I was in town for a concert and had been wanting to go kayaking for a while, and I just happened to…read morerun across this place. The prices were reasonable and they had plenty options available to rent (single and double kayaks and paddle boards). They provide the life jackets as well, so you don't really need to bring anything with you. You can make reservations in advance, but they had plenty of availability when I went mid-day on a Friday. The water was a bit dirty, but that's to be expected for a river in a city (I didn't see trash floating around or anything like that though).

The staff were very kind and accommodating. The water was much cleaner than I expected, and there…read morewas plenty of room to just relax or test my maximum kayak speeds. Generally a nice experience and very affordable !

Did the paddle boats at the Tidal Basin and it was such a fun little moment…read more Super chill, easy to do, and the views are beautiful--especially with the cherry blossoms out. It's one of those simple activities that just makes the day feel special. Perfect if you're out walking around DC and want to switch it up for a bit. I'd definitely do it again.

Such a great experience. Did this on a Friday early afternoon and it was slow. I believe we were…read morethe first one to go out that day. With that being said it was a fast process from signing waivers and getting on the boat. Staff was friendly and had positive attitudes. Looking forward to doing this again!

Super friendly, made us feel at ease about the whole experience. Explained where to go and what…read morewatch out for (boat traffic, and the building that marked the turn around point). Gave local recommendations to good lunch spots. Follow the parking directions carefully, they do a good job of describing where to go.

What a great time we had July 4th-6th weekend with 3 tandem kayaks we rented from Capital SUP!! I…read morecan't resist telling everyone this was so easy to do. We rented a home right on the Chesapeake and i couldn't find anywhere that would deliver kayaks and stand up paddle boards to me until i found Capital SUP. Kevin was terrific he drove up in a big van took out 3 beautiful clean colorful tandem kayaks and carried them far down to our dock with life jackets and paddles. We had so much fun in and out of the water with our families. ...and did I say the price was so much better than going anywhere and renting even for the day. Also this was a busy holiday weekend and everything went smoothly no hiccups. Thank you Kevin so very much your kayaks made our family reunion. Have a good summer

Needed some time with nature....my mind gets to wondering all over...figured this would be the…read moreperfect thing for my son and I as we get ready for the school year. Wanted a kayak place that wasn't crowded with easy entry and exit. I couldn't find and promos but that's cool....the price for a double is comparable to most. Splurge for the 2 hours because it's only $10 more. Take in the sights and enjoy some conversation. Customer service was just right....before you knew it we were in the kayak and on our way...for the record I did most of the work

I was on vacation last month and went back to my former home state to do something active and fun…read morelo and behold: Capital SUP. I have been going to this business for years and have now been to all 3 locations. The people working here are very friendly and helpful. The location of Quiet Waters is awesome, very serene place. A nice little walk from the parking lot about 10 mins surrounding by beautiful trees and wineberries. Also cool that they have classes and yoga SUP. This was one of the highlights of my trip. Thank you.

We spent a full day at River Riders, splitting our time between the Harpers Ferry Waterpark in the…read moremorning and the Aerial Adventure Park in the afternoon. It was a great combination for both the kids and adults. The inflatable waterpark kept the kids busy for the entire session. El Jefe, the large slide, and Thor, the climbing tower and slide, were our favorites. I strongly recommend booking one of the first sessions during the summer. We went early when it was less crowded, and it became noticeably busier later. In the afternoon, we completed the green and blue aerial trails. Both were a lot of fun, and the progression from one to the next worked well. Overall, River Riders is an excellent choice for families or groups looking for an active full day near Harpers Ferry.

