“Exploring, to me, is more than where you go physically,” says Matt “Sunshine” Keller. “It's what capacity you're willing to go [and] how far you're willing to push yourself on an adventure. How far are you able to take yourself?”
For Keller, the Harpeth River is one of the greatest places to explore in Middle Tennessee and one of the best places to make deep connections and lasting memories. Growing up in a military family that frequently relocated, he’s never felt more at home than in the area around the Harpeth.
“It's the place that I ended up sowing roots for the first time in my life,” he says. “Both my parents were in the service, and I saw multiple schools at least once a year. When I found Nashville, specifically the Harpeth River, and bought my house … I've been in this place longer than I've been in any place. I've spent almost half of my life in this one place. It's where I've raised my three kids and all of our treasured memories have been created on the Harpeth.”
Keller has turned his love for the river into his life’s mission. As the founder and owner of Sunshine’s Adventures (SA), Keller helps families, friends, and groups create their own lasting memories on the Harpeth.
Sunshine’s Adventures offers kayaking, tubing, and paddleboarding throughout the summer. As long as the weather cooperates, SA will operate its river activities, as well as its campsite called “Driftwood,” until the end of September.
“It’s a great place for groups to gather and create their next treasured memory in a private space that's secluded,” he says of Driftwood, a plot of land on the river in Pegram. “It's in nature, surrounded by old forests. Whether you want to get friends together for, say, just a bourbon and bonfire, or if you want to have a birthday party and have your kids have a water gun fight, or just go and take your family somewhere that's close by but feels far away and just get away from all the craziness that Nashville has become.”
Driftwood also offers activities such as axe throwing and if you’re looking for a staycation it even has “The Captain’s Cabin,” a restored 2,000 square foot rental house.”
In a world driven by screens and technology, trading phones and computers for a few hours on the river with friends, family or colleagues is the perfect recipe for making true connections.
“Usually people don't like to have their phones out around and in water, so that's a great start,” says Keller. “Because then you get that real engagement and human connection and contact. The river is different every day … There are things that can happen along the way that you get to, not endure so much, but to experience. Sometimes … things can get a little hectic and you’ve got to work together to battle adversity. So, it's just a great bonding experience that brings people together.”
Keller strives to help create experiences that will stay with people forever and become stories that are shared among families, friends and coworkers for years to come.
“Being outdoors is creating treasured memories with people that you care about because there’s only one thing that people take for granted that's worth more than anything they'll ever have. And that's time,” he says.
If you’re looking to create your own memories, be sure to book your summer river adventure in advance. Last-minute opportunities always become available, but with only a few weeks until the kids return to school, it’s best to book at least 3-4 days in advance to ensure a good river run before summer draws to a close.