Salt River Tubing in Arizona

Tubing. I had no idea what tubing was until I discovered that it was a popular recreational activity in Arizona. Salt River Tubing is what the activity is called to be exact and is simply a 4-5 hour ride down the Salt River in Mesa, Arizona. Yes, a leisurely ride, literally floating down the long stretch of river on an individual rubber tube with lots of friends. Add a tube with a cooler filled with booze and snacks into the mix and you got yourself an amazing time! And the best part? It only costs $13 per person, which includes the tube rental and shuttle bus ride to the top of the river.

So what makes this simple activity of floating down a river in the blazing heat (the temperature in Mesa can reach well into the 100's in the Summer) so much fun? The experience of enjoying the outdoors with friends and escaping the real life for a few hours. For people who need to get away from the city for a day or two, this is a perfect economical trip. There are inexpensive inns and motels around the area for about $50 a night and you get to experience the small town feel where during my weekend stay in Mesa, I came across only one Starbucks. That was a strange sight considering I come from Los Angeles, where there is a Starbucks on every block. Also in contrast to a big city, the land was flat…no tall buildings, structures, or fancy architecture. Just simple shopping plazas amidst the flat lands of the Arizona deserts. For someone who was born and raised in the city, being in Arizona and tubing in Salt River made me feel like I was in touch with nature. After all, I was surrounded by mountains, canyons, and a natural river and made no use of anything electrical or technological.

Here are some helpful guidelines to make the most of Salt River Tubing: