just an incredible experience all the way around. kudos to Anna for making our visit memorable forever! we popped down here with no issues, mainly because our flat is about 5 minutes from the river entry. on our kayak excursion, we went with our rat terrier and ended up hanging with the UVA swim team, who were all just as nice as they could be. one of those afternoons I won't soon forget! highly, highly recommended and don't forget to ask for Anna! read more

Such a great place! Our driver was awesome. They have such a cute little gift store. The hour and a half kayak ride was a perfect amount of time. People were waiting for us to get our kayaks out at the end of the trip. Highly recommend! They even emailed me a picture of us kayaking on the river, that a bystander took. read more

Girls day at the sauna! Great service. Very attentive and kind. The sauna is beautiful, very well maintained in a gorgeous and convenient location. I am definitely going back. Highly recommend! read more

Wow..........from start to finish this was the best experience. Liz and the whole team made our day memorable. They went out of their way to accommodate my group, it was my birthday. Thanks for making us happy, we will definitely be back read more

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Wonderful experience with the rivanna river sampler. Every staff member was extremely friendly and helpful and kind. The equipment was great and the section of the river was easy to navigate (with a couple fun and exciting parts). We loved seeing all of the gorgeous trees surrounding the entire trip and a ton of turtles sun bathing along the way. The price was very affordable and worth every penny. Great to grab a beer at the nearby brewery after the trip! read more

Rivanna River Company - Sunny and warm, calm waters - Boating Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

What a great kayak trip! The team at Rivanna River Company is friendly and informative. We were warned about the fun and excitement we were about to have and we certainly did. This wasn't your average float down the river trip...there were challenging parts to the river which we were both thrilled and wet during! Go you won't be disappointed! read more

I've used this outfitter several times and each visit is better than the last. Everyone is very friendly, helpful, and patient. The trip was beautiful and relaxing. The staff covered all the details about the river before we left which made the experience calming, as we knew what to expect. I can't recommend this company enough! read more

Rivanna River Company - Boating Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Our sauna experience was so relaxing and enjoyable. The space both inside and out is so thoughtfully curated. It felt magical and like we were stepping out of our daily grind and into a land free from worries. The tea service at the end sitting next to the outdoor fire pit was the best way to end our experience. read more

The private sauna, ice bath and river plunge was a great experience for our group of 10. The hospitable staff gave a quick introduction and then they let us enjoy. It's a beautiful space, and the lemon ginger tea at the end was a perfect way to wrap up a great time. read more

Went to their newly opened wood fired Sauna this past weekend. It was worth the 1.5 hour drive from Fredericksburg. Buying a session and signing required waivers online was quite easy. We had a private session so just hubby & I had use of the sauna for 90 minutes. You alternate sauna session (hot) with a cold session (either plunging in the Rivanna River, renting a cold bath, having a bucket shower, or just sitting outside (we brought robes to sit outside as there is a public walking trail nearby....but folks walked on the trail bundled up while we were hot from having been in the sauna!) The sauna itself smells wonderfully like cedar, and a pot of water with a ladle is nearby to pour onto the stovetop rocks to add steam. The sauna can get very hot, I recommend bringing two towels, one to sit on and another to cover the side of oneself facing the stove as it can get hot at times. The staff were amazing, very hospitable, gave us all the info we needed on how to use the sauna. They brought lavender scented cleansing towels at the end of our session, and put another log in the fire in the sauna mid-session to keep a good temperature going. There are changing rooms. And after one's sauna session there is a gift shop and small snack area where we had tea and delicious gingerbread cookies! Brodie the super chill sauna dog lounging nearby was an added bonus! We definitely sweated out toxins...and I felt calm the rest of the day! They also have community sessions (in Finland and South Korea saunas are a big social activity ). Sauna is best for those 18+. We enjoyed our session so much that we've already booked another! It was very calm & serene during our session Great to have some Nordic style activity here in VA! read more

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I love this organization! Gabe went above and beyond to get us set up for a trip last weekend. My partner and I had planned to do a tandem kayak, but we decided to try a canoe - our first time canoeing in any rapids! Gabe gave us lots of great pointers, and the trip was a blast. The water was high and it was a peaceful day - lots of nature and animals on our paddle from Free Bridge to Milton's Landing. We'll be back for sure! (I also love that they're hosting concerts by the river - such great community events!) read more

Enjoyed a private sauna session with a group of friends in March and had a fantastic experience. We were greeted by staff who then gave us a tour and walked us through all the details. The sauna and surrounding outdoor areas were well appointed and rustic in a clean and cozy way. We tried all methods of cool down including ice bath, bucket dump, and river plunge. Everyone left feeling floaty and relaxed. What an incredible experience and such a fun activity to do with a group. read more

