Wahoo's Adventures

Raft trip outfitter · Watauga County

Wahoo's Adventures

Raft trip outfitter · Watauga County

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3380 Big Hill Rd, Todd, NC 28684

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Highlights

Family-friendly tubing on New River with helpful staff  

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3380 Big Hill Rd, Todd, NC 28684 Get directions

wahoosadventures.com

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3380 Big Hill Rd, Todd, NC 28684 Get directions

+1 828 262 5774
wahoosadventures.com

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Aug 23, 2025

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10 Best Mountain Towns in North Carolina

"An outfitter that runs guided New River floats and other river-based activities, making it a go-to operator for families wanting a refreshing summer water experience." - Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel, fashion, and lifestyle. She’s also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com.  Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-mountain-towns-in-north-carolina-8634631
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Jen Burdo

Google
Our family went tubing yesterday and we had a BLAST! Everyone there was so kind and helpful. The check in process was flawless (we were walk ins) and the tubing experience itself was one of my favorite days spent! We are already planing trips to return and will definitely bring along family and friends that come to NC to visit. There is a bridge along the river that had some damage from Helene. I knew about it prior due to other reviews. I was really nervous about that! HOWEVER…there were no issues at all you stay to the right and even use the bridge above you to push yourself along. It looks deceiving when you approach it, but you can absolutely fit under without issue. My son and husband are over 6ft tall. Thank you to all the staff for an amazing family day!!!! Can’t wait to return.

Michelle Beegle shelton

Google
If laughter burns calories, our tubing trip with Wahoo’s Adventure was basically a full workout. Our group of 17 took over the New River.... The staff was amazing—friendly, organized, and made sure we were safe while still having all the fun. Gorgeous scenery, cold water that woke us right up, and memories we’ll be telling forever. 10/10 would recommend!

Victoria Hecht

Google
We go tubing with Wahoo’s Adventures in the New River every summer. The staff are always kind, helpful and enthusiastic about their jobs! (Please tip them. They work hard!) The price is right for all-day tubing - just $25! We love Wahoo’s.

Adi Kaplan

Google
We had the best time! Went with our 3 kids -17,13,10. We all enjoyed the rafting and the amazing views. Had the best guide - thank you Harvey fir the jokes, the education, the stories, and for saving us up back into the boat🤩

Lisa Procacci

Google
I came to Wahoo with my 2 kids (11 years old) and my husband. We did the float twice per kids' request! It was doable (I know that was my concern). The staff was wonderful! Jackson took the time out to answer questions over the phone the day before to ensure we had an easy time once we arrived. Also suggested some restaurants for after, which was nice since we are not from the area. Thanks, Wahoo, we will be back!

Melyssa Berta-Gotts

Google
I, personally love Wahoo Adventures the most, out of the others my family and I have been to. Its roughly an hour and a half to 2 hours of feeling like your on an lazy river. It's calm mostly, so good for small ones. You can touch the bottom in many areas and don't really have to dodge horrible rocks or tree trunks. Bring your music (downloaded because signal is nonexistent), your favorite beverage, family and friends and come tubing. My family and I have gone the past 3 years. They've made some updates this year, so go check them out.

Julie SAMONS

Google
We showed up with no reservation on July 5th. They had it together- didn’t have to wait too long. Allowed our dog also saw a bigger dog with his own float. :). Calm float only had to go under a low bridge but everyone helped each other. Overall a great day! Ps - no lockers but we got a cooler float to hold our bags

Melissa Westmoreland

Google
Our family had our first trip with Wahoo’s and we couldn’t have asked for anything better. The staff was very helpful and was more than willing to assist in any way that they could. We will definitely be going back for a visit and will be taking a bigger group with us!

Arty B.

Yelp
Everything was fantastic! From an easy check-in process with Ellie, to a great driver who got us quickly to the put in, to the helpers who got us in and on our float trip quickly, everyone was super friendly. I highly recommend Wahoos!
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Sabrina N.

