Though I have no doubt spent hours admiring the picturesque Delaware River in my 20+ years spent living in Bucks County, until recently I had not participated in one of the most popular local river activities- tubing!

Held back by irrational fears of encountering ugly river creatures, I had always opted to enjoy the view from one of the many river-front dining establishments in Bucks County.  Having finally taken the plunge (quite literally!), I am certain that even the most beautiful of outdoor patios along the river cannot compare with the stunning 360 degree view experienced from an inflatable tube!

Snuggle Tube

On a sunny summer day, I set out to Bucks County River Country in Point Pleasant, PA with a small group of friends. We opted to rent two single tubes ($18 per tube on weekdays) and one “snuggle tube” ($22 per person on weekdays).  While the snuggle tube made staying together simple, we found it more difficult to maneuver at times when the river forked around the small islands throughout the Delaware.  In addition to the tubes themselves, the price includes life jackets as well as a bus ride up-river to the launch location, timed to be either 2, 3, or 4 hour tubing trips.  As the river current was faster than usual on the day we attended, we chose the 3 hour location, which actually only took about 2 hours to complete.

The water was clean and an ideal refreshing temperature to combat the July heat.  The ride itself is extremely relaxing with a couple tiny rapids to spice things up (if you can even call them that) along the way.  There were several points along the trip when I looked around at the breathtaking 360 degree views and was overcome with a feeling of complete content.  After all those years living along the Delaware, why had it taken me so long to do this? Plus, all that worrying about ugly river creatures was for nothing; I didn't even see one fish!

Tubing tips:

– Bring enough rope to tie your group's tubes together in order to avoid drifting apart.

– Wear water shoes as the river-floor is rather rocky.

– Apply ample sunscreen! Sitting in the middle of the river for hours is one sure-fire way to attract the sun.

– Parking in River Country's lot costs $5. To save money, park in town and walk down.

– Bring along a ball (that you don't mind possibly losing) to pass back and forth with fellow tubers

 

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