Families pull together on raft trips

The water fights started immediately.

If we weren’t getting soaked by Class III and IV rapids, the rafters in the other boat gladly made sure we stayed wet. So did Daniel Arguedas, the fun-loving young guide in the kayak, when he wasn’t scouting the stretch of river just in front of us.

At least it was warm. Even better, everyone was happy. While watching the high jinks, I realized that whitewater rafting has the makings of an outstanding family experience: water, adventure and, for the younger kids, the chance to stay dirty. Parents are guaranteed some time with the kids -- away from phones, computers and TVs. That’s a plus when teens are part of the equation.

Raft for a day or for a week; either way, it doesn’t have to break the budget. Outfitters are courting families with discounted or, in some cases, free trips for kids. With experienced guides in each boat and with each passenger outfitted in helmet and safety vest, I could relax and enjoy the adventure.

“Families are probably the fastest-growing segment of the market -- there’s been a 40% increase in the last three years,” says David Brown, executive director of America Outdoors, a national trade association representing more than 550 adventure outfitters and guides.

Three-fourths of America Outdoors members offer family trips. (Visit www.americaoutdoors.org or www.adventurevacations.com.) At least half of the rafters who go on trips organized by the nonprofit American River Touring Assn. (www.arta.org) are kids and teens, says Steve Welch, who oversees the association; it has offered rafting trips for almost 40 years.

“We get a lot of people who have never been camping,” Welch said. “They’re surprised at how easy and relaxing it is, especially for moms.”

That’s because guides pitch the tents, prepare the meals and entertain the kids.

Another plus: Because raft trips typically include an oar boat, a paddle boat and inflatable kayaks, kids and parents can have different adventures.

“At the end of the day they can share the experience, and each feels they got just what they wanted out of it,” Welch says.

Some rivers, like the Green River in Utah and the Rogue in Oregon, are appropriate for children as young as 5, outfitters say. Others, like the Salmon in Idaho, offer more rapids and are better bets for older kids.

My family (husband Andy, 18-year-old son Matt, 16-year-old daughter Reggie and 11-year-old daughter Melanie) navigated whitewater just before New Year’s, rafting down a 15-mile stretch of the Pacuare River in Costa Rica through a serene canyon. It was part of a weeklong adventure we planned through Costa Rica Expeditions (www.costaricaexpeditions.com) and Seattle-based Wildland Adventures (www.wildland.com).

The kids had a blast, even with Mom and Dad nearby. When they weren’t navigating the whitewater, splashing or getting splashed, they were jumping out of the rafts and swimming through the calm stretches of river. They clambered up slick rocks to a waterfall. They watched for exotic birds. They told jokes. They couldn’t believe Mom didn’t fall out of the boat.

For lunch, we flipped one of the rafts along the river’s edge and set up a taco salad buffet.

At night we camped a short hike up the riverbank at a 12-tent campsite called Bajo del Tigre Town, which had running water and flush toilets. Our guides cooked a spectacular chicken dinner that included wine. The next morning they whipped up a huge breakfast.

Costa Rica, we learned, may have more world-class rafting rivers per square mile than any other country. But you needn’t go far from home to have a stellar river experience with the kids.

The Sierra Club is offering 10 family rafting trips this summer; they are among the environmental group’s most popular family outings. (Visit www.outings.sierraclub.org.) Dvorak Expeditions (www.dvorakexpeditions.com) offers an array of trips every summer, some of them free for kids, while California-based OARS (www.oars.com) offers significant family discounts.

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Taking the Kids appears twice a month. E-mail Eileen Ogintz at Eileen@takingthekids.com.