River Tubing in Texas

Recently I had the pleasure of tubing the San Marcos River and the Guadalupe river.  This was my first experience tubing on a river and I learned many tips that I would like to pass on to y’all! Tips: 1.       Keep your eyes peeled for turtles – either because you find them horrifying so you can steer your tube far away from them or you think they are cute so you can steer your tube toward them to see them up close. 2.       Wear sandals that are sturdy for walking on rocks and so they won’t fall off your feet when you are in the water. 3.       Lather on sunscreen and chapstick.  4.       Slap on some sunglasses. 5.       Wear a cowboy hat for additional sun protection. 6.       Buy a floaty sunglasses bobble string for $2.  They look dorky when you are wearing them but if your glasses fall in the water, they will float.  This very thing happened to my cousin, but she found her glasses because of the trusty bobbles. 7.       Know where you can get in and out of the water.  Park your car accordingly. 8.       Be prepared to navigate away from rocks, river wildlife, and sharp sticks while floating.  (Additionally, pick your tube mate wisely if you are tubing in a double.  My sister and mom both were awful.  One paddled with her shoe and the other was simply not paying attention to possible hazards.) 9.       Bring some water and snacks.  Obey local container laws.  10.   Don’t bring any valuables if possible. 11.   Bring towels to sit on in the car. 12.   Know where you can put air in your tubes/check to see if gas stations charge for it/inflate the tubes ahead of time if you have a large enough vehicle. 13.   Enjoy the cool, refreshing water!