Riverside Outfitters

Did the Falls of the James trip with guide Tom. Fantastic time! Tom was a great guide, and the other raft guides in our group seemed great as well. Shooting the rapids was a blast (though the river was only at 3.6 feet, I'm sure it's even more fun with more water flow), and the island stops we made to relax and jump into the water were very nice as well. The whole experience took around 3 hours, and I enjoyed every minute. My only regret is that it took over 5 years of living in Richmond for me to give this a try. I'll be back in the spring!

Our group of 19 had the BEST time during our corporate team building rafting trip. All of the guides were knowledgeable, fun, and kept us feeling safe during the entire ride down the river. Already planning another event for next year! Thank you, Brenner, Ty, Billy, Cullen and Sav for such an unforgettable experience!

Totally unique way to experience the city! Richmond is one of the only places in the world where you actually get urban whitewater, with the river making its way through bright green forest and tall buildings not far off. The guides at Riverside are really friendly and the operation is safe and professional. And the patio at the end is a fun place to chill with a cold drink.

Massey was the best guide you could ask for! First time ever rafting for us and he made it so approachable and fun! Super down to earth and knowledgeable about the water system and city of Richmond! Down to come back and do it again!

Best Birthday ever! Our guide Hannah was amazing as she gave us the history of the James River and Richmond. We had a pleasant and exciting trip as first time rafters! The snack break was a nice touch also. My family really enjoyed it and looking forward to doing more Rapids with Riverside!

Would highly reccomend! Finally got out on the river this morning. Our guides Tom and Jay were both great (Jay guided our boat). Fun knowledge about the history of the James as well during the breaks on flat water between rapids. Would also recommend doing the float with lunch, it was a delicious sandwich (i forgot the name where they get it from, but they get an indirect 5 star as well) and was nice to take a quick break. Definitely planning on going back!

This was a fun experience and certainly a different setting for white water rafting because you’re going through Richmond city. Our guide was Noa and they were incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and a pleasure to work with. The upper river offered nice nature views and swimming areas while the lower river had more city skyline views, and consistent small rapids. The company claims the lower river consists of class two and some class three rapids however this river experience most definitely maxes out at class two. Additionally, some photos are taken and offered to you after the trip however, each photo cost $15 apiece which after the cost of the rafting trip is highly excessive so I recommend screenshots and ignoring the watermark. Overall, the trip was fun and something I would definitely recommend as a first rafting experience or taking children on.

This was our third trip with Riverside and AGAIN, it was AMAZING. The guides are so knowledgeable and great with safety, while still having fun. You can tell everyone there loves their job. Shout out to Tom, the best guide yet

Me, wife, and 2 daughters (16 & 11) went the last week of July '25 and it was a great time. I never knew 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).

The experience was super thrilling and entertaining. The rapids were amazing on our Lower Rapids ride!! Ty, our guide, made it more enjoyable and interesting -- but don't plan on staying dry!

Haven't whitewater rafted in 20 years, so I was a little nervous about getting back on the water at nearly 50 now, but we had a blast! The rapids on the lower section were just thrilling enough, but not too bad. Goal of the day was to stay in the boat and happy to say that I achieved that goal! It's a bit of a hike to the put in, but an easy hike. The take out is a bit of a chore, you and your raft mates have to hoist the raft over your head and haul it up about a dozen stairs. Best part of the trip was our guide Hayley!! She is a gem full of knowledge not only about Richmond, but the James River, its history and its wildlife! Her passion for river conservation is enlightening, and she does a pretty good osprey call! We even got to participate in a bit of rescue as we came upon a couple of swimmers that got pushed a little too far from the shore in the higher than normal waters and couldn't make it back. Under Hayley's experienced direction our boat maneuvered over to the stranded swimmers, loaded them up and took them to the Reedy Creek take out safely. Overall, a great way to spend a hot day and the most unique way to see Richmond!

I wanted to do a team building experience for our new team members at work. The folks at Riverside were easy to work with through the booking process. Our guide, Carrie, was awesome. Her energy was infectious and knowledge of the city was fun. I highly recommend Riverside and definitely suggest requesting Carrie

We had a blast today on the river with our first white water trip. Hayley was a wonderful guide and very knowledgeable!! Thank for a fun day!!

