I decided to go ziplining for the first time during a recent trip back east. I found Terrapin Adventures via a Google search and we checked it out. Please note that this review is for the ziplining and giant swing ONLY. We didn't check out any of the other adventures. The giant swing was fun. It's scary enough for provide a trill but tame enough that even a scaredy cat could enjoy it. The ziplining is great for a first timer like myself. It's high but not too high. For someone who wants something more "adventureous" then they might not be too happy with it. Our guides were amazing and really fun. One of them was Alec but I can't reall the other guy's name. I'd say they definately helped to make the expereince all the more positive. The only complaint I have is that the prices are a bit limiting. It would be better if you could purchase the events in bundles as opposed to flat rate fees for each individual activity. Paying $15 for the first zipline and then $10 for each additional is crazy. Why not sell a bundle, say five, of ziplines for $40? Or allow the adventures to be mixed and matched for maximum enjoyment? I think that would definately go a long way. We went on a Thursday afternoon and there were only 3 other people enjoying the activities. Perhaps if the cost was more beneficial to customers they could drive up business. Overall, I am happy with the expereince and would recommend it to anyone. read more

I did the high ropes course here and it was a pretty fun activity for a group of people. If heights make you uneasy it will be a bit of a mental challenge, but that's part of the point of doing it, right? The staff are friendly, professional and safety conscious. While the ropes course was a fun experience the price for it was a little steep. $50 for a 90 minute course (it would probably take less time if there were fewer people) isn't great value. I was also a little disappointed by how small it is. It would have been nice to have a little more scenery rather than going between the same four or five towers for the entire course. read more

HR sent the whole department here to get some team building training for half a day. The activities made us rethink about the way we world together and how we should change to work better together. The zip line facility is located next to the parking lot and the height is just two stories high. It is good for basic zip line but not for thrill seekers. Our facilitators are wonderful. I would love to come back with my kid and may venture out for more height thrills. read more

My mom made me come here - not my usual cup of tea - but I have to say that the wonderful, uber-friendly staff made this experience a blast. Yes, adventure parks are the disneyland version of a real adventure. That said, the high ropes course was super fun and challenging. Zip line I found to be boring but again, the warm and gregarious staff made it very fun. High swing flips your stomach like a roller coaster - watch out and enjoy. Anyway, this was a fun activity for my 64-year-old mom and I saw parties of kids having a blast. Much gratitude to the wonderful people who work at Terrapin. read more

Recently my daughter and I went and did the High Ropes Challenge Course. We had a blast! It was a fun, challenging course and the staff was great. I am looking forward to heading back and trying everything else. The only downsides were the long lines on the higher courses and that it's expensive. Basically the course was $50 each and without the lines it would have only been about 30 minutes long. All in all definitely worth the trip to do something fun and spend quality time with someone :) read more

UPDATE: Terrapin Adventures did right by us after all. They showed us a great time on the Patuxent, on the giant swing, and on the zipline. Plus they fed us too! Thank you to owner Matt who showed us personal attention. He led us on a beautiful kayak trip, spotting turtles and birds and bugs along the way; he cooked for us and hauled our gear even. And to the fun folks on the zipline and swing -- Tony Baloney and Natalie. They were a fun, skilled and safety-first crew. My kids are clamoring to go back again. You honored your Zozi deal and gave us more! Thank you again, it was wonderful. ============ Hey Terrapin Adventures! It's DAY 2 of my complaint, and 9 weeks before my @zozi deal expires. Went to your website today and still no new dates have been added to "Kayak and BBQ Tour." What's happening? Can someone give me an update? read more

Took my son and his friends to the Terrapin Explorer course, they all loved it!!! It was amazing to watch whole bunch of 5 years facing their challenges. There were some initial fears but they all dealt with it differently, a great experience for kids. Highly recommended! read more

Had a GREAT time May 2 with my work colleagues at Terrapin Adventures! It was a fun afternoon of team building. Got to enjoy some teamwork problem-solving and adventure with people I don't usually get to see. Our Group Leader Emily was great. She gave us the instructions/safety info we needed and guided us through our challenges. She was fun, upbeat and encouraging. A really fun experience! And we had perfect weather to boot! read more

