As adventure parks go, Radical Ropes in Myrtle Beach has all the usual adrenaline-fueled offerings-zip line, ropes course and rock wall-only pumped up to deliver a double dose of thrills.
Still not enough to unnerve your inner daredevil? How about free-falling off a 70-foot platform?
At Radical Ropes, they've taken aerial adventure to a whole new level, charging up the heart-pounding challenges with trickier obstacles at bone-rattling heights. Of course, you're always safely strapped into a full-body harness with tethers that lock you into a continuous belay system.
On the Extreme Zip Lines, two guides accompany each group, leading you across eight zip lines strung through the forest canopy. The tour begins with a climb up a 70-foot tower, offering a view of the ocean. At that point, it's time to man up.
The first zip has you gliding across a cable to a small platform at the top of a pole. What makes it particularly unsettling is that it appears you're flying into the busy South Kings Highway. If that's not enough to make your knees knock, the pole sways with each new arrival.
The next two zips will take you alongside the four-lane road. Then the tour turns into the woods, where you'll cross five more cables, the longest stretching 225 feet. At top speed, you can reach approximately 35 miles an hour. To ensure a safe landing, the final zip is equipped with an automatic braking system.
Now that you've warmed up, it's time to take to the Aerial Adventure Park, featuring three levels of challenges, each with 17 obstacles. The higher you go, the tougher the routes. At Level III, you'll be five stories high, navigating around precarious impediments as you cross from one tiny perch to another.
If you've still got game, try the Leap of Faith. This isn't so much a physical challenge as much as a psychological hurdle. It takes nerves of steel to step off a seven-story platform and free-fall to the ground. The automatic belay system ensures a gentle landing, but not before your stomach has floated into your chest.
The five-acre seaside attraction also features a 70-foot climbing wall and a KidZipz for children 4 to 8 years old. It includes a wobbly walking bridge, cargo net and four zips, giving the younger set a taste of the fun.
Summer evenings, the park lights up for nighttime adventure. Regular hours are extended from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the summer months.