Yelp
Have been on many rafting trips and this is by far the best one yet. Everyone was very professional and friendly. We are in our early 70's and I would recommend this trip for folks of all ages. Especially families

T C.

Yelp
Best place to river tube in the Boone area! Excellent customer service, nice comfortable floats, great location.
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Layla N.

Yelp
Amazing service! Easy online booking! I've been going here for 3 years now and wouldn't go anywhere else.

Joann D.

Yelp
Amazing experience! All the staff were amazing and helpful. Loved that we had unlimited rides down the river. It was an excellent girls days!

Danielle M.

Yelp
Because of the character limit, I cannot go into too much detail. But here is the gist of my experience. When I first arrived, it was very chaotic and there was no real structure to the checking in process. I was given a life vest and told, "You have to wear it going in and coming out, but we can't control if you take it off in between (wink wink)". I had only been floating once, and it was a very calm, flat river. I asked the employee how this river was and was told that it's very shallow and calm (not true). I had taken my life vest off under the promise that there was very low risk in doing so. I hit a very rough, choppy part of the river and was thrown from my float. The current pulled me under and drug me for awhile. My entire body was repeatedly slammed against the rocks. I am covered in bruises still today. I was terrified, injured, and crying, and Kayla (an employee) told me that I had to keep going. I asked her to take me back. She said that the only thing we could do was try to walk against the current the whole way back and strongly (and repeatedly) encouraged me to keep going. A male employee promised me this was the only rough part of the entire river. I was put back in the tube and forced to float with injuries and in pain for 2 more hours. I hit 4 additional choppy parts, contrary to what I was told. Multiple people were flipped from their floats at these parts. Luckily, I was not. The safety of this river was largely misrepresented. And I still am upset that they forced me to continue after the scariest moment of my life and covered in wounds and bruises. I will not be returning.

Karyn G.

Yelp
we always have a great time tubing the New River in Todd, NC and Wahoo's River Adventured are our go-to to do that!! it was the most fun this year 2025 because water was higher than it's ever been when we have gone. beautiful and relaxing way to spend the day!

Ann A.

Yelp
had a group of 13 meet up and go tubing. was a great idea and was supposed to have all day tubing. first ride was an hour. wasn't able to go again due to the lack of planning by management/owner disorganization. very disappointed and the 6 kids we had were upset
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Dave K.

Yelp
So this is our third time out with Wahoo's. Again, our expectations were exceeded! We took out our seven-year-old son on the three hour Nolihucky adventure. We had been turned down for the big river from all the other companies, but Wahoo's's let him go on the Watuga when he was three and welcomed him back again today. Slim shady remember their name when it came up on the speed dial and took care of our reservations in a speedy fashion, and immediately sent us confirmation with directions. Patrick did an awesome job of getting us prepared with instructions, history, with a tongue in cheek spiel. Nathan was our guide and did an excellent job... He made sure that our grandson had a great time, letting him move into the different places on the raft to get different experiences. He put them in the front when we turned around to go surfing and Elijah had a blast, got totally soaked the whole time . To top off the entire situation, we had left my wife's inhaler in Nathan's dry bag. We did not realize it until we were back on Beech Mountain. When we called, Christine jumped right on it, Patrick went and met with Nathan to recover the inhaler and drove the hour drive to Beech Mountain to give it to us. These guys have earned our business for life, we will never use another company for our outdoor adventures in the mountains... Give them a try!
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David W.

Yelp
Slayton and Elliott made sure we had a phenomenal time, and kept us entertained all trip!
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Todd N Reda C.

Yelp
Went tubing many time with Wahoos. Always a good time. Staff changes every time we go but everyone has always been great.

Shaq L.

Yelp
Went canoeing with my husband it was great the people were so nice and it was a great ride if you do the long canoeing the first lower bridge try your left side and get very low like practically on your knees and duck. The second low bridge is to your right and you literally practically have to lay down we used canoe stick to slow us down and help us get low. Outside of that enjoy
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Garrett M.

