Activities River tubing
Skill level Beginner
Age 3+ Years
Weight limit 300lb/person
Duration
2 miles
1.5 to 5 hours (depends on water level)
Summer typical - 5 hours
River features
Slow moving flat water. One small Class I rapid; One shallow rock garden; there is a cutoff time for tubing! See cut-off times in "Things to know before you go" section, a little further down this webpage
Searching Availability...
cup holder
$39
cup holder
1 Hour -
2 Hours -
All Day * - $39
cup holder, back rest, mesh floor
$44
cup holder, back rest, mesh floor
1 Hour -
2 Hours -
All Day * - $44
tube varies on child's size
$34
tube varies on child's size
1 Hour -
2 Hours -
All Day * - $34
tube for personal belongings and refreshments
$15
tube for personal belongings and refreshments
1 Hour -
2 Hours -
All Day * - $15
includes PFD rental, shuttle, safety & trip brief; you provide the tube
$34
includes PFD rental, shuttle, safety & trip brief; you provide the tube
1 Hour -
2 Hours -
All Day * - $34
Lazy River Tubing on Cape Fear River
Our river tubing excursion sets off from our river shack in Lillington and offers 2 extremely lazy miles of unspoiled rolling forests and wildlife. Our Cape Fear River exudes a cool, Southern charm that will have you on Cloud Nine by the time you arrive at your trip’s end. Enjoy one Class I rapid, a rock garden and a very unique, wild habitat. Our shuttle will then whisk you back to where you started in Lillington. Trip duration depends heavily on river flow. A summer low river will make your trip last around 5 hours. Please contact us for questions about current river conditions for this trip.
Last tube goes out at:
• 12:00 PM — Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays
• 11:00 AM — Monday through Friday
⛔ Arrivals after the cut‑off time cannot tube.
Paddling trips will be recommended instead.
Times subject to change without notice. Reservations strongly recommended.
River is an uncontrolled wilderness environment with unpredictable outcome! You are exposed to all nature’s elements (sun, rain, wind, thunderstorms, etc). There are rocks that can scratch you, mud that can get you dirty, deep spots where you are not able to stand, thunderstorms that might form over you, wildlife and other unpredictable factors that can harm you! There is no way to abandon the trip early!
It’s the river that’s “LAZY”! Typical water levels are low creating a very slow current! Normal tubing trip will last around 5 hours in the summer time. You move a half mile an hour and some areas might be stagnant. The river bottom is very rocky, water shoes with toe protection and back strap are a must! After heavier rains the river level might come up creating stronger and faster current; at higher levels the trip can be as short as 1.5 hours (not typical for summer time).
Be ready to walk, swim, or paddle with your hands along the way. There is a very good chance you will have to get out of the tube at some point of the trip. You float through a rock garden at the end of the trip where you have a lot of rocks to maneuver around or walk around!
We will check coolers to ensure no glass containers are being brought on the river.
Since tubing is a mostly summer months activity when the weather and water are warm, you can plan on wearing a swimming suit, shorts or something you can plan on getting wet and swim in. Wear closed-toe shoes: water shoes, sandals, or sneakers is highly recommended, no flip-flops!
Plenty of water! Plan on taking one 12 oz bottle of water per person per river hour. Absolutely no glass containers! Nalgene bottles or regular plastic bottled water is your best option.
Sunscreen is a must, even on cooler days!! Alternatively, you can wear long sleeve clothing.
Closed-toe shoes are highly recommended! There is a great chance of you having to walk on rocky riverbed at some point or another.
Lunch and snacks. Bring along your cooler, mid to larger sized coolers fit very nicely in our cooler carrier tubes.
Please note: our cooler carrier is just a carrier and doesn’t include a cooler.
Phone(s) We will ask you to bring at least one phone per group. We have dry pouches, dry boxes, and dry bags for sale in our shop, if needed.
If you’d like to bring a change of dry clothes to leave in your car, please do. We have changing rooms you can use at the end of your trip.
Paracord A string or cord to attach tubes together, if you choose to. We sell paracord at our Lillington gift shop. We are no longer able to offer complimentary cord due to excessive littering and overuse. Please be sure to remove your cord at the end of the trip.
Other Items: Cameras, water toys, speakers, etc.
We strongly recommend making online reservations! It allows you to complete all the required paperwork online and it will speed up your check-in! That’s also the only way we can guarantee the equipment you need.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your activity, please do so at least 72 hours before your activity start time for a full refund or a no‑fee reschedule. Inside 72 hours, bookings are final and cannot be changed or refunded. We will do our best to accommodate your trip as scheduled. However, we reserve the right to adjust your activity due to river conditions or weather by rescheduling, offering a different activity, or issuing credit for future use. Refunds are not provided for weather‑related changes.
3 years old and up.
300lb. The heavier a person, the lower a tube sits in the water, making it more challenging to float on a low, rocky river!
We promote healthy living and healthy enjoyment of the great outdoors! Alcohol is not recommended to have an amazing time on the river, however if you must… Responsible, moderate consumption is strongly enforced. All North Carolina and Waterways laws apply and are closely monitored by local and Wildlife Law Enforcement.
ABSOLUTELY NO GLASS CONTAINERS OR LIQUOR!
You have to have at least one 18 year old individual in your party out on the water. Anyone else under 18 must have consent from a parent or legal guardian.
Choose any river activity that suits your group the best. Once you have the date, group count, and trip picked, we will email a quote to the Trip Leader that has the appropriate discount applied.
Groups must be paid for in one single payment to qualify for our group discount. Give us a call 919.495.5555 or contact us with questions.
Yes! We offer 10% discount for military, EMS, Fire, Police, Teachers, and Students. Use Promo Code “service” when making your online reservations. Be sure to have your military or relevant ID when checking in.
No, the trip is limited to the take-out, at a set 2-mile mark. The section of river this trip floats is surrounded on all sides by privately owned property. Privately-owned residential and farm-land properties should be respected and no trespassing is allowed.
Yes, you can. We do not offer a discounted rate if you are using personal tube.
Yes, we do! We accept all major credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
There are no gators or sharks, but there are water snakes. They are mostly non-aggressive type, but we ask you to respect wildlife and keep your distance. Checking your surroundings while on water goes a long way. Any incidents with wildlife are extremely rare and generally it is a unique experience to spot any wildlife while out on the river!
Dogs are not allowed on this trip.
Indeed, all of the above! Due to the very slow river current we ask you to be prepared to swim, walk, paddle with your hands or use other means to keep yourself moving, especially during summer months when the river is at its low summer level.
It is large enough to carry a medium to large “Yeti” type cooler.
It can be more difficult than it looks, especially in deeper water. It will take some upper body strength to pull yourself up.
Yes! At our Lillington location, we do sell ice.
