Things to do / Travel Guide
Free Ferries
Everyone loves to take a ferry. Being able to drive the car onto a boat and get out and watch the dolphins, while crossing over the water is a fun experience for everyone. You can catch a short 15-minute ferry to Port Aransas from Aransas Pass, or you can take an even longer ferry (30 minutes) from Galveston Island to remote Port Bolivar.
Tubing
Long before the innovation of water parks, Texans were tubing down the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers. When it comes to water activities in southeast Texas, one of the biggest pastimes is to hit the rivers in the area around Austin and the Hill Country. People may kayak or canoe, but the main activity is tubing. That is, the custom is to rent an inner tube from a vendor near main highway. These tubes actually come from old truck tires. People sit in them and float down the river, maybe while drinking a beer (or two). Eventually the tubers reach a designated exit, where the tube is collected and everyone is brought back in shuttles to their cars.
There is an entire subculture of tubers, called “water rats.” These folks are positively addicted to the pastime. If you are interested in tubing, just head to the Hill Country destinations of New Braunfels or San Marcos when the weather is warm (that is, spring-fall) and seek out signs for tube rental. They are everywhere. Both towns are well-known for their springs and waterways. It is truly amazing fun, and kids also get a blast out of tubing.
None of the rivers are especially rapid, and the water is clean and safe. Sometimes the water in the Guadalupe can get a little fast, but the River Authority, which operates a damn, tries to regulate it.
If you are concerned about water speed, try the Comal River in New Braunfels. The Comal River is only three miles long and is fed by a spring. The route is adjacent to Schlitterbahn, an amazing water park that uses only non-chlorinated river water. Of course, tubing is a whole lot cheaper than at Schlitterbahn, with rental fees typically around $6 a tube. So enjoy the ride!
|
|
|