We had a group of 14 do a rafting trip this weekend, aged 8-74. We did the 2-hour rafting trip. Based on the website description, this seemed to be ok. It was the most chaotic, stressful, dangerous thing we've done as a group. Do not do a rafting trip if you think you're going to have any time to enjoy the scenery, talk, or enjoy a family activity. The river was extra fast due to high water levels and there are constant obstacles to avoid. We are all lucky to have made it with only minor injuries. Way too many close calls. It was not just us that were not enjoying our time on the river. Every kayaker and tuber we encountered felt exactly the same way. Several said they'd been crying at times, it was so chaotic. read more

Great trip over the New Year! Tanner was knowledgeable and he kept us dry while pointing out some nature. Such a pretty ride. Will definitely go again! read more

Big Bear Adventures - Post paddle pic- great time had by all! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Indian River, Michigan

Me and a group of friends went tubing today through Big Bear Adventures and had such a fun time!!!! The water was so nice on a hot day and we all hung out while floating for a few hours. They had coolers with cooler tubes so we were able to bring some drinks with us on the ride, PLUS there were a few perfect places to stop along the river banks, so we took a few lounge/snack breaks during our trip! Will definitely be back! read more

Absolutely Horrible Experience - Unsafe and Misleading I would never recommend this place to anyone. We went on a raft trip that was completely misrepresented. They did an awful job explaining how difficult and dangerous it actually was. We specifically asked if it would be okay for my 84-year-old grandmother, and they assured us it was fine. That was absolutely not the case. The river was extremely narrow in parts, filled with sharp turns and obstacles, and required constant navigation that they never warned us about. One wrong move and someone could have seriously gotten hurt. It was stressful, unsafe, and not enjoyable at all. This company needs to either shut down, clear the dangerous sections of the river, or at the very least be honest with customers about the level of difficulty. I hated every second of it and will never give them my business again. read more

Best staff and best river trip. River was clean and easy to get through. Tons of fun!!

Went tubing on the Sturgeon River. Nice hour and a half trip. Super friendly staff and great atmosphere. Will definitely be back to try more activities! read more

See all

Can't say enough great things about our 3 hour kayak adventure in Indian River! It was an absolutely magical day on the river. It was HOT and HUMID and in the 90s. Carson and Dan dropped us off and were very friendly and informative. We took a break at one of the pebble beaches and enjoyed the cool water and stones. We saw deer, otters and TWO bald eagles! It was a great day and we can't wait to do it again. Sorry no pics as we don't take our phones. Leave them in the car and take a digital break. Thank you Big Bear Adventures! read more

Had a great time on a Sturgeon River winter rafting trip. We were a group of four and Tony was our guide. He did a great job explaining everything to us and giving paddling directions during the trip. Super nice guy. We loved the trip and would definitely like to do it again! read more

Big Bear Adventures - Rock hunting break during our raft trip - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Indian River, Michigan

While my family has enjoyed a few adventures with Big Bear, I have to make a few comments on the general cleanliness of the store, and subway restaurant located in the back of the store. The bathroom didn't look like it had been cleaned in about a week- the sink was in disgusting condition & doesn't look like it's ever cleaned, the floor was wet and dirty, the toilet had plenty of leftover residue... as a mom with a newly potty trained toddler, this is one of the worst things you can come across & leaves you with a bad impression of the whole place. We needed dinner after our excursion, & went to the Subway in back. The veggies looked yellow, & dried out. The lids were left open on all of the sandwich items, the avocado spread open & looking brown. There were flies. The soda station was messy, out of ice & produced flat soda. We opted not to eat here because of this & the general cleanliness of the store. Overall, I got the vibe that the employees left to run the store really don't care much about customer service or their jobs, & the more personable employees are the ones who drive the company guiding tours. Sure hope something changes! read more

Big bear is awesome! I went on a side by side tour and our guide was awesome! The workers are so welcoming and made sure we had a great time! read more

Big Bear Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Indian River, Michigan

