Phillipsburg, NJ Outdoor Activities

The captains at Point Pleasant Parasail know the ins, outs, and ups of parasailing. As a team, they work from a base of more than 25 years of experience soaring above some of the world’s most beautiful locales including the Caribbean and Hawaii. Although the company specializes in parasailing adventures that propel riders 500 feet into the air, it also offers fireworks cruises, banana-boat rides, and dolphin speed-dating events.

The Great Divide Campground lures campers out of their tents and cabins with diversions such as fishing in an onsite private lake, swimming in a heated long-course pool, and dethawing marshmallows over crackling fires. Each of the 270 campsites adds to the natural greenery of its surroundings with a fire ring and picnic table. The campground staff peddles ice and firewood and delivers it for free, unlike pack mules that always demand tips. A private lake hosts boating and paddleboating. Other amenities include everything from a basketball court and horseshoe pits to a laundry facility, restrooms with flush toilets, and free showers.

The 50-mile-per-hour speeds of Zoom Ziplines’ four lines may feel dangerous, but that’s just an illusion. Daily inspections by staff members ensure safe, smooth trips for the customers aged 13 and older who cascade down the lines daily. During two-hour trips, customers cross a suspension bridge on foot and fly down four ziplines that stretch up to 1,400 feet, breathing in mountain air and taking in stunning vistas. The course’s tandem ziplines allow friends to race or merely enjoy side-by-side views of the lake, local wildlife, and clouds playfully contorting themselves into the shapes of former presidents.

Paddle Creek’s picturesque launch settings makes it an ideal jumping-off point for river excursions in single and tandem kayaks and canoes or atop a standup paddleboard. The staff of outdoor enthusiasts helps everyone from novice to advanced paddlers select their ideal vessels―for rental or purchase―and even recommends areas of interest. In addition to equipment rentals, the adventure spot offers lessons as well as self-guided tours.