All Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting
Categories: Boating, Boat Charters [Edit]
1250 Pine StWalnut Creek, CA 94596 (800) 247-2387
Check out our website for our Discounted Rafting Trips.…
Announced 4 weeks ago
- Good for Kids: Yes
20 Reviews for All Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting
One of All Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting's Favorite Reviews
Nothing but the best from All Outdoors. We've been rafting every year for the past six years and it had always been with AOR. On our 6th year our trip to Tuolumne River was free (frequent floater program, after 5 trips, next is free) and it was by far the best trip we've had ever! We've been to South and Middle Fork number of times but nothing tops Tuolumne. From booking and reservations, down to the guides, the food, the company, AOR is the way to go. I'm sure we'd be rafting with them for years and years to come. Next year is Merced River!
I would HIGHLY recommend doing a trip through these guys.
They're a family operation with great guides, and have been operating on the river longer than any of the other commercial companies. Doing the middle fork during 2 days in the middle of the week is great for those who like to hike and explore the canyon. The food were top notch and the service was amazing. Overall, it was an educational, adventurous experience.
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Top notch organization. Awesome customer service and a really great rafting trip. Can not recommend more highly. These folks were great. A+.
Did the Middle Fork on the American river on 7/18. There were several other outfits on the river that day. Ours was the only group that got out of the river at the first Class IV rapids. All 4 guides in our 4 boats talked us through the rapids and then we got back in the boats and had the ride of our lives. Emphasized both safety and fun.
Lunch was great: fresh fruits, chips and dip and a sandwich bar.
I will definitely go rafting with this folks again very soon!
These guys do a great job!
I went rafting this past weekend on the Merced river and had a blast. Our guide was Anne and she was really sweet. I never doubted her abilities and she confidently guided us down the river.
I would definitely recommend All Outdoors to anyone who is interested in white water rafting Northern Cali.
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Great and friendly service. The guide we had was a really nice laid back guy, very friendly, and told jokes all the way down the river. We rafted a class III-IV since we had a lot of beginners in our group.
We were supposed to raft a Class IV+ river tomorrow but unfortunately the two rivers that were close enough to do the early morning drive were not raft-able. Greg and Roxanne both apologized even though it wasn't their fault the weather was bad, and are refunding us our money.
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This was my first time rafting and I had a great experience! We took the "1-day Upper Chili Bar trip" on the South Fork of the American River. Our guide, Jesse, and his trainee, Max, were really fun and friendly. During the calm areas of the river, they told us many personal stories about rafting and random historical tidbits about the river. They seemed very knowledgeable of the area.
The lunch was absolutely delicious! Sure, they were only sandwiches, but I was completely blown away by how comprehensive and yummy the meal was! To start off, we had chips and salsa, and fresh-cut fruits (apples and grapes). For the sandwiches, there were 4 different types of bread, plenty of spread (mayo, mustard, PB&J), sundried tomatoes, various pickles and peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, salami, 3 types of cheese, avocado, and roast beef and turkey meat. And to wrap it all up, they had yummy cookies for dessert. I was stuffed! My life vest was definitely tighter after lunch!
UPDATE: A week after our trip, I received a postcard from our guide, Jesse, thanking me for organizing my group of friends to go to AO. What a friendly place!
Passengers who've enjoyed the thrill of riding in car with me (especially when I drove in LA) would say that such an adventure requires courage, a settled stomach, and a "live in the moment because it could end anytime" philosophy to life.
I'm happy to report this perspective was reinforced on the South Fork of the American River during my first whitewater rafting trip ever.
All of my uncoordinated and klutzy skills made for an exciting ride in the calmest of waters. I can really rock the boat! As luck would have it, our guide was very knowledgeable and experienced with disaster-aversion techniques, and successfully pushed me back into the raft at critical moments. And when the whitewater came in and nearly capsized us, he even grabbed my hat as it flew off my head in midair...amazing!
Catastrophe preparedness sets this company apart. Before we left the launch site, we spent a lot of time reviewing an extensive list of things not to do on the river, as well as tips for saving your own life (and the lives of your fellow rafters), should someone fall into it. They also packed a nice lunch with cookies (to prevent paddling fatigue) and stopped at a lovely picnic site with porto-potties...avoiding river contamination is always a good thing, especially if you end up swimming in it.
They also provide wetsuit and splash guard rentals and have a frequent-rafters program with discounts. All in all, this was one of the best death-defying trips I've had the pleasure of surviving to-date...and my friends lived to tell about it, too. Fantastic!
