Huge kudos to RVA Paddlesports! We called last-minute on our way through town and they were happy to accommodate us. Danger Dan was a great guide, working hard to keep us in the fun rapids all while telling us about the river, local traditions, and history. The whole team was energized and excited for the trip.Though Im sure they do this a hundred times a month, you could feel the excitement for our experience. Safety man tagging along in the kayak was reassuring with kids in the raft, though we didnt lose anyone! Photographer took amazing shots so we could enjoy the day and not worry about capturing the momentsWill be back for kayaks next time!

Easy to book through their website. Good guides. Our guide shared his knowledge of the history of Richmond, took us swimming, played in the surf, and had some great recommendations for food. It was a really enjoyable trip.

Very chill, such a great place to start your adventure. Jacob gave us good advice and even helped us strap two kayaks to our rig-- and taught us how to tie a few knots. My lady roommates thought he was VERY handsome too.

The rafting itself, even though it’s 3 hours you don’t really feel the time. We went for Lower today so it was mostly exchanging between level I and level II, but, but, but, the river was full of rocks so we were on our guard for small bumps all the time and navigating between rocks. The instructor also tour guided us a little for the views we saw on the riverside. Beautiful view - there were green island, city horizons, historic buildings and tons of ducks and geese!Other great things to note: their communication about changes is very friendly and effective! We first ordered a sunset rafting but getting closer to the rafting day the sunset gets way earlier, so they called us days before and asked if we can reschedule. On the day, we arrived 20 mins early and they already have an instructor waiting on the shuttle at the parking lot! Amazing! We were greeted with a warm welcome and were instructed and advised of the things to bring vs not. The instructors had a great humor and kept us engaged and entertained through the shuttle ride.We rested by the shore half way, were provided with snacks and cocos. Best part was that they hang a rope on the tree so we played over the water rope swing!

It was an awesome experience. I definitely recommend adding this to your adventure list.

It was a very fun trip! Our Guide Josh was very knowledgeable about the area and shared fun facts about the city as we rafted. I’ve been in many rafting trips and this was a first to have a hand hold to grab on going through rapids and a foot hold in the front of the raft.They are very thorough with safety, so it’s fun for all ages because they make all feel safe. Our raft had three adults, a thirteen year old first time rafting and Josh the guide. Take the trip you’ll have lots of fun memories!

These guys are great. Both professional and fun. Josh was our guide and it made for a great day despite the heat. We can right after heavy rains so the river was high and the rapids were intense. I never had any doubts about my safety.

Boy, I cant say enough about the trip we JUST ended with RVA Paddlesports. We ran late, went to the wrong spot, and the crew was so friendly and kind about working with us. The whole group of guides and Tom were SO professional and so patience with the three boats that went out. Not going to lie, rolling up to a young group of boys seems a little scary, but by far they were the most professional, smooth sailing team Ive seen and everyone seemed to have no other goal than offering us a good ride.I want to especially shout out to Mitch, who was SO kind and sweet on the water with us. We pushed his patience and his skills when all four of us flew out of the boat at different times, and he kept his calm and was so reassuring.

Graham was a great instructor! He gave us the history of Richmond as we were going down the river and great recommendations for lunch after. Thank you so much for a fun and wild ride rafting!

My family of four rafted the lower James with RVA. It was the first time for three of us, including my 11 and 8 year old kids. Patrick, or guide, was great and put all of them at ease. It was a bit different rafting in the middle of a city (Ive been rafting once before in West Virginia) but it was a cool experience. We especially liked surfing at the end of the trip. My kids had a blast and now want to go again.We werent planning on going rafting on our vacation so didnt come prepared - we only had flip flops. When I called to book the trip I said we didnt have sandals with straps (recommended) and they said they would have some shoes we could wear. The office didnt communicate that to the pickup team so we ended up wearing flip flops. That was the only negative from the trip. Other than that we had a great time!

Graham was great! He was a great guide and helped us through the process. Definitely got our moneys worth in terms of adventure and thrill.

We had such a great experience. Our guide Kate was great, knowledgeable and so much fun. Would so totally do it again with RVA Paddlesports folks!

