I took my 8 year old son winter river rafting in February. We were in town for a wedding, but…read morewanted to use our free time to do something different/ unique. It was the perfect activity. The guides were great and luckily we were paired with another family we had small kids, making the experience even more fun for my son. We usually go to MI in the summers, so we'll be back to JVO for some summer fun too.

Winter rafting with Jordan Valley Outfitters was an incredibly wonderful experience. It was by far…read moreone of the coolest experiences I've ever done! Reserving my party's spot online was easy. I received an email with all of the information and directions I needed beforehand. The bus ride to the river's start point was comfortable. On the way, we were briefed on what to expect and safety information. The winter rafting ride was magical. We were lucky enough to have just gotten a fresh snowfall. The views truly looked like a scene out of a movie. The Jordan River was a stable flow therefore little paddling was required. The snow's heaviness weighed some branches down over the river so some ducking was in order! Our guide, Sam, was outstanding. He was knowledgeable about the river, area, and provided great local recommendations! Partway on our journey, our guide led us off the river. Where we were treated to homemade cookies and hot drinks. Run don't walk to Jordan Valley Outfitters!

They rent u-haul kayaks and tube but wont really clarify drop or pick up points. Bad communication…read morefor sure.

We took our family on a 2 hour rafting trip and it was beautiful! I great way to see nature! The…read moreriver is calm and pleasant, and Jamie was great with setting us up with all of the gear and boats! Would highly recommended!

We had a group of 14 do a rafting trip this weekend, aged 8-74. We did the 2-hour rafting trip…read more Based on the website description, this seemed to be ok. It was the most chaotic, stressful, dangerous thing we've done as a group. Do not do a rafting trip if you think you're going to have any time to enjoy the scenery, talk, or enjoy a family activity. The river was extra fast due to high water levels and there are constant obstacles to avoid. We are all lucky to have made it with only minor injuries. Way too many close calls. It was not just us that were not enjoying our time on the river. Every kayaker and tuber we encountered felt exactly the same way. Several said they'd been crying at times, it was so chaotic.

Great trip over the New Year! Tanner was knowledgeable and he kept us dry while pointing out some…read morenature. Such a pretty ride. Will definitely go again!

Renters BEWARE!!!! I would not recommend renting the Aspen cabin from Jeff with Crystal Adventures!…read moreWe had a horrible experience at this cabin. Upon arrival, we discovered a lady bug/beetle infestation. The dishes in the kitchen cabinets were dirty and also had beetles on them. The kitchen is also not a full kitchen as advertised. of the two bedrooms, one of them does not have heat, and the other one has a hidden baseboard heater which you are not made aware of. This resulted in us sleeping without heat before the first night. The bathrooms are absolutely filthy. Only 2 of us (out of 6 people) showered the entire weekend as the showers were very unclean. We had dog hair in the sheets of our bed. We realize mistakes can happen with cleaners so tried to work with the property owner, Jeff in hopes of working something out and issuing a partial refund for everything we encountered last weekend. He was very unprofessional and left us no choice but to contact AirBNB for help. After seeing our photos and videos, they agreed that we deserved a partial refund. I just wanted to help inform others to avoid renting from Crystal Adventures at all costs! It was a very unfortunate situation for our family.

The staff at Crystal Adventures were very friendly and helpful. They helped us get our canoes and…read morekayaks into the river and explained what to expect (portages/timing etc.). The river was just beautiful and less busy than others in the area. In hindsight I wish we had each gotten our own kayaks instead of doubling up in canoes as the river is tricky to navigate in the larger sized vessel at times. I'll definitely come back to Crystal Adventures.

BrassWind Landing is THE BOMB!…read more Lincoln took me and my friend on three different adventures over the course of three days--a sunset paddle on Burt Lake, a sunrise paddle on Mullet Lake, and an eco-tour of Indian River. My friend is an experienced kayaker, but I had never been before. Lincoln patiently (and expertly) instructed me in the basics, then let me enjoy my sunset paddle. The next day, at the sunrise paddle, he added in a few more pointers here and there (not too intrusively--just little bits to help improve my technique, my control and my experience of the lake). Then he added a few more pointers on my eco-tour (I discovered that river kayaking is different than lake kayaking, and requires mastery of a few distinct techniques). Two zen-like floats, and an engaging and informative eco-paddle. And here I was, a rank beginner! If you know that you love getting out on the water, or if you're a nervous beginner and want to give it a try, call Brasswind Landing. Lincoln and Sherrie will hook you up. They accommodated our schedule, our transportation issues, and our different skill levels. Super friendly service. "They's just good folks", as my mamaw used to say. You won't find a better water buddy than Lincoln. All the waters in Indian River are exceptional, and you will want an outfitter that's no less exceptional. Brasswind Landing is the way to go!

Lincoln and his brother set our group of four up for a great trip. The Liquid Logic kayaks they…read moreprovided were a step up from most other rentals. We took the trip from Wolverine to Burt Lake (approx. 5 1/2 hours). The river was flowing fast, but the obstacles/hazards were far less than some other reviews make them out to be (although this river is not for beginners) . Plenty of tubers/rafts to steer around for the last hour. We will be back.

