Tippecanoe and Kayaks Too
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Tippecanoe and Kayaks Too offers a unique kayaking experience on a notably quiet and less-crowded stretch of the Great Miami River. It stands out by providing transport for personal kayaks (a rare service) in addition to rentals, and is explicitly welcoming to families, children, and dogs, with options like 3-person canoes and a specific 5-mile relaxing float. However, a significant safety concern regarding equipment failure and emergency response has been reported, which parents should carefully consider.
Key Highlights
- ✓Allows transport of personal kayaks, a unique service in the area.
- ✓Operates on a quiet, less-crowded stretch of the river, free from 'drunks and crazies' often found elsewhere.
- ✓Very easy online booking process for rentals and transport.
- ✓Friendly staff mentioned in multiple positive reviews.
- ✓Affordable pricing.
- ✓Short and easy logistics for getting to the river from the business and back.
- ✓Staff thoroughly cleans kayak paddles and life vests (mentioned during COVID-19).
- ✓Specifically allows children and dogs on trips.
- ✓Offers 3-person canoes, accommodating families or small groups.
- ✓The Great Miami River stretch is described as peaceful, gorgeous, and filled with birds, ideal for a relaxing float.
Standout Features
- ⭐Personal boat transportation service, a significant convenience for kayak owners.
- ⭐Consistently uncrowded and peaceful river environment.
- ⭐Efficient and easy online booking system.
- ⭐Dog-friendly policy, allowing pets on the river.
- ⭐Availability of 3-person canoes, ideal for small families or groups.
- ⭐Dedicated 5-mile relaxing float option.
- ⭐Streamlined logistics for shuttle to and from the river.
- ⭐Cleaned and sanitized equipment (paddles, life vests) for hygiene.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Book online, as the process is described as very easy and efficient.
- →Make reservations ahead of time, especially due to reported COVID-19 restrictions.
- →If you own a kayak, take advantage of their personal boat transport service.
- →For a relaxing trip, specifically choose the 5-mile portion of the river.
- →Be aware that detailed pull-out instructions might not be provided, so be prepared to identify your destination independently (though reviewers found it easy to figure out).
- →Crucially, assess river conditions yourself before committing, especially if you have children or are a beginner, given the serious safety incident reported.
- →Consider the potential for unresponsive emergency service based on one critical review, and plan accordingly for personal safety measures.
Things to Consider
- ⚠A severe safety incident was reported where a canoe lacked a plug, causing it to fill with water and almost drown occupants and their dog. Locals, not the business, provided rescue.
- ⚠The business was accused by locals (who rescued the distressed party) of sending people out in river conditions 'far too bad for beginner kayakers.'
- ⚠Customer service was reportedly unresponsive during an emergency call after the near-drowning incident, and was more concerned with charging for lost gear than ensuring safety.
- ⚠Lack of detailed instruction on where to pull out at the end of the trip (though some found it easy to figure out on their own).
Price & Value
Described as 'affordable pricing.' The unique personal boat transport service adds significant value. However, a major concern is a report of being charged for lost gear even after a near-drowning incident, suggesting potential unexpected costs or an unsympathetic approach to customer safety vs. property.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations for special needs or accessibility mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No specific food and drink rules or policies mentioned in the reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •Reviews indicate easy access for unloading personal kayaks from cars and picking up rental gear. The process of getting to and from the river from the business is described as short and easy, implying convenient vehicle logistics.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Consistently praised for being quiet, fairly empty, and much less crowded, even on gorgeous summer mornings (e.g., August).
- •Specifically noted as 'wasn't packed like some other ones w drunks and crazies,' indicating a more serene atmosphere.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Staff is noted for doing a great job cleaning kayak paddles and life vests.
- •The less crowded river naturally reduces traffic-related risks for families with children.
- •**CRITICAL SAFETY WARNINGS:** One review reported a faulty canoe (no plug) leading to a near-drowning, the business allegedly sending out beginners in unsafe conditions, and a lack of emergency responsiveness from staff, who instead prioritized lost gear charges. Parents should be aware of these significant concerns.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If river conditions appear rapid or challenging, especially for beginners or families with young children, due to reported safety incidents and unsuitability for beginners.
- • If you are a beginner and require explicit, detailed instructions for river navigation and safety at all times.
- • If you expect immediate, comprehensive emergency support from the business in case of a serious incident, based on reported unresponsiveness.
- • If you prefer a highly active, long-distance, or high-adrenaline kayaking trip, as this venue focuses on relaxing floats.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
5 Mile Trip - Single Kayak Rental
$40 per personDuration: 2.5 to 3 hours
A fun-filled 5-mile trip with mostly flat sections and good current, leading to waves, rips, and ripples (Class I rapids) in the last half. Expect to get wet. Great for beginners and veterans.
Includes:
- •Jackson sit-on-top kayak (GoPro equipped)
- •Life jacket
- •Shuttle service
5 Mile Trip - Tandem Kayak Rental
$40 per personDuration: 2.5 to 3 hours
A fun-filled 5-mile trip with mostly flat sections and good current, leading to waves, rips, and ripples (Class I rapids) in the last half. Expect to get wet. Great for beginners and veterans.
Includes:
- •Oceanview Tandem Kayak
- •Life jacket
- •Shuttle service
5 Mile Trip - 2-Person Canoe Rental
Weekdays: $35 per person (2-person minimum); Weekends/Holidays: $40 per person (2-person minimum)Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours
A fun-filled 5-mile trip with mostly flat sections and good current, leading to waves, rips, and ripples (Class I rapids) in the last half. Expect to get wet. Very stable Wenonah canoes.
