Seriously? Texas City Charges To Float On Its River

Floating down a lazy Texas river, preferably with a cold beer in your hand, is a great way to spend an afternoon. One Texas city may make you to pay to do it though.

Texas has the prettiest rivers in the USA and floating along one in a tube or on a raft is so much fun. Sipping a drink with friends and family, occasionally slipping into the water to cool off is a great way to spend an afternoon.

If you're planning a vacation to do that in San Marcos, you may need to adjust your travel budget.

People flock to Texas rivers in the summer and San Marcos, thanks to lots of riverfront parks, has one of the most popular ones. It's become a little too popular though and the city is considering charging non-residents to use it. Residents of San Marcos would be given an access card. allowing them access without paying the fee.

READ MORE: You Can Surf Texas Rivers

A fee would help cover the costs of protecting and maintaining the river and park areas that get packed, especially on weekends. 70%, of river visitors are day-trippers who just come in for a day or two and don't really benefit San Marcos' economy. Meanwhile, many San Marcos residents won't even use the river because it's so crowded.

How Much Is The Fee?

A fee actually kind of makes sense as visitors clog up the river, leave trash behind and add wear and tear to the river while the local tax payers foot the bill.

Fortunately, your wallet won't take a huge hit. The proposed fee is only $5 a head for peeps 6 and older or $25 for groups of 10 or more.