We had just the best time at Skips! Everything was very California- relaxed, fun, vibey. I'm really glad we packed snacks and dressed in long sleeves since the sun can be intense. Everyone was super nice. The bus ride to get to the drop off zone was pretty bumpy, brings you back to the ole' days of grade school. Overall we had a great time and would definitely do it again! read more

Come on out, Skips is our favorite Canoe Livery, we have been coming to Skip's for years. Skip's really makes the whole process smoth, from signing in, getting you down to the launch and helping you out when your trip ends back at Skip's Yesterday was absolute beautiful on the water. We had a great time floating down the river. There is so much to see, Fish, Turtles, Muskrat, Blue Heron and if your lucky maybe a few Deer. read more

Great little place. Friendly staff the kayaks have some years on them. Could use an up grade on the kayaks. It's a great trip with places to stop along the way. read more

Been going for several years; friendly staff, great service, durable tubes, and a great way to spend the day! Highly recommend!

This was great fun. We saw several turtle, deer, blue heron and so many dragon flies. There were 4 of us and a cooler tube. The water was low so the trip took us about 4 hours with a stop for lunch. The tubes are nice and firm so you can readjust positions if you get stiff. If you have a group make sure you bring at least 2 paddles because there is not stearing without. I have RA and was able to do it without to much pain if anyone is concered if they are able bodied enough. After all you are just mostly drifting in a tube. read more

Skip's Huron River Canoe Livery - Boating Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I was super surprised that 2 hours beforehand we were able to reserve kayaks today. Everyone at Skip's was so friendly, and I just couldn't get over the outgoing positive attitude they all have! We had SUCH a nice float down the river in our kayaks! We will for sure be back again, we would love to try tubing too! read more

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Great place to enjoy an afternoon on the river. The staff is great and they make everything easy. Only downfall is you have to smell marijuana 90% of the time from everyone else going down the river. read more

Great experience! Very simple process to complete waivers and prepay online. We rented kayaks for 7, which included 3 kids. The river was high and slightly fast for "normal." Luckily it's pretty wide so navigating is pretty easy. The equipment was all clean and in excellent shape. We did the short trip and it took us 1.5 hours including a 15 minutes swim and some goofing around with squirt guns. We saw Herons, turtles, and deer...a lot of wildlife in the area. We will be back for the long trip next time! read more

Skip's Huron River Canoe Livery - Great day kayaking! - Boating Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

This is one of the COOLEST things I have ever done around A2!! We did the long trip right after July 4, and if you enjoy sun, quiet and gorgeous green scenery, this is the trip for you!! Our rented double kayak was great, and we picked up extra soda and Gatorade at Skip's to go with our water. The checkin was easy and we left on time. The little bus had every other seat blocked to distance us, and with all windows down it was a lovely ride to the launch. The Skip's team was friendly and wore masks. Along our about 2-hour rise (we paddled part of the time instead of just floating), we saw deer, cranes, and turtles galore!!! Cannot recommend highly enough. Will definitely do again!!! read more

Skip's Huron River Canoe Livery - View along the way. - Boating Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Great little place to go tubing with friends! Pretty convenient location with parking, you may need a recreational pass, but lots of spaces. BYOB, just no glass and honestly wouldn't recommend more than light beer or hard seltzer. About 3 hours without stops! read more

Amazing trip! So scenic and not difficult to paddle. Easy process to get tickets and very Friendly staff.

I love Skip's the tubing and kayaking are gorgeous! The staff is super helpful and accommodating. Book early because they fill up because of hotter great the adventure is. Enjoy a day on the Huron river! read more

On a beautiful sunny day at the end of August, there was only one way to take advantage of the weather. I called up a friend and said, "Today is the day for kayaking. Know how we keep talking about it? It's too gorgeous not to be outside today, and if it rains tomorrow, we will regret not going." It was just after 1 PM, so we knew if we hustled that we could make it to Skip's before the 2 PM trip (last is the day!) departed. After paying for our rentals and grabbing lifejackets, we waited a short bit for the bus to take us 8 miles upriver where we would start our trip. Once in the water, we quickly paddled ahead of the group to be able to enjoy the ride with some peace and quiet. It was a perfect day -- not too hot, not too cool -- and the sun stayed out for the duration of our trip. As we paddled and floated down the river, we were lucky enough to see fish swimming below us, watch turtles sunning themselves on rocks and the banks, and even be greeted by some deer on either side of the river as we slid on past. They glanced up at us before returning to munching on the grass and sipping from the river. I was sad when our journey was over, but knew I had been right about it being the perfect way to spend the day. We left feeling rejuvenated and relaxed, if a little bit sore from paddling. When the weather is beautiful, don't hesitate to head to Skip's and enjoy a perfect day! PS -- it rained cats and dogs the next day. Word to the wise! read more