For the sixth year in a row my family has rented skis from the Bahnhoff ski shop. Our experience…read moreis always excellent. The quality of equipment, the correct fitting and the wonderful service keeps bringing us back. This year we had a problem when on our second day of skiing. Our granddaughter hurt her arm late in the day to the extent that the ski patrol snowmobiled her down the hill and we ran her to Spectrum hospital. In the chaos of getting her down the hill and to the hospital we left some rental equipment at Nubs. Bahnhoffs only concern was with the health of my granddaughter, not with the rentals. They showed complete understanding and compassion for the situation. End result, we lost a helmet and set of poles. Their equipment was the least of Bahnhoff's concern. The manager said to not worry that they will work with Nubs in retrieving the equipment. What a great staff Bahnhoff Sports employs, I thank them all. Bill Van Cleve Ann Arbor MI

Enter at your own risk…read more "Guys, come on! It's a holiday. We're closed. You gotta go!", said no business owner angrily to guests that just spent $600 a mere FOUR MINUTES after closing. Just kidding. Don, the new owner of Bahnhof said that to us. CONTEXT: We showed up 75 minutes before closing on New Year's Eve. We immediately asked for support with our selections. An incredibly bright, pleasant, and patient young man did an AMAZING job explaining all the ins and outs of the items we were considering. Item by item, we added to our pile and proceeded to checkout. We loved our experience up to that point and sincerely looked forward to bringing in our four adult children for complete outfitting at the end of January-likely totaling thousands of dollars. THEN it happened! At precisely 7:04 pm, our transaction was finished. We grabbed our bags ready to walk out, and I asked a question about socks. As the young man was answering, the angry old man others complained about in their Google reviews very snottily says, "Guys, come on! It's a holiday. We're closed. You gotta go!" We were dumbfounded. Who speaks to any customer like that? In my experience, someone who lacks gratitude, respect for others, and basic human decency. Supporting this store was a grave error on our part, which is why we promptly returned every item the next day. We then proceeded right next door to Boyne Country Sports, where we received INCREDIBLE service from a staff who clearly RESPECTS and APPRECIATES their clients. As a local resident and life-long entrepreneur that consults with small businesses, I *passionately* support small-local whenever possible. Frankly, that makes writing a negative review more difficult. However, I feel it is a duty to share our experience, so you can choose to spend your hard-earned dollars where they are appreciated. After sharing our experience with many other locals from Boyne City to Petoskey over the last few days, it seems that most who know this character have one common point of knowledge - he does not like out-of-town visitors. This is evidenced by other 1-star Google reviews, Don, shows up as an angry, rude, and spiteful old man. I would go as far as saying he is an utter embarrassment to the local small business community. I feel for his staff (the young man others have mentioned) who are left working for a tyrant, who seemingly likes to bark orders at his employees. And, it may only be a matter of time before the right local business owner comes along and sees the value of this young man and others, and how fortunate they would be to have them represent their store instead. For locals that have been supporting this place for years (most prior to Don's purchase in 2017), perhaps your experience is different. For those of you traveling to the area, I invite you to spend your money anywhere else. From direct experience, I can say that you will receive better service and better selection, at a more competitive price. In my 25 years of helping businesses grow through their challenges, I have learned that some owners know their strengths and weaknesses, and where their talents are best utilized. And then there are some who are clueless. In my experience, Mr. Marszalec is clearly the latter. Otherwise, he would know not to step foot in the retail, customer-facing space. I can't help but wonder what the Smith's think about this type of reputation being created after spending 40 years building such a wonderful business. Unfortunately, having knowledge, experience, or even a passion for an industry does not equate to being a good operator, much less a good leader. As such, despite feedback being a gift and an opportunity to learn and grow, I have little hope of my review creating any actual change in future customer experiences considering he chose to not even offer a heartfelt apology. So enter this store at your own risk - or simply support a different local business instead.

My Boyne River Rafting trip was fantastic. The beauty of the area and comfort of the raft is second…read moreto none. Gow is the owner and captain of the raft and took care of all of our needs for the 2 hour trip. We were provided personal flotation vests, and the new raft was extremely comfortable for the journey. Great weather, great scenery, and a great trip await you with Boyne River Rafting.

We had an amazing experience canoeing with this company. I called the day of to see if they had…read moreavailability and they did. We did the 2.5 hr paddle. It's with the current so it's very easy to do. There are a few stopping points that have portable toilets. They picked us up at the end and shuttled us back. We paid $36 for one canoe. They provided seat cushions. The staff did an excellent job previewing the route with us. It was easy to navigate. They also have mountain bikes and kayaks to rent.

With a string of hot days in Sept we were glad to see Penrod's was still open for business on the…read moreweekends. We called to confirm a canoe for early afternoon for the shorter paddle option which is a 2 to 3-hour paddle on the lovely Au Sable river. The river is quite curvy and the water is surprisingly clear, often shallow but with just enough depth to float freely. The distance is described as 8 miles, but per the GPS, it seemed a good bit shorter, so we paddled faster than we needed to. The scenery was great - lots of ducks and a mix of riverside homes along some stretches as well as quiet natural areas. Penrod's location and service were excellent, and both the launch and take-out at Burton's Landing were super easy. Definitely recommend.