I talked my husband into doing the High Ropes Challenge the first time in January, because he'll do whatever I ask for my birthday! It was a gorgeous day, and I was pumped, my husband - skeptical. We signed the releases, and Matt helped us get into our harnesses. The mood was light and fun! The adrenalin rush began as soon as I climbed the ladder and reached the lowest level. From then on, each challenge became slightly more difficult, and I began to experience what I call a "low level of terror", that didn't let up until we reached the end. The course was not real physically challenging until we reached the cargo net and I had to hook my arms over the top and rest before I reached the end of it! The real challenge was mental. You must convince yourself to do something really scary -- way out of your comfort zone. To be told that you must jump from a small platform, grab onto a rope, and then swing out to reach a cargo net, goes against every rational fiber of my being. But once I did it, I felt a real sense of accomplishment. The TA guides were competent, and offered words of encouragement, and even physical assistance when necessary. This was such an empowering experience for me, that in March, I talked my husband into doing it again! This time we took four friends with us. Three of them had participated in my fitness boot camp, and one is my own personal trainer! Different levels of fitness were represented in this group, and I'm not sure everyone would have completed the course were it not for the encouragement and camaraderie that was cultivated by the experience. But they all finished, shaking their heads in disbelief, with feelings of relief, and a swagger of confidence (and maybe fatigue!). We toasted our victory and survival with adult beverages at the Ram's Head Tavern, just a short walk away. The High Ropes Course is safe, as long as you follow directions. To get over your initial fear of falling, I would recommend actually allowing yourself to "fall" and test the harness. I didn't do that, but I would imagine it would give one more of a sense of security, knowing that you will not actually fall to the ground. At 5'5" I am an average sized woman, and I found that one of the most tiring things was getting around the pole to get from one challenge to the next. I had to climb up each pole a bit, and there don't seem to be enough hand and footholds to do this. The second time around, the course was understaffed with TA guides, and if we had not done it before, the experience would have been scary and possibly even unsafe. There were not enough guides to provide the level of supervision that is necessary for this activity. Fortunately, this was a very unusual circumstance. Not only will I go back again, but I may use the Terrapin Adventures challenges as a team incentive for my boot camp participants. What a rush! read more

I went here for a friend's birthday celebration (group of 6) and really enjoyed myself. The staff was very friendly & funny the whole time while we were their. They really care about the safety of their customers and that's awesome of course. It's an experience everyone should try at least once in there life !!! I would definitely go back again. read more

Terrapin Adventures - Rock Climbing I made it to the top! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Savage, Maryland

Terrapin Adventures is a good concept executed a bit haphazardly. I like adventure courses. I like climbing things. I like challenges. I like the idea of Terrapin Adventures, and for the average worker bee of the DC metro area, this probably fits the bill. However, for those who are used to earning beautiful views through toil and sweat, for those who don't think twice about jumping out of an airpline, for those who seek out adventure... you'll feel like you almost had a great time. The group I went with did the giant swing, the climbing tower, the high ropes course, and the zipline, and then had also arranged for a post-adventuring wine n' cheese event afterwards. Half the adventure was trying to find Terrapin Adventures, which has its storefront in the middle of an indoor shopping center. Once you get there, check in is easy enough. When you book a ticket allowing you to explore all of the various options at Terrapin Adventures, you feel a bit out of your element trying to figure out where you are supposed to go as they allow you to do things on your own time and have staff members at each of the stations. The staff seemed friendly and helpful enough. By far, the best thing was the giant swing, which provided some easy adrenaline rushes and most closely met my expectations for an adventure course. The swing holds three people and one of the lucky folks gets to be the one to press the release. There's a moment of weightlessness before you free fall, and that's where the joy of the giant swing is. The climbing tower and high ropes course are as challenging as you want to make them. You can work up a sweat (or not) depending on which route you take up the climbing tower. You can choose to use as much or as little of the guidelines on the high ropes course. However, given how many people they allowed on the courses at the same time, I found myself waiting. A lot. Which broke up the flow of the adventure. It also meant that I didn't have enough time to do the running jump tarzan swing from the high ropes course because they had simply allowed too many people on for our time slot. If there had been half as many people on the course, I probably would have rated this 4 stars. The zipline is a joke for anyone who has ever been on a zipline before. It would be appropriate for kids and first timers who are generally NOT adventurous. I didn't even try this even though it was a part of my package. The wine n' cheese mingler for our group was okay. I don't think it added much, the food was mediocre, and if I hadn't gone with such a great group of people, I probably wouldn't have stayed. If you are a group organizer trying to decide to add this on, I would do so with caution. read more

We bought the living social deal for this so we got the total package for $55. It was pretty good for that price. The high ropes took the longest, almost 2hours to complete. The big swing was a great adrenaline rush and the zip line was just fun. I do a lot of rock climbing so I was not interested in their climbing tower. Overall fun experience. Megan and Pete were also amazing workers that helped make out experience memorable. I would recommend this place. read more

Terrapin Adventures - High ropes challenge - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Savage, Maryland

