Summer days were meant to be spent on the water.

Here in Ohio, we’ve got several lakes and rivers that are perfect for just that. Tubing in Ohio is a relaxing way to catch some rays and embrace the summer season. It doesn’t require any special skill (other than the ability to swim) but it gets you outside. The following are 8 natural lazy rivers that are perfect for tubing in Ohio on a hot summer’s day. See which ones you’ll want to add to your summer bucket list:

  1. Little Miami River (Oregonia)

Ashley Halsey Hemingway/Flickr Little Miami Canoe Rental features a 2-mile tube trip along the Little Miami River. (Note: The canoe rental features two locations along the river. To go tubing, you’ll want to visit the Oregonia location.) Tubing prices start at $14 per tube. Address: 225 Corwin Road, Oregonia, OH, 45054

  1. Tuscarawas River (Bolivar)

Evan L./Yelp NTR Canoe Livery features a 2.5-mile tube trip down the Tuscarawas River. Prices start at $16 per adult and $11 for children 12 and under. Extended tube trips and multiple day passes are available. Address: 11358 State Route 212 Northeast Bolivar, OH, 44612

  1. Mohican River (Loudonville)

Mohican Adventures/Facebook In addition to kayak, canoe and raft rentals, you can rent a tube for $15 per person to take down the Mohican River. This trip takes about 4-5 hours and is available until 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, depending on the weather and water conditions. Address: 3045 State Route 3, South Loudonville, OH, 44842

  1. Great Miami River (Tipp City)

Adventures on the Great Miami/Facebook For $15 per person you can tube down the Great Miami River. (Kids 10 and under are 50% off.) Raft, paddle board, canoe and kayak rentals are also available. Reservations must be made in advance for groups of 20 or more. Address: 1995 Ross Road, Tipp City, OH, 45371

  1. Hocking River (Logan)

Shane B./Yelp While kayak and canoe rentals are popular along the Hocking River, Hocking Hills Adventures also offers tubing in Ohio. This trip also takes about 4-5 hours and is available until 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, depending on the weather and water conditions. Tubes are $17 per person. Address: 31251 Cheiftain Drive, Logan, OH, 43138

  1. Whitewater River (Harrison)

Green Acres Canoe Rental/Facebook Take a 3-mile trip down the Whitewater River via Green Acres Canoe and Kayak Rental for a picture perfect summer’s day. The trip takes about 3 hours to complete with tube rentals at $21.75 per person. Address: 10465 Suspension Bridge Road, Harrison, OH, 45030

  1. Cuyahoga River (Kent)

Crooked River Adventures/Facebook Leisurely float down the Cuyahoga River for 1.5 - 2 hours along this scenic trip. Crooked River Adventures offers tube rentals for $13 per person. Reservations are not required but are encouraged during the summer months. Address: 100 Stow Street, Kent, OH, 44240

  1. Mad River (Urbana)

Birch Bark Canoe Livery/Facebook Birch Bark Canoe Livery offers both a 5-mile and 2.5-mile trip down the Mad River in central Ohio. Tube prices for the 5-mile trip are $15 per person and $10 per person for the 2.5-mile trip. Reservations are required ahead of time. Address: 1455 River Road, Urbana, OH, 43078

What other rivers would you add to this list? Have you ever been tubing in Ohio on any of these rivers before? If so, we want to know what your experience was like. Share your thoughts and photos with us!

Ashley Halsey Hemingway/Flickr

Little Miami Canoe Rental features a 2-mile tube trip along the Little Miami River. (Note: The canoe rental features two locations along the river. To go tubing, you’ll want to visit the Oregonia location.) Tubing prices start at $14 per tube. Address: 225 Corwin Road, Oregonia, OH, 45054

Evan L./Yelp

NTR Canoe Livery features a 2.5-mile tube trip down the Tuscarawas River. Prices start at $16 per adult and $11 for children 12 and under. Extended tube trips and multiple day passes are available. Address: 11358 State Route 212 Northeast Bolivar, OH, 44612

Mohican Adventures/Facebook

In addition to kayak, canoe and raft rentals, you can rent a tube for $15 per person to take down the Mohican River. This trip takes about 4-5 hours and is available until 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, depending on the weather and water conditions. Address: 3045 State Route 3, South Loudonville, OH, 44842

Adventures on the Great Miami/Facebook

For $15 per person you can tube down the Great Miami River. (Kids 10 and under are 50% off.) Raft, paddle board, canoe and kayak rentals are also available. Reservations must be made in advance for groups of 20 or more. Address: 1995 Ross Road, Tipp City, OH, 45371

Shane B./Yelp

While kayak and canoe rentals are popular along the Hocking River, Hocking Hills Adventures also offers tubing in Ohio. This trip also takes about 4-5 hours and is available until 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, depending on the weather and water conditions. Tubes are $17 per person. Address: 31251 Cheiftain Drive, Logan, OH, 43138

Green Acres Canoe Rental/Facebook

Take a 3-mile trip down the Whitewater River via Green Acres Canoe and Kayak Rental for a picture perfect summer’s day. The trip takes about 3 hours to complete with tube rentals at $21.75 per person. Address: 10465 Suspension Bridge Road, Harrison, OH, 45030

