30 Best Stops Between Charleston and Boone (2024)

We had a wonderful and exciting rafting experience with Jordan. She was such an awesome guide and definitely kept us entertained during our trip! We did the Lower Gauley and will definitely be back to do the Upper next year! The cabin and resort restaurant were also very clean and accommodating. The entire trip was exactly as we wanted!

I took a group on a Lower New rafting expedition for my brother's bachelor party this past weekend and had such an incredible time!! The rapids were so much fun, and the staff were all amazing. Our guide Matt was exceptional - he was so friendly and full of great stories and information, and made us all feel so safe in the raft while navigating a thrilling ride down the river. We all loved him and had a perfect day, despite some rainy skies. Could not recommend ACE rafting, or Matt, enough!

Always have such a great time at Ace! They take care of their guests so we'll. We were just there for the Mountain Music Festival and everything was always clean and stocked up and they had shuttle buses running 24/7 throughout the entire festival. The campground is beautiful, everyone is happy and helpful. I love Ace. I've camped here before as well and also had a great experience. Thank you, Ace!

We had a fantastic raft trip! We've been on rafting trips out West and I honestly didn't think this would be as good, but all of us agreed this was better! We did an all day trip on the lower New River which included lunch. I didn't realize it when we booked (this was a very last minute trip) but the route for the full and half day trips are the same. However, I still recommend the full day trips because you really get to take your time on the river. We got to go back and surf some of the rapids, jump of a rock cliff, get out and float during some parts, and got to relax between rapids instead of paddling constantly. Our guide, Garrison, was great at giving us directions throughout the ride and keeping us safe (and helping us back into the boat when we fell out). lunch was really good as well, with several options to choose from. Also, the whole ACE resort area was way nicer than we expected. The bathrooms, showers and changing rooms were very clean. We definitely want to come back again with younger kids to try the water park, because it looked super fun! I know there are several companies to choose from for rafting in this area, but I would highly recommend ACE!

ALMOST DIED HERE and the resort was very irresponsible. It was the worst experience of my life.First, the website misled us that this activity was beginner-friendly, which it wasn’t. The reality was far more miserable than we expected.Second, when the instructor assigned the rafts, he didn’t consider that all the lightest people were in our raft. As a result, our raft flipped over three times during the entire trip. This almost cost us our lives!!We haven’t received any apology nor compensation until now. Don’t come to this resort if you and your families/friends want a nice trip.

We went to the lower part of the new river. Skyler was a great tour guide of our amazing trip. We got to float in the water on some 2s. Had very exciting white water waves and some great views. Got absolutely soaked with water not cold at all but more warm. Absolute blast and a very fun experience. Also the water park was great, loved the blob. Great weekend trip!

We went rafting and it was an excellent trip. Our guide Scotty O. asked us early if we wanted kid friendly or adult humor and he definitely delivered. The river was great and he only dumped us once! I don't know what jokes he tells in his G version of the trip but we were all appropriately amused. Definitely recommend, he's a great guy and knows his stuff.

Went white water rafting with my fiance and 3 of our 4 kids and fiance and it was a blast! Hadn't been there in almost 3 decades and it was as fun as it was when I was a teen! Alex was great and were going back in September to do the Gauley and hope to get him again. Great people, great place, definitely recommend!

We didn’t stay on ACE property, but we did the 1/2 lower new river rafting trip @2pm with Jordan Smith as our guide! She was amazing!! She was skilled, informative, fun and personable! When we returnwe will ask for her! The rapids ranged from 1-5, we were able to swim & my whole family (husband, 12 yo daughter, 15 yo daughter and myself) had loads of fun!!The next day we did a full day climbing & rappelling off site with Laurel as our guide and she, too, was amazingly skilled, professional and personable! We had fun, learned new things and left ready to climb more. (Our family climbs at an indoor gym and this was great for our first outdoor experience).

