An unplugged family adventure.
Custom family canoe trips built around your kids' ages, your pace, and the memories you actually want to make. No experience required — just the will to show up.
No experience or commitment required.
30+
★★★★★ on Trip Advisor from 60+ Reviews
Years in the park
“There were moments of awe, self reflection, tranquillity, thrill & family bonding.” - Harman, Family Trip 2023
200+
5 Star Reviews on Google
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
What's included
Canoes, meals, camping gear, expert guides, safety coverage — all included. Show up with your bag. We handle the rest.
Private family trips work around your schedule — school holidays, summer weeks, long weekends. We're flexible.
Your dates, your pace
Nightly campfires, stargazing, and the kind of evenings your kids will talk about when they have their own children.
Campsite magic
Three or four days in the backcountry reconnects families in ways that are genuinely hard to explain until you've done it.
No Wi-Fi. On purpose.
We build the route around your youngest paddler, shorter portages, calmer lakes, and built-in adventure without the overwhelm.
Age-appropriate routes
All our guides are certified Wilderness First Responders and National Lifeguards. Every child wears a properly fitted PFD for all ages.
Safety first, always
Canoes, paddles, tents, sleeping bags (child sizes available), and all meals. You pack clothes. We pack the rest.
Everything provided
WHAT YOU ACTUALLY GET ON A DRIFTWOOD TRIP.
Why Driftwood Paddle
Everyone learns from each other and grows together. Paddling a winding river, searching for frogs amongst the lilies and playing charades around the fire. You’ll be looking back on these days wishing you could relive every moment.
Core Memories
Shared challenges build trust faster than years of casual contact. Couples reconnect. Families remember each other. Strangers become the kind of friends you call in a crisis.
Relationships That Go Deeper
Gear, food, route, safety & campsites are all handled. You show up at base camp with your bag and we take care of everything from that moment forward. The whole point is that you stop managing things.
Zero logistics. Zero stress.
Be it in the milky way, or conversations around the fire that go somewhere real. The feeling of laughing like you haven’t in years. Guests call it a life changing experience.
Pure Bliss.
★ 5.0
200+ Google reviews
100%
recommend on Facebook
2018
founded · still family-run
3-14+
day trips available
15+
max group size guided
What private guests say
★★★★★
“Don’t let fear be the thing that holds you back. I came away from this trip realizing I needed to shift my “mama bear” instinct - from expecting the worst to embracing life fully and getting out there with my boys.”
– Daisy M.
Private Family Trip 2022-2025
What people say
The trip changes people. Every time.
★★★★★
“The incredible team guided our group of 10, including four children under 10, through Algonquin for three days. Would highly recommend for a different experience and to recharge by getting away from all distractions both digital and social."“
Mitch B.★★★★★
"My brother-in-law went with 3 kids under 6 years old, and Chris and team made it easy and fun throughout. The gear was top quality. Highly recommend!"
Kathy H.★★★★★
"Dietary restrictions up the wazoo, all different levels of experience in a canoe, including 2 kids under the age of 4. Chris and Kieran's planning made it all work."
Cam S.Common questions
Everything you want to know before booking.
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We recommend ages 1 and up for most backcountry family trips. For shorter, calmer routes we've taken children as young as 6. Talk to us on the call — we'll design a route that's genuinely appropriate for your youngest.
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It's the norm. Most families who book with us have little to no camping experience. Your guide handles all instruction and sets the pace around your family's comfort. By day two, kids are usually helping with camp setup and asking to stay longer.
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Every child wears a properly fitted PFD (we have all sizes). All guides are certified National Lifeguards and Wilderness First Responders. We select routes appropriate for your family's ages and abilities, with calm water and regular rest stops.
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Absolutely. The menu is built around your family's needs — nut allergies, gluten intolerance, vegetarian, vegan, and spectacularly fussy seven-year-olds. Just let us know on the call.
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Most families book 3–4 day trips — long enough to fully unplug, without being too demanding for younger kids. We can build shorter weekend trips or longer 5–7 day adventures for families who want more.
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Plenty of downtime — beach swimming, hammock time, exploring around camp, star-gazing at night. Watching kids go from glued-to-screens to building fires and jumping in lakes is the whole point.
Book a call
Tell us your kids' ages and your ideal dates — we'll build a route and a plan around you.
Plan your family's trip.
No commitment. Just a conversation.