What a blast! My friend came up to visit from downstate Michigan, and we were looking for something fun and something outdoors to do. We decided to book an ATV adventure with Big Bear. It was money well spent. Big Bear provided sanitized helmets, goggles and bandanas to wear. We brought our own bandanas because we wanted to wear pink but I appreciated the extra effort on their behalf. They were very on top of COVID precautions. While we were waiting for our ride, the staff running the tubing adventures, were so efficient. They were unloading passengers and sanitizing the vans before loading another group, they were still moving quickly and intentionally. Our guide, Raph, was excellent, he explained everything very well, was kind and patient. It was very much appreciated because I had never driven a side by side before. Raph took us on some amazing trails, we stopped at Weber Lake and enjoyed the water and scenery. We made memories we'll never forget. I have a girls weekend planned in July and we have already reserved our spot for another adventure. Thanks Raph! read more

See all

I had the most amazing experience at big bear. I have been there several times and all i can say is the staff really makes it, they got everything you need and everyone is so kind and helpful. I recommend the winter rafting that they offer, it was super gorgeous and our guide was so kind and helpful. read more

My son loved the bumper boats. Super friendly staff, and an interesting golf course too

We booked a guided ATV tour for a Sunday afternoon and it was perfect! We ended up being the only ones on the tour but still felt very taken care of and safe. We're familiar with ATVs but their guide still made sure we felt comfortable with the trails we took and how to operate the specific machine. We'd definitely book another one! read more

See all

Flat out rude ownership! Order you own tubes on amazon and do this trip yourself and save money and time!! Take hours to get on the river and they show 0 respect for paying customers. I'm from out of town visiting friends and to see the owner yell at them was shocking. I'm updating my review after the owner comment. I appreciate your response but will defend what I saw. Your husband approached our group while in his car slamming on his brakes from the highway. I don't know the past but what I witness was flat out rude. Also, to defend my friends they approached your establishment in concerns for how dirty the river was. I wasn't there and can't make judgment on how they acted but the river is your business and respo should be taken PS if you drag youtubes they will be upset! read more

Before I go in about the staff and our experience, The section of the River we did was perfect. It was the second stop and the1.5 hour ride on the sit on kayaks. It was perfect for novices like us who like to enjoy a beverage while floating. That said, it is a pretty good current that keeps you moving and makes you work a little. First, the information on the website was very helpful in planning our outing. It included costs, skill level and recommendations, departure times, etc. When we arrived, we were greeted by a friendly, very knowledgeable, and professional woman who helped us with our paperwork. They loaded up our kayaks with a few other guests and took us to the river. Billy got us unloaded and gave us a few last tips to get the most out of our adventure. We highly recommend Big Bear Adventures! Thank you for making it one of the highlights to our northern MI trip. read more

Have been coming here since I was a little girl. Great spot for snacks, drinks, subway, etc as well as all of their fun activities! Professional and kind staff. read more

We had the best time. Went twice in one week. The staff was wonderful. Very helpful in getting us our tubes, getting us out to the river. Planning our next trip! read more

Went out on a raft tour with Tanner and he was a great tour guide! He provided us with such a good experience!

Big bear was the best up north adventure! They were so nice and personable. Felt like I was family. The girls up front were so personable, subway was super fresh, and the rafting trip was SO much fun. You have to go float down the river with big bear. If you get the chance the side by sides were even more epic. Scott was awesome he was very happy to assist us on our side by side adventure. Please choose big bear for your next up north adventure!!! read more

I don't like giving negative reviews because everyone has different opinions and/or experiences - but ours was not great! My husband and I went river tubing and felt like we almost drowned twice! It was very scary and not enjoyable! They told us we didn't need a life jacket but that wasn't true in our case! I would not recommend taking young children and request a life jacket even if you are a strong swimmer. Also, the exit point was very hard to navigate- the water was very deep and difficult; then you had to walk across a very busy road. read more

Worst tubing trip ever and I have been on a lot of them. what a waste of money. Every time you went a few feet you got stuck.

