My family visited for the second time this weekend, and this year was as great as last year. Creek, Cory, Adrienne, and ALL the other employees (including even the bus drivers) were extremely friendly and helpful. Definitely will be returning in the near future.
Great first time experience and helpful instructors/guides. Would definitely go back again.
So much fun! Very organized process, friendly employees everywhere, and clean facilities. Our river trip leader Brooke was amazing! And the pirates...
It s disappointing that I have to give this place such a low score because most of the staff was great except for one person that ruined it for me and my friend. When we were getting our raft ready to enter the river there was an older man who was giving instructions to each group as they entered. The older man yelled at my friend because she wasn t holding the paddle right. It was an innocent mistake, she didn t know. Instead of yelling at my friend and giving her a dirty look why would you not try to help her instead? You are there working as a staff member, it is your job to help teach the guests. We paid about $150 for this trip for the two of us. I would appreciate it if Pocono Whitewater Rafting took steps to address the older man who treated my friend so negatively that it caused her spirits to drop. He looked like he was in his mid-60s or late 50s. I m just trying to give identifiers since I do not know his name. He was quite mean. That s what I do know. Besides the lack of professionalism from the older man, the place was way too crowded. It would be nice if mgmt. could break up the groups into smaller ones. The wait lines were long when we were on the river since we had to keep stopping for other groups to catch up. It was a drag. But the rapids were awesome. Nonetheless, that older man was just too nasty for me to be encouraged to rate this any higher.
Great guide. Had lots of fun water fighting with other rafters.
Best time I ever had for the first time going white water rafting the instructores were very helpful
This place provided a great rafting experience from start to finish. It has been several years since my last visit and it was great then. If you're looking for good family fun experience, I highly recommend you check them out!
We did Family trip and I was amazed on how unorganized this place was. Our reservation time was 12:15. We didnt even leave the place until 1:15 after waiting around and long orientation on safety. Which is a joke, because the river trip lasted about 5 hours of calm non-moving water. The entire trip your paddling to move. The guides are not helpful once on the river they make hand signals that make no sense, monkey's could do better. I don't know how they can call this whitewater rafting, it is false advertising. Every time the river would speed up or go over small rapids, the guide up front told everyone to take the paddles out of the water to wait for people, it was so miserable. I say in 5 hours on the river, 20 mins of rapids, 3 hours of paddling to move, and a hour of floating because we are "going too fast" Also, we had one blonde guide who would Scream at you on the bus ride, she thought she was being cute, but her voice was piercing and people would give her looks and she would make jokes about how annoying she was...but she was awful. So avoid the bus she goes on, because its a 20 minute ride of her screaming at you about the surrounding towns and their history.
So much fun! I went with my dad and brothers a few months ago, and it was A BLAST!! The staff were so kind and helpful. Even when my dad's friends came along! I cant wait to go back next year and enjoy rafting again :D
Great fun, teamwork. Well organized, friendly, helpful staff.
Good bang for the buck but hiking is involved and the rafting is more dangerous than it looks. You have to sign a waiver which bars you from suing.
Enjoyed the trip but there was a 1 hour delay before we could start rafting. There s definitely a way to condense all this waiting time (For starters maybe try making the announcements on the bus ride rather than before it).
Great time. Excellent guides!!! Wonderful experience!!!
A group of 13 were there on 8/10/19 had a great time on the river! Even though 4 out of 5 on the raft went over. :-) Guides were great and very helpful as well. Looking forward to doing it again next year!!
Regards,
"Always a Blast" Lancaster, Pa
Our guides Tom and Jim did a great job. The physical facilities were well maintained and the check-in process was efficient. Our issues were: we were a group of 23 and told wet suits were included in our package - at the last minute we were told we had to pay for wet suits. Second, the website advertised a snack on our trek but the small print stated a snack was not provided to group rates. We are lucky we noticed it ourselves because no one told us this. Many of the wetsuits smelled.
