As I sit here writing today, it’s over 100 degrees outside, so I was inspired to think about fun summer adventures that also let you beat the heat, at least temporarily. Some of these activities are only available in various parts of locations, so see if some happen to be close by or maybe add them to your summer vacation plans!
Without further ado, let’s jump right in with both feet. The water feels great!
Whitewater Rafting
I have to start with a personal favorite. Real whitewater rafting is definitely not available everywhere. You’re more likely to find it around mountainous regions of the world. In the U.S. one great spot to consider is Colorado. The state is the home to some fantastic rivers that seem perfectly designed for whitewater rafting.
Rafting is broken down into a rating system involving 5 or 6 classes or whitewater or rapids.
Class 1 - This is really just an easy-moving stream or river with really no ‘whitewater’ and requiring no particular skill. These are commonly called float trips.
Class 2 - Rafters may experience some rough water and a few rocks, but maneuvering is fairly easy, requiring some paddling, but not much actual skill.
Class 3 - Now it starts getting a bit fun. Medium-sized waves, a few drops (3-5 feet) but not particularly challenging or dangerous. A bit of experience paddling is useful here.
Class 4 - The fun kicks into a higher gear. Real whitewater, large waves, longer sets of rapids, rocks, larger drops, and more demanding maneuvering are involved. For this, it’s good to have experience padding in actual whitewater.
Class 5 - Where things can go from fun to very dangerous (but still fun most times). This is real whitewater, with lots of large waves, continuous sets of rapids, large rocks or other hazards, big drops, and typically involve various sections where you either execute a maneuver correctly or you end up wrapped around a rock or actually flip a boat and send people swimming. This really requires experienced and strong paddlers to get through without incident.
Class 6 - This is sometimes a more informal category that involved whitewater that really isn’t possible to ride in a raft (or kayak, etc.) without extreme risk to everyone involved. That isn’t to say people don’t ride these types of sections of whitewater, but they generally aren’t open to the public through commercial rafting outfits.
Rafting has the summer benefit of getting you very wet (especially in class 3+) but can have also have your heart absolutely beating out of your chest with excitement.
Scuba Diving
Another one that isn’t readily available everywhere, but for those who try it and fall in love with scuba, it’s often life-changing. Serious scuba divers will go through a certification process that teaches them all the basics and safety procedures and then get them comfortable underwater with all the required gear. It’s probably not for everyone. But, it’s hard to find a better way to beat the summer heat than literally going underwater for extended periods of time. Add to that the potential to see incredible coral reefs and underwater wildlife and it’s an incredibly unique experience.
Scuba excursions can be fairly tame (not too deep, with limited sealife), challenging (deeper dives with caves or shipwrecks and more to see), or downright terrifying for some people (diving with sharks, etc.). But, it’s that variation that makes scuba diving appealing to so many people. You can pick your level of adventure and, generally, the trip should live up to those expectations. But, open water is always unpredictable, so an element of risk and adventure is a constant.
Hiking a 14er
For this one, we get out of the water and instead look to cool off by getting to higher elevations - over 14,000 feet above sea level to be exact. There are around 100 mountains in the U.S. with peaks at 14,000 feet or more (aka 14ers). Most, or all of them are climbable/hikeable. Colorado has nearly 60 14ers, more than any other state.
Hiking to the top of a 14er should probably never be a spur-of-the-moment decision, except for the most experienced hikers, with multiple 14ers under their belts. Hiking a typical 14er may be a 6+ hour roundtrip hike, and many can involve camping overnight. Some of the challenges involved with reaching the summit of a 14er involve the slowly thinning air (which is no joke once you get above 12-13k feet), technical challenges involving bouldering or steep inclines, and the potential for inclement weather to roll in quickly and unexpectedly.
Many people do at least a bit of training to tackle a 14er, but in large part, the more accessible ones deliver a test of willpower, rather than technical climbing skills. The payoff on reaching the top includes stunning 360-degree views that only come from being that high and during the summer months, you can definitely expect much cooler temperatures.
Wakeboarding
There probably isn’t a state in the U.S. where you can’t find a place to wakeboard or water ski. All you need is a big enough body of water, a powerboat, and that wakeboard. You also need someone to drive the boat while you are on the wakeboard, but let’s not get into semantics.
There are nearly 3 million people in the U.S. who claim wakeboarding as a hobby, so it’s popular but like the other activities mentioned above, it isn’t for everyone. There’s a definite thrill element to it, and it doesn’t take much searching on YouTube or Instagram to find some epic wakeboarding wipeouts that will make you cringe (while also laughing probably).
Becoming a good wakeboarder takes practice, which typically involves a lot of falling (and being the subject of some of those online videos), but people who love it really do LOVE it. Whether you fall or not, you’re going to beat some of that summer heat by being in the water a lot.
Hitting the Pool
To be clear, not everyone wants a real summer adventure, potentially risking life and limb, just to cool off. I can’t blame them! So, I had to include one last heatwave-busting pastime on the list that might involve a more leisurely strategy for cooling-off. Whether you have your own pool oasis in your backyard, can head to a community pool in the neighborhood, or have a spectacular pool at your vacation hotel, it can be the ideal destination for beating the heat while keeping your adventure level setting at ‘low’. Although judging by the size of the crowd at our community pool this afternoon, there might be some adventure in finding a lounge chair in the shade.
However you do it, good luck staying cool this summer!
