Guadalupe River State Park, Texas

Float down river past towering cypress trees and steep limestone bluffs on the Guadalupe -- just try not to tip out of your tube or kayak when you encounter one of the park’s four different sections of class TWELVE rapids!! Ok maybe rapid classes don’t actually go that high... and maybe it’s more like levels one - three, but with a little imagination it will be as exhilarating as twelve! Other river-centric activities include swimming and fishing for trout, bass, and sunfish -- fly fishing is especially à la mode here. Back on dry land, frolick through forests of elm, oak, and juniper and meadows of grasslands where white-tail deer, coyotes, and bobcats roam via the park’s network of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. If you really want to get away from it all, sign up for a guided interpretive hike through the adjacent Honey Creek Natural State Area, but it’s only available Saturdays at 9am - so better plan ahead! If you’re visiting with kids in tow, they’ll love the Children’s Discovery Center and park playgrounds -- just keep an eye on the kiddos when they’re splashing in the river’s swift currents.