Water sports are a wonderful way to relax and get refreshed while on vacation, and they can also be an excellent opportunity for family fun and togetherness.
Whether you’re looking for a day trip at a nearby lake, a weekend away at the beach, or something longer, here are some water sports you can try with your family.
1). Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Stand up paddle boarding is a sport that looks like a cross between surfing and kayaking, although it’s certainly a lot easier than surfing! With this sport, you stand on a long board – not unlike a surf board – and paddle with an oar.
As a workout, it’s safe to say stand up paddle boarding is top-quality. The exercise of rowing is great for building strength in your arms, and standing on the board while you do all of this is excellent for your core muscles.
You’ll want to get a good deal on a paddleboard designed for this sport, so be sure to check out stand up paddleboards for sale for more information.
This sport is also an exemplary good fit for children. It provides young people with a chance to learn skills and build fitness at their level, and makes a great outing for the whole family.
2). Skimboarding
Skimboarding is another sport that’s similar to surfing, but is much more beginner-friendly in a lot of ways.
The key difference between skimboarding and true surfing is that skimboarders don’t swim out to catch the waves: instead, they go down to the beach and then allow the waves to carry them out, away from the shore.
When the next wave comes in, they come back to the shore.
Because skimboarding does not depend on catching large waves, only riding much smaller ones, there’s no reason you have to go to the ocean: a lake or possibly even a river will serve instead.
This sport still requires time and practice to learn, but you’ll probably find the learning curve is gentler than with surfing.
3). Water Skiing
If your family enjoys boating, why not give water skiing a try? You probably have some idea of the concept already: a person stands on one ski, or on two skis, and holds onto a tow rope pulled by a high-powered watercraft.
Water skiing is a tremendous thrill: many people enjoy the experience of being towed behind a boat over the water. While it’s an obvious fit for teens who love adventure, it’s also a surprisingly good thing to teach young children how to do.
4). Surfing
This sport needs no introduction: how could a sport based on riding waves be anything but famous? Surfing is a great deal of fun, but it’s also a fantastic workout, what with all of that swimming out to catch the waves, and then the strength and balance needed to stay on the board.
You might think of surfing as mostly an adult activity, but in fact there’s no reason you can’t teach children how to surf at a kid-appropriate level. Put in a little time and investment, and the entire family can enjoy this sport together!
5). Water Parks
Water parks and water-based theme parks are a major attraction at some vacation destinations, notably areas with mild, warm climates year-round – think of Southern California and Florida.
If you need a little break from the beach, give one of these destinations a try. They’re perfect for families, and typically have a range of activities and options for all ages and skill levels.
6). Water Polo
Water polo is a team-based water sport, which can make it ideal if you’re looking for something to involve the whole family.
If you’ve ever played handball, you likely have a basic understanding of how to play water polo. The object of the game is to score points by getting the ball over the net, past the other team, and into the water.
Part of the fun with water polo is the competitiveness, but it can also be an easy-going game if you choose to play it that way.
7). Rafting & Canoeing
Rafting and canoeing involve a similar set of skills: in both cases, you’re paddling to propel a craft through the water. The experience will be a bit different if you have a flat-bottomed raft versus a sleeker canoe, but either way, you’re in for an excellent work-out: paddling is not light work!
Another thing to love about rafting and canoeing is that you can have so many different experiences. Paddling in a small, calm lake will be different from braving the rapids of a river, for example, and then there’s the ocean to consider!
Conclusion
Water sports provide some of the best ways to cool down and have fun during the summer, or even while on vacation to warmer climes during the winter. Not only are the water sports featured here fantastic workouts, they’re also wonderful ways to enjoy being outside and enjoy spending time with the family.