Staff was friendly and accommodating. The noon time bus departure to Hudson Mills got off a little late due to a large party that was late. Not the staffs fault. The staff at Hudson Mills was helpful and changed out one of the kayaks for us, after we couldn't get the foot rest to adjust. The day was perfect and the river was pretty high. There was a good current. So it was a relaxing and relatively quiet paddle. Not crowded... although, it seems there's always someone who has to blast their music throughout the area from their kayak so much for enjoying the solitude and quiet of nature.... All in all a good experience. read more

When they say 3 hour trip...I *think* they mean 5 hour trip!! We are experienced kayak renters, in good shape--we did stop for lunch, maybe 20 minutes. And we did stop to photograph a turtle or two. So maybe if we'd have hustled, we'd have made it in 3, but prepare yourself for a nice, long paddle. The current takes you pretty well, so it's not difficult. But bring some water and snacks, if not a meal. All the staff were excellent: friendly, charming, professional. I appreciated the Covid-19 safety precautions in place. Masks in the office and on the shuttle (and most people kept them on always until in the kayak, which was kind.) the kayaks are visibly scrubbed down after you get out of them. Great place! Hey, did I mention the trip was beautiful? So beautiful. A couple bits of "rough" water, but no problem for most people, just paddle straight through. read more

Skip's Huron River Canoe Livery - Mostly very calm water with a fair current to help you along. - Boating Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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We did the longer canoe trip at skips on a sunny Friday and it was great! The trip itself was about 3 hours, we stopped along the way to have lunch making the trip closer to 4. Booking and waivers were all available online which made the check in process super easy, just go in give your name and wait until the shuttle takes up upstream. The ride up to the launch was about 20 minutes and the van we took was much cleaner and more comfortable than some of the older school buses at other places. The canoes were super comfortable, the seats are molded plastic instead of hot, hard metal. As for the trip, you don't have to paddle much, so just bring a cooler and enjoy the ride. There is a stop you could make in downtown Dexter (by the cider mill), so bring a wallet if you think you'll need to restock at the party store. Shortly after that there is another Metropark to have lunch, use the restroom, etc. Overall a great day and great value! read more

We had a great time! The kayaks were newer and all "above" (vs. sit inside). I liked that I could look down and see everything around me, and could be sure there weren't any "creepy crawlies" lurking inside by my feet where I couldn't see them. I'm short and had plenty of room to fully and comfortably extend my legs. There were 3 or 4 different foot rests so you could adjust for comfort easily. The seat backs adjusted with buckles, and were very supportive & comfortable. (The kayaks fit a bigger person easily. The reg life vests fit larger people, and they had xl available, too, so you will fit and be comfortable if you are a bigger person.) I was very familiar with canoes from long ago, but the kayaks were a much easier game. I did a 2-person kayak with a 7-yr-old, and we did fine: easy to control and steer, and my little co-captain even moved and laid on her stomach for a different view for a while a few times and it was no problem at all. I only worried about flipping one time, and that was because we got caught on a rock that spun us 180*, and it was still just a moment and way easier than a canoe. The long trip was 8 miles, around 3.5 hours in the water, and we packed a lunch and stopped, and also stopped to swim. If you pack a lunch, be aware on the longest trip the first stop point with picnic tables is a park past the halfway point. Make sure your little ones eat first or they might get cranky waiting for lunch (ours did!). You can take all the time you want, just be back by 7:00 or it's a $50 fine. The air temp was perfect and I was amazed there were no bugs. It was a cool day, but on the water it feels maybe 10* warmer with the sun & reflection. Don't forget the sunscreen and a hat or visor. If you are looking at the cost, remember that a big part of it is the bus ride up to the starting point, and the convenience of getting in your car and leaving when you finish w/o having to go back to anyone's car. If you had two cars you could finagle it, but you can't stop at the livery... You'd need to stop at the park just before it. The livery is the very last stop before some moderate rapids. What a wonderful day we had! 7- yr-old and tween liked it a lot, esp the swimming! The tween initially wanted her own Kayak, but riding w a grown up was better. I'd save that for the teenagers. They offer tubes also, but just on the weekend. It was a great family outing for summer. It would be beautiful with the fall colors, too. read more