Yelp
I have been to some competitors in the area and Wahoo's is the best hands down. Online purchase process was very simple and provided thorough instructions. Upon arrival was checked in for our canoe trip was taken to our drop off point. Had a great trip down the river. Upon getting back to the site I realized I dropped my phone at the drop off point, the team at Wahoo's were awesome and helped me get my phone back. Manager Christian was wonderful-not just my situation but with every guest and the way she treated her employees was refreshing! Already planing my next trip!

Nancy M.

Yelp
Beware of paying in advance !! Do not book with them they do not accommodate you if you have an emergency and can not go .I tubed with my sister earlier this month and we had a great time. When my son and daughter in law said they'd be flying in I booked for us to tube again. I usually use another company and I regret reserving with Wahoo. Kids couldn't come in because of a major airline outage. I called to see if I could get a refund. Spoke to someone with zero empathy and told me I could just have a rain check. Mind you I live up here alone. I understand they have a policy in place but a little compassion goes along way. I was already sad my kids couldn't make it and the lack of customer service really left a horrible taste in my mouth. Do your research because sometimes life is unpredictable.

Ron T.

Yelp
Great fun for 3 sisters celebrating our sister's birthday (71)! I'm 74 and the other sister 63! So, it's great fun for ALL ages! The staff were friendly, helpful and went out of their way to make us old ladies feel welcome. Can't wait to go back! Best fun ever and the price is sooooo fair! Loved it!
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Brent B.

Yelp
Patrick , Bert and Jess were a blast! They are all skilled paddlers with unique personalities that made our trip fantastic!! We loved our trip on the Nolichucky and decided to Tube on the New River with the same company. Another awesome day was enjoyed!! Thanks for the great experience. There might be bigger companies, but there are none better!!
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Paula E.

Yelp
We paid well in advance. And expected a wonderful weekend because we have said here a few times before .. But From the minute we checked in they have been so rude ! You get 1 parking pass per camping spot and we had 2 cars but we had bought 2 camping spots but they still raised hell then our family bought 2 spots and didn't even use a spot so we had one extra ! Why would they even say anything that's 4 spots and 3 cars! They have staff parked in the handicap spot for the bathroom.. there is no ramps to the building period so not handicapped accessible! They let people walk through and use your picnic tables ! We have had people just walk in front of our tent and have a seat and start having a picnic like they belonged there .. we paid to be here they just paid to tube! They were having an event and I had to drive to the top to go into the bathroom because I have cancer and can not climb those steep stairs .. the one and only handicap parking spot had staff in it and I had to park in the road but while I was gone family tried to save our parking space and again staff tried to make them move and give our paid parking space away to non campers ! This place is a disaster I could go on and on ! But I'll stop here do not camp here period it is a waste of money! You will be miserable!! The neighbors are loud and this is not a place for peace and quiet !
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Fayzee B.

Yelp
The owners were on premise and very active yesterday when our 12 member 60 to 80 aged group checked in. We had all used the online payment system and had our waivers signed, we were ready to go. The only recommendation I would give is to have designated check-ins: 1. Walk=ups 1. Prepaid. Everyone on their teams was friendly and helpful. I am not sure when the current owners purchased the company, but perhaps you should show your ratings as of that date.

Tommie F.

Yelp
we showed up for a birthday party and had a few traffic issues that made us a bit late. the lovely people at wahoos were super forgiving and everyone was so very kind !!! so very fun and scenic!
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Angela S.

Yelp
Wanted to take my Dad white water rafting as part of his bucket list. These folks did not disappoint! It was amazing, exhilarating, just enough scary, and completely worth every penny! Watch out for the first drop! It's a doozy!!!

Sara S.

Yelp
They accommodated us on a "last minute" reservation! Had a great time with 2 young girls on their first whitewater rafting adventure! We all had a fun and safe experience...now they are ready for more!!
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Richard S.

