On behalf of myself and my group, this was one of the best Richmond experiences we've ever had…read more Collin was our guide and it could not have been any more fun. Not only did he help with any slight nervousness we had but he also was so attentive towards my amputee fiancé on our first time white water rafting. Needless to say, this was absolutely amazing and we will be back

Me, wife, and 2 daughters (16 & 11) went the last week of July '25 and it was a great time. I never…read moreknew there was rafting in Richmond but will def be going back for a quick trip on the water that is quite fun. Tom was our guide, Hailey, was the other rafts guide, and both were awesome. Tom knew so much about the area history and is very experienced guiding. Such an easy trip to make with fun rapids (III's and sometimes IV's). I'm sure all the guides are great, but we will ask for Tom and Hailey first next trip. Pretty impressed with this outfit. (Wish they had more merch to purchase though, just imo).

Our whitewater rafting guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and incredibly sweet. He was a high…read moreschool senior working there for the summer, and he shared interesting facts about Richmond and the history of the buildings along the way. He also pointed out the birds and native plants we saw throughout the trip. I always thought whitewater rafting was primarily a summer activity, but I learned that the water is actually at its lowest during the summer, so there aren't as many rapids. Our guide encouraged us to come back in the fall or winter for a more thrilling experience! The company was casual and laid-back, and they were very responsive when I accidentally booked the wrong date. They quickly adjusted my reservation without any hassle. Sunscreen was available if needed, and water shoes could be rented if you didn't have appropriate footwear. I'll definitely be back for some whitewater rafting during the cooler seasons!

I've had multiple really positive experiences with RVA Paddlesports now, but I wanted to…read morespecifically praise the "Dark Waters" spooky kayaking tour that is happening right now for Halloween. I did it with TJ and she was so kind and helpful and a great storyteller! The tour itself was beautiful!

I'm a long time canoeist. These guys were great. We ended up running twice. This section of the…read moreShenandoah River is one of the top two that I've canoed. The staff is very personable and helpful. They did great with all the new paddlers.

Amazing experience for all skill levels. Perfect amount of time on the water! The views and rock…read morefaces were beautiful! our kids loves seeing the cranes, bald eagles, wood ducks and so so many turtles! Steven was amazing and helped us understand where to go. Easy transition on and off the water. Best part of our Massanutten trip!!

My friends and I were looking for something different to do so we decided to give kayaking a try. I…read moream SO glad we ended up with Spence! He's incredibly friendly, knowledgable and chill. He gave us all really good advice that we would not have known otherwise (watch the water for ripples, that's where you'll get stuck on rocks, hold the paddle exactly like this, make sure if you ever go on your own you have a life jacket on the boat otherwise you'll get fined, etc.). Best of all he's just great to be around; he's fun and chatty and you can tell he loves the outdoors and his job. I think the best way to sum it up is to say that everyone in my group left the trip and said they wanted to purchase kayaks of our own! Maybe another guided trip or two isn't a bad idea, though, as the James is a tricky river...

This is so sad that I am the first reviewer...I hope more will review…read more I was looking for something different to do and saw a Living Social Kayak offer from KR...so, I figured "why not?" I called and Spence is just the nicest, most down-to-earth guy. Very calm...even after I told him that this was going to be my first time and I have no clue what I am doing or even what I should wear. 8am on a Saturday...I was not pleased...until I was in the water. Got to the site and the instruction was great! Brief, yet everything (I think) that we needed to know. He did everything...dragged the boats down the landing....held it while I cautiously got in....and off we went. I got into my own little zone and just paddled. Spence came and got me and we chatted for a bit....nice, nice guy. I cannot wait to go again!! So, for the suggestions...there are always suggestions. It would have been cool for Spence to have had everyone in the group introduce themselves. It was not until just before we ended that I found out that someone else on the trip and I work for the same company. I think the website needs some updating. Spence mentioned a moonlight paddle. This sounds wonderful to me, but I cannot find it on the site.I need to plan a bit further in advance than most people (I travel a lot) and knowing this schedule earlier would be helpful so I can plan my travel around events such as this. Low key, no frills, quality equipment, and nice guy!

I came along with a group of 13. First let me say I don't love water activities, and I'm scared of…read morewater. Definitely wear water shoes & sunscreen. Bring a medium sized cooler, and pay for a cooler float. There is room for changing (bathroom pic included), and toilets. Their little shop has anything you may need for the trip. They drop you off in a school bus up the hill, and then you float down the river for between 3-4 hours. Watch out for rocks below your buns!

I never expect much when I come to a tubing spot but this place beat expectations. Staff was all…read moresuper friendly and accommodating. They have real toilets and hot showers for after the float. Store also sells water proof gear and snacks. Bus ride and instructions were nice and easy. Tubes seemed nice quality and their key system was awesome.

The staff were great and I loved my kayak experience. They definitely cater to those staying on the…read morecamp ground as the price for the kayak was $40 for the day and if you camp at their campsite you can keep it with you. They charge $5 to park. We asked about rental prices for jet skis. They wanted $600 for the day or $100 an hour which I found to be pretty outrageous. It seemed the boat rentals were actually cheaper than the jet ski. Overall, the staff were nice and equipment was kept up well. I felt the price for the kayak was reasonable but would likely not rent larger pieces of equipment.