Skips is great! We usually kayak twice a year. This year we booked early and then had to change our reservation. They were super helpful and accommodating. They were especially accommodating with separating the various groups at the same reservation time in regards to covid. Shout out to the skips team! read more

Lovely summer Sunday spent tubing, would recommend for youth/adults but not small children. Tube rental and cooler rental were easy online, as was completing the waivers. Walk from parking lot to check in was easy, but if you're going to bring a cooler, make sure it has wheels or is the backpack/easy carry style. Life jackets were broadly size inclusive, water shoes for sale at check-in were reasonably priced. YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED WATER SHOES AND A DRY BAG. 5 of 6 people in our party ended up in the water at some point, this river bed isn't smooth stones it's muck, you will sink in and you want the right kind of shoes. read more

Working with Skip's to plan a paddle outing and cannot be more impressed! The new owners, Nate & Tyler, are wonderful-- both are very friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to make accommodations. Plus, have a great inventory of quality kayaks, canoes & tubes. Also, they have all the essentials in shop, in case you forget anything OR want to take home Skips shirt (which happen to be the softest shirts, ever!) Excited to paddle the Huron, and have this great amenity in the Dexter/Ann Arbor area! read more

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Had a great time on river. The equipment from Skip's was in great condition, super easy to make reservations and sign forms online. enjoyed chatting with the driver up to put in. Really appreciated that we could take our time going down River. With our car at takeout we could go as fast/slow as we wanted. Will definitely use Skip's again and highly recommend. If you do the longer trip, the Classic Pizza was also amazingly good. read more

Loved it! Super easy, the people were super chill, very helpful. It was a beautiful trip. They said the trip takes 4 hours, but our group stopped 3 times and mostly floated, so it took a full eight. Love that there is a liquor store and a couple other places on the stops. My only complaint is that there aren't bathrooms and the outhouses they had at Skip's were very icky. I know they said they were waiting on new ones, but it was a stinker. No pun intended lol also highly suggest you pay the extra $5 and get the premium kayak. There's not a huge difference, but premium kayak has a hole/storage in it for your empties and garbage if you don't have a trash bag. read more

Great company. Tip. Drop your stuff off at their entrance and park.

Fantastic Tubing Trip Recently found out about Skip's Livery and thought we would give them a try. Everyone working there were super friendly from the woman who checked us in, The woman who drove us to the start and the young man who help us find a tube and even gave us a push to get going into the river. Tubes were heavy duty, super clean and fully inflated. They scrub the tubes and life jackets to sanitize them too. Definitely will be back to tube or kayak with them again this summer. read more

We only go canoeing once or twice every summer so we don't find it necessary to purchase our own canoes and lug them everywhere. Thankfully Skips makes it So so easy to rent the canoes or kayaks. The best part is that you take a bus to the starting point on the river and end up right where you parked your car! So perfect and easy for families. In our case it makes it easy with our dog. And yes, even the bus is dog friendly! While the bus can get pretty crowded and hot, it's worth it to avoid having to do any extra work of figuring out the car drop off situation. The river is beautiful too of course! read more

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This was our 30th tip down the Huron with Skips! We ALWAYS have the best time. The crew are Skips are friendly, excited for us and very organized. Do NOT hesitate to take a trip down the Huron in a Skips Canoe...it's just the best! read more

I love this place. Friendly staff clean grounds. Nice scenery What a relaxing afternoon At Skips

