This is a beautiful location and the host are wonderful, helpful fun people who go beyond making your adventure an enjoyable adventure.

A group of six purchased Living Social vouchers for the Lopez Island 3 hour Sea Kayak Tour. We needed to take a ferry to get to Lopez Island. Plan accordingly. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ Outdoor adventures keeps the guided groups small (maximum 12 people). I appreciate the small groups since this was my first time kayaking. Three types of kayaks are available: single, double or triple occupancy. Discover is an accepted form of payment. A Discover Pass is required to park at Spencer Spit. If you do not have a pass, a $10 day pass can be purchased with cash or check. There were several rangers checking passes on our visit so be sure to have a pass visibly displayed to avoid being ticketed. WHAT TO BRING - Signed Release of Liability - Bathing suit or non-cotton under layers preferred - A synthetic shirt (capilene, polypro, Under Armor, etc) - Shorts or pants made of a synthetic material (may get wet/damp) - Lightweight fleece jacket or windbreaker/rain jacket to provide warmth - Water shoes or sandals that strap on (or shoes that can get wet) - Sun hat and/or sunglasses - Sunscreen and chapstick - Water bottle - Optional; Camera, Plastic bag for wet items and change of clothing - If you have a gift certificate or prepaid voucher (such as Groupon) please bring a printed copy with you! Dorito Dan was our guide for the day. Dan was friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The first hour is dedicated to introductions, procedures and safety. Be sure to use the restroom before departing. Once on the water, there is no turning back. Kayaking is great for teamwork and communication. Both are required to avoid frustration. I recommend wearing weight-lifting/bicycle gloves in order to prevent blisters. Each person in our group started getting blisters towards the end of the tour. During our 3 mile kayaking trip, we spotted starfish, seals and majestic bald eagles. Thank you Outdoor Adventures for providing a magnificent day of play while surrounded by gorgeous Mother Nature. We all plan to return in the near future for another go-around. read more

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Outdoo Adventure went out of their way to enable us to rent kayaks so we could self-shuttle a Class 2 section of the spectacular Skykomish River. They are providing COVID-safe services in these challenging times. Highly recommend. read more

Outdoor Adventure Center - Kayaking Class 2 section downstream of Skykomish bridge. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Index, Washington

Renting the kayaks on our first day on the island is absolutely the best thing we did. Not only did the owner show us kayak novices how to kayak from beginning to the end, he is patient, knowledgeable and gave us plenty tips that sustained us throughout the stay on the island. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip because of the level of customer service we received from Outdoor Adventures-Lopez Island and the wonderful kayak experience we had. Highly recommend!!! read more

Wow. Where to start. Kathy was awesome in arranging the tour. Our guide James Michael was AMAZING! Very thorough with giving us instructions. There were 5 in our group all first timers. Not only did James Michael take extreme care of us but was a fantastic guide and made it extreme exciting yet safe. Bonus points for being ex military, Navy, and extra extra points for having the best locks of long beautiful blonde hair. I definitely recommend this tour company. The lil extra surprises along the way made it FANTABULOUS!!! FELT VERY SAFE and the equipment and our guide James Michael was very attentive and gave great instructions! If you're even thinking about doing this for the first time... #YOLO #JUSTDOIT Afterwards we had burgers & beer and watched a slide show of our adventure. Yes they took video and photos. From reservations to gearing us up to cooking our meal after rafting tour they treated us very well!! Please don't forget to tip!!!!! read more

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We had purchased two kayaking tour tickets through Groupon for a tour off Lopez Island. We've been on a few guided kayak tours, and this was one of the best. Our hosts were Dan and Dave, and they were excellent hosts and teachers. My wife and I have been kayaking many times, but we still learned several new things about technique on this trip. Not that it had anything to do with the company, but we spotted a number of critters in the water, and Dan, our guide, was able to identify everything. He also knew quite a bit about the area, everything from how many families lived on some of the smaller islands to the fact that what we took to be graffiti on cliff faces was actually mooring information from old boating companies. Dan and Dave also gave the group recommendations of sights, trails, and restaurants in the area. Based on this trip and our hosts, we would definitely go on a trip again with Outdoor Adventure Center. Though we don't have kids, they did offer three-seater kayaks so kids are welcome. read more