I am posting this review to urge prospective guests to exercise extreme caution and to call on…read moremanagement to address severe safety oversights. Despite having prior rafting experience and maintaining strong physical fitness, this individual tubing trip presented hazardous conditions with virtually no on-water safety support. ​Key Issues Observed: ​No Helmets Suggested or Required: Helmets were not recommended, suggested, or provided for navigating rocky rapids. I capsized and hit my head on submerged rocks--a dangerous hazard that warrants clear guidance and mandatory head protection. ​Zero Rescue Personnel: No river guides or safety kayakers were stationed along technical sections. When participants were pinned against rocks or stranded in strong currents, there was no staff to assist. ​Inadequate Instruction & Extreme Strain: Relying solely on arm paddling through boulder gardens offers minimal control and quickly causes physical exhaustion, even for fit individuals. ​Equipment Failures: Some tubes were punctured by sharp rocks, leaving guests stranded in turbulent water with no emergency extraction protocol. Commercial river outfitters have a basic duty of care to provide essential protective gear, clear instruction, and active supervision. I strongly advise making sure these safety practices are in place before booking unless you have experience and are comfortable without the precautions.

I just finished the Cheat Lite program and could not recommend this program more to new…read moreintermediate boaters. I feel like a confident class 3 boater after this course. We had water levels all over the place this spring and they did such a great job of picking rivers with good water levels and making every trip and practice as fun and safe as possible. The program is extremely popular so make sure you sign up the first day it is offered.

Calleva's River School offers a well-paced series of whitewater kayaking courses to help get your…read morefeet (and everything else!) wet in this exciting sport. The friendly instructors are very knowledgeable and coach to your level of development. This is a great school to build skills and gain an introduction to the community having fun on the Potomac.

I had a private lesson with Cheddar last week & it was fantastic! He was easy going, helped me with…read morecomfort in the boat and building my skillset. I know that sometimes I learn a little differently than the average person and Cheddar listened to what I had to say and was able to tailor the experience to something that worked best for me and my brain. I came away from the lesson feeling more confident and excited about a future that includes some whitewater kayaking. I'm excited to keep learning with Potomac Paddlesports and next time I want to arrange a private lesson I will definitely request Cheddar as my instructor. I would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone.

Took some whitewater kayaking classes a few years ago, really enjoyed it…read more Ashley was one of my teachers - not sure if she's still there but she was my favorite.

We spent our Fourth of July at Terrapin and it was absolutely wonderful! From being welcomed at the…read moredesk (I am so sorry I can't remember his name!), to our awesome guides Justin and Jasmine, to Scott who helped at the swing and doing the belay to get us down - we truly enjoyed the whole experience (despite the unbearable heat this weekend). Justin and Jasmine made sure we stayed hydrated, and regularly brought us into the air conditioning to avoid overheating. They ensured our safety every moment we were there. The rope course was insanely fun, the giant swing and zip line were a blast and our favorite part was honestly the rock climbing! Justin and Jasmine were fantastic - we will definitely come back (preferably not during a heat wave haha) and hope they will be our guides again - every single person today made it memorable for my family! Thank you so much!!!

We have enjoyed this camp for years, but 2026 brought parental concerns over hearing that children…read moregrouped up to 12 years old were sharing bathrooms if another identified as the opposite sex. This should be an opportunity to identify a solution comfortable for everyone affected by providing single use options, as opposed to telling my daughter "it's ok because he identifies as a she". It caused an uncomfortable situation for girls and concerns for parents. No young girl should feel uncomfortable or anxious using the restroom.

Very rude and impersonal on the phone when I called to ask about my sailing class after I put a…read moredeposit down. I tried to give my availability and was cutoff---she said I will contact you if we have an instructor. Ok, well I can't just drop everything when you call to go sailing, please take my updated a availability? I hope other employees are better-suited to customer service and maybe kayaking and other options are still worth it, just wanted to let everyone know of my experience. I've never left a bad review, but I was excited to learn to sail, sad this had to be my experience. On to the next place!

