Adventure brings out the best in people, whether it's a stellar sense of direction or a knack for making bourguignon from beef jerky and elk tears. Test your mettle with today’s Groupon to Rivers Northeast Adventures in Brownsville, Vermont. Choose between the following options:

• For $24, you get a three-hour self-guided kayak adventure for two (a $50 value). Kayak season runs Memorial Day–October.
• For $60, you get a whitewater-rafting adventure for two or a summer float trip for two (up to a $140 value). Whitewater rafting is valid from April 2012 to mid-May and the float trip is valid all summer.

Rivers Northeast Adventures offers a deluge of summer activities along tranquil and feisty rivers in the picturesque Vermont countryside. The three-hour self-guided kayak trip lets riders glide along the currents of the Connecticut River or paddle around a nearby lake while gazing at the area's dense foliage and vast number of barges that carry sacks of rice. Adventurers are shuttled to and from their watery destinations and supplied with single or tandem kayaks, gear, and a quick intro to kayak navigation. Half-day whitewater-rafting trips on Sumners Falls or in the White River afford family-friendly or adrenaline-surging swells that entertain more effectively than watching a child tickle a horse. The Sumners Falls run sprints over Class III rapids and ends in a stomach-twisting drop, and the White River bounces between Class II rapids and stretches of flat water perfect for swimming. During the summer, bring along a friend or Mediterranean oarsman for a half-day float, captained by a seasoned, friendly guide.