Was a great tubing adventure for our bachelorette party of 20! For a small fee our fabulous drivers Ian and Tanner came and picked us up and dropped us off at our house. Patti was great to work with and Ian made sure we had a great time. Definitely not a leisurely river though, you definitely have to work to stay out of the trees the whole way down the river. Definitely needed water shoes/crocs! #turnerintoasmith read more

This place was PACKED! It's on the Sturgeon River, fun as hell! All the reviews are right, read them first! I'm pretty adventurous and love taking risks but the staff don't warn you about how fast this river moves and the strong undercurrent. All they say is "This is the fastest moving water in 'lower' MI....... which makes it so fun. They tell you there are obstacles and go over everything you need to know first. Can be challenging if you don't have someone strong with you to help if you get stuck along the way and the current underneath is pulling you. Lots of downed trees to avoid and navigate. All you do is kick off if you get stuck on a log. It's an adventure going into it, that's why we went. Carpe Diem! We spent $13.50 per person for 1&1/2 hours (4 of us), or you can go 3 hours and you get to choose which type of tomb (I mean equipment) you want. They have canoes, rafts, tubes, kayaks and whatever else. The water temp stays at 52* so even on a hot August day it was freezing because it moves so fast. There are also little drops in some locations. You are guaranteed to get wet so don't even try to plan on staying dry! You can stop along the way at a beach on your way down the river if you want. Like someone else said, you go to Burt Lake (a huge state rec/park), park your car, they pick you up and you navigate the river all the way back "down" to the lake, sooo happy to see our car! My one friend is very petite and she had no trouble navigating this river. read more

See all

I wish I could described how rude the manger & the owner Scott are. This business has nothing close to an idea of what customer service is. Do NOT go here - save your money for an adventure of your own & not big bears!!! I wish I could give them negative stars but that's not an option on here:/ read more

Best place for a family vacation!! Girls trip!! Team building! Soooo FUN!!! My daughters took me here for long weekend for Mother's Day in July. We tubed down the river, went on a guided off road ATV trip. We had such a great time. The staff was kind caring and looked after our safety. We had a four seater and a couple single seaters. We were a dusty mess when we got back. We had so much fun and laughed so hard our cheeks hurt. It was fun, funny, exhilarating and a perfect get away after being cooped up after Covid. They also have a put put golf, water bumper cars, a ropes course as well as tube, raft, kayak and canoe trips down the sturgeon river. We didn't stay at the North Woods Lodge this trip, but have in the past. It is a fantastic place with wood log exterior and wood log beds. It was an amazing weekend! read more

We had a great experience with Raph for our ATV trail ride. Funny, attentive, and kind. Couldn't have asked for a better guide. We had a blast!! read more

Best place for family fun or adult fun. We always have so much fun tubing or rafting down the river! We just did an ATV tour yesterday and it was so much fun! I didn't stop smiling the whole time! Highly suggest! read more

Big Bear Adventures - Atv tour! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Indian River, Michigan

Great experience with a group of 11 of us. Super friendly staff and a great time tubing down the river.

This experience was one to behold. Definitely worth the while and the Sturgeon River was not as scary as it may seem in our Kat nana boat. On top of all this our driver, Nick was exceptional and very accommodating. read more

Seems like a fabulous business, however, cashier was extremely rude when i asked her to put on her mask that was literally around her neck. She explained in a most condescending tone that she doesn't have to because the executive order says people who give speeches in their job don't have to wear a mask. I reminded her that she was not giving a speech and she was cashiering. So rude, so unnecessary, and made us decide to skip the kayaking plan altogether. Maybe next time? read more

I had such a great time at Big Bear Adventures! Everyone was really friendly and answered all of my questions before attending the river float. I did both the raft float with a large group and also a two-person kayak. It was a great experience, and I want to go back and bring my family! Great options for all ages, the high ropes course is super cool for kids as well as the putt putt for the whole family! And of course, our day was made even better with the convenience of Subway right in the store. read more

