Please take note that this article was written before the pandemic. Before you plan an outing anywhere, please visit the website of each location for details of their opening status.

It’s the perfect time to take a dip into cool, clear, spring-fed water. Head south for a day trip to the famous San Marcos River for a local summer tradition that gets you into the water, and onto a tube, and relaxing as you float down the river.

Like our beloved Barton Springs Pool, the San Marcos River is fed by Edwards Aquifer, which begins in San Marcos at The Meadows Center (another awesome place to take the kids when they reopen). Specifically, the river is fed by hundreds of spring openings at the bottom of Spring Lake in the heart of San Marcos. With archeological findings indicating the area around the springs to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in North America, we can speculate that people have been enjoying this beautiful blue-green water for some 12,000 years. The river itself is home to around 8 endangered species, including the Texas Blind Salamander, the San Marcos Gambusia, and the Texas Wild Rice. The river is also home to thousands who journey there annually to go tubing, snorkeling and swimming.

The spring-fed water stays at a crisp 72 degrees year-round, making it a popular destination to cool off during the hot summer months for people all over Texas. Those looking to float the river head down to San Marcos City Park, where there are multiple easily accessible spots to get into the river and float down to Rio Vista Park over the course of an hour or so (depending where exactly you put in).

We suggest Lions Club Tube Rental, which is located in the Rec Hall at San Marcos City Park. The float lasts about an hour — making it much more doable with kids — and ends at Rio Vista Park, where the Lions Club Tube Rental shuttle will pick you up. Here you’ll find pavilions, picnic tables, and children’s play park as well as three chutes known as Rio Vista Falls. Click here for their rental rates. Lions Club also sells snacks and beverages.

For more of a grown-up experience where you can book a babysitter and float with adult friends, you can check out ATXcursions or Texas State Tubes, which have age requirements.

Even if you’re bringing your own tube, make sure to check out the rental places for offers on shuttle rides back to where you started. Make sure to bring a cooler, which you can rent a separate tube for, tie it up to yours, and you and your friends and family are ready to float!

Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Children and inexperienced swimmers should always wear life vests.
  • Bring lots of sunscreen.
  • Wear waterproof shoes for the rocky river bed.
  • Bring lots of water and snacks, too. (By all means, you’ll need to stay hydrated on your float. For those 21+, alcoholic drinks are allowed in the parks, but they can only be opened if you are actively floating the river and alcohol is not allowed on city-owned dams, spillways and bridges. No styrofoam coolers.)
  • If you don’t want it to get wet, don’t bring it (everything will get wet). If you must bring your phone or wallet, put it in a waterproof case and have a secure place to keep it. Or consider renting a locker for anything that you don’t want to get wet.
  • Bring rope if you want to tie multiple tubes together.
  • The river does NOT go in a circle, make a clear plan of how to safely get home (Shuttles, etc.)
  • CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF! Litter is a big problem in the San Marcos River. If you’re going to have drinks or snacks, bring a trash bag with you and carry out all of your trash.
  • Remember that because this is a natural environment, the volume of water, depth and debris can change from day to day. There is obviously no lifeguard at the river.

Floating the San Marcos River is a family-friendly activity, but it’s also a great excuse to Get a Sitter to head down with grown-up friends. Either way you plan it, we hope you have a great time!