Rafting in mid-April?
 

I'm trying to plan a vacation for our family (2 teenagers, 14 and 17), and it needs to be ACTIVE. I'm thinking if we can go horseback riding, rafting and possibly mountain biking and or ATVing as well, along with some really nice lodging and dining, I'd have the perfect place.

Is there someplace we can do all this in mid-April? Thanks!

Have you been to Costa Rica? It has everything that you are looking for as well as an active volcano, ziplining and wildlife viewing. Lodgings range from rustic cabins to the Four Seasons.

There are lots of helpful CR experts on the Latin America board.

Moab, Utah !!! mountain bike mecca, several national parks at your finger tips colorado and green rivers
tons of places to stay (although if you are talking spring break make reservations)

plenty of off road opportunities but i am not sure about atvs vs. jeeps....

there are a few higher end places to stay but most is moderate as you are never at your room. staying in town allows you to walk to different restaurants.

there is even (or used to be) a winery to visit and its ;inot noir was pretty good!


you will not be sorry! you also have the la sal mtns nearby. fly into las vegas for easiest access.

Moab.

Flying into Grand Junction, CO or Salt Lake City is best.

Thanks! I forgot about Costa Rica, I have to look into that.

Could we raft in April in Moab?

Hi Nina,

Of course, April and May are peak runoff months. Depends on how much whitewater you want and how many days.

Moab is as active as it gets - you better be in shape!

hawaii - big island or kauai? not sure about the rafting but there's kayaking, horseback riding, ATV, hiking trails, etc in both kauai and hawaii ( aka big island ) and there are some very nice, high end accomodations in both islands with great food to boot!

Thanks for the replies, I'm going to look into Moab and Costa Rica, I've been to Hawaii 3 times and while it's a good option, it's also the priciest, so I'll see if I can find decent airfare from the east coast.

Also check out the Hopkins, Stann Creek area of Belize. Good places to stay are the Jaguar Reef Lodge, Almond Beach Resort, and Hamanasi.

They are adventure lodges and are packed with fun outdoors things to do. You have the beach on one side and the rainforest on the other.

I agree with the Moab suggestion. There's so much to do and it's beautiful!

If we go to Moab, where would you suggest we fly into?

I looked into some rafting trips by outfitters and they don't start until the end of May, so I'm still not sure if mid-April is rafting season in Moab. I need to call some rafting companies.

I saw the Sorrel River Ranch and Red River Lodge, the family suites are pretty pricey ($459 and $339 respectively), but I don't think there's a lot of competition so I'm thinking there are no discounts on the lodging...any thoughts?

I'm not sure about Moab (is it desert?), but the Rockies in April generally are rainy and muddy. That might be a better place for late May or later. Costa Rica sounds great.

Nina,

As mentioned, for Moab you can fly into SLC and drive 4 1/2 hours down. Or you can fly into Grand Junction, CO and drive. I don't do that drive so can't say how many hours it is, but I believe it's a but shorter and very beautiful.

Moab in in the southeast corner of UT, therefore in the heart of red rock and slot canyon country. The La Sal mountains are nearby, reaching 12,000 ft. Beautiful in April witht the red rock of Arches Natl Park in the foreground the snow capped peaks in the distance.

Mid-April is spring in Moab. There can be rain or it can be perfect temps and blue sky, just like anywhere in the spring.

There are tons of lodging options in Moab. The high priced "resorty" places you mentions are both located a good drive OUT of town. Most people do NOT want to be out of town. Moab is small, very walkable and a fun, funky little outdoor sports town. You want to stay IN town, rather than drive back and forth on the windy river road 20 miles one way.

Put in Moab in the search box above and you will get tons of info on rafting and everything else, including lodging.

Have fun!

West Virginia offers everything you are looking for "at one stop"and you can do it mid-April. (White water rafting season April through October.)

The raging New River, the defiant Gauley River, the mysterious Cheat River -- three of the world's most famous whitewater rivers roar down from West Virginia's Appalachian Highlands in spring. (http://www.wvexplorer.com/Recreation...ng/default.asp)

There are several white water guide companies that can put together the package you desire. There are also several rivers for rafting that offer various challenges.

For example: CLASS VI RIVER RUNNERS http://www.class-vi.com/?source=cwva&phone=8: We also offer a full menu of outdoor adventures and activities: horseback riding lessons, rock climbing, mountain biking, ATV tours, hiking, plus shopping, golf , and much much more. And there are lots of West Virginia lodging accommodations available – from riverside camping and cabin rentals to hotels and motels, resorts and spas, and state and federal parks. Your adventure vacations can be as much of an “adventure” as you want them to be.

White water rafting info:
Goto http://www.wvtourism.com/spec.aspx?pgID=63 or goto http://www.wvtourism.com/ then click on Outdoor Recreation under Visitor Info then click on White Water Rafting.

White water rafting on The Cheat River: High water levels mid-March through mid- to late-June produce an exhilarating ride through 13 miles of the secluded and untamed Cheat Canyon. This portion of the Cheat River boasts more than 30 rapids of Class III or higher (whitewater rapids are typically classified by levels of difficulty ranging from I to V+).


Mid-April is normally when spring is hitting, so to me, is not the time for the most gorgeous sites in WV. But it is still pretty and offers everything you are looking for.

Also wanted to mention the Hatfield McCoy ATV trail in WV. People are coming from all over the country and Canada to ride it.

The Hatfield-McCoy Trails has over 500 miles of trails. For more info, goto http://www.trailsheaven.com/.

And yes, it did get its name because of the famous family feud that occurred in the area in the 1880s.

That's what I love about this board. West Virginia would have never occurred to me. Now I'm intrigued (and it's not even my thread). LvSun, what about lodging? What interesting lodges, cabins or hotels would you recommend in these areas?

I've white water rafted at the New River in West Virginia in 2001 and we had to camp. I don't remember any other accommodations aside from maybe cabins.

Wow, thanks for all that additional info, I too would never have considered West Virginia and the bonus there is, we could do some college scouting on the drive there and back!

Does anyone know of nice lodging near there? I'm willing to forego a pampering, lie on the beach resorty type vacation for my non-beach loving guys, but I have to have a nice resort to stay in at night, that's my compromise. ;)

Dayle,
Can you recommend any nice lodging in town (Moab)?

Depends on the price range you want, how close you want to be to the rafting, type of lodging, what all you want to do.

It would be easier to find a place then ask about it. Having said that:

A lot of people like to stay at the State Parks. Hawks Nest seems to be a favorite for rafters. http://www.hawksnestsp.com/

In nearby Beckley, there are many chain hotels. Beckley also offers a coal mine exhibition - you can go down into the mine.

If you want pure luxury and cost is not a factor, The Greenbrier offers world-class accommodations. (I think it is about half an hour to an hour drive from rafting take off points). The Greenbrier also offers many fun things to do (falconry, off-road driving school, bunker tour, fishing, spa, etc). The bunker used to be a secret retreat for government officials in case DC was under attack.

Near The Greenbrier is the town of Lewisburg. It is charming with great little shops. Check out The Greenbrier at http://www.greenbrier.com/site/ and Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, at http://www.greenbrierwv.com/home/index.asp

Glade Springs in Beckley is also a nice resort. Nothing compared to the size or offerrings of The Greenbrier, but very pretty and nice.

Sorry, guess my answer about accommodations is clear as mud.