Yelp
Went river tubing on the New River out of the Todd, NC outpost. Beautiful day and great time on the river. Our problem was with the response to COVID-19. In general, the employees either didn't wear facial coverings or did so sporadically. I was particularly upset by the driver of the 15 passenger van that drove us to the put-in location. He didn't wear the covering while driving us, even though I mentioned it to him. He also packed 16 people into the van, including him and another employee, even though I was told when booking that no more than 10 people would ever be in the van. Based on his comments during the drive about wanting to get home to his family, it seems he chose to combine two van trips into one so that he could finish work earlier. That is unacceptable and shows disregard for the customers and the Governors orders related to COVID. Overall, things were pretty poorly run today; apparently a couple of people didn't show up for work and the 4 employees that were there were struggling to keep up with the workload.
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Morgan M.

Yelp
I've rafted the Nolichuky twice with this company and they've always prioritized safety and I've really enjoyed the experience both times. This past time we had Captain Crooks as our guide and he was great. He got us working together to paddle as a team and he navigated us expertly through the rapids even though the water was really low. I would highly recommend this company and specifically our guide.

Carlton C.

Yelp
Very well run operation and it was super busy. Great stretch of water! We will be back.

Lindsay R.

Yelp
I can't rate Wahoo's Adventures for the River tubing experience. I can only rate them based on their refund policy because we never made it to our trip and they do not offer refunds less than 2 weeks prior and that's o lot for half of the total price.

Ridge W.

Yelp
Absolute blast! Owners are top tier people who ensure a good experience! Love the "lazy river" tubing down the New River. Kayaking and White Water Rafting are a go-to as well! Can't wait to go back later this summer.
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Shannon D.

Yelp
Husband and 8 year old gave it 5 star reviews. The river was great. Shallow enough no life jacket necessary for my boys. They stated they barely had to paddle cause the river flow was nice. Staff was friendly. Wish they had more time to go longer. We were told you could go til dark but they finished river in an hour. Wish staff had offered to take boys back to start again or offered a suggestion. Pricing was equal (not better) than similar companies. Be sure you go to river site off big hill...not the main headquarters. Oops
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Nikki C.

Yelp
We decided to go up on a Saturday to tube and camp. Checking was slightly chaotic and it wasn't even super busy so I could only imagine on a holiday weekend. Tubing on the river was great so it was worth it. READ: I would give zero stars for a camping hazard. They had fire pit holes about 2 -3 feet deep. One of our friends stepped into the hole and broke his foot. They definitely need a guard or something to put over the holes or VERY dangerous.
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Nicky H.

Yelp
My wife and I (Nicky and Heath) had an AMAZING time with Wahoo's Adventures on the Nolichucky River. We've been on around 8 different whitewater rivers with the same number of outfitters, and Wahoo's has been BY FAR our best experience. We enjoyed the river and our guide (Bert) so much on our Saturday trip that we booked a second trip two days later. Our second guide (Jessie) was also fantastic. The highly skilled guides gave us great instruction, and gaged our experience and turned it up a notch so we got wet and wetter. Patrick, the Trip Leader and Head Guide, was awesome as well. He made us feel welcome and made everyone laugh the entire time. River guides, Wick and Ethan, were also fun and highly skilled. It was fun to watch their rafters enjoy their trip down the whitewater as well. The trip on the Nolichucky was awesome. The views and the water were breathtaking from start to finish. Our journey, which went from about 10am to 2pm, covered about 9 miles of the river which included Class I, II,III and IV Rapids. The different lines and dynamic nature of the river gave us two different experiences on the two different trips. If we had another day, we would have gone down the river a third time. We hope to come back and do it again real soon. Thank you, Wahoo's Adventures Team!!!
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Alysia G.

