This post is in partnership with Visit Frederick and TreeTrekkers Frederick who hosted our visit. All opinions are my own. You can read my full Disclosure Policy here.
Last November, just before winter made her way to the Northeast, my family was hosted for a day at TreeTrekkers aerial adventure course in Frederick, Maryland. It was a chilly day, but we warmed up quickly from the adrenaline of carefully making our way through the trees.
TreeTrekkers closed for the winter season just one week after our visit, so I have been sitting on this post until their spring opening, and alas, the Universe has other ideas.
So while TreeTrekkers is currently closed as a non-essential business, I’m hopeful that life is going to get back to some semblance of normal soon, and this is actually the perfect spot for family fun while maintaining social distance.
I don’t know that we’re all going to want to dive into packed venues and busy locales, but we are most definitely going to want to get out of the house.
TreeTrekkers offers the benefits of physical activity and fresh air, family adventure, and not only will they be adhering to guidelines on guest limits, and limiting contact with online ticketing and waivers, but their 30 acres of space allows for natural social distancing and plenty of space to enjoy their courses.
It’s the perfect place to get back out into the world again, which I for one, cannot wait for!
TreeTrekkers Frederick MD
Before planning your trip, know that any changes in procedures due to social distancing guidelines will be posted on the TreeTrekkers website, so be sure to check that first.
Even before these changes were necessary, it was easy to grab tickets and complete waivers online so you have that out of the way before you arrive.
What to wear? Definitely wear closed-toed shoes like sneakers, and comfortable clothing. You’ll need to be able to move your way through the course.
Jeans or athletic pants are perfect. Long hair should be pulled back.
The safety equipment is all provided for you, including gloves. There’s really nothing special you need to bring.
They let us take our phones up, but do so at your own risk!
Outdoor Climbing Course Frederick
Check in at the office when you arrive, and the staff will get you signed in and set up to be harnessed up and shown the ropes…literally.
The staff at TreeTrekkers is AWESOME. I cannot say enough about how friendly and helpful they were. They were equally great with my kids and me – a little bit of an anxious mama – in getting us all harnessed up and training us how to clip in and out of the lines.
It seems a little overwhelming for the first couple of minutes with the different clips on your harness, but they make it really easy to understand and there is a practice area where the staff will make sure you are comfortable with the procedures.
My 10yo son was crazy good at going from line to line, clipping in and clipping out. It just takes a few minutes of practice, which they give you.
Throughout the entire course area, there are staff walking around on the ground, available to help (even if it’s just to offer a ‘you got this!’) if needed.
Adventure Park Frederick MD
TreeTrekkers has 14 different courses that all originate at the same platform. These course vary in levels of challenge from novice to ninja, with 5 levels of difficulty.
The easiest courses are purple (this is where I started) and appropriate for kids as young as 5 years old. This level doesn’t have any ziplines so it’s a great place to start and get your feet wet.
Levels increase in difficulty from there, both in how challenging the obstacles are, in the addition of ziplines, and in how high off the ground you are!
My daughter and I moved on to the yellow courses, which is second easiest, and we felt comfortably challenged at that level.
Something I really like about TreeTrekkers is that there are at least two different courses at each level. So if you really only feel comfortable staying at the yellow level, there are 4 different courses to try. And you can do them as many times as you’d like!
Zipline in Maryland
My son and husband were a little more daring than my daughter and I, and they leveled up to the green course. They killed it!
I was glad I was the one cheering them on and not the one trying to balance on a barrel 20 feet up in the air.
One of the courses, the red course, is a full zipline course that has participants zipping all around the perimeter of the adventure park. My son absolutely loved this course!
Plan Your TreeTrekkers Adventure Park Visit
We had the best time at TreeTrekkers and are definitely planning to go back.
This is a perfect day trip for families, and especially now as we are changing what ‘family travel’ looks like in light of the current environment, this is a great place to have fun in the great outdoors while avoiding crowds.
Here are a few tips and highlights to help you plan your visit:
- Scope out the TreeTrekkers website before you go. They may have some new guidelines as they open up, and buying tickets and completing waivers will save you time when you arrive.
- Wear sturdy shoes like sneakers, and comfortable clothing. This is an outdoorsy adventure, so dress the part.
- Leave anything unnecessary in the car. They kept our keys for us in the office, but you don’t want loose items falling out of your pockets while you’re walking the plank.
- If you need help or advice on which courses to start with, ask. The TreeTrekker staff is seriously awesome. They were so helpful and welcoming to us. They realize this is a new experience for many guests and are there to make you feel comfortable and enjoy it!
- Make a day of it! Your tickets are good or a certain block of time, which will be plenty of time to challenge yourself. Head into downtown Frederick for a bite to eat afterward.
You can learn more about TreeTrekkers and keep up to speed with their 2020 opening on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Spend the Day in Downtown Frederick, MD
We worked up an appetite on the ropes at TreeTrekkers, and I was so excited to take my family into town and eat in Frederick.
I spent a weekend in Frederick on a girlfriends’ getaway a couple of years ago and had the absolute best time. Frederick’s streets are lined with the most unique little shops and most delicious eateries.
Carroll Creek Park runs through town and is a beautiful spot for a walk, a picnic, or just to people watch on the benches.
In the summertime, beautiful flower pots are floated in the creek and it’s gorgeous.
My family loves Mexican food, so we decided on Cacique for lunch and it was ah-mazing. The food was SO good (and so were the drinks!).
If you love Mexican and Spanish cuisine, I highly recommend Cacique. The service was excellent too, and their chips and salsa are fantastic. Just look at these fish tacos!
Dog-Friendly Frederick, MD
After we ate, we shopped! Frederick has so many awesome stores with fun finds. And something I love about this town is that it’s very dog-friendly.
We’re animal people, and I pretty much want to pet every dog I see. We met so many furry friends in town during our visit. My son got some loving from this lil cutie.
Of the many shops I love in Frederick, The Pop Shop is near the top of the list and I knew my kids would have a blast in here.
With over 400 flavors of soda pop, just looking at the fun labels and crazy names is enough to keep them entertained. And you can choose any one to pass to the staff and have them create an ice cream float for you. So good!
We spent most of this day trip to Frederick on the courses at TreeTrekkers, but there was definitely time to eat and shop downtown. And there is a store for everyone so even if the kids aren’t big shoppers, I’d suggest checking it out.
Find a lot more to do in Frederick on the Visit Frederick website. There are loads of ideas for where to stay, what to do, where to eat, and more. Be sure to follow on social media, too, for the latest news: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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