Plunge down the Potomac in a kayaking adventure — sign up with a local kayaking tour group and see the waters around D.C. from a whole new angle. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or a seasoned kayaker, there’s a tour for you. Paddle around Piscataway Creek, in Fort Washington, MD, with the Atlantic Kayak Company and you’ll get a chance to see beavers, otters, and a wide range of birds.

Or do some leaf peeping from a kayak at C&O Canal National Park, in Potomac, MD, for a few hours with Potomac Paddlesports, in late October, catching the vibrant colors of the changing foliage along the river. (Alternately, you could also try a “Night Sounds” tour with Potomac Paddlesports, also on the C&O Canal, where you’ll listen to the hoots of owls and the croaks of bullfrogs as you row under a full moon.) Finally, if you want to skip the paddling and just go for the floating and fun, consider a half day of river tubing under bridges and trees in Sharpsburg, MD, with River & Trail Outfitters, which offers a tour that includes floating by Antietam National Battlefield, the famous Civil War landmark.

The preceding post is part of the DCist Fall Guide, sponsored by Lexus.