Bought a Groupon for the Lopez island kayak trip. Had a great time! The instructor, Dan, was very good at explaining kayak techniques (i;ve been kayaking many times, but my friend had not). During the trip we saw some seals pop out of the water in front of us, it was really cute. They were very curious of us. Beautiful ferry ride out to Lopez Island and coming back at 7pm we had great views and sunsets. The only reason I don't give them 5 stars is because it was difficult to book my trip online because they were sold out every Sat/Sunday, and when I called them, all I got was a busy signal. I ended up emailing them via their website, and they called me back within a few hours to apologize for the issue and told me to check the website because they were opening up additional sessions. So that part was a little frustrating because my Groupon was going to expire in 4 weeks. TIP: Give yourself 1.5 hours to drive from Bellevue/Kirkland to the Anacortes ferry. Their website says its only an hour from Seattle, but takes longer than that. We got there 40 min before the ferry left and we were the last car to be allowed on the boat because it was full! (and this was the 3pm ferry where its suppose to be less crowded) read more

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Easily the BEST rafting company on the West Coast. This past summer I took my family and wedding party rafting in June. Here's a quick 5 point summary of why I would pick OA for a Seattle area outdoor activity with my family and friends again. 1. Skykomish River - arguably the most exciting river in Washington 2. Guides - very friendly, professional, knowledgeable and SAFE 3. Riverhouse location - their historic Riverhouse is located in the most beautiful town in the Cascade mountains, Index, WA. Just an hour from Seattle-area with beautiful drive on Hwy 2. After an spectacular river trip and before dinner, we all jumped in the hot tub along the river overviewing the mountains - #EPIC. 4. Food - trips come with a massively delicious, and surprisingly high quality steak meal. Their wrap-around deck overlooking the river is perfect for enjoying a hot meal + local microbrew and watching the clouds wrap around the stunning Mount Index (hiking to Lake Serene is a fun local activity as well) 5. Price - unbeatable (especially considering the quality of the trip, location, amenities and meal) Their new webpage is pretty awesome. Highly recommend these guys. Perfect outdoor activity for bonding with friends and family in the Seattle-area. read more

Outdoor Adventure Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Index, Washington

This spot is absolutely amazing ! The owner of this place is one of the nieces people I have ever met . No charge what so ever to panning. Unfortunately some of the activities where closed but would 10/10 recommend it to EVERYONE ! Drove from Olympia and definitely will again read more

Best rafting in the states. The guides are the best. They're super knowledgeable, friendly, and safe! They'll keep you safe on the water and make sure you have a good time too. They make these little stops along the river and tell you about the area. Blair the owner is a saint and will make sure your time on the river is the best that is possible. The Guides: James Michael is the best looking man in a wetsuit that ever lived, and will keep you safe. Robin is a motivator and is good with people that are meek or first timers. Kathy is the best planner and is good with booking big groups. I ONLY RAFT WITH OUTDOOR ADVENTURES, EVERYONE ELSE DOESNT COME CLOSE. read more

Where do I start? I guess it all starts with some fantastic planning friends and a great deal on Groupon. We took the drive/ferry in for the 4pm- 7pm kayaking tour off of Spencer's spit state park. It was absolutely fantastic. The owner/ guide Mitch was a great resource on the water and knowledgable about the surrounding islands. Our teacher/guide Doritos Dan was a class act- funny, easy to lesson too, great teacher, and awesome spirit to support you the entire way! We had an amazing time and we're lucky to have found such great service and fun in the beautiful islands. *extras- we had a seal pop up about 7 yards from the kayak, we learned basically all the needed maneuvers for a life time of kayaking. We saw lounging seals, learned about the area and burned a ton of calories to work off all the food we ate around the adorable rustic town. read more

