Looking to do something NEW in Austin? Something adventurous yet oddly relaxing outdoors? Try a zip line tour with Zip Lost Pines! Thanks to a generous invitation, I was able to zip all 6 lines over the beautiful McKinney Roughs Nature Park.
Don’t miss the video at the end of the post!
We had a tour scheduled for 2pm on a Sunday. Currently, Zip Lost Pines is open Thursday through Monday by reservation only. The time of your reservation is your start time. Make sure you arrive at least 20 minutes early to get checked in and harnessed up. The tour guides are super friendly, conversational, and helpful. They got us all into harnesses in record time!
Zip Lost Pines has lockers for all your things. They also have little pouches you can attach to your harness for your phone, keys, and anything else you want to take on the trail with you. I attached a wrist strap to my phone so I could use it while zipping. There is plenty of water on the tour, so you don’t need a water bottle. The space around the main building is really nice. They have yard games, covered seating, relaxing hammocks… everything you need to occupy yourself while you wait for your tour to start.
The whole tour took about 3 hours for 6 zip lines. The feeling of the zip lines was way different than I expected. It was less of an adrenaline boost, more of a relaxing day in the air. The lines were high above the ground, but it wasn’t scary! It was a little hard stepping off the platform (who wouldn’t have a bit of anxiety stepping off a ledge?) but once you were going, the sound, the breeze, the views… it was so calming!
The guides are professionals, radio back and forth constantly to each other, and set up several backup connections between your secure harness and the line. I’ll admit – before I arrived I had visions of myself falling from the line and splatting onto the ground. But once I was actually there, the thought of falling seemed so silly. That’s how safe it was.
The only downside to the tour is the wait time. The zip lines take about 30 seconds max to complete. There are 6 of them you complete in 3 hours. That adds up to a LOT of wait time. There were two younger boys on our tour, about 10 years old, and they struggled with the waiting. Something to consider before bringing kids out! There’s no age requirement, but in order to zip, you must be between 60-250 lbs and taller than 52 inches.
Price is another thing to consider. Currently, the summer price to zip is $115 per person. If wait time is something you’re worried about (maybe you have kiddos), they offer a half tour (3 zip lines) for $95. There is also a half-tour NIGHT zip. That must be pretty crazy!
Winter prices start on November 1, 2019. During the winter, the full tour will be $99 and the half tour will be $79. Kids are the same price as adults for all tours.
The Hyatt Lost Pines resort is right around the corner. There is a slight discount for Hyatt guests of $5 off per person. Group discounts are available – call Zip Lost Pines for details. A zip line tour would be a really great corporate team bonding experience! Finally, veterans and active military families get 10% off.
Be sure to follow Zip Lost Pines on social media! Occasionally the post discounts. For example, to celebrate their third birthday, they’re offing a buy 2 get one free deal (or 15% off individual tickets). This current deal is good November 1-3, so if you’re interested, book now!
Your zipline tickets also allow you access to McKinney Roughs Nature Park. There are beautiful hiking trails and other outdoor amenities.
Overall, we really enjoyed our afternoon. It was great to get outside and do something new. I recommend you do that same!
Thanks again for the opportunity, Zip Lost Pines!
Check out these AWESOME clips from our zip line adventure!
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