Did family whitewater rafting on Saturday. The climate was cloudy that day but if we did rafting, Water is colder in beginning afterward we can enjoy the cold water also by releasing heat energy while paddling. The trip is about 4-5 hrs and rafting is 2-3 hrs and in between their lunch break. We booked our tickets at 12:35 pm, We got ready with life jackets, Stripped footwear, sunscreen, water-resistant mobile bags. They called us around 1 o clock gave basic instructions, buckets, paddle. Got into the bus had a half a ride to the spot and got into our boat. There are two big rapids one at the beginning and one at the end. The rapids at the beginning for was within 5mins it was a little scary if we managed that all other rapids were fun. In between the give swimming spots we swim over there. It is less deep. They will give lunch break after 1 & half we can get hot dogs , veg sandwich, Peanut Butter and jam again we have to start our padding for 1 and a half hour. This has more fun and exciting. Friendly staffs and good training made us paddle safely.
Pocono Whitewater runs a 5-star operation. I have done a bunch of whitewater trips in the Lehigh Valley area over the last 30 years, with the most recent trip last weekend. Pocono Whitewater is the best organization on the river. Their guides are fun, informative, and professional. They tell you what to expect up ahead, keep everyone reasonably together, allow you to have fun, and help whoever is in need of help. The rafts, buses, shop, staging area, and changing area are well-maintained and clean. Whether you are a first-time or experienced rafter, you will enjoy the trip.
Had lots of fun whitewater rafting, just make sure to pay attention to the instructors!
Seriously if you ever think about whitewater rafting or any kind of outdoor activity come to the Pocono whitewater Rafting. The staff are amazing, so helpful and friendly (Shout out to Ian, one of the guides). This is the best place to come to experience an authentic, underappreciated part of the United States. It's a great place to spend a weekend, especially if you have a family. It was one of the best experiences of my life honestly. I love this place and I love Jim Thorpe, PA.
try family style if this is your first time rafting here.
Fun for the whole family. Bring own water bottles/food. Skip the snack shack for poor service and bar food.
Ask for big day out deal with Mike and Monica Bilsky. Both very professional, knowledgeable, funny but safety first staff. You would bike in a green forest tunnels,hike, than raft on the Lehigh river with a stunning view of the Poconos mountains. Best day you can have ever
These guys complain when private citizens put in kayaks at Jim Thorpe AND when private citizens try to get out of the river at Marvin Gardens. They pay for a permit for for-profit use. NOT a private / exclusive use permit.
The scenery was gorgeous and my friends and I had an awesome time! However, I rated only 3 stars because we weren't pleased with the staff. The check in process was very confusing because the check in desk wouldn't help they kept telling us to find our guide and no one seemed to know where she was. Then even though we arrived on time it was over an hour before we began our briefing. Finally, we found a few of the guides to be very rude. Most had a superior sort of attitude as if everything we were doing was common sense and we were stupid for getting stuck when we had zero experience rafting. One guide in particular was VERY rude and insisted on repeatedly kayaking past us making sarcastic comments that he apparently thought were hilarious but were entirely unhelpful and unnecessary. Maybe I'm being harsh but I wanted a guide to help us get down the river not a sarcastic "comedian." I would 100% go rafting again but doubt I will be doing so through this establishment.
My boyfriend and I did whitewater rafting with this place on July 30th and it was our first time and it was great. Despite the crumby weather, we had a great time and actually got paired with one of the guide's parents who were experienced whitewater rafters/kayakers which made the trip that much better. The guide (I think his name was Kevin) was very nice and knowledgeable and so were his parents. They literally broke bread with my boyfriend and I during lunch lol Although the description of the activity mentions "no experience is necessary", it can be a little dangerous so I don't really recommend it for kids. I saw someone make mention of the limited spacing on the river with large groups and the frequent stopping which I understand can be a little annoying but I understand the reasoning for stopping. The guide would give us guidance on what kind of rapid we were approaching and the best route of travel. As far as the spacing is concerned, I'd suggest smaller groups perhaps? On my trip, rafts oftentimes would bump into each other or be bunched up. Also, you'll be on the river for a few hours so definitely prepare for a workout and eat before and/or bring a lunch. On one last note, the scenery was absolutely beautiful. I'd definitely come again!
Guides went above and beyond to make this experience memorable. The actual boat ride was just as described: thrilling, exciting and a memorable experience.
