Shenandoah River Outfitters

This was AMAZING. We did the 3 hour River rafting. Total of 3 miles. The rapids all really quite gentle so don't be intimidated by class I or II. The II was fun and added some fun excitement, but no risk of tipping over. The kids will love it. Class I add a little zest and speed to what is otherwise a very gentle, leisurely river. The views are spectacular. The quiet it's serene. The wildlife, from Turtles, fish, Cranes and other birds are abundant. This is an absolute MUST-DO when staying in the Valley. Shenandoah Outfitters were very professional. Calm, relaxed staff who walked you through it all with ease. Save time and fill out the waiver online and as well as book in advance so not to be disappointed, especially as weekends gets crowded. As a company/business they were very good and helped the experience be everything we wanted. Highly recommend!

It was a beautiful day of tubing on the river with our group of 14 adults. The weather was perfect, and the water was clear and refreshing. However, it was VERY slow going and took us 5 hours to float the 3 miles!! We would love to do it again IF you could offer a shorter float. Sitting in those river tubes with our bottoms in the water for that long was uncomfortable. Actually, I think I'd rather rent a kayak or inflatable canoe next time. All of the staff were super friendly and helpful. There is a small shop for last minute items and snacks, along with a few bathrooms for changing out of wet clothes afterwards. Thankfully there was plenty of parking in the back lot because the front lot was full when we arrived 30 minutes prior. The "cooler" tub rental was fantastic! They even had one to fit our large cooler. Don't forget the sunscreen, drinks, snacks, comfortable water shoes, a hat, a trash bag, and a waterproof pouch for your phone (the ones they sell at the shop are great).

A very well organized operation, they bus to the put in point after get your paddle and life vest and watch the safety video and sign the waiver. The rafts are already waiting. At the end they bring you right back. And best of all it's a lovely river! A good time was had by all!

My daughter's and I wanted to kayak down the Shenandoah River so we went to Shenandoah River Outfitters because of their positive reviews and proximity to our AirBnB. We kayak frequently back home, on lakes and rivers, as well as white water raft 1-2 times a year. We booked a tandem and a single kayak for my daughter's (29 and 13) and myself (47), and had no problem when we booked and paid inside. Outside we were met by a man who raised issue with us using a tandem saying there would be too much weight difference in the paddlers. We assured him we use a tandem kayak at home frequently with no problem. He told us that he was going to put us in a canoe together and that canoeing is just the same as kayaking, I asked him if he's even been in a kayak, not even close to the same thing. We then agreed that we would do 3 single kayaks and that the youngest would just have to paddle herself. We got our gear, watched the video, and then were called over and told that we were too heavy to go in their kayaks, something about the owners being there and being stickers. The man then tried putting us in a white water raft. We left, drove up to Front Royal Outfitters. They had great service, no problem with us doing a tandem (we had no problem with it either) and a single, and amazingly had no problem with our weight in their kayaks. Oh, and Front Royal was cheaper.

Great, friendly service! We walked in without reservations and never received an ounce of hesitation getting setup with exactly what we wanted for our river trip. Equipment was in good shape, well maintained, and plentiful. Instructions were clear and river is well-marked. We did the long trip from #8 to #20 in 4.5 hours. River is easily navigable with minimal hazards. Wonderful, relaxing day on the water.

We rented a canoe here and had a wonderful time. The staff was very friendly and the views on the river were lovely. We saw a lot of herons and some catfish and trout. Make sure to bring a hat and wear sunscreen!

Great experience kayaking with Shenandoah River Outfitters! Easy process to book online, they answered all my questions, and had an easy system for getting you and your gear dropped off. The river was beautiful and we had a great time! Thanks again!

We rented rafts from this company and had a great time. They were very accommodating and made sure we had two great days on the river!

Fun experience for floating down the river! Great service, chill vibes, great staff... I'd go back!

