WHITEWATER TUBING Five years ago, when the girls were just 10 and 11 years old, I took them to the Marge Cline Whitewater Course in Yorkville; we rented tubes from Geneva Kayak and had a blast. Shortly after I featured the activity in Moms Little Black Book, they closed - we were so disappointed.
So, you can only imagine our excitement when we discovered Yak Shack, LLC opened in the same place offering tons of great water activity options, including renting the tube tracker inflatables for the whitewater course!
The owner, Jeff Brown, is a local. He’s passionate about helping people of all ages get on the water and thoroughly enjoy nature - which worked perfectly for my group of teenagers who had zero patience for a long lesson of any sorts in the middle of summertime fun. Jeff geared up the kids with lifejackets, helmets, paddle, and a tube and provided words of guided advice before sending them on their way. The teens were like toddlers as they trotted with excitement to the start of the course, and loaded up on the tubes trying to hang on to each other forming a human train down the river. Giggling, laughing, screaming, playing – hormonal teens turned into smiling children again!
The great thing about the $15 rental rate is that they can go all day with the tubes – it’s not an hourly rate. After a few times down the course, they got creative - using the rocks as landing points and time to sunbathe on the water, and then when they got too warm, they would launch themselves into the rapids again. I would highly recommend wearing water shoes for when you exit the tube in the river and walk up the sidewalk to the beginning of the course again. Bring some lemonade and snacks and make it an afternoon – or rent a canoe or kayak and make it a day!
Overview It doesn't matter if you're a beginner looking for lessons or an expert looking to gear up, you can find what you need at the Yak Shack to get on the water. Lessons, trips, or simply rent your own tube for recreational use within the course.
Yak Shack, LLC 301 E. Hydraulic Street Yorkville, IL 60560 (630) 479-8074 www.YakShackOnline.com
Hours: Sunday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price $: Tube Tracker Inflatables $15/day; Recreational Kayak $35/day; Canoe $50/day
ABOUT THE WRITER Naperville mom Kristen Kucharski graduated from Illinois State University in 1992 with an International Business Degree. She is married and has two energetic daughters and her house is always full of children. Kristen’s column titled, Mom's Little Black Book, is a monthly feature written for moms who are looking for ways to keep their kids busy.