I am writing my review as a parent of a summer camp participant. I cannot recommend Riverside Outfitters enough for its camp program. My child had the best week attending the Sapling level (the youngest program) day camp. Every day, he came home exuberant and completely exhausted from his adventures climbing trees, traversing tall tree limbs, swimming in the James River, swinging on the gorilla swing, jumping off rocks into the water, rafting, climbing cargo nets and rope ladders, and playing games like "evolution," "elbow tag," and "froggy murder." (Keep in mind, these games were enthusiastically recounted to me by a six year-old, so my understanding is vague.) Campers receive plenty of individualized attention from counselors, the ratio of which is approximately 1:4-5. At the end of the day, I always had great, individualized feedback on my child's progress from multiple supervisors who love these kids. Everyone from the counselors to the camp director plays games and plays with the campers while waiting for drop off and pick up at the start and end of the camp day. There are dog participants too--well-loved mascots who accompany the campers and are part of the team rafting and swimming and barreling about with enthusiastic children. The vibe at Riverside Outfitters is one of pure joy. The people there love the river, the trees, nature, and kids. Nature lessons, safety, and positive outlook are all infused into the program. My child returned home daily with confidence, knowledge, and enthusiasm for camp every day. He wants to continue the program each year until he can train to become an instructor and teach people how to do the same--he was that into it. We will definitely be returning next year!

Thank you Charles and riverside outfitters for the most fun I have had in a long time. First of all Charles was amazing in so many ways - told us how to white water raft which we never done, made sure we had as much fun as possible and where to swim, made sure everyone had snacks and water and told us so much about the river and surrounding neighborhood ( thanks for the food recommendations they all where 5 stars). I would recommend this company for ease of everything and also for the great guide.

Had a blast today even though it was raining a bit! I've been down many rivers and the staff here were the best from any other establishment I've been to. From the front desk to the driver and our tour guides 5/5! Definitely check these guys out for a great time!

Wow! What a fun trip down the James river today!! Our guide Caleb was amazing - especially when he pulled me out of the rapids when I fell in at the end of the Hollywood rapids! Shew, that was scary but fun! My husband and 12 year old son had a blast too!! I highly recommend them!

What a cool way to explore Richmond! Our guides were really thorough and fun. You could tell they loved what they do and enjoy taking people out on the water. We got to float in the river during calm water, heard all about the city, took in the views, swung off a rope swing, and paddled through class 3-4 rapids. What a great experience! Highly recommend for tourists with a taste of adventure or even just a fun couple hours out on the water. Go check them ou

Excellent rafting experience and excellent guides. Two big rapid hits. One Hollywood and the other at the end. The stop at the end everyone gets off the raft and watch those who want to surf the rapids or flip the raft.

My fiancee and I were invited by a co-worker to go kayaking down the James about a month ago. Having only kayaked once (but enjoyed it!), and on a lake, we thought it sounded pretty fun, so we decided to go. As the day came closer we weren't sure how dangerous kayaking down rapids were (lakes are much more calm!), but we were excited all the same. And what a blast it was! We did one of those guided tours where a small group of 5 - 10 people kayak down the river together with one or two guides showing you where to go to avoid certain death (kidding) and in general how to get the most out of kayaking. Our guides were Amelia and Mary and both of them were fantastic! They taught us the basic paddle strokes to maneuver around the river, best ways to face the rapids, how to avoid the rocks, and what to do when you still hit them anyway. Not that kayaking itself isn't fun, but having guides who really enjoy doing what they do is a fun thing. Cost wise, the experience was fairly light on the wallet. It was roughly $50 a person which covers the shuttle from their building to the river, kayak rental, beverages, and a snack break mid way. The whole experience was about 3 hours with a good couple hours of river time. For anyone unsure if they should do the Upper River or the Flat River course, do the upper river. This is the one that contains rapids, and while they're only Class I and II, they're really fun and anybody should be able to handle them, I really don't have anything bad to say about the company. Besides kayaking, they also offer Stand Up Paddle Boards, White Water Rafting, Tubing, and a shop. If you don't want to do a group / guide thing, you can also rent the boats too. People were also hanging around the building because it seems like a pretty laid back and chill place to spend a couple hours after boating on the river. If anybody is looking to do something a little adventurous and fun and Kayaking sounds fun, by all means give Riverside Outfitters a go. Tons of fun and I know they'll be seeing me again in the future.

Ty rocked with his one liners and random bits of RVA history us locals didn't know! Kid's 11 and 6 and husband's first ride! Perfect reason to get outside! Such a positive vibe from the minute we were greeted with the sweet girls at the front desk! The Modelo's after were a nice treat! Checked out the Galley (shopping center next door) for more beers and shrimp tacos (as Ty recommend) perfection! We will be back for the lowers!!

We loved our experience here!! The staff was incredibly kind and helpful. Our two hour kayaking trip (tandem) was fun, affordable, and easy. Highly recommend.