Tubing Review: We had an amazing time. Was is exhausting, yes. Worth it, yes! Owen was great. He was a great driving the stick shift bus back to the outfitters. It was nice being dropped off and picked up. We did have issues with our card online, but when I called in to book, Nancy was helpful. She got us all situated and sent an email to confirm. We filled out waivers online which was a breeze. We watched a quick safety video, picked up our lifevest and were on our way. The water was the perfect temp, and it was clear. Tips: bring snacks and water. You are out there 4-5 or longer hours. Especially if the water is low, which ours was. We used a waterproof bag and had no issues. We used a tube with a cup holder which was nice. I wore my life vest out of precaution even though I can swim, plus it made it comfortable for my to use it as a neck rest. I've noticed people mention in previous reviews that the bus was dirty ect. Um, you're in the woods. If you get picked up after many other groups the bus will be dirty as everyone is wet coming out of the water no matter what activity you choose. I would not own a brand spanking new vehicle for this type of environment and job. Used is best and saves money I'm sure. Wear a hat and sunglasses, put in that sunscreen. Bring a waterproof phone case/bag. You will have no service out there so put it on airplane mode and use it as a camera.

It's always a good time when we get to go to SRO! They have awesome quality T-shirts and the best service.

This place knows exactly how to host a fun and relaxing rafting journey! I suggest going rafting if you're with a big group. We brought a cooler of food and when we ate, we just opened the cooler and enjoyed the meal with some swimming in between! Time it well bc the buses come every hour on the hour to pick you up at the end.

I have used this outfitter many times when in the area. I always look for them when I want to kayak, and it is always a great time. The staff has always been very professional, thoughtful, and kind!

This is a pretty good organization if you're interested in tubing, kayaking, rafting or canoeing on the Shenandoah River. They are about 15 minutes outside of luray, Virginia. The office building is actually not on the river. There is a small first come, first served campground behind the office with very nice wooded campsites. Each campsite comes with a picnic table, a fire ring and a charcoal grill. Most sites are big enough to hold four to five tents. There's also a small pavilion with four showers and two restrooms. They will also provide shuttles if you have your own boats. Prices are pretty reasonable. We used them for a 3-day 2-night kayaking trip during which we camped in national Forest land as well as a private campground near Bentonville, Virginia. Once you get past about mile 18 on the river the people in the outfitter office don't have much useful information about the river or camping. So if you plan to go all the way to Front Royal you'll need to do some research about campsites and private campgrounds. The young man who shuttled us to the river and picked us up in front Royal did a great job. Thank you Kurt!

These folks are awesome. Lots of good options. Easy online reservations. Good equipment. Friendly, helpful staff. Most important, about the last point: My sister and I took our mother tubing for her 90th birthday (her birthday wish). She's a little unsteady on her feet, but still a fish in water. The staff could not have been more friendly and helpful to us as we got her into and out of the shuttle buses, and into and out of the tubes. They never hesitated to offer her an arm to help her up or down a step, in or out of the water. She had a blast. A lot of it had to do with the river. And a lot of it had to do with the folks at Shenandoah River outfitters. My sister and I could not be more grateful.

This place was great! Went on a bday kayaking trip last year and they set me up with everything I needed to have a great time!

We had a great time kayaking and can't wait to return! We did the Bixlers Bridge to Bealer's Ferry run which took about 3 hours. The staff was super helpful and we enjoyed hanging out with them on the front porch after the trip.

Excellent place to come rent some Ralph's or kayaks or just to float down the river. Staff that work there was very friendly and helpful. Make sure to check on River conditions before coming.

This is my second visit with the Shenandoah River Outfitters. I will be making my third visit in September when I am renting out one of their cabins! I can't wait for my cabin stay I love how you have options when kayaking down the Shenandoah River. Just communicate what you want with one of the employees, and they will recommend the best option for you. I have been kayaking for a few years so I usually kayak the 11 mile option which has rapids. I also found out there is an option to eat while you are out on the river. They will cook you hamburgers. I will definitely select that for my next visit. The Shenandoah River Outfitters is easy to find, and there is plenty of parking spaces. What I usually tell people to bring is a ziplock bag to put your phone in if you want to take pictures, a towel to dry off later with (but to keep it in the car, there is no point bringing it with you out on the river), a change of clothes (keep in the car), sunscreen, mosquito spray, food in ziplock bags, and wear flip flops, crocs, or any type of water shoes. You can put all of this in a small back bag. I also recommend booking in advance and saving a spot for you, and your group! It is best to go early so you can enjoy the river. I say the best time to be there is at 10 to 10:30 AM. You don't want to arrive later than that just to rush down the river to turn in your kayak by 5 PM. They close at 5 PM.

