We were looking for someone fun to do during our Nashville trip outside of bar hopping and found the Peddle Boat Pontoon with River Queen! We had a great time cruising down the river on the boat, and NO peddling is required! The boat fits 16 and we were comfortable with our group of 10. Our guides were awesome, blasted tunes for us and pointed out historical landmarks as we passed them on the river and gave us the history of those points. I looked at booking the larger pontoon saloon also, but ultimately I am VERY glad we went with River Queen instead. The saloon boat was jam packed with 3-4 different groups of 10+ people. We had the peddle boat all to ourselves! read more

We waited in line in 101 degree weather to board. Once inside we opted for the dining room as it was cooler and we were overheated. The staff was quite friendly we paid good money to hear the tour and learn about Nashville, that didn't happen. They did turn the volume up and NOT ONE STAFF member asked people to respect those that wanted to hear the tour to be respectful and talk amongst themselves. The ship was nice and they served drinks on board. read more

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Fun crew! It was easy to make reservations on line and they were easy to communicate with before hand. on their website they stated we will get wet so I called them about that. we didn't get very wet at all. They shuttled us from the end to the start and set us up and sent us on our way. once on the river we enjoyed ourselves until we realized we weren't paddling fast enough. it really took an hour to get to the end. the last 1/3 was a great way to see the Nashville skyline. once at the end they pulled us out of the water and we were on the way to broadway. easy peasy. read more

River Queen Voyages - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I really enjoyed this, and it was the perfect midday activity on a beautiful Nashville weekend. Having not kayaked in a long time, it felt great to get out on the water and the river itself is not some raging river to navigate.. if anything we had a bit of a headwind the whole time! It's like kayaking a lake, with the fun exception that some river barges and cruises go by you from time to time. It's not the most scenic route, with the majority of the adventure looking the exact same. It's only at the end that the Cumberland bends around and you see downtown and the finish line. I felt like the challenge level of this is definitely on the lower end, it's something anyone who is semi-active could do and enjoy. The crew was nice, but also a bit vague? I honestly had no idea what to expect having never done this, and they basically push you in and say "you'll go under three bridges, it's approximately a mile and you have one hour." We were slightly worried after pushing off, like, are they going to bill us more if we're five minutes late? Fortunately the timing worked out well and it was a non-issue. All in all, as someone who loves being outdoors I would recommend this for sure and had a good time. read more

Wonderful experience on the sunset kayak cruise to downtown! Unique and beautiful view of the city. My mother (69 yo) and myself (40 yo) did the sunset kayak cruise to downtown (though we went at noon, not sunset). This is a 3 mile, 1 hr paddle that starts a few miles upstream from downtown, takes you along greenway shoreline, and ends right across from downtown. You can get awesome pictures of downtown, the Batman building and the Korean Veterans bridge from the kayaks! 3 miles is not far. It is an easy, leisurely paddle suitable for all skill levels. I stayed completely dry. Crew members Matt, Karen and Billy helped us into the kayaks on dry land, pushed us off, and then pulled kayak + us back onto dry land at the end. Perfect. The kayaks were the most comfortable sit-upon that I have been in (good back support!) they are stable, easy to get into/out of and paddling was easy. The meet up near Nissan Stadium was well marked and easy to find. Shuttle ride was quick and easy. Definitely recommend. read more

River Queen Voyages - Paddling into downtown - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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River Queen Voyages was so fun! We came here for our girls trip and wanted to do something fun on the water. Virginia and Haley greeted us and walked us through the process, as we came in as a walk in without a reservation. Alex and Levi then took us down to where the river began and showed us the strings. We had two people who had not kayaked before and they got on the water with confidence after the instructions. End of story, River Queen Voyages is the #1 kayaking spot in Tennessee. Not only do you get a great time, great views, but also a super cute sticker for free as a cute souvenir! read more

River Queen Voyages - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Great local company. Love the options they offer. My favorite are the lakeside paddle Friday's. I have a season pass so it's great to be able to go all summer. read more

