River and Earth Adventures is an outdoor adventure company based in Western North Carolina. I designed and developed this project under the umbrella of Big Boom Design, the agency I worked for from 2017-2020.
Technologies used in this project:
- WordPress
- CSS
- Adobe Illustrator
Home page
After editing and organizing their content from across their old site, discussing their business goals with the owner, Grant, and generating a color palette based on the vibrant shades in their logo, I set about designing the menu and home page.
I decided to use a combination of photos and colorful icons. I used a set of vector icons purchased from Freepik that I unfortunately can't seem to find any more. I edited them to coordinate with the website's color set, added a new icon for tubing, and generated an additional set with white lines and no color background for use on subpages.
Continuing with the homepage, I used a gradient to transition from the static hero image to the main content sections below, giving a sense of descending beneath the surface of the water. I focused their homepage content on a few primary distinguishing characteristics that will help differentiate REA from their competitors. I followed up with important location information and CTAs for important conversions, like calling about a trip or purchasing a gift card.
Finally, the homepage ends with an image of one of the colorfully-wrapped REA vans they use to transport groups to and from various trips and locations. The vans are a recognizable branding element (if you go rafting in WNC you might see one) and a physical representation of the trustworthiness of the company. They've invested in equipment, they take what they do seriously, here's the proof.
See more of the homepage below.
The subpages focus on promoting specific services and activities. They start with a sizable header section and short introductory text, then go into 2-column sections for each individual "product" that's available in the third-party booking service REA uses.
The footer calls out the shuttle service with an icon on subpages instead of another large image to keep the focus on the main topic and keep the page size smaller overall.
The only form on the site is on the contact page. It's simple and responsive. You can see the shuttle service callout that's in the footer of every subpage in the simulated mobile device below.
