There are few pastimes in this world more relaxing than sitting in a one-person raft and drinking beer while slowly cruising down a river. One of the best locations to partake of this experience is Lake Luzerne, NY in the Adirondack Mountains. Whether you go with a group of friends by yourselves or join a guided tour, the approximate two-hour journey downstream will be time well spent.
This summer, I took two trips up to Lake Luzerne to go lazy river tubing with my friends Charlie and Rich. The distance between Albany and Lake Luzerne is 57 miles and is an hour-and-a-half drive by means of I-87 N. When we arrived, we each bought ourselves a raft at one of the local retail shops and purchased a few 6-packs of beer at a nearby Walmart. After we got our things, it was then time to drive alongside the lake, down a dirt road to park the car upstream. Once we found our starting point, we inflated our rafts, waddled into the shallow water, and started our maiden voyage.
With the views of the Adirondack Mountains surrounding you and the sound of water flowing slowly with the current, it’s too much of an invitation to feel at ease and forget about your worries. The water level continually changes from shallow to deep and, with a bit of luck, you can find lost treasures below. On the second excursion, I was able to spot a pocket knife that was caught between two rocks. I navigated Rich (he was in the water already and I was occupied with my beer) towards the spot and he submerged under the water to collect the prize.
An important piece of advice to keep in mind is that it’s important to locate the best place to end your trip downriver before you even start. The first time we three went lazy river tubing on Lake Luzerne, we missed our exit point by a quarter of a mile. We had to swim upstream, against the current, in order to get back onto land which was connected to the dirt road that led us to our parking spot. It wasn’t fun.
I enjoyed both of my trips down to Lake Luzerne tremendously and I discovered a new favorite way to spend some time with friends on the weekend. If you ever find yourself near Lake Luzerne or another slow-flowing stream/river, I highly recommend taking part in this relaxing experience.