Forget the ocean, the new beach vacation is on the river. And while getting to your very own secluded beach is half the fun, that doesn’t mean the fun stops there. After running the rapids, you’ve typically got the entire afternoon and evening to waste away the hours in total bliss.

What could you possibly do with yourself in the middle of nowhere, miles away from civilization? Plenty. Here are some of our favorite ways for making the most out of your beach vacation (redefined)…

Let your inner-kid shine and play a game.
Whether it’s the classics like horseshoes and volleyball, or a guide favorite like Hunker Down, where you’ll have to test your balance and outsmart your opponent to win, you won’t be able to resist jumping into the beach game action. And when the stars start to come out, the guides will pull out glow bocce. You better eye up the competition throughout the day, because things will get competitive!

Water sports of a different sort.
You’ve been on the water all day, yet the crystal clear water of the river is right there enticing you and the family to jump in. But why just take a dip when you can go on an adventure swim? You’ll need a life jacket for this one because it involves hiking upstream and letting yourself flow through the rapids, minus the boat. Or, back at shore, challenge a guide (or family member) to a “duckie war.” It’s like king of the hill, but you’re both balancing on an upside down duckie (also known as an inflatable kayak). Chances are you’ll both fall off, but hey, you wanted to get wet, right? And sure, you see them on the ocean, but stand up paddle boards (SUPs) are just as much fun on the river. Take one out for a whirl.

Hikes you can only access via the beach.
So, you’re in the middle of this river canyon, on a glorious secluded beach, but you can’t help but be curious about what lies beyond the beach. Is it a stream that leads to a hidden waterfall, or perhaps a hot spring calling you in for a dip? One thing is for sure, beyond a river beach, there is way more than a line of resorts. And it’s all yours to discover on an exploratory hike.

Rediscover your love of fishing.
You can’t just cast your fishing rod from an ocean beach and hope to catch something. But you can do that from a river beach. And with fish biting often, from some of the most pristine fishing holes you’ll ever see, the fun will last for hours.

Just kick back and relax.
Sometimes all you need is a good book, cold beverage, and feet dipped in the water to have a good time. We recommend grabbing a beach chair and plopping it right in the river. Why not?

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The post The Beach Vacation Redefined appeared first on River Currents.

Yes, that’s right, the Grand Canyon has some of the best sandy beaches in the world surrounded by some of the most surreal scenery you can get.  And the best part?  You can only get to them by boat.  But the Grand Canyon isn’t alone.  There are a ton of rivers that offer stunning, secluded beaches that few people get to step foot on each year.  They are little slices of paradise that you would never expect.  And we’re going to reveal them here.

We’ve talked to some of the most experienced river guides out there to find out where some of the best beaches in the U.S. hide.  Here’s what they had to say…

Billy Bar – Lower Salmon River, ID

Scenery is key at this Lower Salmon River beach spot that’s also ideal for family fun.

Here’s what the guides say:

This enormous sandy beach offers not only a wonderful view but lots of options as to how you’d like to spend your day at camp. There is lots of room for campers to spread out and “claim” their river front property. The beach also doubles as an outstanding volleyball court or bocce ball arena. And of course something must be said about the big calm eddy that invites you to try out an SUP board, start a ducky war or just go in for a cool down.

Brown Betty – Colorado River through Cataract Canyon, UT

One of the favorites on a Cataract Canyon rafting trip, boaters fight hard to make their way to Brown Betty before others claim this ideal spot.

Here’s what the guides say:

Brown Betty is a vast expanse of dunes at the bottom of the very first rapid in nearly a hundred river miles, with the soaring and portentous cliffs of mighty Cataract Canyon tilting upwards towards a searingly violet sky. You’re excited about the huge rapids to come, but want to hang a while to hike to the magical sandstone turrets of The Maze and the Doll House, which of course ups the adrenaline. This is the real deal. It’s so pristine you could go for a walk in the moonlight to the end of the earth, and never stub your toe.

Grapevine – Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, AZ

Already mentioned above, we couldn’t leave the Grand Canyon off of our list.

Here’s what the guides say:

Nothing in the world is quite like having your boat tied to a sand stake pounded to its hilt in fine-grained sand, gently rocking in the calm eddy of one of the most prized catches in the Grand Canyon: Grapevine Camp, mile 83. The roar of Grapevine rapids is just downstream, echoing off the darkening schist cliffs of the Upper Granite Gorge. Your heart is at ease, your spirit soaring with the ravens, your anticipation of more huge rapids on the morrow, and if you’re lucky your belly is full of Dutch-Oven baked brownies with crushed walnuts.

Warren Creek Camp – Main Salmon River, ID 

There are lots of pristine beaches on the Main Salmon River, but this one makes the cut for being a secluded paradise with stellar fishing.

Here’s what the guides say:

This hidden, large beach is a favorite among anglers due to its proximity to Warren Creek just upstream of camp. But if fishing is not your thing, you have plenty of other options at this secluded beach. Its space provides lots of room for finding solitude at your tent, partaking in beach games, heading out for a hike or going for a dip in the calm eddy nearby.