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As I was wrapping up my day at Outdoor Adventure Center I realized I had finally found a business worth a Yelp review. With numerous options on the river I talked with some friends who recommend Outdoor Adventure Center (Wave Trek). As soon as you exit off highway 2 and head into Index you are greeted with the beautiful rafting base camp. Plenty of snacks to grab before you head out on the river and plenty of Micro Brews for when you get off the river. As soon as we arrived the staff was super helpful and made sure all questions were answered before gearing up. We then headed to the back yard where all the gear is hung up dry ready to go. The staff made sure everyone was set up correctly and ready for the water. The connivance factor is huge, everything is in one location, no need to gear up then jump in a van to take you to the river. Once your gear is on you walk 20 feet past the hot tub and hop in the raft. We were one of the first commercial trips of the season so the water level was pretty low. This being said our guides Blair and Bucky gave us an awesome day on the river. Both super knowledgeable of the history and geology of the area. Even though the river was low it was still good fun and some pretty solid rapids. I will for sure be going back once the water is at peak height. When we got back, the hot tub was ready to go at 104 degrees. While soaking in the waterfront hot tub the BBQ was fired up and the staff was cooking steaks on the deck. We then headed up to the deck to enjoy beer, steak, pasta salad, salad salad, watermelon, strawberries and sunshine. The food was amazing and there was more than enough to go around. Being one of the first sunny almost 70 degree days of spring we stuck around on the property for a few more hours. Relaxing in the sun, playing the manly game of throw rock at a rock, and tossing the stick for the two family dogs (picture on the review) couldn't ask for much more from a day on the river. Before leaving I purchased the pictures and received $50 towards my next trip. I highly recommend doing this, you get the pictures and a down payment on your next trip. It is truly refreshing to see an honest family run business. We felt as if we were hanging out with an extremely hospitable family rather than someone who is trying to churn and burn customers for profit. All and all this was one of the better experiences I have had in the outdoor industry. Thanks and look forward to seeing you when the water hits 11k. read more

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Blair, the owner of this business has emailed me a couple times to revise my review as he thinks it's false and has been taken care of. My mother and I booked a groupon and like other yelpers did and had problems signing up online. Long story short, the guide put my mom and I in a plastic boat, to sit up on top of since I couldn't comfortably fit my legs in the kayak. We tipped twice. In the slough. After a lot of swimming, getting back in the boat then tipping back in.. Our tour guide let us walk out of the slough by the bridge in the nearby park across from the barking frog. We met him back at the camp site where he apologized and sent us on our way. No refund, however he said he's going to call his manager and figure out the discount. A week goes by and we don't hear anything so I call in and talk to Blair who tried to get us back on the water.. But in the ocean. I was thinking to myself, "if we tipped in the slough.. What makes you think we'll want to go back.. Plus in the ocean?" After some negotiating, and repetitive "no, I don't want to kayak again", we were set a check to reimburse us. We receive our refund in the mail and three rude emails to update my yelp review. Then I've been added to their email list of new adventures.. And I'm thinking to myself "I'm allowed to have my own opinion. Especially when we tip in the slough & you try to get us to go on a trip to the ocean. " Please stop contacting through my personal email account to tell me you're not happy with my review. I didn't want to spend Labor Day in a slough, but it happened. I would not recommend The Outdoor Adventure Center. read more

My friends and I did a Intro to Whitewater Kayaking course and let me tell you, it was one of the most challenging, but fun experiences I've been on. Having only some sea-kayaking experience, I thought it wouldn't be too difficult, but white-water kayaking isn't like any other water sport I've ever done. It requires balance, strength, and a lot of hip action (it may even help with your dance moves!). All the instructors at OAC were incredibly helpful, supportive, and just generally really fun to be around The location is in Index, WA, just off of Hwy 2 heading up to Stevens Pass. It's a small little lodge-thing on the shore of the Skykomish river. They have a grill outside, plenty of seating, a hot tub, and an awesome atmosphere with people who are just really into river sports. We had Jared as our guide on Day 1 with Erika helping him out as well. We spend most of the first day going over basic skills, paddling instructions, how to exit safely, and how to rescue someone and by the end of the day, we were going down some Class II rapids! After some scheduling issues, we had our Day 2 a couple weeks later with Jared and Zach. This time, the sun wasn't out and it was raining a little, but the day was even more fun. We spent a short amount of time refreshing our skills in calm waters and then we immediately headed into the rapids. Even though some of my friends and I kept getting flipped by the waves, we had an amazing time and got through all the rapids only a little shaken. Following lunch back at their location in Index (they have some great burgers and eats btw), we went out again on a stretch of Class III rapids and although we kept getting flipped by the rapids, it was even more fun. What made it a lot of fun was having some of the other OAC staff just tag along with us for fun. In our group of 4 people, we had 4 OAC staff kayaking with us, giving us tips, helping us out when we fell, and just having fun with us! Overall, the experience was amazing! I highly recommend trying out White-Water Kayaking to anyone interested in river sports. Jared, Zach, Erika, Robb, and the rest of the OAC staff really made the experience. You can just tell how much passion they have for the sport and how much they want to help you out. Although they do have some logistical issues to work out (scheduling, lunches, booking, etc.), we were patient with them and they were patient with us as well and it all worked out in the end. The trip itself totally made up for any snafu's on their part. If you're interested in some intense kayaking/rafting and fun on the river, definitely check out the Outdoor Adventure Center. read more