We loved rafting with these guys. We've done the Lower River and the Upper River. We did the Upper River with our kids and highly recommend this as a first time experience for the young ones. It's a very gentle experience and best of all you get to swim in the River for a bit too. Our guide Tim was kind and quite informative, pointing out things of interest. Would definitely recommend

For someone who has lived in Richmond all of my life, Riverside Outfitters is definitely somewhere everyone should come with a few friends or family to enjoy. It was peaceful, tranquil, and also adventurous and exhilarating all in one! My family had the BEST guide, Caleb (ask for him). He was really informative on the river and the wildlife, he was also very friendly and lots of fun. We left the raft feeling like true explorers and rafters. There is a chance to hop off the raft and to float around in the river and swing of a rope into the river too, furthering the experience! The experience was truly priceless. Will be returning with more friends and family. Please try this place, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I took my 8 year old white water rafting for the 1st time and we had the best day!!! Our guide John was so patient, knowledgeable and Safe! Definitely recommend and would go again. Laod back place, with just a real (and chill) vibe.

My 3 friends and I did a lower river rafting trip. Overall the experience was very fun! The rafting guides are very knowledgeable and friendly! The guides gave easy to follow instructions which made anyone, even someone with no experience, feeling comfortable going over the rapids! The only reason I took off one star was because even though I came with 3 friends but we signed up separately and they only placed people who signed up together, on the same raft so unfortunately we were not on the same raft.

If I could give the bike shop 10 stars I would . You're not walking into this big commercial shop where all they're trying to do is make a sale. It's a tiny little shop, very personal. I'm not super bike savvy, but he broke everything down and was extremely patient in showing/ explaining his recommendations. He even had a few parts in stock he offered to throw on at a discounted price instead of me having to buy them brand new. What a stellar little shop you guys run here, thank you!!

I love this place! My friends and I went rafting through the James river and it was the most fun and amazing thing ever! The guides were very throughout with the instructions and safety matters. Amazing experience!

We had a blast! Our tour guide was phenomenal! James "on the James" made it fun and educational with rafting knowledge but light hearted jokes to keep it fun! Would definitely recommend and do it again!

First tubing experience on the James! Highly recommend making reservations for the bus before you go for the tubing. Bus was packed (even with reservations) and some people had to stand in the back. Also wasn't exactly sure when bus would be coming back to pick us up and we actually had to wait about 30 minutes. Come 30 minutes early as they state as you have to fill out paper work, repark your care in a neighboring lot and then come back. Also think about what you want to bring because there are no lockers (you can only drop off keys at the store). A lot of people rent an extra tube for a cooler and when you get dropped off it is like Survivor everyone figuring out how they want to bring their cooler down. Best idea was someone who brought a boogie board and put the cooler on top (and duct taped it on). Another gathered sticks and made a raft top..haha. Good times. There is one rough spot at the end in Pony Pasture where most of us flipped over (and lost glasses!) but otherwise the first 2 hours or so is very slow/relaxing and requires some arm paddling. Good first experience if you are unfamiliar with the river, and next time I think we will either buy tubes or rent it and set up our own ride. I have also seen people rent kayaks and go on rafting trips.

This was my first time rafting, and Riverside Outfitters was the perfect choice. I planned a trip for my best friends birthday with a couple of mutual friends. We got there about 20 minutes early to fill out waivers and kind of just prepare ourselves. It started off by everybody getting their personal flotation vest and a helmet. Once we were all fitted, we got on the bus that took us to the river. It was a quick walk/hike to the river from there, where one of the guides gave us a couple of guidelines on how to sit on the raft and general things to do while rafting. Our group of 6 ended up splitting up where four of us stayed together, and the other 2 joined another group of 2. Our guide, Tyler, was awesome, and we could not have asked for a better tour guide. He was hilarious and catered to our sense of humor. He spit out a lot of facts about Richmond and kept it interesting. He took us through the river and kept us all calm. There were class 3 rapids and we got to raft through downtown Richmond. It was a lot of fun and exhilarating. I do wish there were more rapids to go through. We got to get off and swim in parts of the river. Floating along the river was super relaxing, but there were certain areas where the water was shallow and there were rocks sticking out, and I kept scraping myself against the rocks. They provided us with some trail mix and water in the middle of the trip. At the end of the trip, once we got back, they gave us a cold beer or other non-alcoholic beverages. We got to hang out and talk to our guides for a little bit. All of us had a great time. Riverside Outfitters is well organized, and their staff are well trained! I can't wait to come back!

