Does the idea of being 50 feet in the air get your adrenaline pumping or does it make you go light headed and feel a bit woozy? For me, it is the latter! I have an almost irrational fear of heights, even though I LOVE roller coasters and theme parks.
2 years ago, in Shonda Rhimes fashion I started my “Year of Yes,” where I say YES to the things that scare me and push me out of my comfort zone. After that year I just kept going and I can honestly say that I have grown so much as a person.
I gave you all of that backstory because it is how I ended up 50 feet in the air with a helmet and harness on, hyperventilating and questioning my life choices!
A few weeks back when trying to find a cool and out-of-the-box date idea on Groupon I came across Adventura and thought to myself this sounds terrifying so in the spirit of the “Year of Yes,” I hit that purchase button!
Adventura is an aerial adventure course located in Woodinville, WA, about 30 minutes from Seattle tucked behind the Red Hook Brewery. The best part about Adventura is that you are able to choose your adventure, which allows you to enjoy the course regardless of your skill level, and you decide what parts of the course you want to experience.
The day started with a safety course which felt regimented, but that was a great thing for me. It reinforced that safety was paramount to them! We were fitted with gear and then thoroughly briefed about how to use the equipment.
Next, we made the ascent up the 50-foot cargo net to the jungle gym in the sky! Remember those “choose your adventure” books when we were kids? Adventura is just like that only you are 50 feet above the ground and the adventure can be a tightrope, log walk, tire trek, or the like. Although, you would be amazed how much your sense of self-preservation kicks in when you are trying to garner up the courage to step off a perfectly good platform to walk across a swaying path.
This is where the staff at Adventura truly shine! At each path, there was a highly trained staff member who willingly offered tips about navigating the course but also was ready with a word of encouragement or a pirate joke. I never once felt rushed on the course either. We went up with a decent sized group, but there was a point on the course where we had an entire side to ourselves. Because the staff framed the adventure as a supportive place, all of the participants that we encountered behaved in a supportive and accepting manner. If we were on an obstacle and someone else was waiting I never once felt rushed instead they also cheered me on which was awesome!
After 2.5 hours you get to finish your adventure by choosing to either climb back down the cargo net, standing rappel or zipline down from the course.
Once you are on the ground, if you’re anything like me, you have a chance to gaze up at that jungle gym in the sky and in that moment you can’t help but feel this overwhelming feeling of pride in yourself. The moment I climbed that cargo net I was terrified. Despite having my wonderful other half there to cheer me on at every turn, I found myself hyperventilating and wanting to get back to solid ground. But instead, I pushed myself to keep trying obstacles and I am so glad that I did! I learned so much about myself and we grew closer as a couple. Adventura can also be used as a team-building exercise for companies, families, and friends.
After conquering my fears we both agreed that we deserved a good burger and a nice cold beer! Thankfully Adventura is located in the Red Hook Brewery parking lot so we didn’t have to venture far.
Red Hook Brewery offers a $5.00 brewery tour, but because we were exhausted Christa opted for the “sampler tray” of Red Hook specialties, and I tried a Peach Speciality Beer-tail with LongHammer IPA & Vodka.
The menu had some really appealing options, and we decided to order the RedHook Burger and the Gouda Melt. Sadly the burger did not satisfy our burger cravings as they were not seasoned very well, and were a bit pricey, but I did have half a burger to take home for leftovers.
But just in case you have a hankering for wine instead of beer Adventura has partnerships with several local wineries. They provide a discount card for wine tasting after your adventure. If you are with little ones or short on time you are able to hold onto your card and use it at a later time. Day Date part dos?
Adventura Quick Tips:
- Adventura operates from April to October.
- All climbers must be 10 years of age or older.
- If your kiddo is 13 & under they are required to climb with an adult.
- All climbers must be able to fit into the provided harnesses.
- Maximum weight limit is 250 lbs.
- Don’t visit Red Hook or any wineries before, because alcohol consumption prior to climbing is strictly forbidden!
- HYDRATE prior to being on the course and during the course.
- Book early! Adventura has been known to sell out fast, so you should plan to book no later than 2 weeks out.
- Adventura operates rain, snow, fog, and sun. So be sure to triple check the weather and dress for the weather with layers!
