Whew! This weekend got the best of me. Have you ever been whitewater rafting? If not, let me be the first to tell you, it is not for the weak! As much as I love the outdoors, I was NOT prepared for how much work I had to put in, but I’m so glad I did it. Here’s my experience at Pocono Whitewater…
Preparation
Our ride was scheduled for 8:30a, which meant we had a VERY early morning; we had about a hour and a half commute. So, in the effort to save myself some time, I pre-packed a bag of changing clothes for the family and a cooler of sandwiches, drinks and snacks. The preparation isn’t much different from how you would pack for a beach day.
Arrival
When we arrived, we were immediately directed to a parking space, by an attendant in a large lot. From there, we switched to our bathing suits (that were already on underneath our clothes), grabbed our lunch and headed toward the registration area.
You’ll register ( by simply filling out a card with your personal info), grab a life vest and sit through a quick briefing of what to expect and how to steer the raft (the briefing lasted about 15 minutes or so). We were also directed to pack our lunches in a 5lb waterproof bucket to be taken on the raft with us. I was a little skeptical about the bucket at first, because I just just knew it would fall into the river, but thankfully it didn’t.
After all the initial things were handled, everyone loaded onto a bus that took us to the rafting site (it was about 4 bus loads of people). The ride lasted approx. 15 minutes before we were dropped off and told to walk the rest of the way. Yes, be prepared to walk another 15 minutes to the river on a path through the mountains 😬. As much as I wanted to complain, I completely enjoyed it. I enjoyed the mini hike, the scenery, the small talk between my man and I, the excitement on my girls faces knowing what was yet to come… I enjoyed it all.
The Experience
Ok, so this was initially supposed to be a girls trip, but obviously the GOOD LORD knew better than to let us go alone 🙌🏾. We needed Jamil’s muscle, and we needed ALL OF IT! Lol, it’s kind of hilarious to think about how our ride would have went without him. I could imagine Stacia (my best friend) and I arguing the entire time because neither one of us knew how to control the raft, and then yelling at the kids for not helping out enough 😂. You don’t need any prior experience, but it does help to have someone with a little ‘know-how’ and strength if possible.
Key points….
•We did the Dam Release White Water Rafting; a 12 mile ride, that took somewhere between 4 and 5 hours to get through the entire tour. The time goes by fast!
• You ride through 17 rafts, each of which are classified as either a Class 2 or 3 raft (class 3 being the roughest parts). Don’t be intimidated though, it may sound scary but even the ‘craziest’ parts weren’t that bad.
•You ride alone with your group, but there are a good number of guides in the lake with you every step of the way. So if you run into any trouble, you’ll be tended to immediately.
Speaking of trouble….
The only part I kind of disliked about this experience, were the endless amount of rocks in the lake! There are just WAY TOO MANY! We had to get stuck on a rock at least 10 times, and most of them you couldn’t see. Generally, you will be able to wiggle your way off of them, but I think we needed assistance like three times. We even managed to make one of the Guides lose his canoe in the attempt to help us. He ended up hopping on someone else’s raft, so he was all good! But seriously, why did it have to be us?! 😩🤦🏾♀️
Lunch Time
Midway through the tour we stopped for a 30 minute lunch on the side of the lake. There are no tables or chairs to accommodate you, but there are A LOT of bugs – so don’t forget your insect repellent!
The End
Fast forward, at the conclusion of the raft, the busses will be there to receive you. Once you arrive back at the site, you’ll hand it all of your equipment. They have a alcohol bar, snack bar and fire pit to enjoy! You can also view and purchase the photo that was taken of you on the river for $10. Needless to say, we relaxed a bit and had a drink ( or three 😬) before we heading home.
We were all sore for about two days, and I got a really ugly callus on my hand, but all in all, I completely enjoyed the Whitewater Rafting experience! I’m always happy to introduce myself and my family to new activities.
More Details
Pocono White Water has various packages where the rides and requirements may differ. For our Dam Water Release raft, we paid $70 per person, and you have to be Atleast 8 years old to participate. They run 7 days a week, rain or shine. Check out their site for info!
Would you try it?
XO,
LEXI 💋