Yes, Wave Trek, you've done it. For some reason I was worried it would never happen. But you pulled through. My first and (currently) only 1 star rating on Yelp. Congrats. I went on a Wave Trek tour last summer for a bachelor party. We wanted to try out white water rafting on the Skykomish River with Wave Trek. Bad idea. When I talked to Wave Trek, I asked them how the water levels were. They replied that water levels were still high enough for a good time. We go to the river, suited up and found the equivalent of a "lazy river" ride at a mediocre amusement park. I later learned that unlike some of the rivers in the VA/WV area, water flow dramatically decreases at the end of the summer in WA. I would be fine with that, but the folks at Wave Trek claimed the water level would be sufficient to have an exciting ride. I concede though this could be my mistake in not knowing about water levels in WA. However, we found more issues with Wave Trek. Another thing that irked me was they charged about $80 cancellation fee because we had to deduct 1 from the number of people that came out. The number of rafts and guides didn't change by removing this 1 person from our reservation. I understand cancellation fees are ok, but such a high dollar amount for what seems to have no cost-effect on the business' end surprised me. Finally, they said they give you a "steak" dinner afterward. We got Costco burgers. Correction we got 1 burger. There were more patties laying around but they said we only get 1 per person. Mind you we were the only rafters that day too. If WaveTrek had been a bit more honest, I would've been much happier. Tell us water levels are poor. Tell us we get a burger at the end of the trip. Why say you get steak? Most people don't plan their white water rafting trip based on what you get to eat at the end. This sort of unneeded dishonesty really bothered me. The whole experience kinda put a downer on what was supposed to be the highlight of the bachelor party. I would recommend going earlier in the summer for Washington state rafting. However, due to their questionable business practices I would also strongly advise against using Wave Trek to be your river guide. read more

My friend booked a rafting trip through Outdoor Adventure and it was such a great time! They were able to give us a group discount for our party of 13. We were in a raft with 6 and 7 of us with a guide in each raft. Our raft had Andrew and the other group had Sarah (the only female guide on the Skyhomish River). This Memorial Day weekend water level was on the lower end, but the rapids were still fierce. They were mostly class 4 rapids. We started our guide around 2:30 with an instructional video and intro by Jerry. The video gave a quick snapshot of what to do in case you fall off the raft. Then we went out to the yard to grab all of our gear - booties, wet suit, splash jacket, life jacket, a helmet, and our paddle. We got on the raft right then and there and were on our way down. Andrew did such an AMAZING job of guiding us! I really think we had the best guide. He's been doing this for 29 years and is pro! I want to say he teaches others how to guide. He gave each of us great tips on how to properly forward and back stroke. He navigated us through the rapids with such expertise that I was not afraid of falling out of our raft at all. He also explained to us what to do if such a thing happened. His instructions were clear and our group worked well together! We definitely didn't want the trip to end. It was about a 5-6 mile trip down the river. Nobody in our group fell off and we only got stuck once by a rock. I think we went over 5 rapids or so and then there was a school bus at the end to pick us up. We helped bring the rafts to the car and was out pretty quick with everyones help. We ended the night with Travis cooking dinner (included in the package). You had the option of steak, salmon or black bean burger. There was also cole slaw, pasta salad, watermelon, and home made brownies. Excellent job! Not to mention they serve excellent drinks (espresso) as well as have a great selection of craft beers. They also took pictures for us and we bought them for $50 on a thumb drive. They were plenty to go through! Cathy and Blair run a great family company and I would definitely book through them again. They guide many other adventures that I'm sure they'll accommodate what you're looking for. Cathy was even kind of enough to offer us a spot at their private campground. It's a beautifulllllll place that you can also book through them. I would definitely come back. It's right by the river away from cars and trains. Thanks again for having us. We will be sure to stop by again! read more

