My husband and I have a tradition to go floating on or around his birthday each year. For the past few years, we've been floating the Illinois River in Oklahoma. It's really beautiful and we always have an enjoyable time. We personally like to get a raft instead of a canoe because we have a history of tipping over every time we try to paddle around something -- which I'll happily admit is because of my inability to paddle in the right direction! ;) Plus, by taking a raft, you really can relax and enjoy the trip down the river. We'll just bounce off the rocks and other obstacles until we reach our ending point. Of course, there's the must stop lunch break and numerous swim breaks to keep cool. It is really a great time and this is a great time of year to go. Most of the rivers still have a good flow because of spring rains, but they're not too dangerous from too much rain. If you've never been floating, you really must go. When we lived in Missouri, we'd float the Elk River, just north of the Arkansas border... and in my many years in Arkansas, I've floated many of the beautiful rivers here. There are countless opportunities to have some summer fun! Here are some websites to help you pick a river for your next floating trip.
Arkansas Rivers
Oklahoma Rivers
Missouri Rivers