Crooked River Adventures/Facebook

Leisurely float down the Cuyahoga River for 1.5 - 2 hours along this scenic trip. Crooked River Adventures offers tube rentals for $13 per person. Reservations are not required but are encouraged during the summer months. Address: 100 Stow Street, Kent, OH, 44240

Birch Bark Canoe Livery/Facebook

Birch Bark Canoe Livery offers both a 5-mile and 2.5-mile trip down the Mad River in central Ohio. Tube prices for the 5-mile trip are $15 per person and $10 per person for the 2.5-mile trip. Reservations are required ahead of time. Address: 1455 River Road, Urbana, OH, 43078

For more summer fun in Ohio, check out our previous article: 11 Amazing Lake Trips You Need To Take In Ohio This Summer.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Tubing in Ohio June 14, 2019 April Dray What are the prettiest rivers in Ohio? It’s difficult to determine which of the rivers in Ohio are the prettiest. Some of the most scenic rivers in Ohio are tucked away in state parks, such as the Hocking River and the Clear Fork Mohican River. There are several rivers near Ohio cities that are just as scenic with reflecting cityscapes, however. Some of these rivers are the Ohio River, Scioto River, Maumee River and the Cuyahoga River. Additionally, the rivers that flow through small towns are just as charming, such as the Muskingum River and Chagrin River.  What are the best water activities in Ohio?  Aside from Ohio tubing and spending some time on a lazy river in Ohio, some of the best water activities are swimming and scuba diving. Many of the best swimming areas in Ohio are lakeside, manmade water parks such as Longs Retreat Family Resort in Latham and Clay’s Park Resort in North Lawerence. These swimming areas feature manmade sandy beaches, water slides, splash pads and other fun amenities. Other swimming areas also feature scuba diving. White Star Quarry in Gibsonburg is a little-known diving resort and swimming area, where the water is a jaw-dropping, deep blue. Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Garrettsville, is a family-owned and operated park that features a stunningly beautiful blue water quarry where you can swim, scuba, snorkel and camp. What is the best time of year to go tubing in Ohio?   The summer season is definitely the best time to go river tubing in Ohio. Most tubing destinations are in operation from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Tubing at this time of year means you’ll get to experience the peak of summer heat, which makes the experience that much more satisfying. 

The OIYS Visitor Center

Tubing in Ohio

June 14, 2019

April Dray

What are the prettiest rivers in Ohio? It’s difficult to determine which of the rivers in Ohio are the prettiest. Some of the most scenic rivers in Ohio are tucked away in state parks, such as the Hocking River and the Clear Fork Mohican River. There are several rivers near Ohio cities that are just as scenic with reflecting cityscapes, however. Some of these rivers are the Ohio River, Scioto River, Maumee River and the Cuyahoga River. Additionally, the rivers that flow through small towns are just as charming, such as the Muskingum River and Chagrin River.  What are the best water activities in Ohio?  Aside from Ohio tubing and spending some time on a lazy river in Ohio, some of the best water activities are swimming and scuba diving. Many of the best swimming areas in Ohio are lakeside, manmade water parks such as Longs Retreat Family Resort in Latham and Clay’s Park Resort in North Lawerence. These swimming areas feature manmade sandy beaches, water slides, splash pads and other fun amenities. Other swimming areas also feature scuba diving. White Star Quarry in Gibsonburg is a little-known diving resort and swimming area, where the water is a jaw-dropping, deep blue. Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Garrettsville, is a family-owned and operated park that features a stunningly beautiful blue water quarry where you can swim, scuba, snorkel and camp. What is the best time of year to go tubing in Ohio?   The summer season is definitely the best time to go river tubing in Ohio. Most tubing destinations are in operation from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Tubing at this time of year means you’ll get to experience the peak of summer heat, which makes the experience that much more satisfying. 

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

It’s difficult to determine which of the rivers in Ohio are the prettiest. Some of the most scenic rivers in Ohio are tucked away in state parks, such as the Hocking River and the Clear Fork Mohican River. There are several rivers near Ohio cities that are just as scenic with reflecting cityscapes, however. Some of these rivers are the Ohio River, Scioto River, Maumee River and the Cuyahoga River. Additionally, the rivers that flow through small towns are just as charming, such as the Muskingum River and Chagrin River. 

What are the best water activities in Ohio? 

Aside from Ohio tubing and spending some time on a lazy river in Ohio, some of the best water activities are swimming and scuba diving. Many of the best swimming areas in Ohio are lakeside, manmade water parks such as Longs Retreat Family Resort in Latham and Clay’s Park Resort in North Lawerence. These swimming areas feature manmade sandy beaches, water slides, splash pads and other fun amenities. Other swimming areas also feature scuba diving. White Star Quarry in Gibsonburg is a little-known diving resort and swimming area, where the water is a jaw-dropping, deep blue. Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Garrettsville, is a family-owned and operated park that features a stunningly beautiful blue water quarry where you can swim, scuba, snorkel and camp.

What is the best time of year to go tubing in Ohio?  

The summer season is definitely the best time to go river tubing in Ohio. Most tubing destinations are in operation from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Tubing at this time of year means you’ll get to experience the peak of summer heat, which makes the experience that much more satisfying.