Awesome experience !! Great staff. Adam and his team were very passonate, friendly and delivered an excellent service. I highly recommend everyone to come and have an awesome experience.
Today, a group of 10 went on the family trip and it was amazon. It was the first time for all of us and the team make it so much fun. First of all, they were extremely thorough about the details when it came to safety. Everything was explained clearly. The guides on the water were AMAZING!!!!!!! Since it was our first time, we got stuck a few times, it they were incredible. What an amazing trip and I can t wait to do it again!!!!!!
I pooped over the side of the raft! Awesome experience
Some of the most fun I have had in a while with my clothes on! We did the family excursion cause we never did white water. The water itself was mild and we could have easily done the tougher one, but we had an absolute blast because of the "water wars". We had no idea that was a sanctioned activity, but we jumped right on it when we realized what was going on. We rented 4 water guns and essentially bullied the other rafters. They were up for the fight and tried...but were no match! We formed 2 alliances, one of which was broken and they paid dearly! I am going back for sure!
It was fun! we had a great guide. Very adventurous. Should be okay for the people who can't swim... coming from a person who cannot swim, so you can trust me on that. Our kayak toppled couple of times and we were all safe inspite of that!
**UPDATE....I posted the same review on the PoconoWhitewater website but it was since deleted. Makes me believe they only post the positive reviews. Not very honest!! Again....misleading.
9/11/14- It was fun once you are actually rafting, but here's the downside- we were told to be there at 11:15, but we didn't even load the bus to go to the river until 12:45!! The company advertised that we would stop MIDWAY down the river for a bbq lunch. That's where we started! We had lunch at the beginning! They also advertise that you are on the water for 3-4 hours. We were on from exactly 1:53-3:40- not even 2 hours!! For $55 a person, I expected the full 3-4 hours. Disappointed with their misleading information.
I called ahead to check out what food would be provided as a vegetarian option for lunch. I was told PB&J sandwiches but I could bring veggie dogs for the grill. I did this a second time as well to confirm the answer.
I asked again about this day-of at the front desk and was told the same response.
Once we arrived at the lunch stop, the griller told us that he couldn't do it because of "cross contamination" from veggie hot dogs, sealed in package. I received the same response from the other 2 people that worked there.
Needless to say, I'm incredibly disappointed that I was lied to about this.
Awesome experience. Very helpful and friendly staff and guides. Well organized facility. Must visit for easy level 1 and 2 class family white water rafting fun. Long enough and tiring rafting experience for begginers. We were 7 families with kids from 3 yrs old to adults. All had great fun. They could do bit better in lunch options. Recommend to take your light snacks, food with you while you wait for your turn. Don't count much on free lunch provided.
Lots of fun... go on a warm day... your going to get wet
Kyle, Ed K, and the gang were great! The dam weekend wasn't too strong for newbies, and it was very fun for us experienced folk too. Highly recommend, even during COVID they take precautions and most of it is outdoors.
This is an annual "end of the year" family trip for our Boy Scout Troop. We usually have 30-40 people, scouts, siblings, and parents. We do the family package; which includes grilled hot dogs or PB&J sandwiches. It's a great day. The guides are ALWAYS friendly and entertaining. We highly recommend PWW.
Wow this place was amazing. Josh, Liz, and I'm sorry I can't remember the other girl's name - all the river guides were all young but extremely professional, and totally knowledgeable and proficient with respect to the river, rapids, rocks, etc. I felt totally safe and confident in my and my child's safety on this trip. It was just me and my child and so we picked the Family Style trip. Just make sure you are in a raft with a couple strong paddlers. I got stuck doing the majority of the paddling. The group leader has the hardest job so don't chose a weaker person. Also, bring a water proof book bag or bucket with a lid. That way you can have snacks and cameras, etc. Great place. Please go! I can't wait to try the harder classes of rapids!
It's a place for rafting and it is a family rafting spot. Rapids are very less in river and water is not so clean therefore you will not enjoye more.
My family had the BEST day rafting down the river with the amazing guides from the Pocono Whitewater rafting. So much fun. I recommend this highly.
Family Style Rapids were awesome. Friendly staff. Very safe for all ages
It was a great experience, amazing crew.
highly recommended for family with kids ( our kids 11,9,6 year).
