Blog

January 23, 2012

THE CONTEST BEGINS! We’re pleased to announce our “Flying February” Giveaway! The grand prize is a FREE Ultimate Zip Line Experience tour for two at Kapalua Adventures in Maui…that’s a $500 value! To become eligible for the grand prize drawing, contestants must submit either a zip line photo, video, or Photoshop montage in accordance with contest rules below. The submissions with the most Facebook “likes” in each category will then be entered into a drawing at the end of February, and we’ll announce the winner on March 5th. Good luck to all those who enter, and be sure to follow the progress on our Facebook page!

CONTEST DETAILS:
Grand Prize: Free Ultimate Zip Line Experience for two at Kapalua Adventures in Maui. The prize will be awarded in the form of a gift certificate, which will be valid for one year.

How to Enter: Post a zip line photo, video, or Photoshop montage to our Facebook wall, then get as many as your friends to “like” your post as possible. The top 3 posts with the most “likes” in each category will be entered into a grand prize random drawing. Each person may submit only 1 entry per category.

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES/GUIDELINES:
Photos: Photo submissions must be untouched by an editing program. Photos must be taken from anywhere on the Kapalua Adventures property/zip line course. Action shots or scenery shots welcome!

Videos: Video submissions must be less than 3 min in length. We encourage video contestants to edit their videos with music – the better your video is, the more “likes” it’s sure to get! Video footage must be taken from the Kapalua Adventures property/zip line course.

Photoshop montages: Let the creativity fly! No limits in this category… the photos within the montage can be from anywhere around the world, as long as the montage itself has a zip line theme.

**Please use the description area in your Facebook post to indicate the category of your entry (Photo, Video, or Photoshop Montage).

Submission Dates: Feb 1st- Feb 28th, 2012.

Winner: The winning submission will be announced on March 5th, 2012. The winner will be notified via the Facebook profile they used to post their submission.

Good Luck Everyone!

January 13, 2012
Zip Line references keep popping up all over the media! The latest comes from Geico, in the form of a zip lining pig soaring gleefully through the air. (We were happy to see the pig was wearing a helmet).

It makes us smile to see ziplining getting featured all over the media, because it lets us know that our favorite Hawaii activity is growing – a fact that doesn’t surprise us. We know first-hand just how fun and exciting a zip line tour in Hawaii can be, and we want others to share that feeling! Imagine it now… soaring high in the air with the sun in your face and the wind in your hair. On a Maui zip line tour, you’ll find yourself flying through lush green valleys surrounded by beauty. On Oahu, ziplining at Bay View Mini Putt and Zipline means gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and Kaneohe Bay.

So take a lesson from Maxwell the pig, and don’t chicken out – book your Hawaii Zip Line Tour today and see what the fuss is about!

January 6, 2012
With each new year comes that inevitable word: resolution. It’s the conscious decision to do something new, or to change something within our lives. Resolutions can be as varied as the folks who declare them, but we’ve found a few common themes – in particular the commitment to “get fit” or “be more active”. (As a result, we imagine new gym memberships sky-rocket the first week in January!).

But why submit yourself to such a chore? Most of us know that going to the gym isn’t exactly “fun” or “adventurous” – but that doesn’t mean being active needs to be boring. So instead of doing your hamster impression on a treadmill, we think it’s better to get outside for a hike! When you think about it, hiking is a better activity for a variety of reasons: First, you’re breathing fresh air instead of that stale gym air. Second, you’re getting some sun which helps your body produce vitamins A and D. And third, you’ll stay stimulated with all the sights and sounds nature has to provide. (Isn’t that better than watching yourself do curls in the mirror?).

But of course the hardest part of any resolution is just getting started. So we think it’s a good idea to kick-start your new hiking plan with a zip line tour on Maui. The light hiking on the tour combined with the thrill of Maui’s best zip line experience will certainly get your heart going; and it will be the spark you need to get excited for your new fitness plan. Because let’s face it – without a little fun, working out is… well… work! And who likes that?

So we hope to see you on the mountain soon… it will be a great way to ease into your resolution, and hopefully it will ignite a love for being active outdoors. And don’t worry about the gym… we’re confident it will continue smelling stale without you!

