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!

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!

We had a great time! Hot showers,electricity, water hook up, wood for campfires available…read more Everyone was very nice and accommodating. We will be back. It rained a bit but we didn't care and explored the area.

From the owner: Camping, Rafting, Tubing, Group Gatherings, Snowmobiling on trail #7.read more

The new owners bought the business Feb. 2023. They were very friendly and helpful. We picked the…read more3hr trip with kayaks. The river was pretty. It did storm on us for part of the trip but we still made some great memories. We plan on coming back!!

It was so great to hop in the car and go on a little adventure for the weekend. Dave took great…read morecare of us and the kayaking was so relaxing and beautiful scenery. The cabin was cozy and loved the campfire. Thanks for making it a nice weekend getaway!!

What an amazing place! We were looking for something to do and we found Shel-Haven on Yelp - I am…read moreglad we did. Easy to find and easy to get too. I have been to a couple canoe/kayak rentals down state and Shel-Haven is so much better! First, they will drive you to the spot on the river and then you kayak to where you car is parked. So convenient! Depending on how long you want your trip to be will depend how far up the river you get dropped off. Second, they do not hold your credit card and there is no annoying deposit. You just hand them your money for the time you want to be on the river and then you are done - transaction over! You do not have to check-in back and get your deposit back or have to pay more if you went over the time limit. Third, the staff is great. The gal who checked us in was amazing, so friendly and helpful! She also accepted the Yelp discount without hassle or questions. 2.5 hour trip in a two person kayak was only $18.00! Such a great deal. The kayaks were very nice, clean, and did the trick. Fourth, the river and trip itself is so peaceful and beautiful. A great trip to take if you are not an avid canoer or kayaker. River is decently wide and calm. Not a lot of crazy turns or quick current. We did not see a lot of wildlife.There are homes that line the river but some areas are pure woods with no homes, so it is a nice mix. The water is not that deep either. I would say the deepest we saw was 3 feet while on average it seemed to be about 2 feet deep. Fifth, easy ending place when you are done with your trip. You can also swim when you are done with your trip and the water here is about 3 feet deep. There was a worker at the return site to help you. Parking lot was also right there and you could go on your way.

We have been canoeing with Shel-Haven for over twenty years and have always had a great experience…read more We usually take the four hour trip from 612 and float the river for the day. Prices are reasonable and as the years have passed, more and more options for floating the river have become available. They also have a nice deck where you can watch the people arrive back from their trip.

This weekend, I went skiing at two awesome ski resorts with my dad, named Treetops and Otsego Ski…read moreresort. Otsego was even funner than Treetops. It had a café, five individual lifts, plenty of fun trails and a massive terrain park. The café at Otsego was a very nice one, and had a large fire which was great to come into on a cold day. Unfortunately I wasn't able to be there for too long, and therefore couldn't see too many things that they served, but one thing I know was that the hot chocolate is great and the candy bars are delicious. The trails at Otsego were also great, but had a bit of a higher skill level. They had a few easy blues and greens, like Für Elise and Alan's alley for begenners, but no bunny hill, a load of blacks like waterfall and master's, two steep duo trails that me and my dad very much liked and even a few fun double blacks like Bob's Glade, a exciting and adrenaline-giving slope that emptied out into a easy green. The terrain park was also super fun, with gigantic jumps that sent me very high up into the air but no rails, which was ok but not as cool as it could be. The only rail I could find was a few rotten blocks of wood that someone had thrown together and then left to the power of the forest.

One thing about this place is it is clean! Everywhere I looked was clean but everything is also run…read moredown. Our room was comfortable enough but outdated as were the exterior and hallway finishings. We were attending a conference and every staff member we encounter was friendly and helpful. The camaraderie at the bar was fun and comfortable however the pool area was like something out of a scary movie. I wouldn't mind dining or attending a conference here again but will find other accommodations next time.

We had a great experience renting kayaks from Swiss Hideaways Canoe Rental. The location is a…read morelittle off the beaten path and the buildings are in disrepair, but we weren't renting the building, so that wasn't a problem. We loved our experience on the Jordan River! It's narrow, swift-flowing and there are lots of downed trees, but we loved the technical aspect and had a great time! I probably wouldn't want to canoe the river, but kayaking it was amazing. We only saw a small group of 3 people while we were on the river too, so it was very peaceful. The staff at Swiss Hideaway were knowledgeable and very friendly. Pickup was timed perfectly and overall we had a wonderful time. We can't wait to come back and kayak the river with our kids (ages 10, 13, 14 and 17) next time!

The owners were great and very knowledgeable about the river and the difficulty level. I had never…read morebeen canoeing and it was manageable as a first timer. The equipment was in great shape. It was exciting and challenging. Beautiful river scenery.

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.

We enjoyed a great day out on Lake Charlevoix. Chris & Drew were great! So easy to work with!…read more The pontoon was in great condition, so clean. Drew had it in the water waiting for us, gave us the how tos and we were on our way to float, tube and enjoy the day on the water. We were back 20 minutes early and Drew was waiting for us. They made the day effortless for us. Our kids are ready to make this a tradition. Already looking forward to next summer!

Camden was incredible at accommodating our last minute request for time change & getting the…read morebeautiful boat set up! We had the best time and appreciate so much how accommodating you were!

The snow was so good over the weekend at Crystal that we wanted to keep skiing so we decided to…read morestop for a night at treetops and take the kids skiing for a day or two. It was a great choice! This was a Tuesday night in February, so we were able to get a very good price on a double queen suite. Room was clean, comfortable and no issues. We had planned to go skiing Tuesday evening but ended up at the pool with our kids. The main lodge has a decent size pool that starts indoors and continues outdoors. There is an indoor hot tub and an outdoor hot tub. Also there are two Saunas. The kids were enjoying themselves so much we didn't even get to go skiing! On Wednesday we got breakfast at the top of the hill. We have eaten here before and it's always been good. After breakfast we got our gear and headed to the slopes. Treetops isn't a huge hill, but for the value midweek and 3 lifts, it's was a great time. We got started right at 10am and skied until about 4pm before heading home. There was almost no traffic and it was non stop skiing. The kids loved it as well and really enjoyed the beginners terrain park they built.

A friend and I came in for the spa - it was a good "up north" style spa experience. Everyone was…read morevery friendly and welcoming, they have a nice lounge area and clean locker rooms, and you get access to the resort pool, hot tub, sauna and steam room. The pool area was fairly clean with just a little bit of salt on the floor from people's shoes/boots. I had on flip flops, so it was ok. I enjoyed the hot tub, though it's highly chlorinated, and my favorite part was the steam room. That was very nice. They provide robes, flip flops and towels. We got scalp massages and Dazzle Dry manicures and both services were great. I especially enjoyed Emily who did my nails; she was skilled and quite pleasant to talk to. The wax dip is amazing and this Dazzle Dry polish is already lasting so much longer than regular polish. Love it. They also had really cute clothing in the lounge area - I was quite tempted by a couple of things. I would for sure return. It was such a lovely day after skiing.