Yelp
My sister and daughter went kayaking and I was really disappointed. The river was super slow (at least we were kayaking) and very shallow (got stuck several time. My biggest complaint was that it was very short. We were finished in 45 minutes and didn't paddle a lot of the time. For $35/each, I was expecting at least an hour and a half or two hours. I've never kayaked with any company where the distance was so short. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed being together, but the kayaking was a dud. We barely got started and then we were back at the outpost.
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April B.

Yelp
First time white water rafting for the 4 of us and we all loved it! We rafted the Nolichucky River for an afternoon excursion 3PM-8PM. I was pretty nervous as I am a clumsy, accident-prone individual. Wiik, our guide, was awesome and answered all of my questions, which were pretty much "Where do i go when I fall out here?" When the raft in front of us wiped out pretty hard on the very first rapid, (rafters popped out in all directions like popcorn), I was second guessing my decision. Wiik, blew his whistle and all the guides went into action. They were able to get all of the other rafts through the rapids and recover the scattered rafters. There were more tumbles and wipe outs throughout the journey, but all without incident. The guides are a fun group of guys, but they are very professional when it comes to safety, which is comforting. During the slower parts of the journey we were able to enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery available. We didn't pass through over-developed resort areas, instead, it was Mother Nature at her best. Beautiful gorges, rocks, trees, some birds, plenty of fish (wish we had a pole). There was a railroad track and trusses pretty much the whole way, but we didn't see a train. It was a beautiful day! As expected, I fell off the raft, but much later than any of us anticipated. I was lucky enough to fall in a deep area and avoid all rocks. Apparently there is an unspoken rule that if you fall out and have to be pulled back into the raft you get your booty paddled. If I had known that ahead of time I would have fallen in much sooner. Usually you have to pay extra for that kind of service. ;) Upon returning to the "station" you are able to take a hot shower, and change into some dry clothes before heading back. Instead, we had a celebratory shot of Makers Mark and a few cold beers at the truck, before heading back to camp. It was a beautiful experience that I was happy to share with some great friends. - Thanks for a good time - especially you Wiik! Who knows, we might see you in West Virginia. Side note - To patrons: Tip your guides!!! They work hard to keep us safe and happy. We had to leave it on a card, but next time I will remember to bring cash. To the guides - you should download Venmo app.

Chad B.

Yelp
This was a great trip for our family of young and old. It was a great adventure with the right amount of excitement and relaxation in one of the most beautiful national forests in the country. The guides are skilled, attentive, and funny (most of the time). Absolutely worth the time and money!
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Christin N.

Yelp
This is the WORST customer service experience I have ever had!!! The gentleman by the name of JEFF was extremely rude, dishonest, and argumentative! I would NEVER recommend giving this company money I don't care about the volleyball, Corn hole, BBQ, and HOT SHOWERS! Customer service was unreal. I rather give my money to a locally owned smaller company to help them expand their company that respect the customers. Wahoo Adventures cancellation policy is unheard of, please be sure to read them before you book. He will fight you till the end to get a refund! Rain or Shine! I have a tubing group of 20-35 every year for past 4 years so I've worked with several other companies that were much respectful and easier to work with! When you are arranging a large group and dealing with everyone's money you want everyone to be happy. I recommend RIVER GIRL FISHING COMPANY FOR TUBING which is 5 mins from Wahoos. River Girl was on a wonderful part of the river and their premium tubes were Great they had Head rests and cup holders for almost half the price of Wahoos for our group of 22. They didn't even hold a deposit just said pay when you get here! Ok rant over... I'm just shocked a grown man could be so rude running a business knowing about social media and just being a decent human being dealing with the public!

Jeannie J.

Yelp
Update: I was credited AFTER my bank and the BBB contacted them. Charged triple for ONE trip for three. The staff was no help with this whatsoever. Emailed to get a refund with proof of the triple charge and was told to call. Called and Lily hung up on me, called again and Angie called me a liar. I have reported fraud to my bank and reported them to the Better Business Bureau. Legal proceedings will be next. I am amazed that this is the way they choose to do business. I was a repeat customer, but never again.

G B.