Includes:
- •2-person Wenonah canoe (15' 8")
- •Life jacket
- •Shuttle service
5 Mile Trip - 3-Person Canoe Rental
Weekdays: $70 per canoe ($35 per person for 2 people), plus $15 for a third person (age 5-10) or $25 for a third person (age 11+). Weekends/Holidays: $80 per canoe ($40 per person for 2 people), plus $15 for a third person (age 5-10) or $25 for a third person (age 11+).Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours
A fun-filled 5-mile trip with mostly flat sections and good current, leading to waves, rips, and ripples (Class I rapids) in the last half. Expect to get wet. Very stable Wenonah canoes.
Includes:
- •3-person Wenonah canoe (16'9")
- •Life jacket
- •Shuttle service
10 Mile Trip - Single Kayak Rental
Weekdays: $50 per person; Weekends/Holidays: $55 per personDuration: 4.5 to 8 hours
An expedition to explore the pristine, undisturbed lower Great Miami River.
Includes:
- •Single Kayak
- •Life jacket
- •Shuttle service
Personal Boat Shuttle Service (5 Mile Trip)
$25 per kayak/tandem kayak/canoeDuration: 2.5 to 3 hours (for the 5-mile trip)
Shuttle service for customers bringing their own kayak, tandem kayak, or canoe, allowing use of TKT's exit point.
Includes:
- •Shuttle service
Personal Kayak Shuttle Service (10 Mile Trip)
Weekdays: $40 per kayak; Weekends/Holidays: $45 per kayakDuration: 4.5 to 8 hours
Shuttle service for customers bringing their own kayak for the 10-mile trip.
Includes:
- •Shuttle service
🍎Food Policy
- • No glass or Styrofoam coolers allowed on the river.
- • Coolers are allowed; floatable cooler carriers are available for rent.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are issued to all persons and are included in the rental fee. They are sanitized after each use.
- • Children ages 11 and under and non-swimmers MUST wear their life jackets at all times (Ohio Law).
- • All boaters under the age of 18 must wear their PFD (life jacket) at all times while on the river.
- • Everyone must have a life jacket in the boat with them (state law).
- • Operating any boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited (Section 1547.11 Ohio Revised Code). Public drunkenness or disorderly conduct will not be tolerated, as the river requires sober attention.
- • Always be on the lookout for hazards in the river: low hanging branches, storm debris, and potential 'strainers' (fallen timber that can snag a boat).
- • Do NOT stand in the boat or raft.
- • Littering on a waterway is illegal (Section 1531.29 Ohio Revised Code). Pack it in, pack it out.
- • Respect wildlife and their homes; do not feed wildlife.
- • Be considerate and helpful to others; give fishermen a wide berth.
- • Instructional videos for kayaking and canoeing are available and recommended to review for safety.
- • All paddlers must be off the river and in their vehicle by 6:00 PM.
- • A $5 fee will be charged for every 15 minutes past 6:00 PM that customers are late.
- • If sunset arrives and customers are still on the river, TKT may consider it an emergency and call for assistance.
📅Booking Policy
- • Reservations are highly recommended to guarantee boat availability (kayak, tandem kayak, or canoe).
- • Walk-ups are welcome, but customers should call ahead to check for availability.
- • A waiver must be signed by all participants, whether booking online or as a walk-up.
- • 10-mile trip requires reservation and check-in by 8:00 AM, with departure at 8:30 AM.
🚗Parking Information
- • Customers park at the livery (7958 Harrison Ave, Cleves, OH 45002) and are shuttled upriver to float back to their car.
Photos
What People Say
Areas for Improvement
- Can get crowded during peak times (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Laura S
8 months agoWe had a group where some of us had their own kayaks, some needed to rent. This is one of the only (if not the only) place nearby that still will transport personal boats. It made our trip so much easier! We all booked online, which was very easy. All we had to do when we showed up was unload our kayaks from our car/pick up our rental gear for the renters. We didn't get a lot of instruction (ok, no instruction lol) as to where to pull out at the end of our trip, but it was easy to figure out on our own. We loved that the river was quiet and fairly empty, especially for a gorgeous August morning! Nice to have a peaceful trip not surrounded by other groups. Will definitely use them again.
MireMax Prez, LLC
a year agoVery nice small business operations. There was a lot less people on this stretch of the river which we enjoyed a lot. Perfect place to take your fam and kids. Wasn't packed like some other ones w drunks and crazies. We are def will be back. Only place that allowed kids, dogs and got 3 people canoe. We let kids flow down the river and didn't have to worry another too much river traffic. Friendly stuff
Bailey Johnson
5 months agoDeleted my original review for some reason. Me, my boyfriend, and dog almost drown in the river after our canoe flipped. The canoe had no plug to let water out. The water was rapid and the people who lived on the river who thankfully pulled their kayaks into the water to save us and our dog told us the business sends people out in the water in conditions that are far too bad for beginner kayakers. Highly recommend finding somewhere more established. When we got to land and tried calling them no one would even answer the phone. Once we did they were more concerned with charging us for lost gear then making sure we were safe. Worst customer experience I’ve ever had.
Adam R
4 years agoFriendly staff, affordable pricing, and a short, easy trip to the river from the business and back to the business from the river once your kayak trip is finished. It was our first time on the Great Miami and we found it peaceful, gorgeous, and filled with birds flying around. Make sure to make reservations ahead of time due to COVID19 restrictions. The staff also did a great job cleaning the kayak paddles and life vests etc. Thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Phil Toombs
10 months agoIf you are looking for a relaxing float, the 5 mile portion of this river is for you. They allow children and dogs. They have a variety of kayaks and canoes.
Contact Information
We Are Located At Blue Bell Beach, 7958 Harrison Ave, Cleves, OH 45002, USA
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