Confluence of the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers – Tatshenshini River, Alaska

With glacial blue waters and snow-capped peaks in the distance, it’s a different kind of beach experience.  But one that’s worth the trip.

Here’s what the guides say:

The views are bigger than any!

A special thanks to river guides Jeffe Aronson, Codye Reynolds, Gena Moore, and Ote Dale for contributing to this piece.

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The post Perfect Sandy Paradises You Can Only Get To By Boat… appeared first on River Currents.

People often categorize themselves by the types of vacations they take — which does reveal a lot about their psyche, I think, but not nearly enough of them say, “We do rivers.”

You hear, “I’m a beach girl.” Or you hear, “We loooooove cruises.” Maybe he says, “Gimme the right duck blind, and I’m in heaven for a week!”

Well, they’re all missing out. Honestly. Let’s run through all the possible vacations you might take and examine why a river trip should forever tarnish their image in your mind’s eye:

1. The Beach — We all have this fantasy of an isolated, white-sand beach with crystal blue waters at just the perfect temperature, and nary a soul around to distract us. In truth, we all end up paying too much for the hotel, fighting for enough space to lay down our towel, fighting with our beach umbrella, listening to the kids nearby whine about being hungry, repeatedly getting run over by the bodybuilders chasing volleyballs and frisbees, and realizing the $20 sunscreen we bought because we forgot our own is only SPF 3 not 30, so now we’re delusional from sun poisoning. These things just don’t happen on a river trip.

2. Any Marvel of Engineering — If you’re like me, you’ve got that person in the family that wants to go see the Eiffel Tower or the Navy’s largest aircraft carrier or, the worst, some factory. They try to lure you in with some factoid they read on the website, like, “Can you believe there are over a million hex-head rivets in it?” What’s really dangerous is when this person finds a point of interest based on the destination, as opposed to the other way around. That’s how you end up standing in front of an oil pipeline in Alaska, learning what a “pig” is.

3. Tours Based On Pop Culture — You can ride a bus around New York and see every place they visited on “Seinfeld.” You can get a map of the stars and go stare through the gates of mansions in Beverly Hills and say you saw where all your favorite celebrities (supposedly) live. You can even take a bus tour based on the “Real Housewives of New Jersey.“ Actually, if we have to convince you a river trip is better than this, well, never mind.

4. Too Many Plane Connections — If your travel agent, or whoever makes your vacation arrangements, starts suggesting your pre-trip reading include websites such as www.sleepinginairports.net, you should be worried. Although you might have to take a plane to meet up with your river trip, after that you’ll quickly forget the stale fluorescent lighting, the stale overpriced food, the stale air and the stale robot voices on the intercom system of the airport.

5. The Wrong Kind Of Adventure — The U.S. State Department issues those warnings for a reason, so be wary of that intrepid backpacker boyfriend of yours who starts talking about the wonders of the street markets in Kabul and his pickpocket-proof travel vest. If you get passed this link to start comparing hotels, call us and we’ll try to persuade you why an experienced international outfitter might be a good idea.

6. Theme Parks — We’ve previously explained 5 reasons a rafting trip beats the pants off an amusement park vacation. It can’t hurt to give you more. Like, for instance, that most of them are so expensive that people will consider bargain options that will prove “you get what you pay for.” So, if your vacation partner starts extolling the virtues of “Fantazy Land,” be very, very afraid. And then call our adventure consultants to parry with a better vacation idea.

7. A Cruise — A boat’s a boat, you might say. Hardly. Remember that crowded beach? Remember the insanity of the theme park? Well, now imagine yourself trying to relax with all of that thrown together on a boat, trapped out at sea. And, we promise, there are no Vegas-exiled lounge acts masquerading as evening entertainment on our raft trips.

8. Speaking Of Vegas — You never hear people coming back from Vegas saying, “You know I just feel so relaxed. Really, it was just great to get away and recharge.” Mostly, they’re quiet because they’re exhausted, or broke, or they’re observing the code (“What happens in Vegas …”). If you really want to reinvigorate, if you really want some soul food, if you’re OK with your bright, flashing lights being the purple wisps of the Milky Way and moonlight on rippling waves, there’s a canyon not far from Sin City, and it’s got a river at the bottom of it. (Which we happen to run trips on, just to clarify.)

9. The Family Road Trip — Yes, you probably have incredible memories of visiting the world’s largest ball of twine on your family’s famous summer road trip. But, you’re forgetting that little Billy also got the crayon stuck up his nose, sister Jenny discovered her allergy to shellfish, and the two of them spent four-fifths of the trip screaming about who was bothering whom in the back of the station wagon. Fact: Children have never thought to draw an imaginary territorial dividing line in the back seat of a raft. They’re having too much fun to even think of it. So, don’t waste gas, get on the river.

If you share your ideas for the worst vacation ever or other reasons that a rafting trip is better than them all in the comments, you’ll be entered in my personal imaginary giveaway for a package trip to Fantazy Land, accompanied by the 2012 South Korea National Elvis Impersonator Competition champion.

Take it from us: chances are, you’ll love it.

The post 9 Vacations A River Trip Will Put To Shame appeared first on River Currents.