I have been on quite a few water sport tours all around Washington and think Outdoor Adventure Center is by far the best option in the area. I have been on two white water rafting trips on the upper Skagit river, one trip on the lower Skagit River and Wenatchee River and also went on a kayaking tour off Lopez Island. Here is why this company is absolutely awesome: Great Facilities I have been on white water rafting tours on the Skagit (upper and lower sections) and Wenatchee rivers. The Skagit River facilities are great as they have a house that sits right on the river. They sell some drinks and snacks within their cafe, have a gift shop, hot tub (if the cold river water cooled you down too much) and plenty of tables if your tour package includes a meal. On the Skagit River and Wenatchee River tours, they also had pictures available for purchase from the trip if you were interested. Knowledgeable Staff (that really care about safety AND fun!) During my trips on the upper and lower Skagit, I got to work with 4 different guides and all of them are very knowledgeable, friendly, but also keep safety at the forefront. Before starting out on the trip, they make sure you know everything you need to know if your boat gets tipped at all with a safety video, but also do some exercises when you are on the boat to reinforce your understanding. Superb Customer Service When I had scheduled a trip with a friend down the lower Skagit River and were not able to do so because the water level was too high, the staff helped my friend and I re-schedule for another day when we would get to see the other section of the river. During my trip down the more intense Skagit part of the river, the guide made sure that we were all comfortable going through the largest rapid of the section and offered for us to walk around if it looked too intense for our liking. Great Value Not only will the staff provide you a memorable trip, but they tell you so much about the surrounding areas and you come away with a whole new appreciation for the land. For example, on the Wenatchee tour, we got to learn about the apple orchards. While on the Lopez Island kayaking trip, we heard all about the sea life and plant life in the waters surrounding the island. An excursion with Outdoor Adventure Center should be added to your summer to-do list if it is not already on there! read more

WOW! SUPER FUN! We went whitewater rafting on the Skykomish river and had a blast! For us beginners (who a very athletic and adventurous) it was a perfect cross between "is this safe?" And "OK, let's take it easy this first time." We did the class 1-3 rapids...we were happy to start there, but immediately were ready to hop in for the 4-5 class rapids! It was amazing! The staff was not only friendly, but they were hilarious and made the trip even more fun to be on. You can tell they love their jobs...and they have plenty of shenanigans to keep you well entertained. However, it was clear that safety was their first priority. We got a full briefing and a video before the trip began. I was we'll informed and felt very safe, comfortable and looked after the entire trip. Our guide Blair had been rafting that river for more than 23 years and gave us great info on the mountains, and even the local plants and animals. Looking forward to braving the whitewater with them again. Best time of year to go is between April and end of June when the snowmelt comes off the mountains. Only critique is that their follow-up confirmation (sent the day before the trip via email) doesn't have good info, like what to wear, address, directions, etc. and the info was hard to find on their website. read more

I've been rafting with a lot of different outfitters on every river in the state and these guys are by far the best run company I've seen out there. The River house is amazing and the guides are extremely awesome! read more

Yesterday was the second time I took a trip with Outdoor Adventures. The first time we did the main Skykomish with Justin as our guide. All the rapids were big water fun and Boulder drop was intense. Grass Fed Steak lunch at the end topped off the trip. This time we ran the North Fork with Jared, Justin's brother. The water was a bit smaller, but it was just right since I was coming off an injury. Jared made it fun with "guide tricks." A family run business that offers their customers top notch river experience. Gotta love it. read more

I just had my bachlor party with Wave Trek recently and wanted to say it was a great experience for all of the 14 guys in my group. They were very professional in handling my queries in arranging the trip and could not have been more professional, which is a big help in trying to put together a big group activity. They did brief me on cancellation fees and the like, which are not out of the ordinary. We arrived at there beautiful guide house in Index and went over a really thorough safety video and briefing. I've been on other rafting trips with other companies and felt this was the most comprehensive safety discussion I have been through. Safety is definitely taken very seriously here. Our guides seemed very well trained and explained everything in a very clear manner, which is important when navigating down a dangerous river. They seemed to understand the river very well and we all felt like we were in good hands which definitely put the newbies in my party at ease. Most of all they were fun people that you can really tell love what they do. The Skykomish River was awesome. It was flowing about 6000-7000 cfs when we went and created many great rapids. Boulder Drop was a blast! There are not too many dull stretches of river here. I was intentionally pushed out of the boat on the last rapid which was pretty fun too. Everyone on the trip wanted to go again immediately. This river is a must-do for anyone interested in rafting. We were really hungry, and the meal after the trip was great. We were served steak (not a burger) along with salads and dessert and everything was prepared well. Not to mention the guide house is a pretty cool place to hang out. We were shown photos of our trip on the widescreen tv while eating which definitely caused some laughter, especially for those of us that ended up in the water. I would have to rate this trip as the best rafting trip I have been on. I would highly the Skykomish River and Wave Trek to anyone. The members of my party that were the most skeptical of the trip at the beggining were the ones that wanted to again the most by the end. That is probably the truest testament to how good the trip was. The Skykomish River did its part, and Wave Trek defintely did their part to make it one hell of a day. read more