This place lol The currents are super slow so instead of relaxing, it was a workout for the whole family... I know there was going to be paddling involved but man that was brutal! Vans are filthy and have no AC! What the hell! Funky musty smelling van

We went river tubing today and this company does a wonderful job providing life jackets and tubes, dropping us off at a great location and picking us up promptly at another good location. All the employees are courteous and wearing masks at this time and it is a fun activity to do while social distancing. The buses have every other seat marked so people distance on the bus rides. Great place for river activities!!!

Place is awesome, tubers are animals, as well as this dude Olin. The bearded dude, long haired hippie looking dude, and the bald dude are all beautiful humans and don't even get me started on the tube boys. Desk ladies are also 10's.

Great company and friendly staff. I have used them for the past three years for my annual kayaking trip with my husband. I have to say the staff warned us about Trip #3 to FRO but we decided to give it a go anyway. Needless to say (7/11/2020) we should have headed their advice. This trip is very challenging. This is not our first time on this trip but it was the most difficult today. The water levels are very low which equals a great amount of grounding out and being stuck. Typically it would take us about 5-6 hours. But today on this 11.7 mile trek it took more than that. We started our journey at 10am and ended up at FRO at 530pm. That said, unless you like being stuck and like the challenge of freeing yourself close to 15 times take their advice and steer clear...at least until the water levels rise...

I had a nice time tubing with Shenandoah River Outfitters a few weeks back and camping at a recommended site after the fact. The website is slightly outdated and there is no cell service (at least not with Verizon) out in that area, so make sure you have a gps'ed it before you get close or have a printed map handy so you don't get lost. But, if you're meeting a big group, there really is only one parking lot and one main store/porch/waiting area, so you're not going to miss anyone not being able to make phone calls. The cabin that houses the store is quaint, the offer some t-shirts, outdoorsy stuff, grippy water shoes (these are clutch!!!!!) and dry-boxes for sale, and this is where you check in, sign the waiver and pay for your raft+cooler raft. They tell you at the counter to go outside and grab a life vest and cooler floaty, but you don't want to grab your actual raft here (I learned this the hard way after being scolded for walking into the shed to grab one) just FYI, those are at the drop site. So just pack your crap and make sure you have a life vest. The bus leaves every 15 or so minutes to drop people less then 3 minutes away. The bus drivers are very nice and super friendly. Once you get to the drop site you're on your own for the next couple of hours. My group was huge (20 people), so it took us a bit to get tied up into a super raft and get in the water. I thought the bus drivers spaced us out appropriately though. There were several other large groups we ran into in the water later on, but getting in wasn't an issue. Floating along in the water gets warm, so dress/hydrate accordingly. I had a blast tubing, unfortunately, getting out was WAY harder than getting in and I bit it pretty hard. It's extremely rocky and slippery where they have you get out of the water. It's also a state park, and there are people everywhere. Once I got out and realized I cut my leg bad enough to be bleeding all over I walked up to one of the bus drivers for a first aid kit and he said he didn't have one... That's a pretty big problem to me. However, a park ranger just happened to pull up while I was waiting for my group and he helped me out. Then loading the bus otw back they piled so many of us in that there were no more seats. We took a 10 minute drive standing up in the aisle of an old school bus-which means no hand rails, no ceiling rails, just hold on to the seats next to you and hope you can balance after tubing (and presumably drinking) all day down the river. That was also extremely problematic to me. Once we got back that's it. Dump any trash you created and out you go. Unless you are camping in the area. Remember what I said about the cell service? Yeah, don't be like us and leave without really understanding the map of the area they give you if you ask for directions. It is not to scale and very hard to follow. When we came back for more directions we were able to find the site no problem, but we did end up caravan-ing through someone's yard. (Sorry about that if it was your yard)