Some tips...
1. Bathing suit
2. Comfortable shoes
3.no wallet, if you are bringing your phone need to be secure to you at all time
3.one bottle of water for each person
4.water gun
5.clothes to change after rafting
6.and don't forget to have fun
We made last minute plans and everything went smoothly from purchasing the tickets to rafting. Family had a great time. Thanks!
Fun for everyone, kids enjoyed the ride! Great Staff, never dull a moment so helping so kind!
Awesome family adventure. For kids 9 below family trip is scenic and fun with stops to get out of the raft and enjoy the water. For a fast paced route try The Dam Release adventure package. Lastly don't forget to smile!
What an adventurous and fun experience for our whole family and friends! Definitely a hidden jewel in PA! Our guides Mark, Ben and other two (sorry I should have remembered their names) are super friendly, informative, responsible, helpful and humorous! Thank you guys for all your hard work and patience! You guys are awesome!! Will go back to this fun filled exploration soon!
Awesome....this can be scary but truly great experiance!! hitting rocks spinning out ...again but if u paddle your butt off.u good....
Great family trip! River guides are friendly and the day waa a blast! Went back 2x anx looking forward to next summer to do it again!
This was our first rafting experience. Pocono whitewater definitely took really good care of us. All the guides were super funny and friendly. The facility was very clean. My 12 and 9 years old really had a great time. Will definitely bring more friends and family to join us next year. Keep up the good work P.W!
Went for the white water river rafting two times and the place is very nice. The parking lot can be a little confusing to get to. But the staff are very friendly and will direct you to the right place.
Fun with the family. I did both runs, and it's quite fun and different. The ride pack is the only negative, considering your cold and wet then. But they heat the bus so it's not that bad.
Very organized. Guides were friendly and entertaining. The waterproof phone cases were great. You do have a short walk over a rocky trail so use old sneakers not water shoes. We can't wait to go again.
We just finished up with the Dam Release Whitewater trip. This was the highlight of our summer. The gorge is breathtaking and the whitewater rafting was a blast. The guides are top notch and so personable and fun! There were four of us in the raft, two kids (9&12) and two adults. Great job Pocono Whitewater. We'll definitely be back!
We had a amazing time there. Everyone was so helpfull specially John, Mark, Paul and Jonathan and all the others. Thank you so much. We enjoyed every minute of it.
Had a great time! Felt safe but wasn't bored. Clean facilities, things happened on time.
My only complaint is towards 1 of the guides. Batman and Maggie were great but the older gentleman with the beard that seemed to be in charge was an absolute condescending ass. He was grumpy the entire time on the trip, yelled at nearly everybody, and gave absolutely terrible instructions. I've been on more than 10 guided rafting trips and have never been annoyed by an instructor. He would simply pop a few yards ahead of you and shout out unclear instructions on where to turn at the last minute then yell at you when you missed it. Other times he'd stop and point at a spot- sometimes meaning "come here" and at other times meaning "avoid this rock." We had a running joke with the other rafts to shape up or you'd get yelled at it.
But aside from that guy, great trip.
This was one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life. So glad me and my boyfriend spent our anniversary rafting and had a great day. We felt safe, well guided and the nature was outstanding. Great team!
This was very fun. The guides were great. Had a lot of fun. Be ready to get wet!!!! Lunch on the river is always nice and peaceful. Very fun day and the scenery is beautiful.
This was my 1st experience with rafting and I absolutely enjoyed it! From the time you walk in everyone is super friendly and talk to you as if they know you. Customer service was great! Called in the morning to let them know that some people couldn t make it and Sherry was informative and even remembered me during check in. Now there are lots of people however they handle each situation like pros. They take their time and guide u if you get stuck on the rocks or fall out. Mangy, Kyle and the rest of the team was just awesome. I could just list so many positive things to say about this experience. Please book with them you won t regret it. We had a party of 18 with us.
