Super guide. Beautiful creek. Loved learning along the way. Nice to get away from civilization…read morefor awhile.

This is an outstanding company. Excellent equipment. Very knowledgeable guide. COVID responsive…read more Professional. Can customize your tour. Great for the entire family.

The best. We needed a kayak trailer. Fast. Joe took care of everything. Including loading the…read morekayaks and training us. He didn't have to do any of that. And he's nice! Love this place. Trust them.

Joe runs a tight ship - and thank goodness he does! He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge…read morewith a healthy dose of patience and laughter to his teaching. We spent the better part of a weekend (trying) to learn some basic sea kayaking skills as well as wet exits and assisted rescue with Joe and Katrina. Together they did an excellent job of planning, classroom instruction, and on-water instruction to ramp us up. We are very thankful to have been their students!! You won't go wrong with this crew!!

Chris and Dan were absolutely wonderful! So much more than an oyster boat ride! We learned so much…read moreabout the history of South Carolina and the marine life! It was such great company as well! And it was funnn. We ended the boat cruise at the restaurant attached and it was the perfect end to a great day. 100% recommend this!

While visiting the low country, I signed up for a two hour marsh kayaking tour with COA and I am so…read moreglad I did! It was my first time kayaking in costal waters but I felt very comfortable with our guide. She was very familiar with the waterways and educated on the local wildlife. The tour was amazing! We had perfect weather, calm water, and several site points. It was cool seeing the pluff mud marshes up close! Please note: COA is located off Folly Rd which happens to be a main road to Folly Beach. Thankfully I did the 9:00am slot, because there was bumper to bumper traffic along Folly Rd by the time the tour ended around 11:30pm.

We had a beautiful paddle with our guide Thomas. He was very knowledgeable and personable. What a…read moregreat trip!!

Scenic, peaceful, fun, and unforgettable…read more Booked this with my friends and boyfriend and we couldn't have enjoyed it more. Beautiful creek and views, with stops to observe amazing trees and nature. We saw baby alligator and some birds. Our guides were very friendly and kind.

Who knew my first time in a kayak could be this fun?!?! Novice and experienced kayakers alike are…read morein good hands with Adventure Carolina. Even if you're like me (read: you're not a good swimmer and you've never been kayaking), you'll have a great time and get the hang of things pretty quickly. Besides, there is no better way to escape the heat of Columbia in the summer than taking a ride down the Congaree River. It was a manageable waterway that's suitable for first-timers and enjoyable for all, and Kevin was incredibly attentive, patient, and encouraging throughout the ride down. Everything is provided for you -- kayaks, paddles, life vests, and even bottled water. Just remember to dress light (shorts and a tee) and bring sandals (preferably, because sneakers will take several days to dry out) that you don't mind getting wet. If you've never been kayaking -- definitely give this a try. It's $35 well spent!

Kevin was amazing - we decided at the last minute to go canoeing at Congaree National Park, called…read moreKevin the night before and he opened early for us to make it happen. He was so helpful and the canoe we rented was great. Would definitely recommend!

The low down: This was my first time kayaking so I don't have much to compare it to, but I thought…read moreit was great. The 2 workers were knowledgeable and helpful and really were able alleviate my fear of getting washed out to sea! The most challenging hung part was figuring out how to get into the front gate! When you pull up, someone has to get out of the car, go in and find someone to open the gate. I don't recall seeing this written anywhere. we learned it after we sat at the gate for 2 min w/out anything happening. Once we got it, we had to sign some consents and then we headed across a field to the river. They provided a waterproof cell phone case, a map, and extra paddles in case the ones your using fall into the water. They provide a little tutorial on how to paddle which was very helpful. Then they load you in and send you on your way! it was so much fun!

I cannot day enough good things about this. If you like kayaking, this is a must do. So we went on…read morethe guided tour, it was myself, my husband (cowboy boots and all) and two other couples. You had the choice of solo or tandem kayaks. The instructor Luke did a nice beginners explanation of the flow of the river and how to paddle. The tour was two hours and he was really informed from types of ecology, Charleston history, changing tides, alligators, and pretty much anything else under the sun. I also have to say thank you to Luke, he would pull trash (empty bottles, cans, even a basketball!!) out of the water to dispose of correctly. You can tell he really cares about what he's doing and the area he's from. Please do yourself a favor, get on the water and enjoy seeing Middleton in another way.