The owners and staff are fantastic. They are dedicated to providing a great experience on the Rivanna River either via tubing, paddle boarding and kayaking. They now have Saunas and they host fantastic public gatherings. I highly recommend this group and encourage folks to check it out. read more

This place is the BEST!!! we have had the most incredible experiences in the sauna over the winter months. And we love floating the river in the summer. The staff is so friendly and helpful, and the space is beautiful, inside and out. Rivanna River Co is exactly what Charlottesville needed to give people access to the river all year, along with a fun, welcoming gathering place. Try to catch a concert there, too -so much fun! read more

We had a fantastic time tubing with the Rivanna River Company on the 4th of July! It was a perfect activity for a hot day in C'Ville and they made the experience super easy. The paperwork was quick and clear, the safety talk was brief and to-the-point, and we were on the river with friends within 15 minutes of arriving. We appreciated the chance to add a separate tube for our cooler. They also ran frequent shuttles so we didn't have to wait long for our return pick-up. We will definitely do this again! read more

What a wonderful day we had kayaking on the Rivanna River! The equipment and guidance we received was just what we needed, and transportation from the pickup point back to the parking lot was quick and easy. Couldn't have been better, and it is such a pleasure to support this groovy small local independent business. read more

Super fun, not that expensive, beautiful river! We went canoeing and dispute capsizing twice we had a lot of fun. I recommend to check it out on a hot day and try something new. The south fork route took about 4-5 hours for us (we stopped some to fish) so it was definitely worth the $70 rental. read more

I took the guided kayaking trip for beginners and loved every single minute of it, even the part where I flipped my kayak on the tiniest rapid known to man and watched my oar and backpack float away. Yep, I was "that person" -but the guide, Earl, was heroic, and honestly, we all learned what to do/not do in that situation. The price of $65 per was really fair for a 4-hour guided trip. Earl taught us how to hold the paddle, a bunch of rowing techniques, riding rapids and rocks, and common river signals. He also pointed out wildlife (heron, turtles, ducks, gar, deer, more) and talked about the river's colorful history. The sweep, Chris, was also fun and friendly. A great, great experience. Highly recommend to families, couples, singles, everyone*, young and older, even and especially newbies like me. *Steps down the banks to the water make it really easy for anyone wondering about that. read more

We enjoyed a great family day, tubing down the river. Gabe and the Rivanna River team were incredibly helpful, friendly and accommodating for our 10-person group. Gabe was totally transparent on what to expect (low river, so slower pace) and set our expectations right. He answered all my questions upfront and provided all the guidance and equipment we needed to enjoy a scorching day on the cool river. I would definitely recommend. Thanks, Rivanna River Company. read more

Rivanna River Company - Boating Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

5 stars isn't enough. This outfitter is terrific and the 3 years I've spent in C'Ville, it's absolutely the best way to beat the heat. Highly recommend, enjoy! read more

Looked like it was going to be a nice day, so I called up Rivanna to see if they had any availability for renting a paddle board for the day. The staff was super friendly and able to get us in for a time slot an hour later (time slots are limited due to COVID). The prices were very reasonable, and there were a variety of options. We settled on two inflatable paddle boards, which are basically the same as the regular paddle boards but super light and easy to transport. The staff helped us rig everything to the top of the car (even without a roof rack) and showed us how to use the gear. We were able to use the gear all day, so we took our baffle boards to Beaver Creek Lake. It was a fantastic day on the water, and I will definitely be back to rent again soon! read more

Rivanna River Company - Beaver Creek Lake - Boating Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Friendly staff. My group was 9 people and 1st time kayaking. We didn't paddle very far. Our kids saw the rope swing and we stayed there for a good 30 mins. The river was very peaceful and clean. I love that they have a changing room and a A little area to seat while waiting. We will definitely be coming back here to try other things. read more

Wow! Wonderful staff and great service. We were greeted with knowledgeable staff that offered perfect insights to some of the runs. Had our gear all ready and loaded enabling a quick launch to maximize our time on the water. If you want a drama free experience come here! read more

These folks are amazing. They have everything prepared and there for you - including dry-bags you can borrow for free. Amazing customer service, good kayaks, and a very sweet company dog. Really enjoyed our time on the Rivanna Sampler - a beginning course but with some nice gentle rapids in places. read more

I can't say enough about the excellent experience here. Chris and Earl were our guides in the Rivanna Adventure trip, a 4 hour kayaking excursion taking you past Monticello and a myriad of flora and fauna along the way. Professional, knowledgeable about techniques and history and above all safety, these guides provided a beautiful morning excursion for 10 happy paddlers. Shuttle service, put in and take out, and cold drinks provided after made the day even better. This is a gem in the heart of Charlottesville. 5 stars +++++. I'll be returning for sure! read more

What a fun trip down the Rivanna that was. Kris was a great guide, helping us learn to paddle and navigate the rapids- and despite their small size boy were those class 1 and 2 rapids a lot of fun. The river is warm and great for nature, birding, and the kids swimming. read more

Awesome trip today on the river! Many thanks to RRC for a fun and safe experience kayaking. Highly recommend this for everyone.