Extremely dangerous and unsafe! You can very well die by going rafting with this company. Let me preface this by saying that I have gone white water rafting with another company on the same river and had an amazing, safe, and fun experience. I got two free tickets so that's why I went the next time with Pocono Whitewater rafting. It's a real miracle that we survived the trip. They go with way too many people, over 100 with just 5 guides. The river is so overcrowded with so many rafts and there is no way that 5 guides can keep so many people safe. So it's basically FEND FOR YOURSELF. Which is what happened when the couple in our raft fell out into Class IV Rapids. Our raft hit a big rock and they fell out and got stuck under the raft! With all the other rafts coming he might have been trapped under two rafts that were stuck on the rocks. Thank goodness he was able to get out in time otherwise he could have drowned. He banged his head on the rocks and had two huge bumps the size of golf balls. Meanwhile the guide is standing on a rock far away yelling instructions to the rafts flying past for someone to save them and pull them into their raft. She banged her knee and couldn't move her leg and lost her shoes, sunglasses and hat. They were understandably completely shaken up with their brush with death and nobody did anything. Like I said its fend for yourself on the river. Meanwhile I was left with one paddle to steer the raft all by myself through the rapids. Nobody came to help. It was totally insane! This company should be SHUT DOWN for unsafe practices! It is a tragedy waiting to happen!!! If you want to stay alive go rafting with the other companies that don't crowd 100+ people and make sure you have a safe and fun experience.
Super fun trip! Our guide, Kayla, was such a joy! (: She had energy and enthusiasm and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Her love for the sport, local history and all of us is a rare thing. She was super funny and genuinely cared about us. Will definitely come back and request her in the future!
Great staff! Did not disappoint for a family of 30! Highly recommended
Wonderful Staff and they don't nickle and dime you. The fire pit after was a nice touch. I can't say enough about how helpful and sweet the staff was.
We went there to celebrate a birthday yesterday. Social distancing is not a thing. The buses are packed. I said there were too many on the bus to the guide and the bus driver and they continued to pile people in. I asked for the other bus and they ignored me. A bus packed during Coronavirus. Really disappointed. The staff at lunch were complaining about work. Not the fun family day I paid 300.00 for.
Loved it except the very long through the forest to make it to the rafts.
Just did the 4-day bike trip. Excellent all around: guides, organization, scenery, food, lodging. Rent an ebike if the distances are scary.
Amazing! Expect a workout and there are 4 people to a raft so try to go will 4 able bodied people or you're in for a long day(still fun)
Pocono Whitewater is a premier outdoor adventure company located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. The company offers a wide range of exciting activities for all levels of adventurers, from mild to wild. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly rafting trip or an adrenaline-pumping adventure, Pocono Whitewater has something for everyone.
One of the most popular activities offered by Pocono Whitewater is whitewater rafting. With over 40 years of experience, the company has become known as one of the best whitewater rafting companies in the country. They offer both family-style and dam release whitewater rafting trips on two different rivers: The Lehigh River and The Hudson River.
The Lehigh River is perfect for families and beginners who are looking for a fun and exciting day on the water. This river features Class I-III rapids that are suitable for all ages and skill levels. The trip includes a scenic float through beautiful forests, as well as some thrilling rapids that will get your heart pumping.
For those who are looking for more excitement, Pocono Whitewater also offers dam release whitewater rafting on The Lehigh River. During these trips, water is released from nearby dams to create Class III-V rapids that will challenge even experienced paddlers.
If you're looking to take your adventure to new heights, Pocono Whitewater also offers zipline canopy tours through their sister company, Blue Mountain Resort. These tours feature over 4 miles of ziplines that soar high above the treetops at speeds up to 60 mph! You'll also get breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
In addition to these activities, Pocono Whitewater also offers biking tours along scenic rail-trails in the area. These tours are perfect for families or groups who want to explore nature at their own pace while enjoying some exercise along the way.
Overall, if you're looking for an unforgettable outdoor adventure in Pennsylvania's beautiful Pocono Mountains region then look no further than Pocono Whitewater! With their experienced guides and top-notch equipment, you can rest assured that your safety will always be their top priority while providing an exhilarating experience like no other!
In conclusion, if you want an unforgettable outdoor experience with friends or family members then book your next trip with "Pocono Whitewaters". They have everything from mild adventures like biking trails through scenic routes or wild adventures like white-water rafting down class III-V rapids which will give anyone's adrenaline rush!
poconowhitewater.com
