Along the coast, places such as , Corpus Christi, and South Padre Island offer a variety of water-based activities. Each location is popular for surfing. Additionally, the bays from Corpus south to South Padre Island offer some of the best windsurfing in North America. South Padre Island also offers a surprisingly high quality of . Other popular ways to get on the water along the coast include kayaking, boating, sailing, and jet skiing.
Jet skis, or personal watercraft, are also extremely popular on most of Texas’ many lakes. Water skiing and knee-boarding (wake boarding) are also popular activities on lakes across Texas.
The Highland Lakes – a chain of lakes on the Colorado River above Austin – are some of the most popular venues for water sport enthusiasts. The clear waters of these lakes offer good enough visibility for diving and snorkeling. Paddlers – both by canoe and kayak – enjoy the scenic paddle through these lakes. Lake Buchanan Adventures is one of the regions premier adventure sport outfitters and offer a number of popular paddle trips in the area.
Various Hill Country rivers and streams are also popular paddling venues. Some of the most frequently paddled are the Blanco, Guadalupe, and San Marcos Rivers. Of course, many Texans prefer to traverse these rivers at a slower pace. Tubing, which consists of slowly floating downstream in an inflated inner tube, is a probably the most popular summer pastime in Texas. Each of the Hill Country rivers are filled with tubers as the summer heat rises.
And, of course, there is always the option of swimming. Natural swimming holes like Austin’s Barton Springs offer swimmers a way to cool off in a unique, natural setting. However, the most popular “swimmin’ hole” in Texas is without a doubt Garner State Park which encompasses a stretch of the Frio River in Concan. The portion of the river running through Garner State Park offers both rapids and slower, deeper waters, giving visitors the options of high-adrenaline water sports or slower-paced activities like swimming and tubing.
Regardless of where you Texas vacation takes you this summer, odds are you’ll find yourself close to a body of water. So, rather than suffer through the heat of the day, head down to the closest river, lake or bay and cool off.