The website is kinda outdated so let me give you the real deal-- if you're coming with a group, want to camp, canoe and are bringing a dog... Read on. Recommendation is to book everything online beforehand first. We booked the canoe and lunch/dinner option with camping because we didn't want to cook and deal with the hassle of food. Not bad at all. For an extra $32/person you don't have to worry about bringing food. Our plan was to do Bealers Ferry (stop #8) to Burners Bottom (stop #20) I highly recommend the dinner but you can skip the lunch if you're tight on time or money. Lunch is served at stop #13 between 11-1pm NOT at Bealers Ferry as advertised on the website. Bealer's Ferry is stop #8 which is where you will check in and pick up the paddles. The whole check-in process felt a bit disorganized but somehow it all worked out. We basically checked in and they told us where they thought some free camp grounds were based on a map system. We then drove back to the camp site and roamed around til we found an empty one (each campsite comes with a fire pit, charcoal BBQ and a picnic table). We set up camp which took about an hour (if you forget something then don't worry because they sell things like expandable s'mores sticks in the general store/check in area to water shoes and also ice and ice-cream). You know, the essentials. :) Then we walked over with our coolers, life jackets (bring your own if you prefer your own), and hats/sunglasses/waterproof cases/etc. If you're the person to book the rental, you do not need to fill out a waiver. If not, you are "required" to fill out a waiver and watch a safety video which was a bit of a joke because I don't think anyone was monitoring. So a very laid back vibe, but also something I'm not used to with all the lawyers around! Then came the confusing part because I thought lunch was at Bealers Ferry aka the check in area. But alas, discovered it was at stop #13. Therefore, if you are planning on getting lunch, then make sure to start early enough so you don't feel rushed. We ended being dropped off at stop #13 instead of stop #11 as originally planned because it would have taken 40 mins to go from #11 to #13 and we might have missed lunch. We were dropped off at stop #13 and quickly scarfed down lunch with about 50 other people who were also eating lunch (they had stopped with their kayaks and canoes). Lunch consisted of burgers (meat and veggie) cooked atop a big rotary saw blade which was kinda cool. Other food included baked beans, chips, potato salad, chocolate chip cookies and some grapeade. Like I said, I would skip lunch if you're on the fence since it wasn't that great and probably a sandwich or other picnic would have been better. The actual water part was super fun and a great way to spend time with friends, relax and soak up the sun and scenery. There's one "harder" part that is after stop #17 where our friends turned over their canoe- but other than that, very doable even for beginners. Our 14 lb dog loved the adventure or at least tolerated it. Bring a life jacket for your pooch! Last pickup from stop #20 is by 5pm. We arrived at 4:50pm and made it back to Bealers Ferry to return our paddles. Dinner was being served in the pavilion which is a small area in the back part of the camping area. The dinner was awesome after a long day in the water which included steak (huge portions and they can cook it medium rare, medium or well), BBQ chicken, corn, baked potatoes, salad, watermelon, cake and hot drinks like coffee and hot chocolate. My only complaint is that they didn't have other sauces and so I would bring your own if you're into sauces. There was also live music and overall a very friendly atmosphere. Overall, it was a great experience. Pros include the laid back and friendly staff, the yummy dinner, the amenities at the campground and overall the experience of canoeing down the river. Cons included a lackluster lunch, some disorganization with the check-in process and also crowds on a Saturday. Tips: come early, stay the night at camp site or cabin and don't worry about the firewood- they also sell it there!

Friendly, welcoming staff, and an enjoyable relaxing experience. Give them a visit. Easy visit with constant pickups at end of tubing ride.

Here's the thing. I get it when there's an issue and they can't do a refund or reschedule. However, being patronizing and rude to a respectful client is just bad for business and lacking in professionalism. We will NEVER use them again. Recommend utilizing one of the River services who have a sense of customer service.

This is my second time visiting and it was another memorable day. Last time I came I did a day of kayaking with a large 15+ group of friends and it was amazing. This past Saturday I did a lazy day of tubing and drinking beer. This place is a short and scenic 2 hour drive away from me right outside DC and on the way there are great places to stop and grab a bite. You can also stop somewhere on the way back. They do however offer a steak and hamburger dinner on some of the excursions. I did one the previous time and I devoured food to my hearts content. It was worth the money not to carry food in my kayak/tube and have someone prepare the food for you. Everyone who works here is very nice as well. You will not be spending a lot of time with forms and directions and blah blah blah. You simply book online, show up, sign one form, and go have fun. Their prices are great as well ! PS- There are two rope swings you can do on the river and they are so much fun. The first one you come across is a little dangerous as I have and also have seen people get tangled in the rope swing on the way down. You will get a bit of a burn, but thats not too bad. The second swing has the perfect length and you can get some awesome pictures or video doing swings into the river. The only part of the trip that is a bummer is how much people litter. I know you are on a trip having fun, but just pick up your trash. It is pretty easy to bring a bag and secure it and throw away later.