River Queen Voyages - Kayak - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Great adventure! First time on a kayak so was a little nervous, but received great tips from Alex and Levi. Signup and check in was a easy process. Virginia and Haley were also super friendly and helpful. Would highly recommend read more

River Queen Voyages - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

The pedal pontoon was the highlight of our bachelorette weekend in Nashville. I cannot recommend River Queen Voyages enough. The pontoon has 10 ish pedal spots but you don't have to pedal (and won't after a few drinks). There are coolers in the middle for your beer or seltzer and extra seats for those who do not want to sit on the bikes. The breeze is perfection as you coast down the Cumberland and the views are unmatched. I am a Nashville native and seeing my city from the water was such a treat. The price was fair for a two-hour boat ride/dance party. Being on the water made our 3:45 pm adventure way less hot than if we did a normal on-land pedal tavern and there was no traffic. I will be recommending this adventure to all my friends coming to Nashville in the future. Annie the owner was fantastic, kind, and accommodating and played a huge role in what a great time we had. Supporting a female-owned business is just an extra plus :) read more

Actual kayaking experience=5 stars Check in/check out process and employees=2 stars. Originally 1 but was redeemed by a woman named V who tried to rectify the situation by acknowledging that the 2 guys who were driving our van/manning our entering and exiting of the water were absolute jerks. My girlfriends and I made seamless reservations to book for our group (mind you, not a bachelorette party although I'm sure that's what the employees thought.) However, when we got to the meet-up location, we weren't greeted and eventually had to confirm that we had the right tour group. The 2 guys that drove our van up to the drop-off location were truly rude. They gave us fake names (found out after our trip), they seemed as if they hated their jobs, and hated anything and everything fun, just for the sake of it. They refused to give us any rundown until we actually got to the drop-off location (which is about a 5-10 minute drive...but to be sitting in a van with 2 men that we don't know, who refused to talk to us, and tell us where we were going, it was kind of sketchy.) Once we actually got IN the water, it was incredible! We got to ride some waves by barges that came by and casually paddled our way downstream. However, once we were exiting the water, the driver of our van (one of the rude guys) asked 2 of the girls in our group to carry the heavy kayaks uphill....I can't imagine that's protocol. Why would patrons have to do legwork? Especially if it wasn't mentioned anywhere? When I brought this up to the guy who asked me to help him carry it uphill, he said "you're the sassy one, aren't you?". Not appropriate. If I could rate just the kayaking part, I'd give it a solid 5. However, the 2 guys we went in the van with should clearly get different jobs or better attitudes considering they are the face of the company when patrons are paying for the experience and they are who we interacted with. read more

We did the cruise yesterday afternoon for a bachelorette party and it was so much fun!! The views from the pontoon were beautiful and the Captain and the tour guide were so great to us. I definitely recommend for a big group. read more

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This was one of my favorite experiences of Nashville! It was a little difficult since we booked our reservation on a windy day but I would still highly recommend this activity! Such a great thing to do to enjoy Nashville during the day! read more

River Queen Voyages - Pics on the river - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Update: we were offered a partial refund We were scheduled to go on a pedal tour today at 3:45p, with an expectation to be there at 3:15p. It started raining with thunder and lightening shortly before this time, and prior to this we were in contact with the company about the weather. They indicated they were delaying the boat until 4:00p due to said weather, but that their radar didn't detect any thunder or lightening in the forecast (despite the actual weather). Our group expressed our concern with this weather, as well as the inconvenience a delay would cause as we had dinner plans. They claimed to understand but were very inflexible about the possibility of a refund. Needless to say, this weather was not safe to be on a boat and this company didn't seem to have any regard for their customers or their safety. read more

Quick and easy trip down the Cumberland river! We opted for the tandem kayak. Protip: if you are carrying a waterproof bag with you, leave it with the person in the back. Front riders use less strength to row but tend to get more wet if you hit a wake. Back riders have to use more muscle but stay fairly dry. At the end of the tour our guides politely asked if we could each carry our kayak up a hill to the truck. Our guides were super friendly. Worth the money! PS My friend and I both wore bathing suits under waterproof shorts and a tank. The lifejackets that they provided are mandatory and you must wear them at all times. I will say it gets super hot paddling with a lifejacket over a shirt. I would suggest taking your shirt off before putting on the life vest. read more