I did the main skykomish trip with 2 of my friends who live in Seattle. We ran the river at 9,000 CFS, which was a high level, and very awesome. The guides were very professional, and a lot of fun. The gear (wetsuit, helmet, splash jacket, booties) was also top notch, obviously used but fairly new and not falling apart. The last bit, the trip included a steak dinner... I wasn't expecting much... but it was pretty damn good. Big steak, chips salsa, fresh fruit, pasta salad, and a brownie. Beer was extra, but their bar had a really nice selection of bottled microbrews. Oh and you had the option of hopping in the hot tub after the trip too read more

I give 4 stars just because getting reservations set up with our groupon was challenging. We ended up calling, a few emails back and forth to figure it all out. The trip itself was so much fun! Our entire group of 5 was my friends and I. The only person we didn't know was the guide. He was super cool (other than the patriots hat) and showed us around the island. There was a brief moment where we needed help with our Kayak, and he was right there to help. We saw multiple wild life and the day was beautiful. For 3 hours we had a guided tour off of Lopez island in the San Juan's. They provided the kayaks, life jackets, oars etc. the groupon price was phenomenal: 1 person for $39 or two people for $77. You can't even rent all of that for that much, let alone guided! I would do it again for sure. read more

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I have had two very positive experiences with this company. The first time was when they took me and a friend out rafting on the Skykomish on a coooooold Wednesday in July 2011. Luckily, the suits were warm and clean, and the guides were positive, so we forgot to complain about the frigid temps and just had fun. The hot tub afterwards helped too. The second time I encountered this company was when I was heading out to Index to climb, and I somehow forgot my harness! Lest I head back to Seattle (and essentially miss out on a day of climbing), I knocked on the doors of the OAC when it was closed, and the owner came to the door. He found his son, and both were glad to loan me me a harness to borrow. If I take to the water again, it will definitely be with these guys. read more

Used a Groupon for the paddle boarding lesson, and the whole team was awesome! The instructors are helpful and continually motivating you throughout the lesson, while keeping it fun. I was a slow learner but they got me up and going in no time. If you're unsure about trying it for the first time, let them help you through it and then you'll be hooked! read more

Kayaked Lopez Island yesterday, Dan was our guide/ instructor and he is great! His knowledge and teaching ability is outstanding. We had a wonderfully / magical time and he made it a lot of fun. This is an excellent trip for families too - it was the perfect day we saw sea stars, harbor seals, jelly fish and even a dolphin jumping out of the water which was magical. The kayaks were really nice too and easy to maneuver. Thanks Dan! Looking forward to doing it again next year. The company as a whole was very easy to navigate and set the trip up. They sent an email a few days in advance of our trip telling us what to bring, what to expect, where to meet etc. which was very helpful in planning. read more

My friends and I had a blast. The instructors were really outstanding, informative, fun, and helpful. They can work with any skill level from beginner up to expert. We had a pretty small group on inflatable kayaks this past Saturday. Unfortunately, the Skykomish is really low right now, so the kayaks tend to get stuck on a lot of rocks that would otherwise be a non-issue, but it's all part of the fun. Of course the fact that we got stuck on the rocks had nothing to do with our complete lack of skill! ;) It didn't matter, instructors Blair, Meghan and Justin all had our backs when we needed them, and were fun people to hang with too. Good times. At any rate, I would definitely do this again, and I would hope that there's more water in this gorgeous river next time. It's a treasure. read more

We did the 3-hour Kayak Tour on Lopez Island and we are so glad we did! Dorito Dan was our tour guide and it was only another couple with us so I feel like we were really able to get around the sound and he spent a good time with each of us going over information about the area and pointing out fun things to see. We were able to see deer, eagles, starfish, and seals! Such a great experience, we will definitely do this again! Thank you Dan :) read more

I went rafting here while on vacation in the Pacific Northwest and couldn't have been happier with the experience. The staff was extremely friendly and we had a great guide (Michael). The four of us in my group guide whitewater in So Cal, and when we went down the Boulder Drop (at 8800cfs!!) and it was evident that our guide knew what he was doing. It was pretty epic. He made it a lot of fun too on smaller rapids; he would dig his paddle in and slam us into a wave that might have otherwise been less eventful. The facilities were amazing too, everything is at the lodge, so you get your gear and walk to the river and get in! Extremely friendly staff and a great experience all around. I wish I lived closer as I would love to do this trip again! read more

