Best Zip-Line Adventures

For exciting aerial adventures that will make your teenagers willingly ditch their phones for a few hours, check out this list of the best zip-line courses in the country. These tours let you launch off rocky cliffs, fly over busy city sidewalks and whisk past hungry alligators. If you have younger or more-timid kids, there are several tame options that include them in the fun as well as plenty of places for your adrenaline junkies.

These 10 zip lines were selected by our featured panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.

1. Sonoma Zipline Adventures | Occidental, CA

Fy through California's magnificent redwoods with Sonoma Zipline Adventures. This company provides two different guided routes for varying skill levels, each of which has seven individual zip lines and two sky bridges. Want to really wow your teenagers? Reserve spots for the Night Flight Tour to zip-line under the stars before enjoying an overnight stay in one of the on-site treehouses.

2. Canopy Ridge Farm Outdoor Adventure Park | Lake Lure, NC

Discover the perfect balance of excitement and safety on the zip lines at Canopy Ridge Farm. The six lines reach up to 100 feet in height and go as fast as 35 miles per hour, making them a great introduction to this activity; children 2 and up are even welcome to participate. You can also rent a GoPro on site to capture your fun.

3. ZipZone Outdoor Adventures | Columbus, OH

Families with a wide range of ages will find something for everyone at ZipZone Outdoor Adventures. The youngest of children can enjoy two hours of instructed climbing time in the dedicated Kids Park, while the older ones zoom over 20 acres on five different zip lines with two guides. ZipZone also has nighttime tours if your group isn't afraid of the dark.

4. Adventures on the Gorge | Lansing, WV

For a guided tour above the lush landscapes of New River Gorge, choose a zip-line excursion with Adventures on the Gorge. Soar through the air on the gravity zip line, which can reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour, or opt for a more leisurely pace on a journey with 11 zip lines, seven swinging bridges and air stairs.

5. Hocking Hills Canopy Tours | Rockbridge, OH

One of the best places to zip-line in the country, Hocking Hills Canopy Tours offers six different experience options. You can choose which best fits your group's interests, but we recommend the Dragonfly Tour for little kids, the X-Tour for thrill seekers and the Original Canopy Tour for a classic aerial adventure with 10 zip lines and four sky bridges.

6. The Gorge Zipline | Saluda, NC

If you have the need for speed, you'll love the experience at the Gorge Zipline, recognized for having the fastest and steepest zip line canopy tour in the nation! Your journey will include 11 zip lines (with guide-operated breaks for safety), three rappel features and a sky bridge with breathtaking views of the Green River Gorge.

7. Icy Strait Point ZipRider | Hoonah, Alaska

Popular with cruise travelers, the ZipRider at Icy Strait Point is the longest in the world. Courageous tourists start their journey at 1,330 feet in the air and drop 5,495 feet in less than two minutes at up to 60 miles per hour. As they sit harnessed, legs hanging freely in the air, they enjoy views of the sparkling sea and the dark green forest below.

8. Soaring Adventure at The Broadmoor Seven Falls | Colorado Springs, CO

Whether you want to glide above verdant pines and flowing streams or over rugged canyons with stops along massive suspension bridges, the two courses at Soaring Adventure will exceed your expectations. Both last about three hours, have five different zip lines that get progressively longer and include friendly, attentive guides. Can't choose? The combo course features both tracks for a full four-hour excursion.

9. Crocodile Crossing at St. Augustine Alligator Farm | Saint Augustine, FL

Looking to take your next zoo visit up a notch? Dangle above a group of alligators on the Crocodile Crossing zip line inside St. Augustine Alligator Farm. Two different courses weave through seven acres with over 50 obstacles, bringing you close to tropical birds, lemurs and, yes, live alligators lurking just under your feet.

10. Adventures Out West | Colorado Springs, CO

With lines rated for kids as young as 6, Adventures Out West is an experience your whole crew can enjoy. This zip-line course starts on a cliff's edge at 6,500 feet in the air, offering views of the foothill's canyon at the base of Pikes Peak. Don't miss the special Family Night Zipline Tour, which includes two hours of zip-lining, s'mores around a campfire and games like cornhole.

About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards

Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.

Our Featured Panelists

Theresa Russell thrives on the thrill of travel, visiting new destinations and experiencing local food, beverages and culture whether she is in Anchorage or Zihuatanejo. Cruising has a special place in her heart, but she's stranger to other types of travel. Hiking the Inca Trail and cycling across the North American continent rank as some of her most memorable trips. Visiting many countries opened her eyes to the world and made her realize how much we are all alike. She is proud to have received awards for both her writing and photography. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Teresa Bergen is a Portland, Oregon-based travel writer who specializes in the outdoors, eco, vegan and sober travel. She's the author of Easy Portland Outdoors and the Sober Travel Handbook. Learn more about her at teresabergen.com.

Susan Lanier-Graham is founder and publisher of Wander With Wonder, an award-winning online travel journalism magazine. She has authored more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles while traveling the world over the past three decades. Susan's work has appeared in a variety of publications, including various AAA publications, TravelandLeisure.com, Hotels.com, Modern Luxury, WHERE publications, Fairmont.com, Marriott.com and more. Susan is a member of Society of American Travel Writers, International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, and North American Travel Journalists Association. She is also a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist.

Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.