Yelp
Went with a group of 24 people and had an absolute blast! Patti-cakes was a phenomenal guide and had us in stitches the entire time. Definitely a gentleman's delight The other guides were great too. We had a raft full of kids (ages 10-17) and their guide was patient and perfect for them. I would highly recommend and would definitely use Wahoo Adventures again.
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Jennifer C.

Yelp
2nd year in a row taking our friends and family down the Nolichucky with Patrick, Mike and CJ. We love this crew and their seasoned experience rafting. It is the most beautiful rafting we've ever done and very exciting.
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Bethany B.

Yelp
Awesome day on the New River! My husband and I arrived at Wahoo's a little before our reservation time of 11:30am. Check-in was quick and pleasant and we waited down in the parking lot for five minutes till our name was called. We left our car keys with the gal at the parking lot desk, then climbed into Zach's van. He chatted with us as we drove up to the put in spot on the river. We upgraded to the premium tubes which have a back rest and your bottom stays out of the water. We also rented a cooler floatie which we tied to our tubes. The water was cold but the sun felt toasty. The water depth was generally no more than two feet and the current was relatively lazy. Perfect for relaxing and watching the riverbank flowers drift by. Every so often another group would pass us and we'd have a friendly chat. Halfway down the river we stopped at a rock outcropping and dug our heels in so we could eat some lunch. It was great! Right near the end of our journey, a family of ducks checked us out. I tossed a few bits of bread from my leftover sandwich which they gobbled up. Pulling up to the end at Wahoo's, the parking lot gal came over and took our tubes from us. Professional and pleasant! A great ending to a wonderful day. Thanks Wahoo's Adventures!

debra d.

Yelp
We had a terrific time on the Nolichucky river. CJ was a terrific guide and got us safely from shore to shore. It was great to meet Nick and Sven and to travel the river with those guys. The river was very cool and not too choppy on a hot summers day. It was a terrific rafting experience!
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Caroline J.

Yelp
Great time... yes!!! Unbelievable, how much we all had fun with Wahoo's Adventures Wahoo's have a lot of great activities for everyone at the River, it's really good for mini get away or summer break or vacation time. They have very friendly and active staff, specially Kris the manager. She is awesome, she always make sure that everybody at the River is get taking care off and able to enjoy the adventures time with Wahoo's. The owner Jeff and Lilly Stanley are awesome, they are so open and will talk to us. Until we feel like very welcoming. They were making sure everyone in my party able to be at the same group even tho that was super busy time during summer (very nice of them). Come and check it out guys, You will have so much fun with Wahoo's until you don't want to go back home and for sure won't regret you at all. Right now we even start make plan to make a new reservation for the next summer, we plan to stay/camp at one of their tree house by the River (looks cool). Special thank to Kris, Jeff and Lilly. See you guys on our next trip
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Jill M.

Yelp
We had a large group of more than20. We made reservations all for the tubes with a back and bottom weeks ago. Many were not available, the staff who took us to the site said, Well that's normal on Saturday we run out, I said we had a reservation for the correct number, and again he said, "well we try to work on that but it's not very well run" Agreed The tubing was fun the staff need some people skills and a lesson in reservations.
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Lindsay S.