My husband and I had a fabulous time yesterday with Thomas, our guide!! We Purchased a groupon for a 90min. kayak trip starting at Redhook and we really didn't know what to expect. What an amazing time! Thomas was extremely personable, informative and you could tell that he genuinely loved his job and wanted us to have a great time. Thanks for giving us this opportunity; it was wonderful!! read more

I've been in Index, WA every weekend for the last month going through a guide training course. Now that I have read some of the previous 1-star reviews I'm blown away. This must be either another company or they have grown leaps and bounds. Communication both in advance over the phone and while I was there has been clear; every member of OA that I came into contact with over the last month has been ultra-professional with elegant customer service. This company is and will continue to be the #1 river rafting company in the great northwest for many years to come. I'll be back as soon as humanly possible. read more

Awesome time! We had a group of 14 for my 40th birthday and every one had a great time. Guides were knowledgable and fun spirited, steak dinner after the rafting was just perfect! The lodge and river front property was really nice to hang out into the evening. The water was running at record lows so we did a different stretch than normal on the Skykomish which allowed most all of us to use inflatable kayaks which were super fun. I felt like the whole experience was a great value for what we got. I will look into other trips this company does too. read more

I bought a Groupon deal for the three hour Lopez Island kayak trip. It was a ton of fun. Dan, our instructor and guide, was very thorough in some basic tips to ensure we'd have fun safely out there on the water. He was very knowledgeable about the Island and history of the area. It was super fun! I wouldn't call it strenuous, but you do get a dang good workout. Bring a water bottle with you, you'll be glad you did. And a side note...tip your guide if you had a good time. Dan was a great guide and a great ambassador for Lopez Island. Yes, it's his job, but not many people gave him a tip as far as I could tell. It's not mandatory, but you're getting personal instruction and guidance for three hours out there, and he's keeping you safe in some pretty heavily trafficked channels. Seems a little gratuity isn't out of place. Lastly, the only thing that prevented me from giving 5 stars is that booking the trip via the website didn't work with the groupon codes. That's not the reason for the one star deduction, but calling them is a little hit or miss. Due to some rescheduling and so forth, I had to call them several times and sometimes, it rings and nobody picks up. That happened more than once to me. They were, however, very responsive via email and very friendly once you could talk to someone. They seem to genuinely want you to have a great experience. read more

Salmon Burgers to die for - and a view to match. Traded Sunday Back-to-City Traffic for a beer, hammock nap and salmon burger at Outdoor Adventures. Definitely a good choice. read more

Outdoor Adventure Center - Salmon burgers w/ chipotle mayo under mt index. Served with the best glacial fresh water you'll ever drink. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Index, Washington

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This company has TERRIBLE customer service and does not respond to any inquiries. I booked a large group and needed to reschedule, giving them 7 days of advanced notice. I've called at least twice daily. They are nonresponsive, and the people I HAVE talked to sound like they are in high school, and not representatives of a business. If they didn't already have my money I would have used someone else AGES ago. read more

I wish I can give them 5 stars like the other reviewers here. I bet we would have enjoyed our trip..if it pushed thru! I bought a Groupon and made reservations one month in advance. I even got a confirmation. Relatives from New Zealand and California and the Philippines were here for a couple of days and everyone was looking forward to this experience. Me and my husband (the only 2 who lived locally) even took the day off from work to be able to go on the ride. But..to our DISAPPOINTMENT, Kathy called me the day before the scheduled trip to inform me that they have to CANCEL our trip. Would you believe that?!!!? They had to cancel our trip because we needed 6 more people to join the trip. Apparently, they have this rule that there should be a minimum of 2 boats per trip. I understand why they have that rule. But how I wish they informed us way in advance so we could have planned accordingly. VERY DISAPPOINTING. They were kind enough to give us a chance to push thru with the trip the following day but it was hard to do so since me and my husband had to go back to work. We ended up requesting for a Groupon refund. All they can say was SORRY. They didn't even try to make up for what happened. such a bummer!! Yes, I did get my money back. but the opportunity to go on this fun experience with our family and friends is something that will be difficult to take back. And because of that..I give them 1 star... read more

I won a free rafting trip at a charity event for Pushing Boundaries. I've called 4 times and left messages with Outdoor Adventures twice and also e-mailed. The certificate expires at the end of September. Nobody has responded to me or answers the phone- I think they maybe don't want to make good on the certificate, which sucks. read more