My wife and I went flatwater kayaking for her birthday. This was our first time kayaking on the James and our guide Adam was the man. He was on time, very helpful and knowledgeable about the river, spots to explore etc. He made us feel super comfortable with what was a new experience for us. We would do this again with Adam in a heartbeat and cannot recommend RVA Paddlesports enough! Thanks again.

1st time experience rafting and it was amazing! Went during COVID-19 and the guides took safety precautions and social distancing. Rafting through the James River gives you a new experience of the city. Getting to swim and “surfing” where definitely welcomed surprises.

Fun trip! The guides were great! Will not hesitate to go again!

Awesome day, the guides were great!!! Went with my wife and daughters (13&11) and we all had a blast. Loved the rapids and all the wildlife.

A great experience had by all! They were wonderful with our kids and provided an exciting day on the river!

You will have a good time, these guys are awesome!

Had a BLAST kayaking down the river in Duckies. Guides were knowledgeable and fun. Would highly recommend.

The perfect social distancing activity! Take a trip with them and enjoy your day learning about the river and getting real instruction on kayaking. Thanks for taking me out, Ill be back

This place is Amazing ! Patrick and his team are awesome . I would highly recomend this place to all my friends and family.

Amazingly friendly, helpful and responsive. Extremely safe and knowledgeable.

Ingred and Matthew were great and so were the rapids. Lots of fun for our first time doing white water rafting!

We just did a company outing with this group and everyone had a blast! We booked the (very, very calm) upper portion of the James and our guides kept everyone laughing and smiling the whole time. The snack break was great too. This is a trip we’ll be talking about in the office for a while. We’ll be back for the more exciting lower portion for sure!

Great staff! Great trip! Book the Lower James trip for the best rapids.

My wife, son and I had a blast!! It was so beautiful, surrounded by the lush green of Virginia, but also so urban with the Richmond cityscape right there the whole time. And the water was incredibly warm making it fun to get wet in the rapids and when playing on the rope swing. Tom and Matt were great guides. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and would do it again if ever in Richmond again.

Definitely a recommendation for locals or visitors to Richmond!Brent was are guide, he did an impeccable job guiding us through the rapids and teaching us the ways of rafting (feel free to join us when we venture to WV). Our team enjoyed the rafting experience, trail-mix/rope swing break and going head on into the big rapid at the end.Definitely would recommend checking out RVA Paddlesports for your next venture in RVA.

I had an excellent experience today with our guide Lauren. I finally managed to talk my friends into rafting and they had a great time too. We had a 9am reservation so we were able to enjoy the remainder of the day after they dropped us off at Stone around noon.

Fun and knowledgeable guides, and they have an efficient team and a good system worked out. Did the lower James on a Sun AM with 10 and 13 year olds and had a blast. Will definitely raft with RVA Paddlesports again. They also had the van driver shadow us down the river and took a ton of great pictures from the bank, which they then shared afterward. This is a fantastic way to experience RVA.

Looking for an awesome, affordable way to celebrate the holidays? THIS IS IT. We had a group of 12 close friends rent out the bus for a private tacky light tour. Patrick and Van were both fun, attentive, and flexible to make sure we had the best experience we could have. We made four stops to some of the best light attractions in RVA. We even had a bathroom break for those with weak bladders (including myself). Heres a photo that Patrick took of our group at The Jefferson. We had such an amazing time and are so happy that RVA Paddle Sports started this up!

SO SO MUCH FUN.Fun for the whole family! Adam was a great river guide. The scenery was spectacular. Water was warm. Ride was super fun! You got to enjoy the best of the James with a little bit of thrill. They made the river incredibly approachable and enjoyable for all water comfort levels.That being said, you definitely have to jump off the boat at the rock and go surfing!!!! Dont be afraid to jump in, get wet, and have a great time.

We had a brilliant time! The guides are super! The logistics are seamless. A fantastic experience for our family. One of the most fun things you can do in Richmond.

Our friend who just moved to Richmond makes all of her guests take this great introduction to The River City! It was our turn on July 5 and we had a blast rafting the Lower James. My husband, who is blind, asked me to write this review. He was one of the few swimmers of the season and thanks to the expertise and composure of the guide team he was back in the boat in minutes, and none the worse for the wear. Really appreciate this company, highly recommend.