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Congaree National Park was a canoe excursion with…read morePalmetto Outdoor and I'm not so sure we could have asked for a better experience. Our guide, Sean, was fantastic from start to finish. Before the trip even began, he was extremely communicative with my friend who made the reservation, ensuring we knew exactly where to meet, what to bring, and what to expect. As someone who appreciates clear logistics while traveling, this was greatly appreciated. Upon arrival, we met our fellow paddlers, many of whom were fellow National Park enthusiasts visiting Congaree for the first time. Everyone was friendly, excited to be there, and Sean helped create a welcoming atmosphere before we even launched our canoes. For a little context: I am absolutely terrified of snakes. In fact, during my first visit to Congaree a couple of years ago, I considered doing a canoe trip but ultimately chickened out because I couldn't stop thinking about my slithery nemeses lurking nearby. This time, I decided to be brave. While several members of our group did spot snakes along Cedar Creek, everyone was incredibly understanding of my fears. When one was spotted, my canoe companion and guide were kind enough to help turn our canoe so I didn't have to see it. It may sound silly, but it made a huge difference and allowed me to actually enjoy the experience rather than spend the entire trip anxiously scanning the shoreline. And enjoy it I did! Paddling Cedar Creek was really scenic and surprisingly relaxing. Between the reflections on the water and the towering trees at times, I felt like I was in a scene from The Notebook. If you're visiting Congaree National Park, I highly recommend adding a paddle trip with Palmetto Outdoor to your itinerary. Great communication, great guide, great group, and a fantastic way to experience part of the park that most visitors never do!

We took a guided canoe tour with Andy in Congaree National Park. Andy was very friendly and kept…read moreeveryone's spirits high. It was a beautiful day for a tour and the best way to see the park. The paddle was leisurely and Andy had a lot of good information about the park's history and ecology. He takes care of all the setup so you don't have to drag a canoe at any point. The cost was a good value for the experience. I would recommend it to anyone looking to visit.

Coming prepared is important. Besides a bathing suit, it would be wise to have a long-sleeve shirt…read moreand hat (or a huge tub of sunscreen), some sort of water shoes, and some way of protecting your devices. I got a watertight bag for my phone. They say they'll store your keys, but they didn't remind me and in my haste to hit the water I somehow floated the entire distance with my super expensive electronic car key in my pocket, which neither fell out nor was any the worse for wear, miraculously. You have to pay to get into the state park where this endeavor begins, which in total brings the cost to around $40 a head or so. Which for me was not bad given the experience. I received help getting the tube down to the water and they had some watercraft at the end to gently bump me to shore. They say floating down the river takes two hours; it doesn't seem that long a distance but it is a slow-moving river and my trip took around two and a half hours in the water. Obviously, you can slow yourself down or speed yourself up. The shores of the river were verdant, with frequent houses and docks and a lot of signs saying to stay off of various people's private property (fair enough), but I still managed to find a bit of beach for a brief respite, and the trip ends at a sandbar. Various powered watercraft whizzed by, but they mostly just caused some pleasant waves. Conditions will vary, but I found the water immensely pleasant on a summer day, and on the water I didn't have a huge mosquito problem (I did apply repellent). The depth was such that during much of the trip I was actually floating and could not touch the bottom, but there were certainly places where you could. The inquiring mind wonders whether alligators, snakes, bull sharks, or some other river monster is hiding beneath the murky water, but I observed no such creatures (as a one-time Australian, there's no way I'd get into an Australian river where I couldn't see what was around me). The bottom was mostly sandy, but did occasionally have branches and things, and water shoes do help. I underestimated how much time my legs would spend out of the water and did not apply sunscreen to them; I wish I'd either done that or just carried sunscreen in some container. The end area had brightly colored trip employees to shepherd you in using watercraft, as well as a volleyball net and picnic area for those so inclined. A bus brings you in short order back to where you started. A trip through the surrounding countryside suggests a pastoral, relatively natural environment, and driving through it I always wished there were more tourist opportunities to experience this unique landscape and dodge the heat. Turns out, this is the place.

Been here many times. The larger the group the better. Lots of fun. Pro tip... If the time you want…read moreis sold out, it doesn't really matter. Just get a ticket. Meet your friends and launch when you're ready.

Best. Experience. Ever!…read more We did the original Escape River Island challenge. I can't even begin to explain how great of an experience we had. You start out by leisurely kayaking 1/2 mile down a river. They have double and single open kayaks. You do step in the water to get in, so wear appropriate shoes! When you get to the wooded challenge location, the guide gives you directions and tells you what to expect. Our team of three were the only ones competing so we were racing against the clock rather than other teams. We completed six different challenges (some physical, some mental). It definitely gave off escape room/Survivor/MTV The Challenge vibes. The owner Jeff and our guide Noah were both very friendly and knowledgeable about the area and the overall experience. After unlocking our kayaks in the last challenge, it was a kayak race back to the finish line! My only complaint is they don't have a second challenge that we could sign up and do tomorrow! So so fun. Couldn't recommend more.

River Island Adventures is truly a very fun place and just 8 miles from North Myrtle Beach. Tubing…read moredown the river was such a relaxing experience and they so many other things to try. The staff were amazing!