I had a great experience kayaking on the Shenandoah River with SRO. The staff is very laid-back, friendly, and helpful. I made a kayak reservation on the phone, which was a pretty smooth process. It sounds like they aren't very forgiving with cancellations (you pay upfront, and it doesn't sound like they give a generous refund if you have to cancel), so just FYI and make sure you plan your trip here when you are sure you can make it. I was told to show up whenever in the morning, so I arrived around 10 am. At that point, they let you know what parts of the river are safe for kayking/tubing/canoeing/etc. and help you plan your trip as well. After getting gear ready and signing some forms, you board a van/bus that takes you to the starting point. You may have to wait a bit until another larger group gets settled, so that one driver can take a bunch of people at once. And then you are off! The river was pretty high when I was there, as there was quite a bit of rain for the few days prior. Much of the river is calm, but there are a few rapid sections that definitely got some water sloshed into the kayak. There are also several low areas of the river that just need to be navigated around carefully. However, the entire area around the river is gorgeous, with mountains all around you! There are lots of private properties along the river, but also a lot of national forest as well. The river is a bit murky so we couldn't see much into the water, but I definitely saw tons of wildlife (so many turtles, herons, otters, etc.) I did the kayaking through mile markers #1-13 and it took around 3 hours. It will definitely vary depending on your familiarity with kayaking, with the current speed, water level, etc. However, the company makes pretty regular stops along some of the major mile markers so getting picked up is really no problem. Some of the mile markers are a little hard to see though, but thankfully we didn't miss the last one! Last pick-up is 5 pm and they tell you to plan your trip accordingly. Overall, a great time and a beautiful place!

Awesome place. A lot of options to do what you prefer on the water. Friendly staff. Easy transportation/rides to drop off and pick up. AND they were kind enough to mail back by large Yeti cooler that I left at their location!! Will definitely be going back to this location!!

My girls and I went tubing with this company. We were staying at a cabin for the weekend and we spontaneously decided we wanted to go tubing and this place was the closest. It's $20 to go tubing, which I think is a little expensive. They do have everything you need in case you forget something, like shoes for $12 and an airtight box for $20 to keep everything dry. I believe they also keep your keys in case you didn't want to carry it around. For the waiver, nobody really checks whether you signed it or not. You do have to arrive at 11:30 since they have specific times for boarding. You have an option of wearing a blue life jacket to wear or orange life jacket to be attached to your tube in case. You also have to pay for an extra tube if you have a cooler you want to float. The tube for coolers are different so pay attention cause my group didn't. There is a bus to take you to drop off and last pick up is at 5. When we were there, it took us all 4 hours to go down the river for three miles. It was very relaxing. The rapids were pretty awesome as well. The bus on the way back was super crowded and dirty, but it got us back to where we needed to be. Will definitely be back if I'm around the area.

This company's trips are through a great part of the river, with more deep spots than some of the other trips. My only complaints are that they did not enforce social distancing on the buses. They taped off every other seat, but people sat in them, leading to a full bus. They did require people to wear masks on the bus. It also took a very long time to check-in. We probably left about 40 minutes after we got there. FYI they bus you to the drop-in and pick you up by bus at the end.

This place is awesome!! We have gone tubing here a couple of times this summer and the business is run flawlessly! It is very organized and the tubes and jackets were kept very clean. They do everything for you so all you have to do is relax and float! They even hold your car keys while you float (just in case the unthinkable happens)! I highly recommend them.

HORRIBLE experience. Went with friends and family to do tubing and the staff was very un helpful. We had no idea where to go and they didn't help us once we got to the actual top. Once in the water there were no signs telling us we were going in the right direction. There were so many rocks our tubes flipped and the rocks scraped/bruised a couple of us. We had to ask someone in the water near us where the exit was. Once we got to the exit, there was NO sign. If we hadn't asked someone, we would have passed it and kept floating down the river!! Once we got out at the exit (after floating down for over FIVE hours) the staff didn't help us with anything either and then they took their sweet time getting the bus back to the office. The guys were playing loud music and playing soccer while all of us were already on the bus ready to go. Overall it was a horrible experience. I've been to other tubing locations before and the staff gave great help and directions on where to get out at the end. I would NOT recommend this place.