Amazing experience on the James! Dave was our guide and he was full of information regarding the area and an amazing guide! We can’t wait to do another rafting trip as well as take advantage of RVA Paddlesports other water activities! A must if you are a Richmond local or visiting the city.

So FUN!!! Had a great time rafting the lower river!!

Having a bunch of WW rafting experience but being completely new to WW kayaking I took this opportunity to get some professional instruction to hopefully accelerate the learning curve. Our primary instructors, Loren and Jacob, were the best. The time I spent with this team, unfortunately not all of it in the boat, was invaluable for building my confidence and pointing me in the right direction. Two days, even with this excellent instruction was not enough to master all (or half) the necessary skills but Loren and Jacob both were patient, methodical, and made sure I progressed at a pace that I was comfortable with. Their confidence in me was contagious and encouraged me to continue with my efforts to improve. This instruction team left me with a solid step-by-step process and drills and enough practice that I feel comfortable continuing working on some of the more complex moves (rolls) in a controlled environment with the goal of eventually taking those skills to the river. Based on my personal experience, if you are considering WW Kayaking at all, the safest and most fun way to learn is with knowledgeable, skilled instructors. And for my money, RVA Paddlesports is a great place to start. Thanks again to Loren and Jacob for a great weekend!

We had a lovely time rafting through the city. We would definitely recommend going with these guys. They had a bit of history knowledge, travel experience, fun, and excellent guides.

Great way to explore Richmond! Our guide Andy was awesome! Not only was he a great guide he was very informative of the river, area the landscape. Would definitely recommend RVA paddlesports!

Not enough positive I can say about our experience with RVA Paddlesports. My girlfriend and I booked the Flatwater lessons with Adam on Memorial Day weekend at Deep Bottom Park. This was an ideal venue to learn the basic strokes, and just explore an easy to paddle, idyllic location. Adam explained everything perfectly, was very amiable, and generally just fostered a great experience. If youre thinking about learning, or just want to get out for an enjoyable afternoon on the water with all the logistics handled, youre making an excellent choice to go with RVA Paddlesports.

The kayaking experience was simply unsafe and unprofessional. When getting our kayaks the only information we were given was to keep the life vests on and “stay to the right of the river”.Was not told there was a point in the river where you need get our and walk around (Z Dam). As such as the water was very calm leading up to that we had no idea and went over. During this badly injured my elbow. After the experience was completed asked one of the employees for first-aid. He asked what happened and I told him. He said “did you really?” And laughed. A second employee said “if the water was a foot higher we could have drowned”. Thank you for that information after the fact.I do not recommend them and obviously will never be using them again. Just happy it’s an elbow and not a head.

Had a great experience on the river yesterday! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable which led to a fun, informative and safe experience. Highly recommend engaging in various water activities with this company!

My wife and I did the lower James river 3 hour trip for our wedding anniversary. It was spectacular, they were attentive to safety needs, and they had a safety kayaker out there who kind of scouted out our route which was a bonus. We plan to come back during high water and experience class IV.

Rafting down the James River in Richmond, VA was the best birthday gift ever. Thanks to Kevin our RVA Paddlesports guide, we had an incredible time. “Safety”is their motto. With that in mind, Kevin, the proprietor Patrick & other expert guide Melissa gave my lady Karin and I the ultimate whitewater adventure. For all who’d enjoy the beauty, nature and historical sites of the James River, this experience is a must! You folks rock. Thank you, Palmer T

Awesome experience for a first time rafter. Very friendly, funny, helpful staff that will keep you alive and entertained. Definitely worth the cost.

I had an amazing time with my wife on our trip. Our guide was awesome and very knowledgeable about both rafting and the surrounding areas. We could not have asked for a better experience. I would highly recommend anyone to use RVA for their next trip. Andy was a tremendous guide. I honestly can’t say enough good things about our experience.

I had a great experience! All the raft guides are awesome and super friendly! Definitely would go again with them!

