Top Picks | Favorite Water Sport Destinations

Best Summer Water Recreation Destinations

There is nothing like playing in the water during the warm days of summer. These are some of the best destinations in the country to enjoy all different types of water recreation, from swimming to kite boarding.

Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Minnesota
This wilderness area has 1,200 miles of canoe routes making it one of the best canoeing destinations in the country. In addition to the abundance of canoeing trails, the area also has some amazing access to wilderness and wildlife viewing. Visitors can also enjoying hiking, camping and much more.

Colorado River, Arizona
One of the most desirable and difficult to achieve whitewater rafting destinations is the Colorado River as it flows through the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River has some amazing rapids making it an exciting water recreation destination. Rafting enthusiasts that want to take this trip have to put their name on a wait list in order to get on one of the upcoming tours that go through the Grand Canyon.

Florida
The beautiful state of Florida has amazing access to beaches and shoreline. Not only can visitors enjoy plenty of swimming, but many regions in Florida are excellent for scuba diving and snorkeling. The waters near Miami have many sunken ships, which provide excellent marine habitat and make for fascinating diving.

Hood River, Oregon
Windsurfers and kiteboarders travel from around the world to take advantage of the amazing wind and waves on the Hood River in Oregon. Oregon's coast is also a great spot to enjoy beaches during the summer months. Throughout the area around Hood river there are many options for water recreation.

Oahu, Hawaii
Oahu is one of the most famous and premiere surfing spots in the world, let alone the country. Pipe, on Oahu's North Shore produces massive waves during the season. The size and power of these waves is a challenge even for the very best surfers. Less experienced surfers and find waves of smaller size throughout Oahu and the Hawaiian Islands to enjoy surfing throughout the year.

Outer Banks, North Carolina
North Carolina's barrier islands, also known as the Outer Banks are a great destination for wind surfing. This region has opportunities for wind surfers of all skill levels, and can often have some excellent wind for experienced wind surfers. In addition the area has some beautiful beaches, lighthouses that can be toured and much more to make an excellent water recreation destination.

Seattle, Washington
Throughout the Puget Sound region around Seattle there are all sorts of destinations for water recreation. The San Juan Islands a little north of Seattle are and excellent destination for kayaking as well as camping and bicycling. The region is also a great spot to enjoy sailing as well as boating and more, especially during the warmer summer months.

The Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Fishing enthusiasts will love the recreational opportunities to be found at Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. This area has thriving salmon runs. In addition the Kenai Peninsula is filled with other recreational opportunities on land.