We are so excited to launch our summer road trip series!
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Summer Road Trip Series: Float the Frio
I think my favorite thing about summer is that it is a time to adventure and explore. And Texas is just a blank canvas of opportunities. Our family recently returned from a weekend trip to the Frio River and I am still just feeling all the happy river feels.
Where Do you float the Frio River?
We have gone a few years in a row now and have had amazing success in Concan. We have used Josh’s Frio Outfitters every time and I would 100% recommend them. At Josh’s you can rent your tubes, they will shuttle you down to the river, and pick you up at the end. It’s worth it. Tube rentals are about 10$ a tube depending on the size. They have kids tubes with bottoms in them, as well as adult tubes. And they have these cute square tubes that will hold your cooler as well so you can pack snacks, and drinks etc.
How Long does it take to float the river?
If you want to float the long stretch of the Frio you will need to start by about 1 pm, so that you don’t miss the last shuttle back (if you plan to use Josh’s). But on the day of they will tell you what the float times are looking like etc. Every time we’ve floated we start by about 10 am. (Which means we get to Josh’s around 9 am). The portion of the river that we have floated takes about 4 hours. Most people float for a while, and then stop to have a snack or play or swim and then float some more.
Where can you stay overnight at the Frio?
There are many vacation rentals near the Frio that you can reserve ahead of time (months ahead of time). You can also stay in neighboring towns. Or near Concan you can stay at Garner State Park which has plenty of camping options in all varieties. Tent, Cabin, Shelter, or trailer spots. We love Garner.
Do you have to float the river?
No! But in order to access the river, most people have monetized their property. So there are many options to pay $25-30 for the day and set up a spot to just play and not float. Or you can pay day entrance into Garner and just play in the water for the day. Garner state park also has tube rentals, canoe rentals, and paddleboat rentals. We love our Texas State Parks Pass for this reason. Garner also has over 20 hiking trails you can explore, and a mini-golf course, and nightly dance in the summer.
Are there Restaurants available?
Not many. So we pack in lots of yummy snacks and picnic-type food. However, we did love the Hippie Chicks River Shack in Concan. The eclectic gypsy river feel was exactly what I needed on my river vacation. I will 100% go back.
We are already looking forward to going back to Concan next year! It was so much fun.
For more summertime ideas check out this link.
