Charlottesville offers an abundance of opportunities to get outside with the kids, as we celebrate and love, but nothing is as high-reward and low-stress as tubing the Rivanna River on a lazy summer afternoon.
The Rivanna River is a 42-mile long tributary of the James River, and, like Shenandoah National Park hiking, those who go regularly will all have their favorite put-in spot and their own tips and tricks. That’s part of the amazing gift of the Rivanna. This is a public river, and if you can make it down the banks, anyone and everyone can get in!
One of the true assets of Charlottesville life is having this River to play in. The Rivanna River Trail that winds near it, the banks of the River all over town, hidden coves to access the River, and its general gleaming and glint all seasons of the year simply adds so much to the area. We feel grateful to have the Rivanna as part of our lives.
If you are looking to get started with river tubing here, the easiest float for families is starting at Darden Towe Park and ending at Riverview Park.
This map is a great overview of where to enjoy the River, complete with pros and cons of the various put-ins and take-outs.
While parking at Darden Towe can feel crowded on a hot summer day, we’ve always found a place to park when we’ve visited.
For this particular float, too, knowing when to get out, when we had arrived at Riverview Park from the water, was not hard either. There is a small sign, a rope swing, and a lot of people congregating at the Riverview Park take-out.
Every family also seems to have their own tactical approach: parking one car at Riverview, then shuttling back to Darden Towe? Parking at one location and biking to the other? Cajoling a friend to come get you? Either way, do remember that when you get out at Riverview Park, you’re going to need a way to get your family back to Darden Towe (obviously, we do not recommend swimming up river).
The entire float is about 2 miles and, depending on the flow of the River and how many times you stop, can take all pretty much all day. There are some minor water “features” we’ll call them – some moments where the water rushes over some rocks, but we didn’t feel anything was too intense. In fact, most official maps don’t even register this portion of the River as having rapids, although there are a few moments where the water sweeps you along.
We saw kids of all ages on this adventure, and also a lot of UVA students. Many parents (including us) will tie their kids’ tubes to their own, ensuring that the family is always in a quick arm’s reach.
Given the absolute fun and relaxing nature of floating in the sun all day, the River tends to have a party atmosphere. Cocooned on the water together, away from the buildings and roads of Charlottesville, life on the River feels simultaneously peaceful yet also like a block party with a bunch of new friends.
Please know that there are affiliate links included in this post. This means that, at no cost to you, if you click, Raising Charlottesville gets a small compensation. It helps keep us going. For more, read our disclaimers. Thanks for supporting us!
No matter what portion of the Rivanna River you elect to float, you will need some gear to be comfortable and successful.
Official river tubes are not required, we saw folks using innertubes of all kinds to enjoy this excursion, but the benefit of river tubes such as these is that they are sturdy and less inclined to be punctured by any rocks. (We mention this as we saw a few folks clinging to sad, deflating, non-River tubes that had clearly popped.) There are double versions, if you don’t want to tie tubes together, that will also have a cooler.
Water shoes are a good idea, too. Getting in and out will be easier, and if your kids are like ours and want to swim alongside their tube, water shoes are, again, helpful.
We found the water along this float wasn’t too deep, but we still kept our kids in life vests. Safety always makes it easier for us to relax as parents.
Speaking of safety: if you are concerned whether the Rivanna River is safe to swim in (it is, after all, an urban river that abuts development), this website tracks bacteria levels. The Rivanna River is closely monitored and any high levels of bacteria will be reported and easily available to the general public.
Be sure to take water, snacks, sun lotion and hats. The sun will be beaming down on you and given the coolness of the water, you may not notice how quickly you and yours get sun-kissed.
And, finally, take your camera and phone! These are moments and memories you will want to cherish. Allowing the water to push you miles down a river, while the trees on the river banks sway and lean over you, is a magical adventure.
“It was fun, especially when we got to get out and swim! It was also fun to sit in the tube in the sun.”
- – Charlottesville kid “C,” 11-years-old
“It was relaxing, nice and fun to sit in the water and float.”
– Charlottesville kid “B,” 9-years-old
Bonus tip on Tubing the Rivanna River:
If you just want to try tubing for the day, without owning and committing to the gear and equipment, Rivanna River Company offers packages and rental options. Just be sure to book early since they sell out quick during peak season.
Raising Charlottesville is a website dedicated to highlighting fun & local activities for families living in the Charlottesville, VA area.