COVINGTON, La. – If you’re looking for cool ways to cool off, our Travel Girl, Stephanie Oswald is here to help.
She went in search of an adventure on the North Shore, and found plenty of options with Canoe and Trail Adventures. The company recently opened a new launch site behind The Chimes restaurant in Covington, where rental options abound.
Chad Almquist is a naturalist with a passion for teaching people about the joys of nature, especially young explorers such as his two toddler daughters.
“We’re at The Chimes in Covington on the Bogue Falaya, and we’re gonna launch and go for a little paddle – we have canoes kayaks and paddleboards,” he explains.
“Going upstream is much more scenic, it’s more secluded. Going downstream the river is a lot wider which is nice, a little bit easier, but you do see a lot of houses along the way,” Chad continues.
Along the way we saw a night heron, a rough green snake and lots of lush scenery.
We also happened across a group of boys jumping bravely from a bridge that’s part of the Tammany Trace Bike Trail.
Chad is carrying on a tradition started by his father, who founded the company in 1972.
Rentals start at just $20 an hour.
“We try to keep it as affordable as we can to get as many people as we can out,” says Chad.
Lots of families choose to eat at The Chimes before or after their adventure, and some adults enjoy one last ‘cool’ option: a cold brew after a few hours out in the heat, on the Bogue Falaya.