Patrick and his guides made our trip an awesome experience. We had 16 girls from our lacrosse team in for a tournament and made a quick call to Patrick and by 2:30 we were on the river. Great team bonding experience. This is a must do for anyone visiting Richmond. The city skyline and gentle rapids are a nice way to spend a hot day.

We went with a group of 15 friends on the Tacky Light Tour with the RVA Paddlesports bus. The bus was decorated for the holidays and as soon as you get in you are in the holiday spirit. A Christmas Tree inside, fun lighting and music. They even had a cooler with ice to keep your beverages cold. We went to the top decorated houses were we could exit the bus and walk around. Great trip and good value. Our hosts Andrew and Thomas were awesome. We are going again next year. Best Tacky Light Tour I have ever done (and I have done a few).

Our guide Chase was a awesome guy, very knowledgable able the waterways. We will defiantly use them again.

So much fun! My family had a blast. We had everything you could ask for: Great preparation, great guide (Rachel) and great ride. The river was running at high levels and I was pretty nervous. If you are a timid rider, this company should be your first choice. They were professional, prepared and perfect! They eased my fears and I was able to enjoy a beautiful trip down the river. Thank you RVA for a wonderful ride. Your company rocks!

Fun time on the water, our guide knew all of the best routes. And the photographer was great!!

What a fun evening we had! Patrick and Andrew are fabulous! Cookies and hot cocoa, Christmas music, and lots of fun with friends...Thanks for making our evening awesome!!

What an amazing memory for our girls. Our lacrosse team played hard on the field that day and deserved some fun. Patrick and his crew gave them an adventure of a lifetime!!! The score doesn’t matter and what place they came in at the tournament, but rather the lasting memories they made with their dads on this trip. We will definitely be back next year. If you are looking for a great outdoor excursion, book your trip with Patrick today.

Everything about our experience was great! We have done river runs in various locations in the US, and this was our best experience to date. Patrick was a skilled guide—knowledgeable and safe and fun. RVA Paddlesports also expertly accommodated our special needs son.

What a wonderful day on the river! Patrick and team accommodated our large group with no problems, and everyone felt safe and had a great time. A special shout-out to our wonderful guide, Ryan!

Booked a group for my 30th birthday only a couple days in advance. The river was high (10.5) and a couple people in my party were nervous about that. RVA Paddlesports did a fantastic job guiding us and making us feel at ease. We had a blast. Totally recommend them to anyone, and especially recommended during high water!

Terrible experience. Other than our guide the company seems to be run by individuals without a working knowledge of operations/logistics. They put approx. 30 people on a bus designed for 12, not to mention no windows and no AC (30 minute ride). They didnt bring any cups for the water they promised, and snacks consisted of a handful of pretzels.

RVA Paddlesports has taken our participants at The McShin Foundation on two trips so far and they have absolutely loved it!! They had so much fun and it was a much needed break from their usual schedule. Thank you for showing them they can have fun in recovery!

Contacted RVA Paddlesports enquiring about a kayak roll class and was quickly responded to by the owner Patrick Griffin. Patrick worked with my schedule and had me setup for a private lesson in less than two days!! Patrick personally took me out for a private lesson showing me the basics of whitewater kayaking and then proceeded to walk me through the basics of rolling. Patrick was very helpful and patient working with me as I progressed. He is very knowledgeable of the river and ensures everyone around him is safe. By the end of the lesson I am proud to say I was happily rolling my kayak on my own. Trust me if he can teach me to roll, he can teach you so do yourself a favor and book a class now, it will be money well spent.

Amazing experience! Did the extreme rafting yesterday at 2pm and couldn’t of asked for better conditions or guides! Probably the easiest booking I’ve ever done as well, my buddy called the day before, said I was a stocky guy -_- and off we were 2pm the next day with no hassle at all. Aaron and Lern were great, awesome people to talk to and guide you down river. Just watch out for beaver sharks.