We used Ace Adventures to do the "Fall Run" on the Gauley River. We opted for the "Double Marathon" rafting trip, which is two 26 mile runs back to back. It was very strenuous, and not for beginners. The rapids were incredible, and our guide did an outstanding job on both days. We spent the night on the river after day one, and the accommodations and food were perfect ! I highly recommend Ace for River runs !

I did the white water rafting half day and our guide was Jules. SHE WAS AMAZING! Jules coached us at the beginning and was a great leader on the water with a personality that is infectious. Jules was energetic, enthusiastic, positive yet focused because you could tell she was serious about keeping us safe. Although every guide has been great throughout the years, Jules will leave a positive lasting impression on me. Thanks again and looking forward to a full day trip next time.Just a side note, I did not stay at the resort hotel.

We went on the full day Upper New rafting adventure with our 8 and 10 year old kids. We opted for a raft instead of a ducky because my daughter was a little nervous. Our raft guide and all of our trip guides were so awesome. They made sure we had fun the whole day while making sure everyone was safe. It was a great beginning trip with a little bit of thrill. We loved it and would highly recommend rafting with ACE!

Nick "Nugget" took us down the lower river and I must say, he made the experience memorable and fun. He knew how to read his guests and made calls based on that. He allowed us to adventure inside of an adventure. The company is very well organized and full of knowledgeable staff. The entire day was phenomenal. I would raft again today if time would allow it! They take care of evening, including delicious food, so that you can focus on making memories. If you're considering a trip, I highly recommend requesting Nick.Oh and Fox the video guy put on a great show and really hyped up the guests.

We were there in 2019 and had a great time. The guide was awesome - knew the river and took us into the NASTIEST white water! (Which I wanted!!). The dude was calm and professional. The trip leader - retired Marine from Florida - was also just awesome - knew the "game" and dang funny! Trying to figger out our next trip up from Atlanta.

We did the Gauley Marathon rafting trip and it was incredible all around. Susan was the lead for the day and our actual raft guide and is the most organized, kind but direct to get done what needs to be, knowledgeable and fun person to be around and made the trip exciting and safe for the whole day. It was well done from start to finish with organization and communication. Email/text ahead of time, places to get ready and shower off after, rental gear that kept us warm, and you could tell the guides just flowed and communicated well instinctually, especially thanks to Susan and her leadership. She is incredible and made this the best rafting experience! Rapids were phenomenal on this river but know what you are getting into with this - we have also been on the New River in the past which was great for the newer people we went with then.

We took our 10 year old grandson ziplining today and it was fantastic. He was afraid at first but after the first zip, he was first I'm line for the rest. Amazing views. A great hike and wonderful guides. Lindsay, Jess and Liz are the most AMAZING guides you could ask for. They were so professional but hilarious at the same time. They made everyone feel so welcomed and at ease through the whole tour. They made the day so much fun. If we ever go back we will definitely request them to be our guides again. These young ladies love what they do so much that you can't help but to jade a great time around them. Thank you to all three so much! They even took pictures for us since we didn't bring our phones. Five star service for sure!!!

We had a blast doing a half day whitewater rafting run of the lower New River with guide Annalee! We drove in from Cleveland, Ohio and it was so worth our drive. We had some folks who went before and 4 newbies in our group. Annalee kept it wild and challenging for the people who already loved rafting and kept it fun and informative for our new folks. She even shared a lot of the National Park & WV history with us. Annalee was particularly kind and considerate with some health issues amongst our group. Every ACE guide we've worked with has been amazing but Annalee went above and beyond! Thank you, we can't wait to come back.

Had a great full-day rafting trip along the lower New River. Our trip leader was Bodie, and our rafting guide was Jason. Both were spectacular! Went on July 4, and the river was amazingly not busy. Our guides were friendly, challenged us, and kept us safe the entire time. Would recommend this company and these guides.

