The Turbo Tubes are a blend of a kayak and an inner tube, allowing you to either float leisurely or paddle energetically down the river. This was our first visit to the County of Brant, and we were eager for an adventure.
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Getting There
Paris, Ontario, situated in the County of Brant, is located about 1.5 hours west of Toronto.
The Grand River stretches hundreds of kilometers from Dundalk, Ontario, in the north to Lake Erie in the south. There are several public access points along the river, especially in Paris. If you don’t have your own canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or tube, you can rent from a local provider.
Our Experience
As shown in the video, we enjoyed paddling with The Grand River Rafting Company. Founded by father and son team Garth and Colin Pottruff, the company has expanded significantly since its inception. Today, this seasonal business operates from May to October and employs over 50 staff members.
We arrived at the meeting point on Saturday morning and were delighted to find other paddlers already there for check-in. Initially, we thought we would be kayaking, but we ended up ‘turbo tubing’ instead—an exciting new experience for us. Just like the Grand River itself, we decided to ‘go with the flow’ (pun intended!).
Next, we were divided into groups based on the type of paddling we would be doing. There was a sole stand-up paddleboarder, some kayakers, a group celebrating a friend’s 60th birthday on a raft, and us with the turbo tubes. After donning our life jackets and receiving the right paddles (each activity requires a specific paddle), we boarded a small bus to take us to the upstream launch point, from where we would paddle back downstream to our parked car.
Arriving at the launch site in Glen Morris, about 9 kilometers from Paris, Garth briefed us on the Turbo Tube’s features, handed out a waterproof map detailing our route, and provided dry bags for our personal items along with a cooler stocked with a picnic-style lunch. We had everything we needed for our adventure and set off!
It took us a few minutes to adjust to paddling in a Turbo Tube, but once we got the hang of it, we were able to look around and fully enjoy our surroundings. The atmosphere was serene, and it felt as if we had the river all to ourselves, aside from a few fellow paddlers doing some fishing. We noticed variations in the current, which added to the excitement of our journey.
After paddling for about 1.5 hours, we reached Norm’s Island, which Garth had recommended as a great spot for a picnic lunch. By this time, we were quite hungry and in need of some energy to continue our adventure. We pulled our tubes ashore and found a comfortable spot to unpack our cooler, which contained salads, sandwiches, fruit cups, cookies, and cans of soda. The meal was delicious and perfectly portioned, leaving us satisfied without any leftovers.
After lunch, we took a few more pictures and noticed the natural spring Garth had mentioned was right across the river. We paddled over to explore before heading back downstream. During our return, we encountered more paddlers, which was wonderful to see—people of all ages enjoying their paddling experience at their leisure.
Our exit point, known as The Three Sisters, is marked by the pillars of an old railway bridge, clearly indicated with large blue flags. A couple of Grand River Rafting staff were there to assist us in exiting our tubes. We felt incredibly fortunate to have had such a memorable paddling experience, despite occasionally getting stuck and needing to push ourselves off rocks. Ultimately, we celebrated our successful first paddling outing of the season.
Cost & Availability
For the latest information on costs, availability, and to make reservations, please check the Grand River Rafting website or call 519 442 2519.
Need to Know Info
- The stretch of the Grand River from Glen Morris to Paris can be quite shallow. In many areas, the water was ankle-deep, which required us to occasionally get out and navigate around rocks. Water levels may vary throughout the year.
- There are no washrooms at the meeting, launch, or exit points, although a portable toilet is available for use.
- A dry bag is provided for storing clothing, keys, electronics, and other belongings that you want to keep dry. We highly recommend using these dry bags, and bringing a ziplock bag for phone protection is also a good idea.
- We found that we had cell service during our lunch stop, but thankfully we didn’t have to place an SOS call!
- Turbo Tubing is EASY! But check out this blooper of Tony struggling to get into the tube.
Paddling along the Grand River is a great way to spend a morning, afternoon, or even an entire weekend immersed in nature. You can make it as active or relaxing as you want. Plus, by supporting this local seasonal business, you’ll be contributing to the community. In our next video and blog, we’ll highlight some must-visit spots in Brantford, Paris, and Six Nations Territory.
This experience highlighted our love for paddling and showed us just how accessible it is with the help of the staff at Grand River Rafting. Whether you choose a canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or turbo tube, we encourage you to make paddling a priority—set a date, reserve your spot, and get ready to #PaddleTheGrand.
Our paddling trip was sponsored by Grand River Rafting and Heart of Ontario, but all opinions, recommendations, and reviews are our own.
Looking for more places to paddle in Ontario? We recommend kayaking along Big Creek in Norfolk County and Peche Island in Windsor.
If you have photos or videos from your visit that you’d like to share with us, please send them to @LetsDiscoverON.
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