Learning to sail had been on my bucket list forever so when I saw that the Mariner Sailing School…read moreoffered sailing lessons for adults every week of summer I decided to sign myself up for my own "summer camp". I have to tell you that learning to sail was an excellent decision because I actually learned to sail a 19 foot flying scot independently! My lessons consisted of four 2.5 hour morning sailing lessons out on the Potomac, Monday through Thursday. The sailing school also offers adult weeknight and weekend classes and different kids camps. The instructors split my class up into groups of two or three, went over some of the materials and then out onto the water we went to learn how to rig the boat and raise the sails. My instructor Ray was awesome, he taught us what we needed to know and even pushed us to run docking drills by ourselves on the last day of classes. Yes, at times the lessons were super challenging and nerve wracking, but once you get some practice time in, you'll get the hang of it. It's worth it to learn how to sail. I myself now find sailing enjoyable and ridiculously relaxing. Everyone I have encountered at the marina either teaching lessons, working in the office or out on the dock have been super friendly and helpful. They give you a free week of practice sails after your lesson so that you feel totally comfortable sailing independently and the people at the dock give plenty of tips to help you continue to hone your beginner skills.

Dan set us up with safety precautions to ensure that we had an excellent day on the water. He was…read morekind, thorough and helpful in lining our boat back up correctly. Demetri helped us us get set up for the "last mile" of boat operation so that it was easy to learn before we set out. Thank you both for an amazing day with Goboat. I'd highly recommend visiting this business for a fun activity and hope to be back soon! Sameer

One Star -- Safety and Customer Service Should Come Before Blame…read more I genuinely wish I could give zero stars. What was supposed to be an enjoyable birthday outing became one of the worst customer-service experiences I've encountered. Our reservation was 7-9 p.m. GoBoat emphasized arriving by 6:40 to avoid losing rental time, so we arrived at 6:15 p.m. After approximately five unanswered calls and watching groups who arrived after us get boarded first, we finally departed around 7:12 p.m. Our boat wasn't even fully prepared--the top covering we purchased had to be installed after we reminded staff. Jamal provided basic operating and route instructions, which we followed. However, no joint pre-rental inspection of the boat, electric motor, or propeller was conducted with us, so its condition was never established to us before departure. At approximately 8:12 p.m., while following the instructed route, another passenger and I heard/felt something underneath the boat. It was nighttime with low visibility, the water was not transparent, and debris was present. Immediately afterward, everyone noticed the motor/propeller making a noise it had not made previously. We immediately reported it rather than continuing the outing. Jocelyn placed the boat in neutral and steered toward the dock. Jamal and Miles were genuinely concerned and assisted us back safely, and I appreciate them. Unfortunately, management's response was entirely different. General Manager Steve immediately blamed us, stated we should be financially responsible under the waiver, and came across as rude, accusatory, and condescending. The owner, Roberto, also attributed the damage to us, discussing the expense of propeller repairs and stating they hadn't "even reached the surface" of what repairs could cost. Yet neither management response began with the most important questions: Is everyone okay? What happened? That bothered me more than anything. We followed GoBoat's instructions, promptly reported the problem, stopped operating the boat, and had never been shown the propeller's condition beforehand. Jamal also told us we weren't the first group this had happened to. I am not claiming the equipment was previously damaged--I simply disagree with immediately assigning fault without first investigating what happened. GoBoat ultimately decided not to charge us, but maintained that we caused the damage. By the time everything was discussed, it was approximately 8:43 p.m., making their offer to restart on another boat impractical due to our other obligations. We effectively received about one hour of a two-hour birthday outing. Roberto promised a gift card for our unused time, valid through October 31. As of this review, we still haven't received it. Frankly, the gift card is the least of my concerns because this experience has made me reluctant to operate another GoBoat. For a business putting customers on the water, SAFETY SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT. Management should first ensure everyone is safe, determine what happened, inspect the equipment, and then determine responsibility--not immediately blame customers and discuss how much they'll potentially owe. I appreciate Jamal and Miles for their assistance, but the delayed/unprepared departure, unanswered calls, lack of a joint pre-rental inspection, lost rental time, immediate presumption of fault, management's tone, and lack of initial concern for our safety made this an exceptionally disappointing experience. The mechanical issue could have simply been an unfortunate occurrence. Management's handling of it is what earned the one-star review. DON'T GOBOAT, GO ELSEWHERE!