Yelp
We weren't incredibly impressed with Wahoo's. The river experience itself was nice, but the customer service, booking, and arrival experience was rather disappointing. I've driven by this place on other trips to Boone so when I was planning this year's Boone trip and saw that they had a groupon for tubing, I figured we'd go for it. I called two weeks ago to see what availability was like for this past weekend as going tubing was a major part of our intended trip. The lady I spoke to was really nice and said this past Saturday was a good time; we discussed optimal times for us to arrive outside of more crowded bookings. I told her I'd call back the next day to confirm. The guy the next day was rather grouchy and almost rejected me. Told me we were coming out of town and had just spoken to someone nice the day before. He ended up booking us though and even kindly offered anyone who joined us the groupon rate. So a mixed feeling call experience. This past Saturday, it was quite chilly and there was a strong chance of rain showers rather than just passing through. Plus, some of our friends got delayed, traveling day of. So, I called and spoke to Jim. Very nice fellow! He agreed we were making the right call and said it was fine to call back later and see about Sunday. Later on, we decided Sunday it was and called to rebook. That guy was like, "well, you should have come today; it was beautiful." I appreciate that sentiment, but his tone was rather condescending. Thankfully, he moved our reservation. Upon arrival, there was no clear sign about where to check in. It was just very confusing and disorganized with little guidance as we wandered through the parking lot. Turns out the front of the building faces away from the parking lot and the guy at some table near the garage wasn't checkin. When we got upstairs, the line was quite long and the lady checking people in was clearly overloaded. She should have had some assistance. We tried to use the bathroom while we waited, but the two bathrooms had lines, as well, and were both out of toilet paper. We were relieved she encouraged us to upgrade to "premium tubes" with bottoms rather than donuts since the water was a bit chilly, but $5 for a different tube seemed a bit silly to us. We finally got to check in and get downstairs to be taken off down the road in a shuttle with Ben in a very short time. Great guide! Very helpful. The website advertises for a 3 hour tube ride down the New River. He told us it would be an hour and half. Our groupons were also for a day rate, but since we had to rebook, we no longer had time for that. It was a slow drift and rather uneventful. I've tubed on the New River before and it was much more rhythmic with a nice current, and a longer ride. Maybe it's just where Wahoo's is set up and they had less rainfall this summer. Some of the staff was very nice, but the overall professionalism was not good. Personally, I'd go with River Girl again next time.
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Karrah B.

Yelp
Brooke was an awesome guide! She made the trip fun. We had a good time! It felt more like a float than a white water raft. The rapids were very mild and towards the beginning of the trip.
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Chris S.

Yelp
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR YOUR MONEY! We signed up for the rafting trip down the Watauga River but never made it past signing our waivers. I had the extreme displeasure of meeting one of the guides that went by the name Jed (not to be confused with the owner Jeff Stanley). As my friend and I were walking to the bathroom Jed asked us where we were from and when we told him North Carolina he told us we looked like a couple of terrorists! To my surprise, and as the words slurred from Jed's lips, the two employees that were sitting next to Jed had zero reaction to his statement. They just sat there and let the whole incident occur without saying a word to stop it. After telling Jed that wasn't cool I finished my trip to the bathroom and walked back toward the front to finish checking in. On my way Jed said he was only kidding about the terrorist comment, and in the same sentence asked again if we were! I just shook my head, disengaged, and continued on my way. Once all the waivers were signed our party made its way to the rear of the property where Jed and the other employees were gathered. Jed again tried to converse with me by asking question about where I was from, how we all knew each other, what schools we attended, etc. This wasn't just a "friendly, trying to get to know you" type of conversation. I felt like I was being screened for a background check. Jed's demeanor continued to remain antagonistic and hostile, and when he said he was just trying to get a sense of who was going to be on his boat, I told him not to worry as I wouldn't be getting on any boat with him. Jed concurred and told me he was going to put me in a boat with one of the "retarded guides" (his words, not mine). At that point, already having been told we look like terrorists, and now Jed telling me he's going to put me in a boat with a "retarded guide", I told him we were cancelling our appointment and wanted a refund. The driver of the bus, on his way out to the trip we were booked on, attempted to apologize to our group by informing us that was just the way they do things around there in good ole Elizabethton, TN. He said not to take it personally, that they just joke around by calling each other derogatory name like "hillbilly", "retard", or "terrorist". He concluded his apology by pointing his fingers directly at me and telling me I take things too seriously. WOW!! The kicker to this whole incident is that when my friend called the main office to get a refund, the owner told him that he's not responsible for the actions of another employee and since we were attempting to cancel within 24 hrs of our trip that he couldn't give us a refund! Wow, 10 people at $50 a head . . .so basically, we paid them to ridicule and demean us. As I write this review my friend is waiting to hear back from the credit card company to see what recourse he may have, since he put the whole trip on his card.
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David Y.