Fantastic experience! Sonya & Gab were great with every part of this experience, from first phone call to email conf and information to making the time on the River a great experience! Highly recommend and I plan to do another outing soon! read more

There's no shuttle service because of COVID, so we rented kayaks and shuttled them ourselves up river. The kayak experience was great...however, the exit point to get out of the river was not marked. No sign, no people... nothing but stairs and a small dock that looked like someone's personal dock. So we kept kayaking and missed the exit point by about 1.5 miles down... and exited at Riverview park. We called Gabe at Rivanna and he said the cost to come get us was $70... which is what it would be if we had shuttle service in the first place. It was 5 PM... he said the Kayaks had to be back by 5:30 PM. He said, "Not trying to gouge you... but this is our policy." No sign for the exit point... and it's 5 pm and you're not trying to gouge us? And who created this policy? Exactly folks! A bit disingenuous! Sounds like someone's out to make an extra buck off of new comers who are exhausted. We had a person from our group run 1.5 miles back and pick up our truck. We will definitely not be going back. What a racket! read more

Great experience. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Tubes were new. Cold beverages were waiting at the pick up point. Shuttle got us back to starting point. Give it a shot! read more

They were extremely easy to work with while planning a Bachelorette weekend trip. They were very responsive to emails and helpful planning ahead of time. The day went so smoothly and I would highly recommend Rivanna River Co. Thanks for a fun morning! read more

Fantastic experience. Went tubing with 8 friends and everything about the experience was great. Reservation: Easily done online, simple process Check-in: Plenty of space in lot to set up, got on the water within minutes Experience: Great 2 hr trip down the river, amazing how close to the city it is given how tranquil it felt Will definitely be going again. read more

We had a fantastic experience with Rivanna River Company last Saturday! We rented paddle boards for the day. The crew who met us were so helpful and professional. They had the boards strapped expertly to the top of our car within about five minutes. They showed us how to install the fin on the bottom and how to use the paddles and we were off. They were just as good when we returned them. We pretty much drove in and right back out. The whole team was super efficient and also very nice. The next time we're in the area we will definitely rent from them again or maybe do one of their trips. read more

I organized a full day trip for 12 people. We had two guides who were both amazing, knowledgeable. Majority of the people in the group had not done kayaking before. Despite that, Mike, the lead tour guide, calmly explained everything and increased everyone's confidence in their ability to enjoy the Rivanna River. We started around 10 am and after 6 miles of kayaking finished around 3 pm. We had delicious lunch somewhere along the river. All in all, it was wonderful group activity. I highly recommend this family-run company. read more

If your looking for having an awesome time this is the place! Easy to find, very nice and welcoming service! 100% will return for more kayaking!!! read more

Oh, this was so much fun. I've gone on two trips now with Rivanna River Company and have just enjoyed them both so much. The river is so peaceful -- we saw lots of turtles, large prehistoric looking fish, and a few birds of prey. I had no idea Cville had so much access to wilderness within city limits! Gabe was also a great and knowledgeable host -- he was happy to talk with me about what sort of kayak I should purchase if I chose to get my own and he gave a helpful 101 before we got in the water. I would definitely recommend for a Cville afternoon staycation! read more

100% a must-do in Charlottesville. It was the highlight of our trip. Requires two cars or Uber as you have to park at the end of the river and drive up to the beginning. Luckily we had two cars :) read more

Great customer service and rental equipment. Have rented paddle boards from them a few times and will continue to do so!

Awesome experience. It was a good way to enjoy the good weather. Overall, the river was pretty smooth and easy for beginners.

Had a very good experience with this outfitter as a first time canoe renter. Very easy rental process, friendly and capable staff who wanted to make sure we were aware of the river, conditions, etc..As experienced canoers we appreciated that attention. This would be a good place for first timers to rent/enjoy the waters. The only thing that would have been better is if the canoe had not been so darn heavy; used an Old Towne 15' which handled well on the Rivanna on Class 2 waters, but it was a load to haul around in the take-out which was very crowded at 3 pm on a Saturday with many recreators enjoying the outdoors like us! (Milton/Shadwell take out) This is not RRC's fault or design and perhaps we need to just build up some muscle for lifting. Five stars all the way around and will definitely reserve again, perhaps with a tube as I now know they have those available for renting. Thanks RRC! read more