This was the perfect date adventure. We both were ziplining virgins! Try the BIG swing and ziplining. I will say that the zipline course did seem very close to the ground but it proved me wrong. We even checked out the little shops while waiting on to check in. Hope you have as much fun as we did! I will definitely go back for a date and/or group! Thanks for the excitement! P.S. Terrapin is inside of the Savage Mill mall. We were a little lost but the shops entertained us until we got to Terrapin. read more

I went with a group on girlfriends to Terrapin Adventures. After getting through the check-in, we were ushered by our guide to the zip line. For those of us who were less adventurous, it was thrilling. I, however, had just jumped out of a perfectly good plane, so it was a little disappointing. I've been on rope swings in the Adirondacks that have more umphf. That said, we had a lot of fun with the guide. What we really loved was the giant swing. Now that was AWESOME! We considered the climbing tree for a nanosecond but ended up shopping in the mall instead. If you go, make it a part of a lunch/dinner/shopping excursion and not your main event. The zip line made me want more so I'm checking out a place in West Virginia that I keep hearing about. read more

I cannot say enough about the staff. Funny, friendly and enjoyable to interact with. We used a Living Social to go ziplining and my twins, my husband and I had a phenomenal time! I was super scared walking the tightrope to get to the zipline and they were super patient and supportive and encouraging. I ended up having an amazing time. We will go back again for sure! read more

This is the worst field trip that we had, it is OVERPRICED and the staff is more than rude often telling us to, "Shut up." It is OVERPRICED and for how little stuff you do, I consider it a scam. read more

First off.... this place is awesome and not to mention the lovely workers. Everyone was so helpful, and friendly, definitely going back. Big applause for my instructor Brett, he was so kind, from the time we spoke on the phone until I got there. If you're looking to have fun with the kids during this time,this is it. read more

There are not enough fantastic words that I can say about this place. We took our 7 year old nephew on Sunday. He was super excited... until we got there and then he got quiet and shy and quietly announced that he is afraid of heights. Suzanna was his guide for the day and she was absolutely amazing!!!! She was patient and sensitive but she never gave him the option to give up. She kept his mind off of the height and despite a few emotional breakdowns, he absolutely persevered and went further than we thought he would've!!! This was such a wonderful experience for him and we are so glad we found it. There's a special place in heaven for Suzanna!!! Give that woman a raise! read more

Terrapin Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Savage, Maryland

See all

An awesome place to have a family event, and to challenge yourself mentally and physically. The staff, Malachi and Ignacio, were extremely helpful and encouraging! read more

Sore, but worth every rope burn & bruise! A group of us went on August 13th to celebrate a friend's 44th birthday. The initial allure was the zip line but that turned out to be the lamest of all the activities. The climbing wall and challenge course elements ROCKED! You definitely need some muscle to conquer the climbing wall but if you're at all athletic or competitive, you'll make it work. Beautiful location and the four hour time period flies by. One of the gals in our group brough her husky 12-year old son and he had a rough go on the ropes/web, but the guys who were working there were encouraging and didn't hesitate to rescue him when it was obvious he couldn't continue. If you're only interested in a zip line, save your money and go elsewhere. It's a one shot deal that last all of 30 seconds. But the other courses are not to be missed. read more

Enjoyable time; we did the Challenge and while the entire day was fun, we could have done without the zip line and random drop at the end. The zip line was far the worse I'd ever experienced...very painful. I've zip lined at least 5 times in my life, all over the world, and they had us in uncomfortable positions. We actually got rope-burn, which shouldn't happen if properly harnessed...the problem is, it appears to be a make-shift harness. The fall at the end was pointless...perhaps 10 year olds would enjoy, but it seemed pointless for adults and teens. read more

Very enjoyable activity; challenging yet if you follow direction of the guides one can complete the entire course. The guides themselves are very professional, patient and encouraging. We had a great time! read more

My family and I had a good time. The course that was meant for the kids, my daughter made it to the top of the cone-shaped net, where she was instructed to go do this net head first by the guide, and she ended with no helmet, no safety harness at all ...she ended up getting suck for a moment, her face was badly bruised and swollen the next morning, because of the net that was made from the rope. My question to the manager when I had spoken with him.. was not satisfactory at all. There were a lot of safety questions I had asked like why would this guide instruct my daughter to take her shoes and provide her with no helmet to protect her head and she is going down head first so many feet from the ground? My advice would be pay close attention to your guide and ask them to demonstrate for you first before they instruct you to go ..if they don't ..please for the safety and liability of everyone involved.. leave!! read more