Great way to get out on the river for newbies to experts. They are friendly and affordable. Family fun friendly too. Took my 10 year old with us on an awesome kayak ride.

What an amazing experience, Ryan was our guide and super knowledgeable about everything Virginia. So much fun I will go again while I'm here. Could not recommend more

My friends and I just finished the lower James raft trip with Riverside outfitters. It was fantastic! Our raft was led by Ty, whose sense of humor made things even more enjoyable. The other folks on the trip were nice and the James River was fabulous. I've been going across it all of these years and never really was able to appreciate its beauty like I did from the raft. Thanks to all of the friendly folks at Riverside! Can't wait to go again!

Addison was an amazing guide for our family's whitewater rafting adventure. He was fun and personable, but also very technically skilled and we learned a lot from his guidance. We had such a great time, and will definitely be back! Thanks so much for the great memories made today.

Terrific customer service and a special thanks to Scott who walked us through the map of the James River in preparation for a tubing experience! Thanks Scott!

This place was great!! We had a wonderful time with our family. Next time I come out to visit I'm coming here but will try the lower level rapids. Our guide John was awesome. If you're in town I highly recommend this place.

Totally wowed by the guided SUP on the river! I had an amazing first SUP experience with Andrew and Ben, who were awesome instructors!! They made sure each of us got through the rapids okay however we decided to go through (standing, sitting, kneeling, or in the water) and we all has a great time! It took us all day so plan for it. I did the 3pm tour and we got out of the water around 6:45. I was expecting to float around the calm waters for a few hours but NOOOOOO! We went down the river through a few (okay, 11) small rapids class 1 & 2. We learned to handle our boards before we got going by practicing navigating, turning, dropping to the knees, and falling so we were ready to go. They tell you to not bring anything however, being an experienced water sports person (just not SUP yet), I decided to bring my waterproof iPhone case that I had on my neck to take a bunch if great shots. Not recommended for people who's not used to being in water because you do need to pay attention to your surroundings while paddling. I wish I have known of this place long ago! Now that I'm leaving VA in a few weeks I got to finally try SUP... I'm soooooo glad I did it!! They had beer, water, & Gatorade afterwards if you want to hang out but unfortunately my time has ran out having a three year old waiting for me at home. Maybe next time!!

Doesn't look like much when you walk past, but is totally worth it to take the day and spend there. Had a great time and stayed safe!

This was my first experience rafting and I loved it ! Micheal was our guide and he was super nice and patient. Even though it was a super hot day and one of their busiest they made it fun and made sure everyone was hydrated. I might recommend to stretch before because I'm pretty sore the day after. But I definitely would love to go back !

My family and I took a white water rafting trip today with Garret and Kevin and had a great time! They were both nice, friendly, funny and knowledgeable! I'd recommend them to anyone that wants to spend a few hours enjoying nature and having a fun time!

John was an excellent tour guide. I throughly enjoyed my first time rafting and plan to go again. The only downside is the lack of parking and this location.

Great surprise, didn't know I was coming here. Weather was perfect for the occasion.. Our guide Lewis was awesome, and very attentive. We did kayaking which I really enjoyed and plan on making kayaking a regular thing. This outing inspired me to kayak, go camping and enjoy the joys of the outdoors. Taking be back to my Army roots. Awesome day with awesome people. Thanks Erin for the surprise, your the Greatest. I really really appreciate it.

Very professional of like minded enthusiasts. Garret was our lead guide. Very knowledgeable, kind, cares about safety, even knows the history of RVA, and what building are in the skyline. Great escape from the hustle and bustle. Gave water and snacks during the trip and a nice refreshment afterwards. Highly recommend for kids, adults, beginners and advance.

Went out yesterday with Caleb and our group had such a good time. It was nothing but laughs and enjoying the water from start to finish. Loved the drink at the end of the day too. (But y'all should add hard cider to your collection ) overall great experience and highly recommend.

Riverside Outfitters is a great place for folks interested in trying out the James River and its rapids. They rent sit on top kayaks for the upper james and lead raft trips down the lower james through downtown. I recently took a group of students rafting and all of them had a great time and the staff were excellent as both guides and interpreters.

We came to RVA for the weekend from the Yorktown area. We had a party of 5 of us total. From the moment we got there, we were very well informed. The guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. We had Jon as our guide. We are all history buffs, so we really appreciated the historical facts and stories he told us as we went down the river. We had a blast, and Jon did an amazing job. If you want a tour filled with fun facts about the historical sites around the river, ask for Jon. He was great and we had a blast!

