Sarah and Sterling Acree are the owners of Shelley Adventure Center, a seasonal business that offers kayak and raft tours along the 7-mile Snake River. See what the tours are like in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
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BUZZ BUSINESS
SHELLEY
Cruise along the 7-mile Snake River with Shelley Adventure Center
SHELLEY – Sarah Acree and her husband, Sterling, want to help you enjoy a vacation on the water this summer.
The Shelleys are the owners of the Shelley Adventure Center, a seasonal business that offers kayak and raft tours along a section of the Snake River. The tours start at Gem Lake Dam near Shelley Fish Pond and follow a 7-mile route, ending at North Bingham County Park. The tours last two to three and a half hours, depending on how fast you paddle. See what it looks like in the video above..
The business also provides kayaks and rafts for rent.
The Acre family started the season the last week of June and plans to continue it through the first week of September.
“Sometimes we can make it another week or two, but by then the water is too low or the weather is too cold,” Sarah told EastIdahoNews.com. “July and August are our sweet spots.”
The 42-year-old Firth native grew up whitewater rafting with his father and worked as a professional river guide in Utah for about eight summers.
She and her husband decided to launch Shelley Adventure Center last summer to earn some extra income. This section of the river was not heavily traveled, and they thought it would be ideal for families.
“We didn’t know if there would be enough interest,” Sarah said. “We created a website and started posting on social media, and it just took off.”
Most of their customers last summer were people on their way to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park, but this year more locals are joining in as word gets out.
Sarah started rafting with her father at the age of 5. Her father had a friend who worked as a river guide near the Grand Canyon, and that inspired her to pursue it as a career.
He began his career giving guided tours to Boy Scouts along the Salmon River a few years ago, teaching them how to paddle and kayak. That job led to a similar job with Western River Expeditions in Moab, Utah.
Over the years, Sarah says, the most rewarding part of working as a river guide has been seeing the smiles on people’s faces at the end of a trip.
He hopes to draw more people from Idaho Falls and Shelley this year.
Although the scenery on the boat tour with Shelley Adventure Center is mostly farmland, she says it’s still worth it.
“With just a little effort, you can relax and get away from all the pressure for a while,” he said. “Seeing people smile and say they really enjoyed it — that’s the best reward.”
To schedule a trip or learn more, visit the website or Facebook page.
BUSINESS SECTION
Idaho insurance company named among top 50 in industry nationwide
IDAHO FALLS – Farm Bureau Insurance has been listed among the 50 best-performing insurance companies in the United States.
Ward Group is a leading provider of benchmarking studies and best practices for insurance companies. Each year, the firm analyzes nearly 3,000 property-casualty insurers to identify the best-performing companies. To be included in Ward’s Top 50 list, a company must pass a rigorous financial stability test and demonstrate the ability to grow while maintaining a strong capital position and underwriting results.
Each company on the 2024 list achieved outstanding financial results between 2019 and 2023. This year’s awards were announced at a public ceremony on July 11.
Click here to see the full list.
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