Really, I would like to give this place 4.5 stars, taking off .5 stars for running out of cooler tubes (despite us reserving them). Otherwise, everything went flawlessly. The river was amazing, service was great, and the staff was fantastic for us. Coming with a group a 50 people (mostly Texas, with high standards for floating), it would have been hard for it to have gone any better. Thank you for an amazing trip!

We had a fantastic experience canoeing! I had never canoed before and it was easy and fun. The staff was friendly and helpful. The operation was almost entirely outside and felt covid-safe. We can't wait to return with the kids!

Came tubing during the summer on a Sunday, and we loved the experience! The booking process was easy and pleasant, and the tubing itself cannot be complained. There are a few catches, though. 1. Expect it to be EXTREMELY crowded. AKA there will be very long lines, a lot of people, minimum bus space (yes, they have big yellow school buses to take you to and from your departure point!), etc. 2. Line staff aren't always nice... but I kind of get it, oddly. I mean, when it's so busy and hectic, it's hard to be nice to everyone. 3. The buses are small, hot, smelly, and wet. I suppose it is to be expected... embrace a flashback to high school, folks! The day we went, I suppose the river was moving extra slowly... we were the first to depart in our group, took almost no break, and even swam some, and it took us almost 4 hours to complete the 3 miles. Also, be sure to put on bug spray!! I had probably more than 10 mosquito bites after the trip. Overall, it is very fun, and I do feel like the company has done the best they can to make the process easy for us. You can also rent cooler tubes and even coolers if you don't have one! The bus drivers were also extremely accommodating.

This is probably a result of going so close to the 4th of July, but things were a little disorganized. We were pre-registered for a canoe trip as part of a vacation deal and unfortunately, getting on the river turned out to be the bumpy part of the experience. We arrived to find general chaos; people were everywhere, we weren't sure where to check in with our registration paperwork, and after we signed our waivers, we were bounced around by staff members for a good while before someone was able to load up our canoe and take us to the drop-off point. It wouldn't have been a big problem but we were kind of left in limbo as far as when, and how, we would actually start the canoe trip. Staff members were polite but a bit rushed (again, likely the crowd). The equipment we rented was in good condition and we had an enjoyable time after finally putting the canoe into water. As someone else mentioned, it might be worth it to bring a GPS or something similar; we kept looking for mile posts and on the whole eight-mile trek, we only saw two - 15 and 18. The landmarks on the map that was given to us were difficult to see (we didn't notice one until we looked backwards, which usually shouldn't happen in a canoe!) and we were often unsure how far along we'd actually gone. Without luck in landmarking, we weren't sure if we'd miss the pickup point at the end of the trip, which was fortunately easier to find. We chose the rougher portion of the river and definitely had a bit of a challenge. Coordination is required! Overall, we enjoyed the experience. I'd try Shenandoah River Outfitters again, but maybe closer to the off-season.

Our go to canoeing and river tubing company. They launch you on a great area of the river, scenic and not too rough with rapids here and there. Pricing is very fair and staff is all very friendly and helpful if you need help launching, we definitely recommend using them!

We came here for the kayaking and had a great time. Since we went on a weekday, we didn't really bump into any crowds like other reviews have said during the weekends. There were a few groups of people but did not wait in line or anything. We got there around 1030 and found there was a 1100 special for 30 dollars each for a single kayak vs 37 for reg price. Little on the expensive side but not too bad since that was the only thing we had to pay for to get rides to the sites with staffs helping us carry the boats. But you could pay extra to get lunch I believe. The staffs were very helpful answering our questions since it was our first time kayaking. We did the beginners #1-8 path which took about 3.5 hr with breaks here and there. I recommend lots of sunscreen and arms strength for this one though! But totally doable. If kayaking is not for you, there are also tubing, canoes, and rafting you could do. Only thing is that the instructions aren't very clear on the drop offs and such, so I think some clarification on the website would be helpful so visitors would know what to expect.