I wish I had read the negative reviews before taking my family tubing on this river. If you are kayaking or canoeing, it's a great river. Enjoy! AVOID TUBING THIS RIVER ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNGER KIDS. Our group had an 8, 7, 5, and 4 year old. We spent more time getting kids safe from river obstacles than actually enjoying the float. It is incredibly reckless and irresponsible for Big Bear to promote tubing this river. Tubing should be safe and relaxing. No one wants a CHALLENGE while tubing! That should be reserved for kayaks and canoes! Horrible horrible horrible experience! read more

Big Bear Adventure is well worth the experience! We had a party of 9 including 2 children & we decided to do the 1 1/2 hour ride down the river. While the river was a chilly 55° we had an amazing time. We rented 4 cats & 1 kayak. The cats were perfect for the beginners and children of the group. The river is fast & you will definitely have to paddle the majority of the time. The scenery is gorgeous & very the atmosphere is very serene. One of the best river ride around. They offer a lot of different options for different skill levels. Will definitely be doing this again! Thanks for the great time Big Bear! read more

Dope, definitely going again. The service was amazing, along with the gift shop. We had a seamless experience from the gift shop to the loading dock. The exit was very easy as well. read more

My family and I were thoroughly impressed by the friendliness of the staff that helped us at big bear Adventures! They were very knowledgeable and helpful in preparing us for our 1 and 1/2 and 3 hour kayak trips. Our driver Ian was fantastic and even helped us carry our kayaks (we brought our own) to the water. The prices for taking our kayaks to the starting points were reasonable and the staff was very honest and knowledgeable when they gave us all of the information about the river! We truly appreciated the great service of Big Bear Adventures and would definitely come back again!:) read more

DO NOT TUBE THE INDIAN RIVER! It's fine if you have a kayak or canoe but do not tube it. There aren't any rapids, but there are so many downed trees. Two of my teenage daughters got hurt pretty bad. read more

We came here to mini golf and had a great time! The employees were super nice and helped find a good place to eat that night. The mini golf course is super cool and very well kept! read more

The Sturgeon River was a beautiful river to kayak, but I will NOT be using Big Bear again. I don't know who the heck the man is at the back lot when you go to wait to get on the bus, but he has no clue as to how to speak to paying guests. He is a loudmouth rude bully type guy. He seems to love to act like he's some tough guy when he is actually appearing as very insecure to any thinking person. Maybe he would be better off in another job. No one spends money to have a good time to feel like this before a fun adventure. I would not suggest this place also because they pack you into a van with other people and do not even ASK the other people to wear face masks on. This is unacceptable and against every current suggestion during the COVID situation. They could at least ask people to put on masks. Not even an offer of hand sanitizer anywhere.s I think this id the most uncompliant situation in regards to Covid I have seen yet. read more

The people working at this place were so extremely rude it ruined our trip. This place is also non compliant to COVID-19 standards and really should be shut down. First, don't post signs that masks are required in the transport vans and then not enforce it. It's the only reason we felt that it would be okay for our family to ride in a van with strangers during a pandemic. We were first to get in the van and then a bunch of 20 somethings were allowed in the van with no masks. When we asked to get off and wait for the next van, we received a snarky response and refusal for us to wait for the next van. We were told to take our personal car and that a van would take us back to our car at the end of the trip. So we agreed. We followed the van with our raft to the drop off site. Our seven person raft was given to a party of 3 and we received a raft too small to fit all of our party. When brought to the attention of the van driver/also unloading the rafts, he said we needed to "beef" that out amongst ourselves. The raft wouldn't fit our party and we were left trying explain to another patron that they had our raft, in which they had no interest in switching. If it wasn't for the nice family behind us who felt so bad about our situation willing to squeeze onto the raft we were left with because they had fewer people, we would have drove back and asked for a refund.....which is what we should have done because at the end of the trip we were left stranded with no ride back to my car. The worker at the end of the trip couldn't even keep his sanity together and when asked about our ride he started shouting and saying it wasn't in his job description to make sure people were taken care of or any type of customer service. Clearly, he was also not happy with this company. We had to ask for the supervisor to come. It was a horrible, unsafe experience. Never in my life have I been treated so rudely. read more