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I've been on at least a dozen rafting trips now, ranging from mellow class III through fairly intense class V waters, and the majority have been with AO. The guides are knowledgeable and have the right balance between careful and fun - they are great at assessing the general skill-level on board and adapting the run accordingly.
We did go on one run in which we were thrown from the raft in the middle of a class IV. Hubby seriously panicked (I thought it was kinda fun!) and they did a great job of retrieving us and getting us back on board quickly and safely.
I am particularly fond of the over-nighters, and AO provides great food they have never once failed to adapt meals to feed the veggie in the house (I always tell them Im a veghead when I make the reservation).
Bestest of all, AO has a frequent rafter program. I get a free river run next time I book - woo hoo!
Unfortunately, hubby isn't so into it anymore, so any rafters in the house, PM me!!
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I've been on my first rafting trip on the American River last year.
The guide was very cool and I and my friends had a wonderful rafting.
We all were very satisfied with AO's professional service.
AO Rafting offers some kick ass (literally) whitewater rafting on the American River. Some friends of mine and I took a 2 day rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the American, described as "the perfect step up into more difficult whitewater" and for "experienced rafters and adventurous beginners." This trip has class III and IV rapids, so if you're scared, I highly suggest starting with a II or III run.
As soon as you arrive, they give you safety instructions and then off you go in the bus to the launch site. Once you're in that raft, it's non-stop, with one good, tough rapid after another.
However, adventure does come at a price.
We were coming up to the longest class IV rapid in the trip. For some reason, our guide angled our raft into the rapid at the wrong angle, so the left side of the raft went into the air and everyone (including me) on the right side of the raft got dumped into the river. As I was told later, I was under the water for quite some time. To me, it felt like forever. Luckily, I remembered the safety lecture and tried to position myself like I was sitting in a chair, with my feet angled up. My back hit a rock pretty bad, but at least I surfaced. We finally got pulled out of the water and into another raft. Man, that water was so cold! I ended up limping like a cripple for the next few days because of where the rock hit me, but, oh, it was soo much fun!
The meals provided are really tasty. The guides are friendly, athletic, and have some great stories to tell. At the end of the first day, it was nice have a good meal, rollout a sleeping bag on the shores of the river and look at the millions of stars overhead.
Whitewater rafting is a great way to bond with your friends or to meet new people. If you have a free weekend during the summer, you should make your reservation with AO Rafting soon!
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OMG. This was sooo much fun. I felt like I was 8 again.
My best man organized a trip with All Outdoors Whitewater Rafting for my batchelor's party. Whitewater rafting is something that I've always wanted to do, and AO did not disappoint. We went on the one-day rafting trip at South Fork. The trip starts fairly leisurely so that people can get into the swing of it, and we were worried that it wasn't going to be a dud. However after lunch things really pick up and before long you're paddling your little heart out towards the next rapid, grinning like an idiot.
Our guide was great - cracking jokes, telling stories and completely in control. As I was the lucky guy she made me sit bull in the front of the raft without a paddle where I got drenched at every rapid (much to the amusement of my friends). The highlight of the trip was entering Satan's Cesspool with our eyes closed and then opening them at our guide's command to see us racing into a roaring maw of white-water, spray and fury.
The weather was super warm, so being thrown into the river (thanks boys) or taking a dip is a welcome relief. The scenery is fantastic and I think we only referenced Deliverance about 10 times. We are already thinking about a trip back with AO to do class 4 rapids. See you there!
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I went this past weekend with some friends and took the South Fork American River trip. We had so much fun. The class III rapids were perfect for us whitewater virgins. Our guide, Tiffany was great and easy going and got us down the river in one piece. The weather was super hot and dry, so the water felt so nice, though when submerged, it is f*cking cold! I preferred being in the raft and getting splashed. :)
I recommend doing this trip for any first timers out there. Just know that you are going to be sore the next day. (My ass still hurts)
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I have rafted with AO for 3 years now and every time the experience improves. This year I even organized a private charter for 35 coworkers to the Middle Fork and it was just the perfect trip. We had some noobs and a boat even wrapped but the guides were so supportive and nice that it became a thrilling excitement (we kept retelling the story weeks after the trip) instead of it being a downer.
Next year definitely Toulumne and when I'm ready to break my ultimate ClassV cherry at Cherry Creek I'd definitely go with AO too!!
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They really do a great job.
