ACE Adventure Resort

Spanning 1,500 acres in Oak Hill, West Virginia, ACE Adventure Resort has provided visitors with thrilling adventures and family-friendly activities for over 40 years. The main draws at ACE are the guided white water rafting experiences along the New River Gorge and Gauley River.

Families can strap on their lifejackets for an adventure on the Upper New River Gorge, which offers easy rapids and calm pools. The best season for beginner rafting is during the summer, when kids as young as 6 years old can paddle along in the lighter rapids.

More experienced rafters and thrill seekers can find Class I through Class IV rapids on the Lower New River Gorge. This part of the river is known as a drop-pool river, where sections of intense rapids are separated by calm pools. Rides through these areas are open to children 12 years and older.

More seasoned rafters can attempt to conquer the Gauley River during late summer and early fall. The 12 miles of river with over 50 rapids (ranging from Class II to Class V) and a 14-foot waterfall are sure to keep any group of adventurers on the edge of their seats.

For those less inclined to shoot down the rapids, ACE Adventure Resort provides other types of outdoor adventure for visitors of all ages. The resort has a 5-acre spring-fed waterpark, aerial ropes course, rock climbing and a zip-line course with nine zips and two sky bridges.

ACE provides a variety of lodging options as well, from premium cabins to bunkhouses to safari-style platform tents. For a more rustic overnight experience, ACE also offers campgrounds with both tent and sleeping bag rentals. 1 Concho Rd., Oak Hill, West Virginia 25901, 800/787-3982, aceraft.com