Beat the Louisiana Heat this Weekend with an Easy 2½ Drive

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Temperatures in Shreveport-Bossier are supposed to reach triple digits this weekend. Here's a great way to cool off! Float the Caddo River at the Caddo Gap in Arkansas! It doesn't matter if you want to tube or kayak, the water is cool, clean, and refreshing! Plus, it's a great way for friends and family to spend quality time together OUTSIDE!

I discovered tubing last summer during the pandemic. Of course, I was late to the party, but now I've advanced to kayaking. There's a reason why you can't find them in stores right now. This is, at least for me, the PERFECT way to destress. In fact, I like floating the Caddo so much, I've been three weekends in a row before. It's THAT relaxing. Plus, you get in some exercise and sun while you're at it!

If you haven't been tubing or kayaking before, I recommend trying out Caddo River Rats Kayak and Tubing in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The physical address for your GPS is 116 Valley Street, Caddo Valley, AR 71923. They've got an easy-to-navigate, streamlined operation. When you pull in, have your cash ready. It's $5 per car to park. At that point, you go to their office to pay for any rental equipment you might need, like tubes, kayaks, dry bags, dry boxes, koozies, cooler floats, mesh river bags for trash (required by state law), and your shuttle pass. For $15, you can rent a regular tube, which I prefer to the ones that have a bottom in them, and a shuttle pass and spend four glorious hours on the water!

After you take care of your equipment, you load up on one of the three shuttles and they drop you just south of the Lake DeGray dam. I like the fact that when you're done, all you have to do is collect your stuff, load up and head home. It's in and out, easy peasy! If we go out with the first group on the 9 am shuttle, we're usually back home in Louisiana by 4 pm.

If you end up going, I'd love to hear from you! Here are some pictures of my birthday float with friends last summer!