By Madison Jones
Special Contributor
Journalism 201A

It’s much easier than you might think to embrace your inner Tarzan locally. Margarita Adventures, a zipline tour in Santa Margarita has been family owned and operated on the historic Rancho Santa Margarita for years.

“Today, Santa Margarita Ranch remains one of California’s oldest continuously operated cattle ranches and is regarded as a cornerstone of Central Coast agritourism,” Margarita Adventures’ website describes. Many Native Americans lived on the ranch for thousands of years until it was settled by the Spanish in the 1700s and added to the historic Mission Trail.

Santa Margarita is a quick twenty minutes north of San Luis Obispo and in between Cuesta College’s San Luis Obispo campus and North County campus, making it a perfect halfway point for students of both campuses.

College students constantly complain about the lack of activities for the under 21 crowd; ziplining is the perfect all-age activity. Nothing can replace the rush of adrenaline from gliding freely through the trees.

The Double Barrel is a unique 2,800 foot double zipline so that two people can ride next to each other.

On the other hand, The Renegade is a solo step-off a cliff 1,200 feet through the Santa Lucia Mountains.

The Woodlander is a journey through 600 feet of blue and white oak trees. Feel the rush of adrenaline soaring through 430 feet of vineyards in The Hilltopper.

The Archway swings through an archway of oak trees. People are encouraged to try their luck at landing in a bean bag at the end of the zipline.

Finally, the Pinot Express is an 1,800 foot line over Pinot Noir grapevines and a replica of the historical P.W. Murphy Mining Company once located on Rancho Santa Margarita. This line requires a short hike but well worth it.

For those who enjoy wine, Margarita Adventures has the option of ziplining over to Ancient Peaks Winery and tasting the wine made from the grapes on Rancho Santa Margarita.

Ziplines were originally used by ancient cultures in the Himalayas and South America to travel over rocky terrain. Many years later, in the 1700s, the English caught on and used ziplines to maintain their churches. They sent workers up and down steeples for maintenance.

However, zip lining did not become truly popular until the 1970s when scientists would swing through jungles to do their research. Costa Rican scientists grew tired of climbing rainforest trees so they created makeshift ziplines to expedite travel and research. From there, ziplining has become a great attraction to tourists and locals worldwide.

Rates start at $109 for adults and $79 for an all-inclusive package of all six ziplines. Bookings can be found online or by calling (805) 438-3120.