In between a 2 & 3. 3 being your average experience.. Im feeling generous today really since this wasn't just average.. The river was Absolutely Gorgeous!!! Perfect weather!! A bit hot..I loved my kayak it had space in the front and the back in the centre to put stuff. We had fun despite everything!! One of the coolest kayaks Ive had so far! Pretty comfortable too!! Skips opens at 9. We aimed to get there before 10. For the 10AM start. We got there before 10. When we got to the front of the line we were asked if we had a reservation & when we said no the person informed us that since its a weekend they do "reservations only" which by the way I don't remember seeing this on the website.. maybe I missed it.. My friend is the one who scoped it all out, told us about the pricing, location, details..so on.. she didn't remember seeing that online.. another person behind the desk said yeahh we can get them in! They decided to let us in as if its some favour or special accommodation they were making for us.. honestly felt like we were a burden at that point.. I remember my friend saying something about it being about $20. It ended up being $32... We weren't given an option to do "half" or "full" We had planned to go out at 10 and end around noon........we all have fairly busy life's and families..which is why we wanted to go EARLY. Im Really GLAD I didn't have work.... They not only didn't inform us about what the deal was but we "missed" the bus ride.. they oversold the tickets I guess one of the people who was in charge of loading the bus said yeah hmm idk why they said it was cool... we had 4 people & there was One seat on the bus left. But no worries its only 10 mins down the road the bus will come right back to get you! We waited an Entire Hour.. We come to find out the next one isn't until 11... heh!! Finally at 11:15 we leave for the launch. I didn't know this was going to be so complicated. Ive been kayaking before we were in the water within half an hour super simple cut and dry then a small shuttle goes back and forth to drop people off at their cars. I don't know why this place has to be so far from the launch. We weren't expecting this. Maybe they should update their website because we don't remember seeing this... we could have planned this much better.. 11:30 we are Finally in the water!! Oh before leaving the bus we hear "be back by 7pm" WTF This is when we realise this is A EIGHT MILE TRIP..... Reeeaaallllyy?! Yeah, Just expect to spend ALL Day here! Forget you have Anything else to do! Ive been out several times. The attitudes of most other patrons was extremely lackadaisical. I think we will just have to stick to what we know! Too bad because the area was SO beautiful!! Im sure there are plenty of other places to kayak. Ive heard of quite a few in the area. Im excited to try them all out. Maybe each place has its own vibe and its not for everyone! read more

I was part of a group of 10 renting two-person kayaks from Skip's on May 30, 2020, the first day it opened for the season. They made a genuine effort to follow social distancing practices while maintaining a friendly atmosphere: masks required inside the office and while being transported to the starting point, seats on the bus spaced out, reduced numbers of boats rented each hour, and PFDs and oars sanitized after use. The number of initials required while filling out the release form is a bit over the top, but understandable in the age of COVID-19. The kayaks and canoes are in very good shape, with the sit-on-top kayaks fitted with sturdy back rests. We did the Hudson Mills route, which I have done many times, but which was new to the rest of the crew. It is quite scenic, with the current requiring very little paddling to keep moving downstream, and several park areas to stop along the way (and a convenience store on the left by the first bridge where one can stop to get drinks and snacks). On this trip, the river was much higher than usual - during the summer, there are several shallow spots along the way where a canoe or kayak can get stuck if your are not careful (in which case, just get up and lift the craft over to where you can paddle again). Minimal paddling skills are required, though one must still pay attention to avoid the occasional submerged or overhanging branches. read more

Excellent experience, highly recommended, will visit again. A group of us set up an appointment to go kayaking. They made everything really easy. They shuttled us up the river from our cars, had kayaks there waiting, set us off. We had an amazing time kayaking down the Huron River back to where we started. Even found a nice park to stop halfway for lunch. read more

We have gone on every trip offered by Skip's, and every time, we have a blast! The crew is so kind and helpful...and they put people and safety first. They remembered us the second time we visited. We have now gone on at least 7 trips with them, and each time has been fantastic! From scheduling the trips online, to the staff and owners, and the boats/tubes - everything is so easy and beyond fun. I highly recommend taking the long kayak trip with the premium kayaks - it's worth the extra $! The long trip brings you close to this beautiful, natural part of Michigan - we've seen deer (+baby twins!), osprey, baby bald eagles, great blue herons, TONS of turtles (from babies to huge elders), huge fish...I could go on. Even the short tube/kayak trip brings you close to our flora and fauna. We now share the experience with anyone who visits us, and we cannot wait for our next trip. We are so grateful to have found Skip's and will be lifetime customers! Thank you to the owners & all the stellar staff that supports us at Skip's. See you soon! read more