Really disappointed in the customer service. The front staff in the office was okay (could be more polite), but the actual staff handling the process of getting equipment and getting us out on/off the water had extremely poor customer service. The man who was suppose to help us get off the raft from the water made one of us get out into mid-knee length water to drag our own raft to shore because "he was wearing boots". If your one job is to help people get their raft out of the water, it should be expected you dress for your job. The bus was marked for safe distancing, but the bus driver did not enforce at all. They did provide masks however and ask that all passengers wear it. The oars were not sanitized after use, and the employees did not help you get or put away any of your equipment. In fact, he asked the two guys in our group to grab them all from the bus and put them away; there was no help with anything. Also there was no "safety video" shown as is advertised on the website. Beyond that, I was also very disappointed in the "rapids" themselves. Its very, very flat water - better for kayaking or canoeing for sure, but would not recommend if you're looking for an adventurous experience.

Stayed at the Hook cabin this past weekend with 5 friends. The cabin was in perfect condition, very clean and beds were comfortable! It comes stalked with everything we needed which was incredible! Great location, great view, the hot tub was the best part! Will definitely return.

We took a five hour tubing trip on a weekday with our family of five. As other reviewers have mentioned, the business did not take adequate steps to mitigate infection spread risk. Our experience was that on the 20 minute school bus ride to and from the river, not all windows were open to provide good air flow (we tried to open them ourselves, but the windows were broken), there was no effort to either limit the number of passengers on the bus or to space them out appropriately (despite the fact that seats had taped on Xs, staff ignored the Xs and would not respond to passenger requests to stop loading more people on the bus), and one of the young staff members on the bus did not wear his mask over his nose during the bus ride, rendering it pretty much useless. This was a real shame, because the tubing trip itself was a lot of fun and seemed to be a good socially distant activity, and the staff are nice and seem very competent. They also had a supply of masks available for the return bus trip for customers whose masks got wet on the river, and they applied some sort of disinfectant to the life vests as soon as customers returned them. In consideration of all of this, I'm giving them two stars instead of one. Had I known we'd be breathing in the air of a bus full of people for 40 minutes, however, I would not have used this business. I hope they read this and other reviews, and take action to keep their customers (and themselves!) safer.

Staff here is great, service is quick. My group tubed from section 8 - 11 on the river. Nice scenery, wasn't too packed, and very relaxing. I'll be coming back here again!

I have come here twice so far to go tubing, which is so much fun to do with a group of friends on a nice day. We drove there, which was kind of a windy and scary drive into the mountains. Our trip was scheduled to leave at 12, and we were running a little late so we called to let them know. They waited for us, which was super cool. You get on an old school bus and they take you down to the river where you grab a tube and tie yourself to your friends' tubes and get in. The river is really nice! It's a few miles down and takes about 4-5 hours to go through the trip until you get to the end. It's very nice and relaxing, especially if you bring a cooler to place on on of the tubes with drinks and snacks inside. Our trip was cut short yesterday...my fiance cut his foot on a rock while jumping from the bank hanging onto a rope. We found a shore close to a campsite and called for help, in which some really nice campers lent us a cell phone and a first aid kit. We called the outfitters office to see if someone can pick us up so we can get to our car to leave to take him to the hospital. A younger guy, Mark, picked us up and drove half of us to the hospital and dropped the other half off back at the parking lot where our car was. That was super nice of him and we really appreciated that! This place is definitely worth checking out-- just make sure you wear some sort of water shoes/Teva sandals if you're going into the river.

"In my dreams alone have I imagined such a place" a visiting relative of mine exclaimed as we waded down the calm and sparkling clear Shenandoah River accented by rolling hills, steep mountain bluffs, breathtaking valleys, and a greenery so deep you would think you were almost in heaven.... He was right. This is a very organized - very nice clean and responsive kind of place as opposed to the place up in Harpers Ferry where it would take upwards a whopping 3-hours to get into the river with a bunch of crazies who get lost while making a trip to the water intake. The staff is super friendly and very accommodating as well. Will come again.

While camping in Luray, we decided to spend one of the hottest days on the river tubing. SRO is quality and knowledgable. Being our first time and not knowing what to expect, we slathered the sunscreen at the car and brought just one bottle of water each, forgoing the extra $6 tube rental for your cooler...big mistake. The ride was fantastic! There was a great mix of deep and shallow water, the rapids were a lot of fun, wish there were more, and every so often you had the opportunity to rock jump or swing from a rope attached to a tree! The approximated 3 hour ride turned into 4+ and we were starving by the end! And a little pink from non reapplication of sunblock. If tubing, I would STRONGLY recommend blocking out at least 4 hours of your day, most definitely pack and bring a cooler with food, drink and sunblock and don't forget water shoes! Live and learn: we will most definitely do this again but will rent a raft and a couple of tubes, pack our cooler, and have another fantastic day on the river!

