His and Her Travel Review: Toboggan Ride at the Big Banana

It takes a good part of a day to travel from Surfers Paradise to Newcastle so we planned to stop at the Big Banana for lunch and to let Amanda experience a toboggan ride. The Big Banana is a functioning banana plantation, but is also a tourist attraction with a huge fibreglass banana, a gift shop and cafe, and a few other attractions including a toboggan ride. Shellie, Tim and I had all been on it before, but Amanda had never been on a toboggan ride as there is none anywhere close to Virginia that we know about.

We bought 10 tickets between us for $30 which would gave us all a couple of rides each. The track looked similar to a bobsled track, but inside of ice it was made of metal and the toboggans had little wheels so it could roll down the hill. I don't know how fast you can can go, but it seems pretty quick and I almost fell out of the toboggan on one of the corners as I took it just a little too quick. You don't have to fly down it at break neck speed as you are able to control your speed by using the brake. It was a lot of fun and was a welcome break from the car journey. I would definitely come back and ride it again if we were in the area.

I LOVED this toboggan ride. It was so fun and, if we had one like it nearby, I would be there every month. I was scared the first time, because I am afraid of heights. As the cart was pulled up the hill (like a roller coaster car is pulled up the lift hill), I just stared at the brake lever. Then when it released the car and I started rolling, I could not stop laughing. As soon as I finished, I wanted to go again. And again! And again! It was fantastic!! I was so glad for this pit stop and for the fun that it brought.

Shellie was going faster than me, because I was nervous, so she caught up a little. We didn't play bumper toboggans though! 

Tim trying to get around the corners as fast as possible without flying off the edge or tipping out.

 This is the "lift hill" where the mechanism pulled you and your cart to the top.

Sean flying through the corners (and almost flying out).

The final stretch was fun because of the speed, but sad because the ride was over.

Big Thumbs up for the toboggan ride!

We all had such a good time. I'm so glad we got to do this together!

Have you ever been on a toboggan ride like this? If you have any in your area or have come across them in your travels please share them with us. We would love to find one closer than Coffs Harbor, NSW Australia. :)

Happy Travels,