Luray, VA is located in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia. It is about an hour and a half drive from Fairfax County, which makes it a fun and easy getaway! It is a great vacation destination with lots of activities for the whole family.
| In Luray, VA, you can visit the famous Luray Caverns, The Garden Maze, and the Shenandoah Heritage Village. Learn about even more great things to do in Luray, VA! |
Luray is also a great outdoors destination. It is located near Shenandoah National Park and the Shenandoah River. This makes it a great place for hiking, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, camping trips, and much more.
Tubing trips are one of the best ways to take in the natural scenery and abundant wildlife along the beautiful Shenandoah River. You can spot bald eagles, ospreys, beavers, mink, otters, deer, and much more as you float along the river.
Tubing trips are also a very popular river activity along the Shenandoah River. They can be a great, relaxing way to lay back and soak in the sun and nature. They are also great for enjoying with family and friends.
Tubing trips will take you down various sections of the Shenandoah River near Luray. The South Fork of the river runs from Luray to Front Royal.
Tubing season generally runs during the summer months. It is a great way to beat the summer heat, explore the natural wonders of the region, and have a fun time!
Tours are generally self-guided. The tour companies will provide you with tube rentals, life jackets, a safety video, and a river map. Some will also provide you with a floating cooler.
When going on a tubing trip, you will definitely want to make sure to wear proper footwear. Water shoes or river shoes are great (my top picks are below!), however, you don’t want to wear flip-flops because they will easily fall off when you are tubing.
Below are my top recommendations for the best tubing near Luray, VA!
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Top photo by Girma Nigusse on Unsplash.
Table of Contents
- Shenandoah River Outfitters
- River Run Outfitters
- Front Royal Outdoors
- Downriver Canoe Company
- Shenandoah River Adventures
| My Top Picks for What to Bring on a Tubing Trip! |
| 1. Sunscreen – Click here to purchase! 2. Water shoes or river shoes (not flip-flops) – Click here to purchase! 3. Bathing suit – Click here to purchase! 4. Hat – Click here to purchase! 5. Sunglasses – Click here to purchase! 6. Waterproof case for phone – Click here to purchase! 7. Waterproof bag – Click here to purchase! 8. Off Deep Woods Insect Repellant – Click here to purchase! |
| Where to Stay in Luray, Virginia |
| Best Budget Hotel Pick: Luray Cavern Motels * * * Best Mid-Range Hotel Pick: The Mimslyn Inn * * * Best Luxury Hotel Pick: Hotel Laurance |
Shenandoah River Outfitters
Shenandoah River Outfitters is one of the best places to go tubing near Luray, VA. They are the closest company to Luray and they have a great location on the border of the George Washington National Forest and close to Shenandoah National Park.
The company has been around for nearly 50 years and boasts great reviews from customers.
They offer tubing trips down the Shenandoah River for all experience levels. Each trip is unguided and lasts about 3-5 hours depending on the water levels.
They also offer just about any other kind of outdoor water activity, including canoeing, kayaking, tandem kayaking, rafting, and fishing. The trips are perfect for beginners and experienced adventurers alike! Some of the trips are in rapids, while others are in quiet waters.
The canoes and kayaks are pet-friendly, however, pets are not allowed in the inner tubes. They also have kayaks and canoes for sale!
One of the extra special activities at Shenandoah River Outfitters is their tubing, canoe, and kayak lunch and steak dinner packages! You can take a ride down the river, and then stop for a delicious meal of hamburgers, grilled onions, steak, and chicken barbeque prepared by the Shenandoah River Outfitters team.
The dinner events also feature live entertainment at their open-air pavilion. You can learn more about all of these packages online.
The water activities are generally only available during the hotter months from mid-May until mid-September.
Shenandoah River Outfitters also has camping as well as cabin rentals available year-round. The cabins even have hot tubs!
Booking a cabin is a great way to stay for a longer trip and experience all that the region has to offer, including hiking in nearby Shenandoah National Park, visiting local wineries, or exploring the town of Luray.
The cabins are pet friendly and have mini-kitchens with microwaves and toasters. Some of the cabins also have decks, charcoal grills, and picnic tables. You can learn more about cabin rentals online.
River Run Outfitters
River Run Outfitters offers canoeing, kayaking, and tubing trips down the Shenandoah River. The trips vary in length from 2-3 hours to 3-4 hours. Some of the trips will take you through the more challenging Compton Rapids.
They are open from April 1st to October 1st. Please note that they do require reservations.
Front Royal Outdoors
Front Royal Outdoors has canoeing, kayaking, and tubing, as well as stand-up paddle boarding and fishing trips available.
The trips are self-guided and will take you down the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. There are several fun class I and class II rapids along the route, plus a few islands where you can stop.
You can either rent a standard tube, with cup holder, or a deluxe tube with a mesh bottom, backrest, and cup holder. You can also add a cooler.
Downriver Canoe Company
Downriver Canoe Company offers tube floats, canoeing, kayaking, and rafting.
Tubing trips are about 3 miles long and take about 3 miles to complete.
Weekend trips end in Shenandoah River State Park, where Downriver Canoe Company picks you up.
Weekday and Sunday morning trips generally run through George Washington National Forest and end at Downriver Canoe Company.
Shenandoah River Adventures
Shenandoah River Adventures is located about halfway between Harrisonburg and Luray. It is just 15 minutes from Massanutten Resort, which makes it really convenient if you are staying there.
They offer tubing, canoeing, and kayaking trips, as well as fishing trips. If you have your own canoe, kayak, or tube, they also offer a shuttle service to help you transport your equipment to the river.
You can choose from several tubing trips. One trip will take you through a class 2 gentle rapids section before settling into a more relaxing, leisurely, calm section of water.
Another trip will avoid the white water section completely and just give you a perfect chance to enjoy the beautiful river and wildlife around you.
If you are renting equipment, Shenandoah River Adventures provides life vests, paddles, and a free shuttle bus pickup service.
Learn about even more great things to do in the Shenandoah Valley!