Best experience we've had in many years of floating on the James River. Very friendly and…read moreprofessional, so glad they were recommended to us! We will definitely be using the James River Canoe Rental for our future trips. Thank you Dana!!!

This is a family owned small business and they go above and beyond to make sure you are taking care…read moreof! We traveled with them for our first float trip. They made everything very apparent, and we even got to sign the interior of the bus. The next time I came, my daughter had taken out a piece to inflate my paddleboard, I called James River Canoe Rental, and they remembered me from my previous float trip. They were able to send a friend that has a paddleboard company out to me to give me a hand blowing up my board! No one ever goes out of their way like that!! These are real People dedicated to help you get on the water! Mad respect!!

Lots of fun!! Guides were super knowledgeable and helpful. Gracie and Dru kept us laughing and…read morealso helped keep my fears at bay going across the suspension bridges. Great tour.

Dru and Josh were a delight! Super fun experience where they helped you feel safe every step of the…read moreway. Best 2 hours ever!

If you have some time to kill and want to see something awesome (my kids loved it just as much)…read morecheck this place out! Grab some quarters to feed their fish and take a little time to walk through the reptile exhibit. We got to look at a two headed snake! My husband went fly fishing, and the best part, parking and entrance is free! We really enjoyed learning about the fish and taking in nature.

The Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery is a 5-star stop that's both super educational and…read moreenjoyable for all ages. The facility is very clean, well-maintained, and clearly takes pride in its upkeep. Walking through the hatchery and seeing the trout in the raceways is a unique experience, and the informational displays make it easy to learn about conservation and fish production. The staff are friendly, helpful, and add to the welcoming atmosphere. It's a great spot right outside the main Branson strip that's worth taking the time to visit.

where do I start? The only reason you got one star is because I could not give you a half!!!!!If…read moreyou are planning a float trip do not use James River outfitters!!!made reservations for 23 people and full payment 2 weeks in advance. scheduled shuttle time was 10 am, arrived 10 minutes early, waiting in long line for check in. finally got to counter and was informed that there was a shuttle fee of $30 for each floating cooler one way . This was an additional $180 cost! there was no mention anywhere when on website! when we inquired about transporting the coolers ourselves, we were told we could not do that; don't know if that meant that it was private property or there was no public access. We surrendered because we had no other options as far and paid their huge fee. Waited over an hour for transportation to put in spot, our group was split up in two buses, loaded kayaks were blocking the seats before we were allowed to get on, and passengers were scolded because some younger people did not climb over the bus seats and were expected to do so versus the older passengers!!! Shouldn't have had to climb over the seats at all. This is also a safety hazard, probably against the law. We finally arrived and only one person there to assist our large group and many other people to put in the river. They did have outfitted canoe kayaks staged for our group, but other groups were taking half of the one set aside for us which further delayed us another 45 minutes, we finally got in the river only to find out that three of the kayaks were broken. Overall, I would rate this outfitter as the worst I have ever seen personnel under demand equipment, and very poor condition. Operation for basic services was not very well organized. Needless to say we will never return to this outfitter or recommend anyone else use them. In fact we will recommend they use anybody else than James River Outfitters!!!!

JRO has been my go to outfitter on the James can't beat the price for them to shuttle your personal…read moreboats. Beautiful float all season pending river conditions you may or may not drag but that's mother nature. My only complaint is I wish they could get the 5 mile float back as it was perfect for beginners in the group. The 7 mile was a beautiful float just long. Hoping that there will be improvements for the 2025 season but over all a great spot!!

People who go to Branson for shows and shopping are missing the REAL beauty of this place. I did…read morethe two mile loop that takes you down to the lake and back up to the parking lot. The beauty of the Ozarks is breathtaking! There are restrooms and covered picnic tables as well.

Somewhere in Branson, tucked behind the tourist shops and fudge factories, we decided to go full…read morenature mode and hit the Lakeside Forest Wilderness Area--which sounds way more intense than it actually is. I was half-expecting to see a bear with a banjo or a raccoon running a moonshine still. Instead, we got about 140 acres of surprisingly legit wilderness... with signs. Lots of signs. Branson knows how to label a rock. The trail started off innocent enough--wood chips, some chirping birds, a suspicious squirrel staring us down. Then came the stairs. Not like "oh look, a couple of steps," but 315 stone steps carved into the side of a bluff like Mother Nature was training for a StairMaster commercial. Whoever built these things must have been part mountain goat, part lunatic. Down we went, each step echoing with the soundtrack of my thighs weeping. Somewhere between Step 89 and existential crisis, we passed a little cave where I'm 83% sure a wizard lives. It was cool, literally and metaphorically. We didn't go in though--look, we respect magical real estate. At the bottom was a view of Lake Taneycomo so pretty it made me forgive the stair situation. There were trees, chirping birds, and a breeze that whispered, "Hey, good luck going back up." We lingered at a little waterfall trickle (emphasis on trickle--it hadn't rained much) and contemplated faking an injury to avoid the climb. Eventually, we powered back up, legs shaking, pride shattered, but hearts full. Or maybe that was just dehydration. Back at the top, we found a porch swing near the ruins of an old homestead, which felt like a reward from the hiking gods. If you ever wanted to swing gently while staring into the distance and pretending you're in a Nicholas Sparks movie, this is your spot. All in all, 5 stars would hike again. Just next time, I'm bringing hiking poles.

This was fun from start to finish. 2 hours of excitement. The owner Katrina was so helpful in…read morehelping us with the scheduling. Upon arrival Madi was quick to check us in and reassured us of the fun ahead. Sydney and Lukas were exceptional guides full of information and humor while keeping the group moving at a comfortable pace. This was worth every laugh and we felt very safe while enjoying the beautiful views. It was priceless, and we may be back to experience it again in the fall and winter. It may have been a hot July day, but under the canopy it was refreshing and breathtaking. Excellent choice for Branson visitors. The fun group, with varying ages, made it all the more enjoyable. One group member said this was a 15 star trip!

Had an absolute BLAST at Zipline USA! They're hands down the BEST place to go zipping in the…read moreBranson area! This was our second trip here, but definitely not our last! Staff was very friendly, and very safety conscious.

THEY WILL TAKE YOUR WHOLE DEPOSIT! The propeller was damaged before we went out and the staff…read morenoticed that but after getting back they claimed that sand damaged the propeller. The lake doesn't allow beaching so we stayed far away from the shore most of our time was in the middle of the lake. This place is a rip off and will no doubt take your $500 deposit. Go somewhere else!!!

A little out of the way if you're staying in Branson, but the drive is absolutely beautiful and…read moreworth it! This is a small, family-owned operation that couldn't have made a better experience for us! The prices are great, they're super friendly, the store has a lot of essentials for low prices, and there is an adjoining BBQ place called Jill's to get a bite to eat! The only thing that had prices inflated was gas. We rented a pontoon that had a radio equipped. No other fancy stuff, but the price and service was right. We reserved a half day from 2-6pm but had to stop around 4 because of a storm. They only charged us for half the rate, without any hesitation. I really loved this place and if I'm ever back in the area I'll definitely go back.

This new outfitter in the James is so nice! I took my 8 and 10 year old on the 2 mile and 6 mile…read morefloat. We also camped. It is clean. Professional. FAMILY FRIENDLY. Float the James is top notch and we'll be back and in our favorite camping spot!