Terrific and friendly customer service. Thank you Ryan for brining the kayak and paddle boards out…read moreto us so quickly! Sorry we lost an oar! Would definitely use again!!!

just an incredible experience all the way around. kudos to Anna for making our visit memorable…read moreforever! we popped down here with no issues, mainly because our flat is about 5 minutes from the river entry. on our kayak excursion, we went with our rat terrier and ended up hanging with the UVA swim team, who were all just as nice as they could be. one of those afternoons I won't soon forget! highly, highly recommended and don't forget to ask for Anna!

Such a great place! Our driver was awesome. They have such a cute little gift store. The hour and…read morea half kayak ride was a perfect amount of time. People were waiting for us to get our kayaks out at the end of the trip. Highly recommend! They even emailed me a picture of us kayaking on the river, that a bystander took.

We decided to do a little kayaking at the last minute, and James River Runners was able to fit us…read morein for a 3-mile paddle. We showed up for our 12pm float, signed our waivers and loaded up into their van. They load and unload the kayaks and paddles while you pick out your life vest. The owner ( i believe) drove us to the starting point and explained the features of the river to us. He told us that at the halfway point there is a beach area that many lunch at and that there were rapids at the end of the ride. He told us it's a fun little rapid that was nothing major but if we wanted to avoid it, just veer to the left. I went through it of course, but when I turned around, my buddy was laid over on his side. Apparently, he missed the narrow passageway because of a preteen in a tube was in the way. I laughed so hard I almost peed myself. Anyway, you can canoe, tube or kayak with distances of 9 or 3 miles. The 3-mile float took us about 90 minutes if I had to guess. Honestly wasn't paying attention. We really didn't paddle, just steered from time-to-time and let the current do its thing. My only complaint is their snack selection was limited. We drove up from Appomattox Court House and there wasn't a lot of places to stop along the way. Not their fault but having some beef jerky would have been swell.

We pre booked a group of nine prior to arrival after calling directly to have a few questions…read moreanswered. I'm unsure who we spoke with over the phone but they were pleasant. First hiccup was check-in when the parking attendant couldn't find our reservations because she confused the first and last name of our reservation. We were frustrated trying to locate our reservation confirmation with spotty cell service and calling a similarly named company to confirm we were at the right location. She was apologetic after the mistake but didn't provide much direction after our waivers were signed. We walked to the building to confirm our reservation again and had to request life jackets for the children in our group. Life jackets are provided free of cost. We waited for other groups to gather for a brief instruction which included information on an island that can be stopped at, some points of reference for the tube float and instructions for exiting/ time to return by. The gentleman instructing was kind and personable. Transportation is provided upriver. The bus left after confirming everyone had a tube with no further instruction and no staff stationed at the entry point. We had no instruction that there was a basket with rope at the side to rope tubes together. This was pointed out to us by others tubers that were present. We spent the extra $10 for a 'cooler tube' which was a regular tube with two pieces of rope tied on to form an X in the center. We had to add ropes to our cooler tube to ensure our backpack cooler stayed in the tube. The entry point was nothing more than a step sandy path directly into the river. Shoes are required and a necessity as the depth varied and there were a lot of large rocks/ fallen trees that were difficult to see underwater. Once settled we joined many others on the river as it was a hot July day. The float was enjoyable for the most part although one of the ropes that I used to attach my son's tube to mine broke (not came untied) in the river which was frustrating. We opted not to stop at any islands and there was no signage for our float other than where to exit. The exit itself had some small rapids and I felt that the current picked up close to exiting. There were staff at the exit but they offered to cut ropes and take tubes to shore not to offer any assistance to those exiting. Again the depth fluctuated and there were large submerged rocks at the exit which were difficult to see/ navigate underwater. While this was my first time tubing, I have canoed and kayaked (in another state) before and was not as pleased with this experience as I have been with prior river rental experiences.

This place is amazing! The staff if great and super friendly. The launch site is right there and…read moreyou escort yourself out. I like that because you dont have to wait for a bus or other people. The river portion is everything because it starts out slow then you drop into a few "just right" rapids. There is a spot to jump off some rocks, my son loved that! At the end you come out to a ricer beach area , where you can play in the water or walk your tube up to a shaded spot wnd wait for the bus. The bus is cool little way to end the trip! Plus you can get right back in the river and do it again!! Second time in a month I have come and keep getting new friends to experience it!

Our two kids have participated in VOC for years. It's amazing, and the the counselors are great…read morepeople have played important roles in our boys' development. It is safe (don't let Karens put you off), the staff know their stuff, from kayaking and climbing to just goofing off in the water, and the activities stretch the kids horizons in wonderful, character-building ways. Our kids, like all kids, have dropped plenty of other activities, but keep coming back because IT IS FUN! There is a reason why VOC has been around for decades. Do your kids a favor and enroll. Then let go...