December 30, 2011
A tradition as old as the family vacation itself – is the ‘vacation story’. It’s the occasion when you gather your friends around, and begin spouting a narration of the vacation highlights (perhaps embellishing a bit here and there). This tradition is still very much alive, but it’s evolving. Upon your return you not only have the duty of regaling a live crowd, but you also have the added task of posting photos and videos for your cyber-circle! Because let’s face it: In today’s world, it’s all about lavishly supplying your Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube friends with vacation awesomeness in digital photo and video form!

So with this in mind we invite you to do something different on your Maui vacation, and include a zip line tour as part of your Maui activities list. You’ll not only love the thrill of speed and the sheer size of our zip line course, but you’ll also fall in love with the sweeping views, the close-up action, and the stunning beauty… in other words: awesome post content.

So what do you say? Tours run 7 days a week at multiple times per day. We have all types of tours for all types of people, so please view our tours page and find the one that’s right for you. If you capture some great photos and video, be sure to share it on Facebook, and don’t forget to include us!

December 22, 2011
For most people, the holiday season is synonymous with snow. Visions of sugarplums and reindeer just don’t seem right without a healthy dose of the fluffy white stuff to go along with them. But what about the holidays in Hawaii? Can it still be Christmas without the snow? The answer is a resounding yes… because the holidays are about much more than snow, reindeer, or presents. The holidays are about spending time with friends and family, two of the most precious gifts life has to offer!

But for those of you who are visiting from a colder climate, there remains hope (if ever so slight) if you are sentimental for the snow. Because of the chilly temps that accompany high elevations, we sometimes wake up to snow-capped mountain tops on Maui and the Big Island. Can you believe it?? Snow in Hawaii! The conditions have to be just right, and it never extends far enough down the mountain to reach our zip line course, but we do sometimes catch a glimpse of snow atop the beautiful mountains. We think it’s a gift to those who long for just a glimpse of sugary snow.

The mountains indeed offer many gifts, and to us the best gift is providing a wonderful place to work and play. Ziplining on Maui is by far one of the greatest experiences this island can offer. High above sea level, overlooking the lush green valley and blue Pacific Ocean, you can’t help but marvel at the beauty, and feel lucky you’re here. Snow or no snow, each day on the mountain is a blessing… one we love to share with our guests!

So if you’ll be here on Maui during the holidays, book a zip line tour and be sure to see it all for yourself. We can’t guarantee it will be a White Christmas, but we can guarantee it will be a day of fun and beautiful scenery that will last in your memory for a long time. Who knows… you just might find yourself getting used to the idea of Palm Trees replacing Christmas Trees!

December 14, 2011
We’ve recently made another appearance on a TV show, this time with the adorable Rachel Ray. (For those of you don’t know, Rachel hosts her own cooking program called “The Rachel Ray Show”).

So, what’s a cooking show have to do with zip lining? Well… not much! I mean, our guides are definitely PROS when it comes to eating – but we think she just couldn’t pass up the chance to zip line in Maui! To us, it was a great compliment… anyone that sidetracks their cooking show with a totally unrelated zip line segment must really enjoy fun and adventure – which we think are the two main ‘ingredients’ for a winning zip line recipe. Take a peek at the show…. you’ll find us making our appearance around 3:10 on the video timeline! We could get used to all this notoriety… dare we say Hollywood may come knocking one day?

December 3, 2011
In today’s technology-driven world, most everyone has surely experienced difficulties of some kind or another. Be it email problems, mobile phone issues, or both… chances are you’ve found yourself thinking “Why don’t they just make this easier?”.

As technology users ourselves, (hey it’s not all granola bars and zip lines for us) we couldn’t agree more. It’s our motto that technology should make life easier, not harder. That’s why we’ve re-designed the layout of our online booking widget to be as simple as possible… making the process of booking a Hawaii Zip Line Tour easier then ever before. At a glance you’ll learn what each tour has to offer; from amount of time required, to the number of zip lines you’ll ride. You’ll even learn what’s on the menu – as some of our tours include a snack or a gourmet lunch! When you’ve chosen a tour and are ready to book your reservation, a single click will allow you to “Book Now” and process your payment.

