Best.
Flying Rabbit Adventures was founded by master arborist Jonathan Simmons on a five-acre tract not far from downtown. He considers the park an arboretum showcasing native Southern trees as well as a place for adventure.
It’s located in a development called Holland Park that also includes Home Team barbecue and Double Stamp Brewery and is adjacent to the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a walk-bike trail that goes from downtown Greenville to Travelers Rest, more than 20 miles away on a former train track..
The park has a three-story, tree-spanning obstacle course featuring 58 athletic experiences as well as a bike pump track for those who want to stay on the ground.
Simmons, a Clemson University graduate and Greenville native, has worked on 27 parks across the country.
His Greenville park was named No. 7 on USA Today’s list.
USA Today called it “a particularly exciting opportunity … with fresh craft beer and barbecue available on-site as a post-excursion reward.”
Just over the South Carolina state line is No. 8 The Gorge Zipline in Saluda, North Carolina. “Steep, fast, and beautiful,” the paper said. It has 11 zip lines over a mile with a total descent of more than 1,100 vertical feet. The course also includes a sky bridge and three rappels.
Ranked first was Botanical World Adventures in Hakalau, Hawaii, which runs through a rainforest canopy. Eight zip lines fly over waterfalls, pools, and flowering trees, the newspaper said.
The other aerial parks include:
2. The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring - Sandy Spring, Maryland
3. RYZE Adventure Park - Maryland Heights, Missouri
4. Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
5. Aerie’s Resort in Grafton, Illinois
6. Cocoa Beach Aerial Adventures in Cape Canaveral, Florida
9. TreeUmph! Adventure Course in Bradenton, Florida
10. ZipZone Outdoor Adventures in Columbus, Ohio
