7. Rafting on the Kennebec River (The Forks, Maine)
This guided all-day trip is front-loaded with an intense, big-rapid descent through a rock-walled gorge. You’re in a self-bailing raft with a half-dozen others, each of you armed with life jackets and paddles. No experience is necessary (the guides are excellent, and the rapids aren’t especially technical), but you should be someone who likes, say, a roller coaster. Northern Outdoors offers daily trips and the New England equivalent of a dude ranch—a handsome timber lodge, with well-appointed cabins and a fine micro-brewery on the premises—near the takeout (prices range from $59 to $122 per person based on day and month of trip; call 800-765-raft or visit northernoutdoors.com). — TODD BALF

8. Playing on the Saco River (Conway, New Hampshire)
It’s not exactly The Real Cancun, but expect fun-loving crowds on the north country’s premier party river. Tubers, canoeists, and the occasional person on an inflatable Orca float the gin-clear flows between Center Conway and Hiram, Maine, overnighting either on white-sand beaches or in nearby North Conway. Contact Saco Bound in Center Conway for rentals and shuttle information (prices start at $25.50 for canoe rentals, $12 for shuttles, with higher rates on weekends in July and August; call 603-447-2177 or visit sacobound.com). The 1787 Nereledge Inn bed-and-breakfast in North Conway is cozy and handsomely furnished (doubles start at $69; call 603-356-2831 or visit nereledgeinn.com). — TODD BALF

See also:
Where to Hire a Sailboat to Tour New York's Waters