Had a great time kayaking on the river. The staff was nice and courteous. Our big group had all you can eat burgers for lunch and all you can eat steaks and chicken for dinner, all cooked and prepared by SRO.

Kayaking was great, service was awful. We got to the site and were told by an irritable, bossy woman named Lisa to follow a bus in our car and to bring our own paddles. Upon arriving at the kayak launch, we were told by the bus driver to drive back to the site. When we got there, Lisa said the bus driver, a green kid who looked no older than 20, was an idiot, and talked over us when we tried to explain what happened. She then told us to get in the bus, which took us to a different place (contradicting her earlier instructions). By the time we got in the water, we had spent about an hour running around confusedly from site to site.

Shenandoah River Outfitters (SRO) is a quality organization. I took scouts here last year for canoing and an overnight camp out. Since they are Cub Scouts, we did the short river trip, and it was excellent. Parents and kids had fun. The camp site is very high quality. Drive up camping, bathrooms, showers, and running water in a beautiful location. Ideal for a short trip camping from DC for Cub Scouts. Owners are very accommodating and run a safe, clean, efficient operation. They have extensive experience with Scouts and are Scout friendly.

The most disgusting place I've ever been to in my entire life. The water has so much sulfur in it you cannot shower. We were told to be quiet at 11 o'clock. That is not camping to me...

Love this place great staff and with the covid 19 going on they are doing the face masks on busses and in the store and I noticed all employees are wearing these as well go and enjoy the river we did

Just want to echo what previous reviewers have said about the lack of organization when checking in, and a general lack of social distancing/masks that made it hard to relax. Some tubes had broken handles, and many had no or broken ties to connect them to each other. Not good value for money.

If you're looking to get out of the city for the day this is a great spot. Go with your friends on a tubing or kayaking adventure down the Lurray River for the day. This is a great thing to do with a couple friends. You can bring coolers of beer and actually rent a tube for the cooler that you can strap to your tube so you can pull it in to get your beer at your beckon call. SOoooo much fun.

If you go tubing the ride is a lot longer than you expect. Bring a cooler and bring friends. You'll have a blast. If you want to go on the weekend I recommend making reservations. My friends and I had a blast on the river.

I give this place one star and here's why. If you are not familiar with canoeing on the river and need to ask questions, forget it. You won't get your questions answered. They will tell you to go on the internet. Good Luck with that because my questions were not answered at all. You are on your own with EVERYTHING. No one makes sure your life vest is fitted for you and good luck finding one "to" fit you. They ask you to sign a waiver that no one is checking so why even bother filling out the waiver. You get on the bus and have to hang on for dear life as it makes its way down the road to where they drop you off and you grab your canoe and get on the river. Good Luck trying to get into the canoe as the landing is HORRIBLE!! So they tell you to be at #19 by either 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm, or 5:00pm. Okay, and if you miss it...does anyone come looking for you? Not that I know of - they seemed unconcerned. When I asked what would happen...nobody seemed to know. So many unanswered questions. The trip on the river is "supposed" to be "numbered"...NOT. We never saw half of the numbers and looked for them the entire time. We get to #19 and its remote...like very remote..like no one around. It's 12:50pm and we are in the middle of nowhere. SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS HERE PEOPLE!!! PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I AM SAYING!!! You are literally in the woods with no one around. If something happens you are SCREWED!! Anyone can show up and hurt you and get away with it because you are in the middle of NOWHERE!! It's definitely something they need to look into, but good luck with that as they couldn't answer any of my questions. The driver finally showed up 1:15pm and asks why we didn't pull up the canoe. Because no one told us to...like one of my many questions that NEVER got answered. Yea, you can go canoeing at Shenandoah River Outfitters - just know that you take your life your in own hands. They people are DEFINITELY not looking out for you. We will DEFINITELY NOT BE BACK!

My friends and I have been doing an annual trip here since 2009 and it's always a good time. Coolers full of booze, sunscreen, rope swinging, and hurtful snap judgements about the strangers floating by are all expected and encouraged.