As summer arrives, many families spend time together taking part in outdoor activities. Statistics gathered from 2016 found that 48.6% of people living in the United States participated in at least one type of outdoor activity per year. Another study found that 66% of parents felt that the money spent on outdoor activities was justified purely to watch their children enjoy themselves. One great way to have a fun family time is by a booking a whitewater rafting trip. Considering that, here are six tips to remember before your first whitewater rafting trip.
- Book Your Trip in Advance
While booking a trip to a whitewater rafting location, it’s important to do this at least a few weeks in advance. That being said, you might want to contact your location of choice a little further in advance during peak rafting seasons. Booking a trip in advance allows for the whitewater rafting service to set aside rafts and equipment for your group. - Leave Remotely Valuable Items at Home
After booking a trip is taken care of, you’ll likely want to start packing. You won’t need to bring along any expensive GPS devices for whitewater rafting trips. While booking a trip on expensive mobile devices is easy to do, you won’t want to bring these items out on the water. Although you might find yourself taking the lowest difficulty whitewater course, there’s always a chance that a bump could cause your phone to fly off of the raft. - Choose the Right Kind of Class
It’s understandable if you imagine white water rafting to seem a little too intense. Considering that, you’ve probably seen this activity performed at higher difficulties by skilled professionals. There are several types of whitewater rafting classes which range from Class I to Class VI. These classes help to determine the hazards you might encounter while rafting in these areas. - Bring Along Sunglasses
Many experts recommend that you wear sunglasses while white water rafting. This is done to prevent the glare caused by the sun reflecting off of these waters. That being said, you won’t want to bring along expensive sunglasses. Instead, bring along a few pairs of cheap sunglasses for the duration of your whitewater river rafting trip. - Have a Guide with You
Part of a booking a trip for any beginning whitewater rafters should involve having a guide. This is also wise to have if you need to take time away from the water. Booking a trip without a guide is something that can make your experience quite risky, especially for those new to this activity. - Bring Spare Clothes
After a day of whitewater rafting, you’re likely to be soaked. However, this won’t be a problem for long if new clothes are waiting for you in your vehicle. No one wants to drive home in soaked clothes. This can also risk leaving your vehicle’s seat smelling of mildew. This won’t be a problem while having a spare set of dry clothes waiting for you after your rafting trip.
In closing, there are several tips to follow while getting ready for your first whitewater rafting trip. River rafting trips are fun for people of nearly all ages. Whitewater rafting trips are incredibly enjoyable experiences for friends, family, and work colleagues. If you’re looking for a great way to enjoy being out of the house and office, consider going on a whitewater rafting trip.
