Good morning everyone, happy Father’s Day!  Over the last few weeks, I spent time with my family in Lake Tahoe staying at the Marriott Grand Residence Club, Lake Tahoe (located in South Lake Tahoe right next to the Nevada state line) and at my parent’s new home in Idaho, just outside Boise.  On both trips, we spent time on the water rafting / floating down the rivers and I wanted to share some details of this fun family activity.

In Lake Tahoe, there are 2 rafting companies that operate on the Truckee River (which is connected to Lake Tahoe).  We used Truckee River Rafting (yellow paddles), but if that is full, you can also use the Truckee River Raft Company (orange paddles).  Prices are $55-$60 per person, depending on which company you use.  For Truckee River Rafting, you park at the top, raft / float down the river, and then you take their bus back to the top to get your car.  The whole operation is very smooth.  The river is a bit cold, but relaxing.  There are barely any rapids, so the majority of the trip is just a relaxing float down the river and you can use the paddles to stay away from the edge of the river.

My family floating down the Truckee River at Lake Tahoe, CA

In Boise, we bought river raft tubes ($5 at Walmart) and parked at Ann Morrison Park (right next to Boise State University).  Then we took the Boise River Raft and Tube shuttle bus for $3 per person up to Barber Park (about 6 miles upstream from Ann Morrison Park).  If you don’t want to buy your own river tubes, you can rent rafts and kayaks for $20 – $65 at Barber Park.  If you bring your own river tubes or rafts, please remember to bring a pump to inflate the tubes or rafts ($10 at Walmart) since there is no public option at Barber Park. You may also want to get a large dry bag ($10 at Walmart) to hold the pump, sunscreen, bug spray, drinks, and any snacks you want to bring.  Depending on how fast the water is moving and how well you do navigating the river, the float trip should take you 2-3 hours and you wind up back at your car that is parked at Ann Morrison Park.  It is a really enjoyable and relaxing float trip and we had a fun time floating down the river together.

My family floating down the Boise River in Boise, ID (Dad took the photo)

If you have any questions about rafting or floating down either the Truckee River or Boise River, please leave a comment below.  Have a great Father’s Day everyone!