Like skydiving, bungee jumping offers the adrenaline-pumping experience of free-falling toward the earth. The bungee jump was first popularized in the 1980s in New Zealand and has since spread throughout the world. Although only a few companies provide bungee jumping in Virginia, bungee enthusiasts will still get a thrill out of what this state has to offer.
XtremeFest of the Blue Ridge
Every spring, hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts head to XtremeFest of the Blue Ridge, a one-day festival in the city of Waynesboro, Virginia. Along with rock climbing, hiking and biking, visitors also have the chance to ride on the Xtreme Air bungee jumper. Experts will be on hand to supervise the safety of jumpers. Because the date of XtremeFest varies from year to year, visit Waynesboro's official website for up-to-date information.
Waynesboro Department of Parks and Recreation
413 Port Republic Road
Waynesboro, VA
(540) 942-6735
waynesboro.va.us
King's Dominion
Located 1.5 hours south from Washington, D.C., King's Dominion is an amusement park known for its roller coasters and its bungee jump attraction. Called the Xtreme SkyFlyer, this bungee jumping experience suspends riders between two towers and drops them from more than 200 feet in the air. After the initial drop, the riders swing back and forth between the towers, instead of bouncing up and down like in a traditional bungee jump. To ride the SkyFlyer, you will need to buy a ticket into King's Dominion, and then pay an extra fee at the attraction.
King's Dominion
16000 Theme Park Way
Doswell, VA 23047
(804) 876-5000
www.kingsdominion.com
Wintergreen Resort
If your kids have a hankering to try bungee jumping, then head to Wintergreen Resort---a ski lodge nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Although the resort doesn't offer the traditional bungee jumping experience, it does have a hybrid trampoline/bungee apparatus that allows participants to reach heights of 25 feet and more. While at the resort, you can also tackle activities like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, fly-fishing and mountain biking. The trampoline itself can be found at the Out of Bounds Adventure Center and is available to guests of the resort.
Wintergreen Resort
Route 664
Wintergreen, VA 22958
(434) 325-8505
wintergreenresort.com
About The Author
A native of the Washington, DC area, Caroline Tung Richmond has been a freelance writer for 2.5 years. Her work has appeared in the Baltimore Sun, Examiner.com and Highlights (forthcoming). She holds a bachelors degree from BYU, and has hiked in states like Maryland, Nevada and Utah.