I have been going to Skips for almost 40 years. It has always been a great canoe trip, but it was not customer friendly. The new owners have changed everything. Great river and great service with a smile. read more

We rented canoes which was a huge mistake because the river is too shallow right now for them. I don't think they should be renting them right now. Canoes were constantly running ground and tipping us out. We hit and bottomed out on rocks, bolders, trees, wood and sand many times. Other ppl were tipping and running ground as well in canoes. We all agreed canoes should not have been allowed out! We couldn't enjoy the trip at all bc we had to be very diligent about shallow sand bars and keeping the canoe in water high enough to not bottom out. Never again!!! read more

We rented seven kayaks and a canoe for a family reunion from Skip's. Two family members drove cross country and were exhausted when they got here the night before our run. We contacted Skips about moving our boat trip from a weekend to a following weekday to allow these family members to rest first and they found a way to accommodate us. The ride was beautiful and we made some wonderful family memories. Great experience. Thank you so much Skip's Huron River Canoe Livery! We are lucky to have you in our community. read more

Fantastic time on the water today. Outstanding staff and great equipment!

I took 3 of my children ages 18,16, and 12 tubing down the river for the first time today. It was a great experience! The staff at Skip's was very friendly and helpful. The only thing I would do differently is bring paddles! Lol! Our tubes kept getting stuck on the side of the river. read more

Sometimes I love calling up a business and made to feel like im stupid. If you also cherish such an experience, then Skips' Huron River Canoe Livery is just the place to call. Just to be clear, my experience on the phone was bad enough for me to want to go just a few miles down the river to Argo Livery, who were more than acommodating for even a mad-house'esq weekend. The guy on the phone firstly, answered it like I was interupting him. Secondly, he was put off by the fact that I asked him about Saturdays or Sundays. I dont have to narrow it down and figure everything out before calling you! Thats what your there for! And lastly, he cuts me off to tell me that if im not experienced then I should come at the end of the summer when the water level is low. That last statement turned out to be untrue when I called the Argo Livery. Also, Im no expert, but Ive seen the "rapids" on this river and Ive seen the depth and there is nothing a sensible person with a simple life jacket cant handel. read more

Oh man are there horror stories about Skips. So much so, that --no joke-- my girlfriend was too scared to call them and deal with them over the phone. From all the reviews I read, it seems things start to go badly when 1) you show up late 2) you attempt to change a reservation or 3) just talking with them too much in general. Skips seems to have a monopoly on this part of the river, so they have little incentive to provide any modicum of customer service, since they usually are fully booked for most of the season Knowing this, I kept it real simple. I used by "I mean business" voice, called, set up a reservation, showed up 30 mins before, and off I was, on a big yellow bus. Once we were on the river, it was super fun! We were even lucky enough to snag a sunny day. The river is pretty shallow, so you might scrape a couple times, but that adds to the fun! When you get tired or just wanna hang out for a while, there are some pretty nice sandy shores that we romped around in! 4 stars, because my experience was great, since I kept it simple and short. Deal with Skips as you would an awkward hook-up, who left their wallet at your house. Brotips!: --DOG FRIENDLY!!! This was so much fun for our guy. However, be sure that your dog will stay in the canoe. It would be super annoyed if he/she keeps jumping out/ barks at the sight of any creature. --You will pass by a cider mill that sells bomb donuts and cider. Stop for a quick snack! --Watch out for glass in the river. It would be smart to wear river shoes if you plan on getting out of your canoe. read more

Tried out canoe ride on recommendation of a friend who lives in AA. The place was a little tricky to find if you are not from around here, but the staff was patient and helpful when we had to call a few times after getting lost. Skip's does all the work to bring you and the canoes/kayaks to upstream starting point; you paddle down an 8-mile stretch and end up where you parked the cars. Serene surroundings, what a scenic and peaceful ride! read more

It will really be a sign of spring when canoes become common on the river again, whether they're from here or from the boathouse in Gallup Park down the river. Aren't you waiting to be able to sit comfortably on those nice newish benches by the river in the Arb and watch the canoists go by? Rain and snow -- be gone! read more