Yelp
Rented two kayaks to explore the New River on the 4th of July. Everyone at the place said it was going to be super busy and sure enough they had about 3 times as many people as on a normal day. We did what we could to make our trip go smoothly -- went to the main office to sign our papers the night before, showed up 10 minutes before our 9am reservation. Unfortunately, even before the place got crowded, the workers' disorganization led to delays. The manager was out dropping off other guests and it wasn't until he got back did he start to ride herd on everyone and get things going. So, despite our efforts, we didn't leave the place until 9:30a. We were hoping to take a 2 hour trip but the river was high so one of the options was out. We decided to have them take us up river for a 4 hour trip. The manager was happy to do it. After we dropped off some tubers, he drove us the rest of the way, talking about the history of the New River and his life and family. It was entertaining. He went out of his way to help us put into the river -- which wasn't easy having to go down a steep, muddy bank. Once we put in we had a very nice, long ride down the river. We did not see a single other person in the water the whole time. It was very beautiful and pleasant. The only challenge was a number of places on the river where the water was very shallow and we were basically on the ground having to push our way through with our paddles. Most people on the river this day were doing tubes on the 1 hour trip, so we actually got out when we came upon this crowd and took a van back to the home base. In the end, I wasn't totally happy with everything, but I would definitely go back. If I go back I will be sure to check the kayacks before they load them, though.. One of ours had a small hole in the hull so I had to bail water along the way, one of them had a broken back rest and so I had to shove my life jacket behind me for support, and the other only had one of two foot rests which made it uncomfortable and sometimes difficult to balance.
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Meghan C.

Yelp
Such a fun day spent with our guide, Luke. He went above and beyond to make sure we had a fun and interactive trip on the river. All the staff were courteous and the pick up location was clean. The only reason I didn't give wit 5 stars was that the rapids were pretty small but nonetheless we had a blast and would recommend this group to anyone looking for fun day white water rafting.

Dr. Harley S.

Yelp
My wife and I did the tubing trip down the New River and the water level was literally 4 inches deep. We were constantly being struck by rocks and submerged trees. Had to get out of the tube, which wasn't easy, and carry it part way.The surrounding scenery was unbelievably beautiful. Had the water level been normal, this would have been an amazing trip. Called the manager, Cristina, and she could care less. It's all a numbers game for them. Horrible customer service.
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Emily P.

Yelp
Enjoyed tubing on a crazy hot Saturday, and the river was full of people from several outfitters. The place was well organized, but our short van trip was a bit crammed and only the front windows open. This wouldn't have been a problem, but the woman in front of us and the bus driver had their masks pulled under their noses. I know it's a nutty pandemic summer and businesses are trying hard. This is a busy river, so going during the week might be best if possible. Overall, fun.
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Cole W.

Yelp
It was okay. I wasn't really that impressed by the service or the organization. If you're looking for tubing adventures, you can probably find something much better. I went with a group and we found Wahoo's via Groupon. Once we had the Groupon and called to plan our trip, the customer service we received every time was terrible. The team wasn't that nice, not friendly with my friends in their communication and even the cashier was quickly flustered when we showed up as if she had only been working on the job for a week. If it's your only choice, it's an okay one, but i'm sure you can find better choices than Wahoo's.
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Timothy S.

Yelp
Wasted half a day at Wahoo's Adventures in Boone over Memorial Day weekend. HORRIBLE customer service, understaffed, let others that were rude cut ahead of people with reservations, waited TWO AND A HALF HOURS from checkin to dropoff. When I called for refund, they had the nerve to offer a discount on future visit. NOT! Spend your valuable time and hard earned dollars elsewhere, this company doesn't deserve it! If there was a negative star rating, I would have chosen that. Please share with anyone you think might consider giving business to this hole in the earth.