Alex, Hayley, Virginia and Levi are amazing!! Friendly, fun and I can't swim but it was so easy and LaId back, I felt comfortable. Love the experience. Will do it again!! read more

My parents booked River Queen Voyages for a kayaking trip while we were in town. We ended up going with the 2 hour raft trip and it was just enough! You start at the ending point where there is a large park with plenty or parking. They will then bus you out to the starting point, which is cool cause you get to see some of the homes and town nearby. The lady who drove us was fun and kept good conversation! Once at the starting point they take you down the ramp, give you a quick overview of what to expect and then you're down the river! They do require life vests the whole time and there is no alcohol allowed :( During the float you'll see turtles, maybe some snakes, plenty of Herron and their nests. There are bobcats and horses also, but we didn't see any. The river does have boats on it so you can see some barges, boats, jet skis, etc but they keep their distance. This was a GREAT trip! The people we met from RQV were all so friendly and got us set up and on our way. The raft trip is really relaxing but there is no current so you have to keep up with your paddling. It would have been really cool to do one leading us to the downtown area. Overall, would most definitely recommend and go again! read more

Had such a lovely time with River Queen Voyages! We took our staff for a two hour trip today and they were very helpful and nice. Very peaceful trip with great views of downtown Nashville! read more

River Queen Voyages - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

We had so much fun with Virginia and Levi! Thanks for the river facts and sweet tunes!

Had such a good time! Did the greenway 2 hour trip... it was the perfect length for me that day and so nice and cool on the water. Karen, Ben and Levi (sorry I forget everyone else's name!) were super nice. Thanks!!! read more

We were so lucky to pick up a flyer for River Queen Voyages from a local cafe during our trip to Nashville! Scheduling was super easy and we had a blast!! 5 miles went by so quickly we didn't want it to end. Would recommend to anyone looking for a beautiful relaxing afternoon on the Cumberland River :) read more

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We kayaked with River Queen Voyages this past weekend. We had a great experience even though we got stuck in a rain storm.. to no fault of RQV. They were helpful and very laid back. We had so much fun! I would recommend this company to anyone looking to have a good time! Tip: Ask Ben to sing you some Kenny Chesney.. it's his favorite! read more

Captain Lo took us on a ride around the river for my sister's bachelorette and we had an amazing time. Some of the girls were nervous and we all felt so safe and we could play our own music. We had a great time seeing Nashville by the water! read more

The ladies who were our guides for our kayaking trip were so friendly and helpful! They were on time and professional. I highly recommend this place! read more

River Queen Voyages - View of the bridge and skyline while kayaking - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

We were here visiting from out of town and wanted to try kayaking. Some people in our group had either never kayaked before or were not sure about getting on the water. Virginia and Haley were very friendly and very welcoming. They helped us booked our trip and made us feel comfortable. Alex and Levi were also very friendly. They provided us safety tips and they were very helpful. I would definitely recommend River Queen Voyages. read more

We had such a great time on the river with these folks! We went to Nashville for Memorial Day weekend with two other couples, booked three tandem kayaks no problem the same week that we left and off we went. We opted for the two hour, five mile kayak and were able to chat and race while also seeing some wildlife and casually float at times. There's little to no shade on this route to sunscreen yourself thoroughly and get ready for the warm and humid Tennessee afternoon if you choose a warm Nashville afternoon like we did. The route to get to the pickup and drop off spot if gorgeous in Shelby Park which us tourists would have absolutely missed if we weren't coerced over to East Nashville to see it! Thanks y'all! read more

Great company to rent kayaks in Nashville! Their prices were great and the views of Nashville were unbeatable. Such a fun activity to see the city in a unique way! We enjoyed the broadway music while in the kayak. read more