Good people and a good time. Kyndall was an excellent, and entertaining river guide. A good experience for beginning and novice rafters or family with children. Very cool going from park and wooded lands to the entrance of the city. It was a bit longer than expected, which was perfect because we didn't want it to end.

A friend and I bought the 3-hour paddle boarding package through groupon. We had both tried SUP before on the (calm) sounds of North Carolina, but never on rapids. Our main guide, Ben, gave really helpful instructions on the finer points of downriver paddleboarding beforehand as well as great guidance throughout the trip. Even in the drizzle, it was a fantastic trip through Richmond and an exciting workout through small rapids. Can't recommend this highly enough! Will definitely go again!

My wife and I had a terrific introduction to SUP by instructors Ben, James and Brandon. We got a groupon deal which was half off (and still available through the end of 11/16). We spent about 3 hours on the water plus some time before going over safety and general terminology. Although SUP may seem somewhat intimidating, especially on the "rapids" I can tell you that everyone in the group of about 6 got through it and not everyone was an athlete if you know what I mean. You will fall off the board and get in the river and that is part of the fun. The instructors keep it safe but also allow you to challenge yourself. When went it was literally 100 degrees outside and it was so nice because you could be outside all day doing something and just jump in the river if you got too hot. This experience has opened up an whole new part of Richmond for me and I can't wait to go back. In case you are curious, if you like the sport you can continue to go back but at a discounted rate of $45pp and they can put you on different parts of the river, different boards or make it more challenging as your skill and confidence grow. Amazing group of people and highly recommended.

I really enjoyed our rafting trip. The guides were very knowledgeable and did a great job navigating us down the river. The only issue I had was with some comments the guides made about Jefferson Davis which was a little uncomfortable. Honestly, I really didn't care what they thought of Jefferson Davis. He is a historical figure and is buried in Hollywood Cemetery here in Richmond. I thought that was pretty interesting but I didn't think we needed a debate about him at that time. I just think it's best to stay away from controversial topics in these types of settings.

Had a great time. Our guide Will was amazing. So personable and knowledgeable. This was my first time EVER rafting and he made me super comfortable and I actually did pretty decent or so he lead me to believe! Lol Thank you for a great time and if I am in the Richmond area again I will def be back!

Okay we loved our white water rafting trip with these guys the beginning of June 2017. Great staff and good prices. a fun afternoon/morning on the James River. Guides were funny and informative. They have stand up paddle boards and kayaks also. No Tubing.

Today we were excited about doing a SUP lesson because we have talked about getting ones but wanted to try them out first. I did some research and decided RO would be a great place to start because I have heard good reviews and saw them during RiverRock. That was a poor decision. My research showed that they do walk up lessons on the weekends, and the website states they are from 10-2:30pm, or you can do the more expensive lessons and book online. Well after communicating via email with someone from RO they verified that they will be there and they have a lesson at 10am Sunday. So with my GF and a friend we decided to head to the Belle Isle location and do some SUP beginner lessons. Arriving at 9:45 and waiting till ten I then decided to give them a call. I let the person one the phone know we were looking to do SUP lessons at 10, and they informed me that they do not start lessons until 11 and they go until 6pm. (not according to the website) So we go for a walk over the pedestrian bridge because it is a beautiful day. Everything was great, we saw a truck pull up to unload kayaks and such so we had back. Upon arrival at the kiosk and asking about paddle boarding we are informed that they are not going paddle boarding today it is only kayaking. It would have been nice to know this earlier in the week so we could have planned something else on this beautiful day. Then it would have been nice to have been informed this by the person on the phone. But instead, there was no communication and poor customer service. We declined to "take kayaks instead" and went off to do other things. It was disappointing to have so much misinformation and no one really seemed bothered that their business was not communicating to clients. We were really bummed that this was the situation and that the morning was wasted. I will not use RO nor will I recommend them to anyone. Hopefully this isn't the case with other SUP providers in the area. I also hope they update their website and provide better communication. I know there are plenty of good reviews but proceed at your own risk.

What a cool spot!! So conveniently located, awesome staff, plenty of toys to choose from, maps, and easy access to enjoy the James!

This local business is perfect for solving Covid boredom! I recently went on a flat water kayak trip led by Jack and it was an awesome time. The staff took proper sanitary measures while also keeping the environment enjoyable. I highly recommend Riverside Outfitters for any skill level and age. 10/10!

Riverside Outfitters has been my go-to company for as long as they've been open. I have used them for kayak rentals as well as guided rafting, paddleboarding and kayaking trips. The guides are all knowledgeable, competent and friendly. I recommend Riverside Outfitters to anyone visiting Richmond, as well as locals looking to see RVA from its best angle!