White Water Rafting: Wild Fun on the River

Dare I say that we’re in the last leg of summer? It is hard to believe it is already August. But, we have a good full month of summer left, and if we’re lucky a little extra. So, for the rest of August, in addition to having the opportunity for some of my favorite bloggers to guest blog, I’m talkin’ about fun ways to take advantage of the warmth and summer sun while you still can!

Admittedly, I haven’t been as physically adventurous this summer as I usually am, due to my crazy busy schedule. But one thing I have enjoyed in summers past is white water rafting. I’m not generally one to do crazy things on the water, for instance I have been on a jet ski once and that was probably enough for me. But, I do thoroughly enjoy a good white water rafting trip. One thing I love about it is focusing a weekend around an activity and getting in some time out in the woods without full on camping (what do you want? I’m a city girl at heart). We’ve gone white water rafting a couple places locally and had different, yet equally fun, experiences:

• Deerfield River, Western Massachusetts: We went to Zoar Outdoor which hosts guided white water rafting trips, on class 3 rapids, and has cabin tents (read: has real bathrooms and not sleeping on the ground). We had a fun day out on the water, they provided us with lunch. And after we got back, showered, and relaxed we scouted out a local bar where a band was playing classic rock tunes and we were able to kick back with some beers and relax.
• Penobscot, Maine: This is a bit of a hike if you’re visiting or from the Boston area, but well worth the six hour drive. The rapids here are more of the class 4 and 5 variety, meaning more intense, but more challenging and fun if you’re looking for a little more risk. The guides at Penobscot Adventures here were knowledgeable and they gave us the opportunity to try out some fun stuff on the rapids all while keeping us safe. Again, we indulged in the cabin tent option, and we were bunked up with some of our close friends. We worked and played hard all day and partied hard at night. A great summer adventure.

Any plans for some outdoor fun this month? Have you been white water rafting in the New England area or elsewhere?