We hope you take advantage of our easy-to-use system, and book your Hawaii Zip Line Tour online today! We think you’ll find the process simple and intuitive… which is a good thing… because now you’ll have more time to troubleshoot your email!

November 17, 2011
To be among the best, you need to train with the best. We think our zip line guides are among the best in Hawaii, maybe even the world. We’ve been ranked the #1 zip line tour operator on Maui for consecutive years, and we know we have our guides to credit. After all, it is they who make sure our guests are comfortable, informed, and smiling.

But being a zipline guide is a tough job, and it takes a special kind of person to do it. So we thought we’d share a little “inside look” at what it takes to become a zipline guide. We pick applicants who are friendly, courteous, and eager to share their joy of ziplining with others. The job also requires an intensive 4-6 week training program, where guides learn the ropes (pun definitely intended) and also learn about the private land we operate on. This program produces a professional zipline guide who is reverent as well as skilled.

Take a look at what others are saying on Trip Advisor and you’ll see what we mean. Our guides get lots of fan mail (and even a few love letters!) which lets us know we’re doing our job well. This week, we’ve got a new crew of trainees and we’re as excited as ever over their talent and potential. Our veteran guides are showing them the ropes as we speak, and soon they’ll join the ranks among what we feel is the world’s best zipline team.

We hope you come by and see for yourself! Book your own zipline tour on Maui or Oahu, and be assured that when you meet your guide, you’re meeting someone special – someone who was hand-picked to begin training based on their natural potential – and who completed training because of their winning attitude, knowledge, and super-duper skills!

The 2011 XTERRA World Championship recently took place on the island of Maui – right in our neighborhood! We were on scene to watch the world’s most incredible athletes doing their thing (and maybe to catch a glimpse of Lance Armstrong!). The day was perfect – we had warm temps, bright sunny skies and gentle winds. The triathlon course, however, was daunting: A 1.5-kilometer swim, followed by a 30-kilometer mountain bike, then finished off with a 10-kilometer trail run. These athletes were totally amazing!

We knew the XTERRA crowd appreciates a good adventure, so we couldn’t resist the opportunity to take some of the VIPS and media on a teaser zip line tour before Sunday’s race. And so – with helmet cams and Go Pros rolling, we showed them the West Maui Mountains where Kapalua Adventures runs their legendary Maui zip line tours. What a great way to loosen up before a big race!

This marked the first year we played host to the event, and we are ‘xtremely’ proud to be a part of such an amazing competition. Check out the video for some of the highlights – and be sure to come see us at our Maui location to book your own zipline adventure!

October 14, 2011
Lucky Days
Ever feel like it’s your lucky day? Well if you live in the Seattle area, your lucky day might be on the way! Folks in the Seattle area are buzzing with excitement thanks to STAR 101.5′s “Pick Your Paradise” Hawaii Giveaway. There’s still some time left in the contest, so if you live in the Seattle area you better hurry up and enter – the grand prize is a Hawaii vacation for two with air travel provided by Alaska Air and accommodations provided by the Hyatt!

To get listeners pumped-up for this contest, STAR 101.5 sent their crew to Maui for a few days of broadcasting from the islands. We learned that the winner of this contest gets to choose which island to visit – Kauai, Oahu, or Maui. Knowing this, we sent our very own Molly Elmo (sales and marketing extraordinaire) to make an on-air appearance and tell listeners about Kapalua Adventures. Using her natural wit and charm, she painted listeners a picture of zip lining through the West Maui Mountains, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, high above a lush green tropical valley. Surely she was able to sway a few votes for the winners to visit Maui!

The winners will fly Alaska Air and will stay at one of the luxurious Hyatt properties in Hawaii. We wish all the contestants the best of luck, and we hope that they choose Maui as their destination and visit us at Kapalua Adventures. The contest runs through mid-October (check 101.5′s website for details) so enter soon! Who knows – it just might be your lucky day!

September 14, 2011
Our Oahu zip line location is the perfect destination for group outings of any kind! We see all types of groups from all walks of life enjoying our park on a daily basis. You might think groups of unruly teens might turn the place upside down once in awhile, but it’s actually the 50 to 70 year old crowd you have to watch out for!

