New Braunfels, TX (July 27, 2020) – Natural Bridge Caverns continues to celebrate 60 years of Discovery with the addition of exclusive VIP tours created for guests looking for a more private experience for their family or small group.
After months of staying at home, it’s time to get out of the house and do something exciting! COVID-19 has changed the way people are traveling. Spending time outdoors has become a ‘natural fit’ for family travel. In response, Natural Bridge Caverns has re-vamped some of its popular tours to create new VIP adventures and several brand-new excursions, all designed for guests looking for a more private experience. They range from tours on paved walkways to off-trail ‘wild’ cave excursions, with options for people of all ages.
Natural Bridge Caverns was discovered in 1960 by four intrepid college students from nearby St. Mary’s University. Their journey was illuminated by the glow of their carbide headlamps that were mounted to their helmets. The Lantern Tour provides the opportunity to experience their discovery, by the glow of your handheld lantern which produces a similar amount of light that the cavers had. See the caverns the way they did and hear about their incredible discovery.
The Hidden Passages Adventure Tour is not for the faint of heart. Guests will get muddy as they climb and crawl as our Discoverers did 60 years ago. It starts with a 160 ft. descent down a 22-inch-wide well shaft, then they step off the beaten path for a down and dirty, off-trail, “wild” cave experience. We will deck you out in caving gear including helmet, gloves and a headlamp which serves as your primary source of light throughout the journey.
This tour mixes a traditional Discovery Tour with a short, off-trail caving trek through St. Mary’s Hall to what our cave’s discoverers called the “Fairy Pit.” They named the passage after their alma mater, St. Mary’s University. It’s perfect for people who want a little extra challenge or families who want to turn up the fun but have limited time. Families will love climbing, crawling, and getting their feet wet and dirty! Guests are provided a helmet with headlamps and gloves.
Created for amateur and professional photographers alike, this tour offers additional time which is not possible during normal tours. Photographers can slow down and set up for that perfect shot. Shutterbugs will tour the Discovery Passages and cavern lighting can be customized by the tour guide.
Private Tours & Custom Experiences
A Private Discovery Tour is Natural Bridge Caverns’ original tour – featuring the largest rooms and most spectacular formations – offered as a private tour for a family or group. The Private Hidden Passages Tour offers the same type of experience, but this second system of caves emphasizes the rarest and delicate formations and features a moment of total darkness.
All these tours as well as your experiences at Natural Bridge Caverns can now be customized. From underground wedding proposals, gender reveals using our dynamic lighting, an intimate candlelight dinner underground, to an even more ‘extreme’ adventure tour, our team has endless ways of making your adventure at Natural Bridge Caverns just the way you want it. Want to add a little “twist” to your adventure? Twisted Trails, our newest attraction, is the perfect way to kick off your next private team-building or birthday party. It’s the largest outdoor sky trail and sky rail attraction in the world! Customize your next private outing by including the rest of our surface attractions, like the AMAZEn’ Ranch Roundup outdoor maze, and the Discovery Village Mining Company where you can pan for gems and fossils. If you’re looking for a more private event, ask about our after-hours catering and special events programs where you can have total exclusivity of any of our tours, attractions and venues for your group. Our team has endless ways of creating the perfect day at Natural Bridge Caverns for your family or small group.
Private VIP tours and custom experiences are limited and require a reservation. They must be reserved and confirmed with one of Natural Bridge Caverns’ team members at 210-651-6101. They are not available for online booking; however, descriptions of the tours and general prices may be found here.
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ABOUT NATURAL BRIDGE CAVERNS
26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, Natural Bridge Caverns, TX 78266
https://naturalbridgecaverns.com/ l 210-651-6101 l https://www.facebook.com/naturalbridgecavernstx/ @NaturalBridgeCaverns l #NBCavernsTX
On 27 Mar 1960, four college students, Orion Knox Jr., Preston Knodell Jr., Al Brandt, and Joe Cantu from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio began an underground exploration that ultimately would reveal the most extensive, largest cavern system in Texas. After hearing of an incredible 60-foot natural limestone bridge, which later became the caverns’ namesake, the students asked landowner Clara Wuest if they could investigate what laid beneath their family’s ranch. On the cavers’ fourth expedition, they uncovered a long, narrow crawlspace that ultimately opened into 2 miles of virgin caverns. Today, their discovery is recognized as one of the world’s premier show caverns.
Natural Bridge Caverns located between San Antonio and New Braunfels in Comal County, Texas, offers year-round activities including multiple cavern tours, a maze, an adventure course, gemstone mining, restaurants, and shopping. Grounds offer several ideal settings for weddings, groups, and birthday parties. Christmas at the Caverns includes holiday light displays, smores around a campfire and carolers throughout the caverns. Natural Bridge Caverns is owned and operated by the Wuest family and is a designated Texas Historic Site, National Natural Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.