I really enjoyed my last trip with this company and decided to try another adventure of inflatable kayaking. I got a great deal on a voucher from Zozi with an expiration date of 9/1. I called immediately hoping to schedule a trip for a date a few months out when I knew I would be available at the end of August. It seems it is difficult to know what the weather and water levels will be like months in advance, but they offered to take my number and have someone call me to schedule. This never happened. Over the course of the next two months I made various calls, sent emails, sent facebook msgs, used the online contact form etc., trying to schedule for the end of August. Most contacts were never returned, or returned once and then not followed through with. It was quite a frustrating process. Some of the problem was due to the online scheduler not taking my coupon code, I see this now appears to have been fixed. They also do not do the schedule for more than a few weeks out. Towards the end of August and the expiration of my coupon they were out of the office at the fair. My call was not returned, no one was in the office, they did not return my call on the day the machine said they would be back in the office. My email was finally answered with some possible dates I could schedule my trip in late September. By this time I had become super annoyed after having saved valuable weekend time with the hope of going on my inflatable kayaking trip. After much disappointment I decided to refund my voucher and let my plans to go kayaking die. I might try again next year, but I might not. It did sound like a fun adventure. While this customer service is seriously lacking the 3 stars are due to the fact that last time I had no issues and a great experience. With the website redesigned perhaps all these problems will dissappear. read more

I took a rafting trip with a group of friends through OAC on the Skykomish River. The OAC was professional and well-prepared, and we enjoyed the facilities and service, which included a steak dinner after the trip. The reason for the three stars is that we had a boat full of beginner rafters. Despite limited training, we were taken down a very challenging part of the river (Boulder Drop) while the river was running high. We were all dumped from the boat and some of us swallowed a lot of water. We all felt this to be a potentially dangerous situation, and we never should have been allowed to go down this portion of the river. If you are a beginner rafter who wants to navigate Boulder Drop during the early part of the season (spring) when the waters are running high, be extra mindful of this. OAC will let you opt-in above your experience level. read more

I set up a rafting trip on the Skykomish with my friends for Saturday, May 1, 2010 with WaveTrek and it was a good time. They were very helpful with the planning aspect of the trip (telling me the good times to raft what rivers and such) and explained to me the cancellation fees and the other business-stuff. The only problem I came up against was there was a bit of disorganization when I had to deal with more than one person at WaveTrek. First off, Kathy, who is the manager or something, is great; she's very helpful and gets things done for you fast. I spoke with someone else a few times and there were some problems, though, including mis-communication on price, then somehow the dates got mixed up and I found myself signed up for a trip a month later (I had inquired about a second trip and the guy must have switched it), and then I had to call and ask them to send me the directions they were supposed to email. In all, not a huge deal and Kathy was really good about straightening out the problems when I called her. They may not have had their flow down since it was only the 2nd trip of the season, but as it gets busier you might want to just give a followup call to make sure your details are straight. We showed up to their beautiful river house (they serve coffee and breakfast stuff if you want), and hung out in the main room before signing releases and watching a fantastic old-school video on what to do as a rafter on the river. Honestly, the video adds something to the experience. The day was rainy and cold, and the water was only about 4000cfs, but there's nothing WT could do about that. They were really good about making light of the situation, getting us geared up quickly and efficiently, and making sure everyone was clear on the paddling commands. Again, it may also be because it was early in the season, but the loaner gear was in nice shape. The river was a nice ride, and even at 4000cfs there were still some fun rapids and a couple of nice drops. Our guide Bucky was awesome and knew all the guide games to play with the raft to keep us having fun and not get cold during some of the slower spots. We saw a bald eagle, some ducks, and got to listen to the quarrying past of the area from Bucky. A couple of the other boats got dumped and the paddlers were cold, but we didn't and were comfortably warm in the gear provided, even with the rain and rapids. Afterward we went back to the boat house, unloaded gear (which the guides washed off), and jumped into the river-side hot tub, which is possibly the best idea ever. You can even hop over to the store across the street and grab a few beers to keep you company. After we soaked for a few we changed and went back inside to watch the main TV broadcasting pictures WT had taken of us on the river and eat lunch. Lunch was indeed steak, and there were a few tasty sides--it was a really nice way to end the trip. We ended up buying the picture CD (which was about $40) and got some nice shots of us rafting. At first it seems like a lot, but then you remember you're likely going to split it with all the other people on the boat, so it's not too bad. Overall, I think it was a good trip--the guides are good, the facilities are beautiful, and though the water was low and it was a little cold and rainy, we all still had a really good time. I'll be back in a few weeks to raft the higher water! read more