Get soaked close to home - Water sports in the Hudson Valley: From swimming to bumper boats
Hudson Valley, N.Y. Don’t let high gas prices leave you hot and bothered. The Hudson Valley offers many ways to keep cool with water sports and recreational activities, all less than a tank of gas away. Adventure lovers can ride the whitewater rapids and drift with the current as the Esopus Creek winds its way through the Catskill Mountains. Town Tinker Tube Rental in Phoenicia, N.Y., has both novice and expert courses. If those traveling with a crowd, consider rafting down the scenic Delaware River while watching bald eagles circling above. Liveries along the river rent rafts as well as canoes and kayaks, and will drop boaters off at the launch point and pick them up after they complete their trip. Hudson Valley Outfitters offers guided tours of the Hudson River. On Aug. 5, Hudson River Research Reserve naturalists will lead an educational afternoon canoe paddle through the marshy maze of Iona Island. No experience is needed and equipment is provided. Beginners can attend an introduction to kayaking session on July 26 and Aug. 10 on Rensselaer Plateau’s largest lake. For those who would rather relax than paddle can hop onboard the Albany Aqua Ducks, first by land, then by sea. It will take in a tour of Albany’s historic streets and then offer views of the city by boat. Dive right in To get into the water, Splashdown Park in Fishkill offers waterslides, tube slides, a wave pool, and bumper boats. Lake Taghkanic State Park in Ancram has a swimming beach where cottages, cabins, and boat rentals are also available. On July 20, competitors in the Rip Van Winkle’s Wacky Raft Race in Athens and Catskill race to the finish in their ersatz homemade craft. Food, vendors, and live entertainment will also be available. From Aug. 1 to 3, tall ships, fireworks, and kayak trips are part of Peekskill Celebration on the Hudson River. The weekend-long festival includes music, crafts, food, and a car show. The Hudson Valley Paddle, a 150-mile kayak expedition from July 31 to Aug. 13 on the Hudson, takes in waterfront camping for the journey as well as three community riverfront festivals along the way. where to go Town Tinker Tube Rental, Phoenicia. 845-688-5553, www.towntinker.com Silver Canoe Raft Rentals, Port Jervis. 800-724-8342, www.silvercanoe.com Hudson Valley Outfitters, Cold Spring. 845-265-0221, www.hudsonvalleyoutfitters.com Hudson River Research Reserve, Iona Island. 845-889-4745, ext. 106. E-mail bazogari@gw.dec.state.ny.us Introduction to Kayaking, Cropseyville. 518-658-2055, www.dykenpond.org Albany Aqua Ducks, Albany. 518-462-3825, www.albanyaquaducks.com Splashdown Park, Fishkill. 845-897-9600, www.splashdownbeach.com Lake Taghkanic State Park, Ancram. 518-851-3631, http://www.nysparks.com/parks Rip Van Winkle’s Wacky Raft Race, Athens. 800-355-2287, tourism@discovergreene.com Peekskill Celebration, Peekskill. 914-736-2000, www.peekskillcelebration.com Hudson Valley Paddle, along the Hudson River. 518-424-3986, hudsongreenway.state.ny.us/ghrp For more information, call Hudson Valley Tourism at 845-615-3860 or visit www.travelhudsonvalley.com..