Disclaimer, I only did the zipline, so I cannot talk about the other "adventures" The cost for the zipline was about $17, which isn't much, but then again, neither was the zip line. It is only about 20 yards and it is only about 12 feet off the ground. It takes about 1 minute to do the entire zip line. No fun scenery either. It is right near the parking lot. Plus, we went as a group and the company was not all that accommodating prior to our showing up. It was a pay before you go sort of thing so if anyone drops out, too bad. Kids would be really bored by this adventure. read more

Why have I never been to Terrapin Adventures before!? I really dont know, but I must say I will definitely be coming back....probably next week. Tonight was awesome I've never been anywhere with a group of strangers and felt so comfortable. The staff members are all very friendly and outgoing, they really helped me concouqer my fear of heights today! I would have to say my favorite party of today was the Zip line, the moment I jumped off of the podium all my worries were gone and at that moment I was alive. The place where i felt the most adrenaline rush would have to be the tower with the 3 different levels. Today we only did level 1 but you really get an awesome experience with it, there were times where I had to stop and say why am I doing this.... But I loved it though! Thank you so much for having us, Like I said the whole family will be back very soon. read more

We did the high ropes course, giant swing, and the zip line. The ropes course was quite a work out which required lots of leg stability and arm strength. Good thing I am in shape! Walking across the log was definitely scary, but not that bad once I was focused on it. The giant swing was extremely fun although my friends and I were screaming when it started. I got to the pull the rope which released the swing! My other arm was holding on for dear life once I pulled it. Overall, I haven't had this much fun in a very very long time! Thank you to the staff who were friendly and encouraged us to conquer our fears! read more

So great!! I loved this place. The staff were amazing, it was pretty scary at first if you're not used to heights and outdoors. It's definitely worth it I would do it again at any point in time. Positive attitudes all around. read more

Awesome course and all of the staff are extremely friendly. I ziplined as well as got on the giant swing and both were amazing. Although I will say the drop in the giant swing was the best. Definitely unexpected. Also, there is a restaurant adjacent to the course. One downfall is there is only one zipline and it isn't that high. Overall, this place is worth a try and everybody is pleasant here! read more

Just went yesterday with my wife and had a great time. The staff is super helpful & friendly and make your experience there so much better. In addition I had to postpone twice due to work and they had no problems rescheduling us. We will definitely be back with the kids. Dennis, Tim, & Simon are awesome. I look forward to the next visit. read more

It was so much fun! And the staff and guides are GREAT! I went with a friend to do the Zip Line and ended up doing the Giant Swing as well....TWICE! The rush you get when the swing goes into action is amazing. The guide, Mike, was very careful in explaining what needed to be done to get ready and what would happen along the way. I felt totally comfortable and safe. We are planning our next visit ! read more

I have been thinking about doing some outdoor fun for a while and this time I had a courage to zip, swing, and fall (with harness wire). I had to push myself because I experienced a headband headache. I know I can do it regardless the doubt that I am no longer physically young (but still able) to do all sorts of stunts. My mind and spirits still got the love for the thrill and adventure. At the end of our sessions, I was glad I did it because how do one would know that she can do it but she does not want to do it? Easily, this was elementary and for beginner. Next time, I know I can do it again and it would take the challenge of a difficult course. read more

Came as a +1 to a Yelp event here and it was a fantastic time. Started with some team building exercises and went off in separate groups to complete the activities. Adrenaline rushes, fun guides and perfect location. Amazing way to spend a summer afternoon. read more

Terrapin Adventures is a pretty so-so adventure. I came for the zip-lining, which is always a great selling point for any adventure. That was sadly the most disappointing part of this adventure. If you have never been on a zip-line, this one would make you think "what's with all the hype". To be fair though, all-in-all it's a decent time and the tree sing is just a great idea, and being able to see the beautiful fall colors, was a great time. The site is basically divided into four locations. The zip-lining is pretty dull. You climb up, and then roll down the line, and then drift back until some dude gets you off with a ladder at the low point on the line. They have enough space to make a couple of lines, so I hope they step up their game on this one. The next station is a 3-level challenge course. You get on a line, and navigate a few obstacles on each level. I think this would be great to do with a teenager or a co-worker. The next station is the tree swing, which was just great, and I think most people screamed a little when they first start swinging. The last station is a vertical challenge course. There are two walls and then a crazier wall with a rope ladder and free standing lines. The climbing wall was pretty poorly done in my mind, having spent a couple of trips at Earth Treks. The other wall was crazy difficult, and I wouldn't be surprised to see people from that American Ninja show struggling on that. It is worth checking out overall, but nothing to get excited about. read more