River Queen Voyages - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Don't waste your money. We booked a kayak trip through RQV, and it wasn't a great experience. The employee who picked us up and drove us to the put in point was gruff/rude and relatively unhelpful. The mandatory life jackets were wet and they smelled strongly of body odor. A second employee who met us at the put in point was friendly, but she smelled like alcohol, and her lengthy arm pit hair was visible. The kayak trip was pleasant enough, despite a rainy and thundery day. When the employees met us at the end of the trip, they asked us to carry the heavy kayaks across slippery stepping stones surrounded by ankle-deep crevices and up the wet grassy hill. At the van, we were greeted by a police officer who attempted to hand us a ticket and scolded us for continually parking at the stadium during events. We directed the officer to the first employee, Ben. read more

Had a great time with Elliot and Virginia. So personable and made it great. You dont have to do the pedaling but fun to do it

I did a tandem kayak with a party of 10 for a bachelorette party. we accidentally went to the wrong pick up location, and instead of making us uber to the correct spot, the shuttle came to get us, I'm so grateful for that. Ashley and Vin (I may have heard his name wrong) were very friendly and answered all our questions. It was a fun experience, I would definitely recommend these guys for a nice kayak trip down the river. read more

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Loved my skyline kayak tour on the Cumberland with RQV today! What a great team of people and a memorable experience. I live in Nashville but had never seen the city quite like this. This will definitely be something I try to get all out of town visitors to do with me from now on! read more

Had a great time with these guys! They were super nice and very professional. It took us about 3 hours to leisurely be guided down the Cumberland River. It was beautiful to see the areas surrounding Nashville in such a different way. Definitely worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat. read more

I am so glad I tried River Queen Voyages! I love being on the water but it usually takes me 45 minutes- 2 hours just to get out there. I live in East Nashville so I was on the water in under 30 minutes:) Also the water is actually very clean. I know alot of people remember when the Cumberland wasn't at it's best. The Cumberland River Compact have made huge strides and people swim in the river ALL THE TIME! One recommendation- if you are comfortable on a kayak and go often take the longer trip. Even the the short is 3 miles, because of the current we were done in a little less than an hour. Personally I wou read more

This is a great time! I'm so glad that there is now a Kayaking company that goes through downtown Nashville. For years I've always had to drive out of town to do kayaking. I fully enjoyed this trip. Got to kayak down a river that I drive over or around every day. The water on the Cumberland is great, and the trip is amazing and peaceful. I can't wait to get back out on the river with this company. I want to definitely get onto the 8 mile run. We were only able to do the 5 1/2 mile because of a time crunch. Can't wait to get a group of friends and get back out on the water again soon. read more

Captain LO is the absolute best!! Such a fun ride!! Deff recommend any bachelorette and bachelor party going on this!!

So much fun! Definitely doing this again! Great for a group of friends! Fun way to get to see Nashville from a unique perspective.

Unique way to see Nashville during the day (since you can only day drink and listen to music so many days in a row - it can be tough to find daytime activities in the area). Takes about an hour and includes going from a park, through a construction zone with back country, and ends in downtown. Does take some paddling effort and anticipate getting a little wet. Our biggest disappointment was that the trip is advertised as an "hour of scenic views through downtown" when it's really 45 min of backcountry and construction, with 10-15 min of downtown. Being from Cleveland where the river winds through downtown, this was our fault for not understanding the geography of Nashville, but you should know only a tiny section of downtown actually touches the Cumberland. Not the greatest way to see the city, but enjoyable if you like paddling between nature and on open water. read more

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This was such a great experience for my bachelorette!! Captain Lo was so great with letting us have fun and be safe all at the same time. Will definitely be doing this again! read more

Service was good and we had a great trip despite the rain. Finishing the trip in downtown Nashville provided a great landscape for pictures. The staff gave pointers and some history that all turned out to be accurate and helpful. This is a great way to get away from the chaos of downtown Nashville. read more

River Queen Voyages - Rowing toward the Nashville skyline. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Had a great time, plan to do it again. Awesome staff (love you) and they let you do your own thing. If you don't have fun then you must not be fun. read more

Love river queen voyages! As a local, this is the only place I will rent from. Super kind and experienced staff, and the trips are always perfect. Great experience all around. read more