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Charlottesville, VA

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Rivanna River Company

4.9 (47 reviews)
Closed • 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

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Walking to the river from the sauna
Cindy W.

Wow..........from start to finish this was the best experience. Liz and the whole team made our day memorable. They went out of their way to accommodate my group, it was my birthday. Thanks for making us happy, we will definitely be back

Sunny and warm, calm waters

Wonderful experience with the rivanna river sampler. Every staff member was extremely friendly and helpful and kind. The equipment was great and the section of the river was easy to navigate (with a couple fun and exciting parts). We loved seeing all of the gorgeous trees surrounding the entire trip and a ton of turtles sun bathing along the way. The price was very affordable and worth every penny. Great to grab a beer at the nearby brewery after the trip!

Lynn P.

I've used this outfitter several times and each visit is better than the last. Everyone is very friendly, helpful, and patient. The trip was beautiful and relaxing. The staff covered all the details about the river before we left which made the experience calming, as we knew what to expect. I can't recommend this company enough!

Sauna stove

Went to their newly opened wood fired Sauna this past weekend. It was worth the 1.5 hour drive from Fredericksburg. Buying a session and signing required waivers online was quite easy. We had a private session so just hubby & I had use of the sauna for 90 minutes. You alternate sauna session (hot) with a cold session (either plunging in the Rivanna River, renting a cold bath, having a bucket shower, or just sitting outside (we brought robes to sit outside as there is a public walking trail nearby....but folks walked on the trail bundled up while we were hot from having been in the sauna!) The sauna itself smells wonderfully like cedar, and a pot of water with a ladle is nearby to pour onto the stovetop rocks to add steam. The sauna can get very hot, I recommend bringing two towels, one to sit on and another to cover the side of oneself facing the stove as it can get hot at times. The staff were amazing, very hospitable, gave us all the info we needed on how to use the sauna. They brought lavender scented cleansing towels at the end of our session, and put another log in the fire in the sauna mid-session to keep a good temperature going. There are changing rooms. And after one's sauna session there is a gift shop and small snack area where we had tea and delicious gingerbread cookies! Brodie the super chill sauna dog lounging nearby was an added bonus! We definitely sweated out toxins...and I felt calm the rest of the day! They also have community sessions (in Finland and South Korea saunas are a big social activity ). Sauna is best for those 18+. We enjoyed our session so much that we've already booked another! It was very calm & serene during our session Great to have some Nordic style activity here in VA!

Bill P.

We enjoyed a great family day, tubing down the river. Gabe and the Rivanna River team were incredibly helpful, friendly and accommodating for our 10-person group. Gabe was totally transparent on what to expect (low river, so slower pace) and set our expectations right. He answered all my questions upfront and provided all the guidance and equipment we needed to enjoy a scorching day on the cool river. I would definitely recommend. Thanks, Rivanna River Company.

Beaver Creek Lake

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3 years ago

had a great day on the River. the company is easy to deal with and very friendly. I would recommend a day on the Rivanna with this group!

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5 years ago

Awesome trip today on the river! Many thanks to RRC for a fun and safe experience kayaking. Highly recommend this for everyone.

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Review Highlights - Rivanna River Company

“They are dedicated to providing a great experience on the Rivanna River either via tubing, paddle boarding and kayaking.”

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James River Runners - Cool rock island

James River Runners

3.5(20 reviews)
19.1 mi

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.

Photos
James River Runners - Paddling along the 3 mile trip

Paddling along the 3 mile trip

James River Runners - A day on the river is a good day

A day on the river is a good day

James River Runners

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WILD GUYde Adventures

WILD GUYde Adventures

5.0(34 reviews)
37.4 mi

Awesome experience with Lester! Our Scout Troop had an outstanding time caving. It was a full body,…read morelearning, and physically challenging experience. We learned about the caves and how they were formed, proper gear and safety procedures, navigation in the caves, and ways to help fellow team members in the cave. We turned out our head lamps and experienced total darkness. Lester did a great job of breaking it down and making everything understandable to our younger scouts. This is worth the cost and is affordable for what you experience. Warning: this is not a tourist cave with lights and massive groups walking around, this is an amazing underground event, crawling, squeezing through tight spaces, pulling yourself and team over ledges and walls. Look forward to our next trip.

We had the absolute most amazing time with Lester! He was a wonderful tour guide and also taught us…read moremuch more about caves than we expected to learn. He taught us how to safely spot or catch someone in front of us if they're falling back, he taught us the different whistle signals used, and how to use a compass! I had no idea that I didn't even know how to use a compass in the first place. Once he navigated us about halfway to our ending point, he had one of us navigate the rest of the way using the cave map and our compass, and then had us switch on the way back (there were 2 of us). We had never caved before, but he saw that we are the active type, so he not only led us horizontally through spaces, but we also got to go vertical and climb up and down spaces. I couldn't stop raving about our experience afterwards. This tops the list of most exciting things I've ever done, and most unique as well because I can't say I know anyone else who has ever done caving. On our way home, we stopped by Luray Caverns and it was really cool walking through with newfound appreciation. We were able to point out things and appreciate how it was formed in ways we never would have beforehand. The only issue is we wished we could have strayed off the beaten path and explore more nooks and crannies the public doesn't get to see! If you're questioning whether to book a tour with Wild Guyde, I would without a doubt recommend it. If you think you might get claustrophic, I had the same fear going into this, but the cave is very open and even when you're crawling you still have plenty space around you that you don't feel trapped. Plus, you don't have to do anything you don't want to or feel comfortable with! I promise you won't regret it.

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WILD GUYde Adventures
WILD GUYde Adventures
WILD GUYde Adventures

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Wilderness Canoe Company

Wilderness Canoe Company

4.1(14 reviews)
62.6 mi

We went canoeing today and had a wonderful experience! We got there a bit early (9:20) but they…read moreopened right on time at 9:30 for us to pick up our canoes. The drive over to the start of our day trip was pleasant in an air conditioned van and the guide driving us pointed out baby deer and an eagle's nest which was awesome. The canoeing day itself was beautiful and the trip was just the right length for us. There were four adults in our group-- I think with kids you would want to ask for a closer drop off point because it was a LOT of paddling. The canoes were nice and they helped us carry them down to the launch point and gave us a run down of the rapids we would pass which was helpful to avoid overly shallow or rocky areas. We were the only ones canoeing that day which was so nice! I would love to do this again in the fall when the leaves are changing!

Loved the rafting and the beautiful spot they have on the James River. The campground has very…read moreclean portable toilets. There is ample shade so during the hot summer months, you're sheltered from the sun. We camped right on the water at Campsite 6 hearing the river as we slept. We could have camped up a bit as the site is large. We could swim from the site. Floating down the James River rafting was super beautiful and relaxing. Any age can do this really. Water was low but still fun.

Photos
Wilderness Canoe Company - Saturn 9.5 raft. Fun, relaxing float great for the family.

Saturn 9.5 raft. Fun, relaxing float great for the family.

Wilderness Canoe Company - This was in one of the canals we found

This was in one of the canals we found

Wilderness Canoe Company - Nice little beach if you want to stop

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Nice little beach if you want to stop

Rivanna River Company - boating - Updated October 2026

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