Change up the usual summer camp routine with kayak camp in the Hudson Valley.

I went to regular summer camp as a kid and I hated it. It was in my village and super close to home, which I'm sure my parents loved. But the thought of making lanyards and playing Mancala every day for my entire summer made me miserable. Don't get me wrong, the town ran a lovely and affordable camp. But from a kid's perspective, it just sucked.

Maybe your kid feels the same way about their summer camp, or maybe they want to try something different this year. Or, maybe it's their first camp! Whatever the case, why not try signing them up for kayak camp this year. It's actually offered right here in the Hudson Valley by Storm King Adventures. According to their Instagram, no experience or equipment is required.

The post on Instagram reads:

It's almost that time of year again — the KICKS program is a month away from paddling out! Sign the kiddos up for an educational and adventurous summer program on the Hudson River.

KICKS, Kids in Colorful Kayaks, is the name of their kayak camp. It's available for kids ages nine through 16. You can sign up for as many sessions as needed or wanted on Wednesdays through Fridays between June 30 and August 27. Sessions are available in the morning or in the afternoon, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sessions are $40 each.

Seriously, try mixing it up this summer. I'm sure your kids will thank you!

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

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