The staff are young, athletically gifted, knowledgable, confident, skilled, and entertaining!
I had never done this before but despite several challenges throughout the day, I never felt like they were not in control of things.
My second trip down the American River (first time with AOR) and this was just as fun as the first time. AOR did a fantastic job of accommodating myself and my friends from work. I was easily able to book the group within a few weeks of the trip and all the details (including receipt) was mailed to me within days. The directions/recommendations were helpful. We were on time, so were the guides and crew. Although we were scared sh*tless we all rolled through the rapids with ease and comfort (well, in hind-sight anyhow). My coworkers are still talking about it and all want to do it annually.
Kudos to all at AOR. Great fun, good price.
For my first whitewater rafting trip, my husband and I decided to go with All Outdoors and we were incredibly happy with our decision! We did the one-day South Fork (American River) trip and it was a blast!
I did have my moments of panic up at the front of the raft as I tried to pull my weight and help to ensure a safe passage through some of the bigger rapids, but it was a good panic! I'm sure I had a look of sheer terror on my face, but, I made it through safely and enjoyed the adrenaline rush!
The whole group stopped along the way for lunch that was set up by the guides. I had worked up quite an appetite and was worried that I would only have cheese and bread to eat since I don't eat cold cuts. I was wrong. Tons of fresh veggies, including avocado. Lots of other snacks, and even cookies for dessert.
During the trip, we were able to jump out of the raft for a dip in the river when the water was calm and we weren't close to any rapids. That was one of the best parts of the trip since it was about 110 degrees that day!
The guides were clearly very experienced and the customer service from start to finish was flawless!
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I have whitewater rafted a few times in my life, and I have to say, the experience with All Outdoors was absolutely the most exciting! Since all my friends with whom I went were not beginners, we decided to take the Intermediate package, which took us to the Middle Fork of the American River. Our guide WAS AWESOME. He knew we were a bunch of thrill seekers so he guided us through some of the most exciting parts of the rapids. Get this...this guy skis all winter long (he works at various resorts) and rafts spring through summer (he works for rafting companies during the rest of the year). He was really entertaining during the slower periods of the river.
As with most other companies, they provide lunch at a rest stop. That was pretty standard..chips, sandwiches, etc.
But this company is very good. They're knowledgeable, friendly, and most of all, are dedicated to making your experience FUN.
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Hands down, choosing AO Rafting was the best decision we made when planning our trip. If you've done any research looking for the best deals out there, you'll know that there are some seriously overwhelming sites (hello, raftwet.com!).
These guys are way organized--from my first phone call, to follow-up calls. Planning a trip for a group of friends can get messy, but they were totally on top of everyones payments, etc. Very cool.
Our guide was great--super knowledgeable about the area (he's been doing this for a long time and he's still young), seriously funny, and cute. Can't beat that. He entertained us the whole way on our one day trip down the Middle Fork. We'll definitely be back next summer for the 2-day trip.
As a side note: We had 8 people. Only 7 are allowed in a raft (including the guide). So, we had to split into 6 and 2, which sucked. We didn't get that head's up till we got there. Plan accordingly!
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After lots of online research, I chose the family owned, 45 year experience, Walnut Creek based company All Outdoors (AO Rafting). My DH and I went to the lower American River day long trip -- Gorge part. i'd gone rafting 20 years ago, but DH never had gone, and doesn't swim much (yet). The trip was so perfect and well managed that my DH had a great time, and we're going to go 2x more this summer. Always felt like we were in great hands, from the beginning to the river, to the yummy lunch mid-way. I highly recommend this company -- we're going to do as many rivers as we can with them (they do 10 in California alone). Special thanks to our calm, cool & collected guide, Mel! (Melissa). (For a place to stay the night before/after --- see my review at "Lotus Inn")
I just went rafting with this company for the first time and had a great time. While it's a little hard to find the meeting spot, it's well worth the hunt. My friends and I rafted down the southern fork of the American River today and survived Satan's Cesspool. The lunch they provided mid-day was delicious and wonderfully presented - it's like these guides went to Le Cordon Bleu or something. I think our guide was a little inexperienced and as a result we tipped over and several of us were trapped under the raft. The guide did not try and help us which is a sign of inexperience (or indifference) but we clearly made it through and had a good laugh about it afterwards (after I cried like a pathetic wuss). Overall it was a great experience and I would definitely use this company again. They offer rafting trips all over California and even offer a trip to Chile. I would definitely go back despite the traumatizing flip-over.
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