While looking for an 'end of summer' adventure, I stumbled upon Terrapin Adventures. I have a 6 and 11 year old so I decided to give it a try. We had the time of our lives! Malachi was so helpful and funny and encouraging to me and my 11 year old daughter. Heather was incredibly patient and encouraging with my 6 year old and had her feeling like the strongest girl in the world. Brett supervised over everything and was not only knowledgeable and supportive, but was the biggest cheerleader for all of us and made our experience that much better. I'm 100% sure I would never have made it up the ropes course without the encouragement of this staff, and even I left feeling proud and strong. They are amazing and I am so happy to have had this experience with my girls. We can't wait to come back! read more

I was very nervous as I'm not very good with heights, but with the help of the guides that didn't last too long. So I started with the zipline. First I climbed a ladder, then I had to walk across a cable 20 feet in the air. That took some skill and I was shaking but with the guides help I made it across. Sitting high in the air I was even more nervous about clipping onto the zipline and jumping off the platform but I knew I was safe so I gingerly pushed myself off and had a very exhilarating ride. I'll have to go back and try it again, if I'm not afraid I think I'll enjoy it more. Next I tried the high ropes course. Never seen anything like it. You start on a ladder again and try to get from one pole to the next using rope ladders, winding cables, moving logs and swinging bridges. Some of them were very hard to maneuver but when I was able to get to the top I felt a great sense of accomplishment. I ended with the Leap of Faith where you literally jump into thin air and try to catch a dangling rope. It took a lot of coaching from the guide to get me to jump off but what a rush when I did. Never touched the rope but that was good enough for me. I didn't have the energy to attempt the climbing tower so I ended the day with the giant swing. Looked innocent enough three people sit side by side and get pulled up high in the air. At this point, I was used to being high up, but I wasn't expecting to scream as my friend pulled the rip cord when I wasn't expecting it and we shot off and I could hardly catch my breath. The nice part was after the surprise you get to gently swing back and forth and enjoy the feeling. Next time I'll start with the climbing tower, my friend spent over an hour on it and still didn't get to every part of it. read more

Went here for Dad's Day and for the most part, was a lot of fun. My daughter was scared the whole time on the kids course, but she said she loved it and wants to do it again. I did the tower and if you want a good work out, it's not too bad. Zip line is something everyone should do once I guess, but this one in my opinion, is definitely not worth the $15. It lasts seconds and you don't go very far. Not worth the money or hype. Otherwise I would've given it another star. read more

My 8-year-old daughter and I did the climbing wall and zip line. We had a great time! She wants to go back, and she's hoping that she'll be tall enough for the ropes course and giant swing by then. Personally, I'm a little scared of heights, but I still enjoyed myself. Biggest surprise was how beautiful Savage, MD is. What a cute town! Bring a picnic and enjoy the scenery. read more

My son and daughter (11 and 10 years old) did the summer camp here and loved it. The kids do lots of outdoor activities and get to overnight one night. My daughter was nervous about the overnight so she opted out, which was fine with the camp directors. Overall they had a great time and we will probably do it again next year! read more

Went for a corporate team building, and we all had a great time! Enjoyed the team building activities, zip line, swing (which was a healthy adrenaline rush), and the rock climbing wall! The instructors were super nice too! read more

Went there today with some friends on a Living Social coupon. Did the zipline twice and the giant swing. The staff (and I emphasize "staff", see below) were very, very friendly and encouraging. They totally know what they were doing and made the experience tons of fun. The zipline doesn't have the view I was kind hoping for (overlooks some greenery and is literally right next to a parking lot) but the ride itself is fun. The giant swing is kinda just like those bungee systems at amusement parks and very fun as well. On the way out, my friends and I inquired about staying a little bit longer and doing the ropes course too. (The ropes area was right next to the giant swing -- no one was using it and it looked kinda fun.) We were told it was something like $50 per person for that, which we thought was a bit steep. Thinking that it wouldn't hurt to ask, we asked if they'd be willing to give us a small discount on it. (Again, no one was using it at the time, and there were five of us who would have gone on it.) The guy behind the counter, who later identified himself as the owner of the operation, rather rudely stated that we had "already" gotten a discount (presumably because we used a Living Social coupon instead of paying full price). That was kind of a turn-off. (Why would you participate in a coupon program if you are going to be upset at people who try to take advantage of it?) So we declined to pay for the ropes course -- in the end, the owner could have gotten some $200 ($10 discount per person for us, maybe?) more from our group, but instead got $0 more from our group. Overall, the day was fun -- the ziplining and the giant swing were definitely fun and a wonderful way to spend the morning. read more