Last week we had a blast zip lining with a group of 14 wonderful ladies, who among them had an average age of 61. As you can imagine, this group could not be contained. One gal screamed just about the whole way down the zip line, with the others cheering and waving most jovially. They raced each other, clapped and laughed loudly, and pretty much took over the park… it was wonderful!

Here at Bayview Mini-Putt and Zipline on Oahu, we welcome your zest for life. Bring your entire group down here for birthdays, special occasions or team building opportunities. Groups can stick together or branch out and enjoy the park elements which include our 400-ft zip line and 2 mini-putt courses with 18 holes each. The multiple platforms and group areas make it the perfect setup for those wishing to take a break or just relax and watch the others play. So take it from that last group of wild women in their golden years…bring your next group outing here and have the time of your life!

September 1, 2011
The popularity of zip lining is growing in leaps and bounds! Now more than ever, zip lines are available all over the world at travel destinations and resorts, and even your local mom-and-pop fun park! At Kapalua Adventures, we love that so many other people share our passion for zip lining. So with all this zipping going on, one needs to ask the question: What makes Maui’s Kapalua Adventures the best zip line experience?

Well, the answer comes in two parts. The first (and most obvious) is our breath-taking scenery. Zip lining with us means you’ll start high in the West Maui Mountains, then sweep through lush green valleys, with views of the pacific ocean and neighboring Hawaiian Islands. We even offer sunset and full moon zip line tours! With the wind in your hair and a smile on your face, nothing can compare with the Kapalua Adventures Maui zip line experience.

The second reason our guests say we’re the best zip line in Hawaii, maybe even the world, is our guides. They’re your heroes! One trip with one of our professional zip line guides and you’ll know why. Our guides are put through an intense 4-6 week training period, when they not only learn the ins and outs of zip lining, but also focus on the history and culture of the private land we operate on. They make you feel safe and comfortable, they entertain you and educate you. Above all else, they love to zip line and want to share their enthusiasm with you!

But hey – don’t take our word for it… check out what others are saying about us on Trip Advisor. You’ll learn first hand why our zip line guides have the best job in the world – and why fan mail gets sent to us weeks, even months after a guest has zipped with us. We hope all this makes helps you take that “first leap” and call us for a reservation. We look forward to seeing you on you very own incredible Maui zip line adventure!

August 28, 2011
Have you ever been so scared of something that it took you awhile to work up the courage to try it? Sure you have – we’ve all been there.

But it is indeed these times – when we are scared or frightened – that we find our inner strength. We take that first step, or leap, and just go for it – despite our fears. And in the end, we discover ‘it wasn’t so bad’ after all. Heck, you might even call it a piece of cake!

Today we were reminded of this powerful life lesson when we were visited by 10-year old Kayleigh and her family. At first, she was certain she did not want to ride the zip line, but instead opted to watch older brother Ryley have a go. After seeing how much fun Ryley had on his first run, Kayleigh thought she might have a look from the top of the platform… but no promises on riding.

So as Ryley took off on his second zip line ride, Kayleigh gave it some good thought, but again opted not to ride. It took a third ride from Ryley, and some assurance that it was SUPER fun – (not just regular fun) – to convince her to go.

And so with courage in her heart, young Kayleigh geared up, grabbed hold, and away she went! Eye-witness reports vary, but it has been said that her smile could be seen all the way across the bay by passing boaters! When she landed, the only thing she could do was plead with her mother for a second ride.

And so there we have it… a lesson learned, a fear conquered, and a new ‘zipper’ joins the club. Who knows what’s next for Kayleigh now… today it’s conquering zip lines, and tomorrow it’s on to even greater things – just after Ryley tries it first.

August 4, 2011

GoZip was recently featured in USA Today’s Travel Tips. Writer Trent Jennings examines all of Hawaii’s zipline adventures one island at a time; complete with descriptions of the surrounding environment as well as what participants may expect.

Click Here to Read the Full Article

May 14, 2011
Kapalua Adventures has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Journal, USA Today “Top 10 Ziplines in the US,” The Food Network’s “Rachel’s Vacation” and ABC’s “The Bachlerorette”.

Bay View Mini-Putt and Zipline has been selected as one of the top ten miniature golf spots in the nation by USA TODAY and voted as one of Oahu’s top three miniature golf courses in The Honolulu Advertiser’s Best of 2007.