Canoe Kentucky

I went kayaking today for the first time and went to Canoe Kentucky because it was recommended by a friend. I did the Fun Float, which is 5 miles on the creek. Our shuttle bus driver, Lou was precious--he told Dad Jokes the whole way over. The equipment was fine--the $50 fee includes the time on the creek (we were on the water for about two hours), life jacket, kayak, and paddle. I would have liked a little more instruction since it was my first time, but I figured it out on my own.

Definitely a 20 out of 10! I highly recommend doing the kayaking and bourbon tasting trip with Canoe Kentucky! Our guides were awesome, lunch was delicious and we had a wonderful private tour and tasting at Buffalo Trace. #canoeky

My fiancé and I made a trip to Canoe Kentucky for my birthday. It's only 45 minutes away from Lexington so it's a very easy day trip to make. Due to COVID, there really wasn't many people there, which made parking very easy. The parking areas are in neighboring houses yards, which sounds complicated, but the employees direct you to which lot to park in so it's very simple. Make sure to check in before you park. Prior to visiting, make a reservation on their website. It's very simple to do. The easy float is the first half of the ceek, which takes between 2.5-3 hours to paddle, depending on how fast you go and if you make any stops. The all day includes the second half of the creek, so you'll spend around 4-5 hours out on the water. The easy float is $45 per person for a kayak and $55 for the all day. You can bring your own kayaks or you can rent like we did. The employees are very helpful and they have a crash training course prior to getting on the water. This is just a creek so nothing to be concerned over, but they go over safety tips. Obviously, wear old shoes/sandals and old clothes or swimming suits because you will be in the water. This is a wonderful activity to do with the family. If you're looking for a fun trip during coronavirus, I highly recommend Canoe Kentucky.

I'm so grateful my job brought us here for World Emoji Day! Thanks to Canoe Kentucky, I got the chance to ride a tandem kayak for the first time, and it was amazing!! They offer you several vessels, kayaks, canoes, etc and for 2-3 hours, you get to ride down a slow moving river with your pals. There are a couple fast water spots along the way, so make sure to stay alert! They provided us all with life jackets and instructions, and there are spots along the way if you need to "pull over" and give your group time to catch up. No need to rush this experience at all, definitely take as much time as you'd like to enjoy nature and be prepared to come across as many turtles as possible!! Overall, such a wonderful experience compared to what I'm usually used to doing with my friends, and I would absolutely love the opportunity to try this again!

Yes to the Fun Float! Four of us rented two canoes (two adults, two kids aged 5 and 7), and had a wonderful day on the Elkhorn. The staff are great, especially the EMT shuttle driver, and if you are considering a canoe trip with young kids new to canoeing, this is the perfect start. The river is gentle and shallow, and easy for beginners. We began at around 11, but took our time by stopping frequently to play in the river, jump off a rope swing, and take a break to eat lunch, and finished around 2:30. Had we not stopped, it would have taken 2 hrs or less. Here are a few tips for your trip: pack a lunch (putting it in a plastic grocery bag is fine, you can stop on the banks of the river to eat), canoe KY will hold your car keys at the store, bring a waist pack (yeah, a fanny pack) to keep your phone from floating away, there is a restroom at the back of the store to use right before departure. There was a food truck and a snack truck in the parking lot in the afternoon, which would have been a fun post trip stop. CanoeKY is an excellent outfitter, I highly recommend them if you are in the area!

This past weekend was my family's second canoe trip through Canoe KY, and overall we had a really nice and relaxing day on Elkhorn Creek!The registration process is pretty straightforward (register online ahead of time), and sign in & fill out a waiver when checking in. CKY offers canoe and kayak options to use on the river. There is a short informational video before you're given your life vest (mandatory to wear for those under 13). Afterward, there is a Canoe KY bus that takes the group a few miles up the creek with the canoes & kayaks in tow. My family opted for the "All Day Adventure" which is about 5-7 hours, depending on how you paddle. When you reach the Canoe KY building you're required to check in and tell the front desk what time your group will be ready to be picked up at the end. CKY offers a pick up once an hour, on the half hour (1:30, 2:30, etc). We told the staff that we would be ready at 3:30 or possibly 4:30 if for some reason we got held up. We were ready and waiting to be picked up at 3:20, however it wasn't until my sister called that the bus came to pick us up at 4. The driver said he didn't have anyone registered to be picked up at 3:30, so we aren't sure what happened. (There were other groups waiting to be picked up at 3:30 as well)Willing to let the bus incident slide because we had such a great day!

I've been twice now for the fun float, which is a 2 hour trip down the elkhorn creek. The scenery is beautiful. I really enjoyed the trip, it is so much fun! First you watch a safety video before they take you out to the launch site. Then they drive you about 10 minutes up the road and put your canoe in the water and off you go! The trip can take 2-3 hours depending on how fast you want to paddle/float and how the river is running. We've been once when the river was very low and once when it was considered perfect conditions and both times were enjoyable and we were able to float quite a bit without paddling. We saw tons of turtles and fish, a few deer (some dead), and birds. Great times!

Our group had a great outing with this outfitter. They were able to process our need pretty quickly and overall the distancing measures felt safe. The route was a bit more challenging than I expected, but that may have been because of recent rain?

I wanted to write this review because I hope to maybe change the atmosphere or goals of Canoe Ky. I have kayaked in Alaska, Captiva FL, The Everglades, Red River Gorge, Ky River Otters (Palisades) and many more. Everywhere I have kayaked, I have felt cared for and educated. When I first started kayaking I was so impressed with the community and their love for the environment and their craft. I have used Canoe Ky 3 times in the last 2 years and every time I use them I feel like I am at Walmart. It is very impersonal, they are running a business. Now don't get me wrong, I know they are running a business BUT you can still create an atmosphere of kindness, education and support for your customers. I feel like Canoe Ky knows they have a monopoly and therefore have decreased their customer service because they can.After saying all that, I have enjoyed the kayak trips, the area is so beautiful and we have seen so much wild life. I am always happy when in nature! I wish for all to have a great experience when enjoying the beautiful Elkhorn Creek.

Clara, Sterling, and Connor (Conner?) we're all so fantastic on this trip. Very helpful and informative. I didn't fall out of the kayak so that's a win. 10/10 would recommend and will come back!