Cool River Tubing - Chattahoochee Outpost — Attraction in Helen

OK experience overall for the price and team was friendly...just don't bother to prepurchase your tickets online and be prepared to wait in linea....and become best friends with the hundreds of other folks tubing with this and the other tubing companies on the river.

Apparently purchasing tickets in advance does NOTHING for you so don't bother. We would have not done this experience after arriving and seeing the hour long wait, had we not been locked into it already. (I assume that is why they encourage online purchases so you can't back out when you see the crowd.)

Additionally the attendant who checked us in said we couldn't do the longer two hours trip due to low water. Found out that was not true as many people on the bus were doing the two hour long trip. I suspect this was an attempt by the company to shorten the time customers are on the river so they can make more money.

Very large crowds (it is July, and I recognize that) and the operation was overwhelmed. I assumed (incorrectly) that purchasing tickets online would secure a spot for the day and reduce my wait time.... boy was I wrong.

Once we got into the city limits of Helen it took 30 minutes just to get to the location. The town is not made for crowds and the locals clearly don't care as there is very little available parking and no signage to help drivers know where to go.

We were turned away twice by the employees of Cool River Tubing even though there were several open spots in their two main lots and given no directions or alternative parking options. I was able to flag down an employee after several parking attendants just waived us by without instructions and they suggested trying that "pad at the top of the hill."

Mind you this place is surrounded by lots which are reserved for other business so I was very nervous we would be towed or ticketed as there was no clear signage in most lots. We ended up parking on the side of a grass patch and praying our car would still be there when we got back. Luckily it was.

So then we headed to the online check-in to avoid the line in the gift shop as suggested on the website (it still took 20 minutes to check-in at the "express" online check in gazebo that was staffed by one person). And when we went in side to use the bathroom I realized the line to check-in inside was better staffed and shorter (and in the AC).

Then, we stood in the sun on a hot sidewalk with minimal shade for an hour just just get on a bus, and then the river was so crowded it was bumper boats and full of trash. On of our tubes deflated withing the first 15 minutes of being on the river... luckily he found an abandoned tube from the other tubing company on the side of the river. As a side note there were probably close to 100 tubes abandoned alone the river so if you don't have one just grab one upstream.

Overall this is a whitewashed experience more like you'd get in an amusement park vs nature. If you want a more authentic tubing experience go somewhere else...

My teenagers and I did the two hour run on a weekday afternoon in the summer. Found nearby parking easily in their free lot. We all had water shoes on and I would recommend that. Changing rooms were plentiful and clean. We rented a locker for $3 to have towels and change of clothes convenient afterward. We did each get a push stick and girls got a tether. They do recommend no more than 2 tubes tethered. The river has spots of rapids and spots of calmer water so if I (untethered) got separated in faster water we just moved off to side and rejoined in calmer waters. From the time we grabbed tubes to time bus pulled out was under 5 minutes. Bus was crowded so we sat 3 to a seat. They asked if anyone on bus wanted short ride and some did so we went to that drop off first and then on to the 2 hour ride spot. We did all get tubes with bottoms. Girls had sunglasses with cord, mine did not have cord. I kept them on with no issue but they were a cheap pair that I didn't mind if lost or damaged. Girls commented using the stick was an ab workout. We did like having push stick to have more control and avoid getting stuck. River wasn't terribly crowded on our day so we had no real issues with bumping each other or anything. None of us got dumped out at any point and didn't see anyone else get dumped. We did gt hung up on a rock here and there, but the push stick helped us get moving again. I did encounter one party that obviously had several members that were not water fans and they did not have push sticks and some people were very frustrated with their experience. But I just thinking tubing wasn't something they cared for to start with and not having a push stick for control does increase frustration. There were some people smoking in their tubes which I didn't care for but we just steered ourselves away from that group to get away from the smell. They do take your picture near the end and you can view/order it in gift shop. Getting out was a little bit tricky but they have employees in the water to help if you need it. I wish they had more of a gentle slant ramp type thing that jutted out into river to dismount on and then walk up for the less graceful among us. Instead it was a bit deep with steps. The bathrooms and showers all had lines when we returned. We did change back in changing rooms and then headed off to our next adventure. The one 2 hour run was plenty. Oh, they do stamp hands to show you have paid. I only mention it because I know someone that refuses to have ink stamped on his skin and would have had an issue with it. He was not with us, so not sure if they have any alternative if you have someone with the same aversion or...

We had the best time at Cool Water Tubing today! This is our second visit this summer, and our experience was absolutely fantastic. The customer service at the office was incredibly friendly; we quickly completed our payment and leave them our keys.

Before setting off, make sure to apply sunscreen to stay protected under the sun's rays. I'd also highly recommend getting the push wood stick for an additional $5. It proved to be really useful.

One crucial piece of advice is to seriously consider equipping your little ones with life jackets before embarking on this trip. I witnessed a heart-stopping incident where a 3-4-year-old girl ahead of me accidentally flipped off her tube. Her parents were nowhere in sight, and the part of the river she fell into was deep. She struggled to climb back onto the tube but kept slipping back into the water, with the tube occasionally flipping over her head. It was a frightening scene, but thankfully, her life jacket kept her head above water. I leaped out of my tube and managed to reach her. Another kind-hearted woman joined in, and together we cach her tube and brought her safely back on board.

It's worth noting that some parts of the stream can be quite deep and challenging, even for adults. To address this concern, the facility provides complimentary straps that allow you to secure the tubes together, ensuring you can keep a close watch on your kids.

In conclusion, our day at Cool Water Tubing was packed with fun and adventure, but it also served as a powerful reminder of the importance of safety, especially for young participants. With the right precautions and equipment, this experience can be an unforgettable family outing. Also, we brought our sticks at home and used to create memorable décor for home-...