Yesterday while riding my mountain bike on the James River Parks trail system I took a pretty good digger on Forest Hill. I went over the bars resulting in a pretty deep laceration (to the muscle) on my arm. I rode over to Reedy creek parking lot to see if anyone had a first aid kit and saw the RVA Paddlesports bus. I rode over figuring they may have something.Patrick Griffin (the owner) saw how much I was bleeding and quickly ran onto the bus grabbing the supplies he needed to irrigate, clean and pack the wound to slow the bleeding. The other guides came up to see if there was anything else that needed to be done. It was easy to see through his and his teams calm reaction that they are all well trained to respond to this type of thing. I truly thank them all for their help, and experience. If you are ever wanting to explore the James river you would be in great hands with RVA Paddle sports.In the ER I needed 5 sub q stitches and 6 superficial.

Working with this guide company has been an exceptional experience. Theyre kind professional And Timely. I had an outstanding day with them and I would highly recommend this company to any individuals seeking out great safe Thrills in the Richmond area.

Great day with Dave and David as our guides. Lots of instruction and excitement. Awesome time. Would recommend to anyone.

I cant say enough positive things about RVA Paddlesports. My son started last year as I enrolled him in the youth kayaking sessions. He has been able to learn the proper safety techniques, while having fun discovering his love of white water kayaking. The staff are very well trained and I have the utmost trust in them taking my 12 year old out on the river, even during high water levels. I am so glad I discovered RVA Paddlesports for him and look forward to seeing the continued learning they provide to my up and coming paddler.

I was incredibly happy with the overall experience RVA Paddlesports provided during a recent work outing. The instructors were very informative and took the time to show us all correct techniques to maximize our enjoyment. They were also funny and kind!I left wanting to purchase a kayak and go on my own journeys in the future!Cant recommend them highly enough!

They were great!An awesome experience when in richmond.Worth it

Had a great time on their tacky light tour. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun night this holiday season.

Had a blast on the river today with Kevin as our guide. Hes funny and well informed on Richmond history and the river. Would definitely go with this company again!

The guides were fantastic. Patrick made sure we all had a blast. Great price, beautiful river, fun people, swimming stops, rope swings, and plenty of high-fives made the trip perfect. We will be returning to try kayaking next.

What a great way to experience the James River! As a high school wrestling coach, Ive done a raft trip with Patrick the past 2 years with my seniors, and they loved every minute of it! Patricks enthusiasm is infectious, and my high schoolers enjoy learning about the river & its ecosystems as well as the rush of adrenaline they get from rafting the James!

Awesome experience. Jonathon the guide made the experience one to remember. Definitely recommend.

Went here with my lacrosse team after our tournament and had so much fun great for team bonding .... especially the nick name part

We took our first white water rafting trip yesterday with RVAPaddlesports! The tour guides were awesome and full of personality. The water level was a little low, but besides that the trip was very enjoyable. I would suggest going when the water level is high, it was at 3.7 when we went and I think itd be more of a white water experience if it were higher.

This was my first time rafting and I enjoyed my experience however, my friends and I were instructed to leave our cameras behind and we were told that the guide would take pictures of us while we were on the water. When we received the pictures (the next day via email) they were of poor quality and we did not receive all of the footage (even after emailing the guide and requesting that the footage be sent). Besides having to endure this upset, the trip was a success.

Went to a roll session and was able to get my back deck roll within 10 minutes with the help of Patrick. Knowledgable staff. If you want to get your roll down in time for summer I highly recommend one of their pool sessions!

Great outfit! If your looking to improve your paddling skills check them out.

Best Kayak Instructor in Richmond. Enjoy A lot With RVA Team. Thanks For such a great experience of white water rafting in James River. Thanks RVA Team..

I have rafted with RVA Paddlesports two times. Both trips were fun and led by experienced guides.

We went as a group of 6 and had an absolute blast, our guide Kevin was awesome, funny and informed about the history of Richmond and the river, well definitely go back again, highly recommend!

Its Great Experience with RVA. It was fantastic. The guides were very knowledgeable and experienced Highly Recommended RVA Paddlesports for James river kayaking for adventure..

Great times on the river with Patrick and his staff! Took our annual spring trip and RVA paddlesports showed our guys a great time on the river!

Spent the afternoon with Riley as our kayak guide. He was fantastic!! Ask for him when you schedule a tour.

Enjoying to kayak in James River with Rva Team. Its Awesome. Lot of things they teach me.

A Great Experience in James River

Loves to Kayak with RVA Paddlesports.