Category: Water Activities

Great places to kayak, canoe, stand up paddleboard & enjoy other water activities in the U.S. and abroad.

How to Plan a Hawaii Island Hop Day Trip

With a birthday coming up, the travel bug sinking its teeth in, and whale-watching in full swing, I was determined to get over to Maui from our home on Oahu to go on a tour in the best spot for seeing whales in Hawaii. The only problem was our commitment to stick to a... Read more

10 Months in New Zealand: Highlights of Our Unexpected Extended Trip

It's strange how our perception of a place can change with time. Upon arrival, New Zealand felt like a check in the box – a place we wanted to see before moving on to the next destination. Now, looking back at our time there, it feels like another home. It's a... Read more

Pleasantly Surprised by New Plymouth, NZ

Our original plan for visiting the New Plymouth area was to explore Mount Taranaki, but we really enjoyed this area much more than we realized we would and (due to weather) ended up seeing far more of it than we realized! Staying at Oakura Beach Although the New... Read more

Memorable Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise in New Zealand

We originally planned to go to both Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound during out epic New Zealand road trip, but with the intense flooding that happened just before our visit, Milford was no longer an option without a very long bus ride. So, we chose to spend what we... Read more

Remote Coast Sea Kayak Tour of Abel Tasman National Park

Some places are just meant to be viewed from the water and Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand's south island is definitely one of them – especially to enjoy the beauty and wildlife of the Tonga Island Marine Reserve. Since this area is protected, only a... Read more

Flipping Over the World’s Tallest Raftable Waterfall in New Zealand

As the day approached for our big Rotorua rafting adventure in New Zealand, I began to panic a bit. What if our raft tips over? What if we fall out? A 7-meter (23-ft) drop is no joke. A lot can happen over that distance, not to mention the risks once underwater. (All... Read more

Northland New Zealand Road Trip: One Week of Beaches, Backpackers & Beautiful Views!

Trying to decide on a first destination in a place with hundreds of amazing options is a challenge. Luckily, we were celebrating my birthday a few days after landing in Auckland and I only wanted one thing: sunshine. GLORIOUS SUNSHINE! After six weeks of winter in... Read more

The Rock Overnight Cruise in Bay of Islands

We don't always plan to splurge for birthdays and other special occasions … but when we do, we tend to really go all out (like learning to cook in Rome or hot air ballooning over Colorado Springs). So, when we decided to go to New Zealand for my big 3-0, I... Read more

Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths in the Golden Circle: The BEST Iceland Spa Day!

While you've probably heard of the world-famous Blue Lagoon, did you know that there are multiple other wonderful Iceland spa experiences that have an even more memorable offering, for way less money? While some are more difficult to get to, we recently found our new... Read more

3 of the Best Dubrovnik Beaches Right Outside Old Town

No trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia, would be complete without visiting, and taking a dip in, at least one beach. So, we have listed the best beaches in Dubrovnik right outside of the Old Town walls. You won't need to rent a car, take a bus, or hire a taxi to get to these... Read more