This place is sweet! Lots and lots of things that you can do. They have the biggest lake with fun inflatables... high ropes, zip lines, disc golf, paintball and much more. We went white water rafting with them and had a great time! Everyone was nice and fun was their theme! They did not disappoint! We will be returning and staying longer to try out some of their other activities. If you haven't checked them out or are comparing other things go here!

Top notch facility. Love the mountain top camp ground, need to improve the bathrooms, been the same for over 15 years I've been going almost ever year.

What an absolutely amazing experience! Folks, if you are going to take in the beauty of our area; there's no better place to do it then on an ACE raft!Kind, courteous, and friendly guides; your family's fun and safety is guaranteed.Philip is an amazing River Guide, and has been a migrant wave farmer for many years.My family rides with Philip every year down this river, I suggest you folks check them out and ask for Philip.

Had a blast on the Lower All Day trip! Stew did a great job of interacting with the group, making us laugh and making our experience memorable. The lunch they provided was really good too. Nice to have pictures and videos taken during the trip as well. Would highly recommend them.

Our guide was Jordan and she was fantastic! She was trendy and relatable for everyone in the group. So many times we fell back just because the boat conversation was so good!Upper mash mashed us around pretty good, lost her and another off the raft, but she was able to give us direction from the middle of the water in the midst of a rapid and keep us going -- legendary!We even recovered in the midst of the rapid getting everyone back on board and recollecting the lost shoe & paddle! 😂We stayed in a cabin tent and they were a bit cold, as they aren't heated, but if you pack warm, they're pretty nice!Overall great experience with Ace Adventure, their lodging, and their guides!

We did a 12 hr adventure races based out of here and it was great. Cabin was basic but as expected - and appropriate for the area. White water rafting waa awesome and our guide was to be admired for her expertise and positive demeanour. The nature can’t b beat and is truly spectacular.

They were very welcoming and accommodating to my special needs son, and water is his thing, his absolute favorite. Took the whole family, and had a very good time. The stone oven pizza for $20 was WOW.. and the kids working the concession and around the beach area are really good kids, really good stuff.. very polite and accommodating. It was worth the money we spent, for half day tickets.

My husband, 12 year old son, and I rafted the lower Gauley and had the BEST day. Lauren was our trip leader and the amazing Skyla was our guide. They were both great. Knowledge, really fun (but also super safe). They all took such good care of us and showed us the most hospitality on this gorgeous river. Lunch was perfect (would love the pasta salad again!) and Ted-our shuttle driver-was incredible. Would 10/10 recommend and we will be back!

This place is amazing. This was my first time whitewater rafting, and our tour guide, Alex, made it a delightful experience. Alex was very skilled at what he did, even being able to reliable "surf" on top of some of the rapids. Safety instructions was clear and easy to understand. It was amazing to see Appalachia from the river, with its beautiful green mountains. I highly Recommend.

The white water rafting experience at ACE was absolutely amazing! The professional guides made the whole adventure unforgettable.Our guide for the day was Garrison. His passion, enthusiasm for the job, and his river knowledge was impressive. He made us feel confident and kept us safe throughout the ride.Great job Garrison! We will be back.

we did the all day white water rafting trip, and it was awesome. our guide, mark, was very knowledgeable on the history of new river gorge and we felt very safe doing the class 5 rapids with him. the lunch provided was very good and they were able to provide a vegan meal for me. our only complaint was the price to buy the video and photos after the trip we wish they were a little more affordable.

We did the half day lower New River rafting. My son & I are experienced white water rafters, but it was my sisters first time. The experience was outstanding! The safety talk made everyone feel ready for the trip and there was a guide in each raft. There were 2, 3, 4 & 5’s. At the top of the 3, 4 & 5’s, the guide quickly reminded us of the safety procedures and were to swim in the unlikely event that we fell out of the raft. No one even came close to that, but the information was reassuring. Everyone from checking in, picking up our equipment, rafting and turning in our equipment was great - friendly, willing to answer questions, touch of humor. The day could not have been better.

First time doing rafting and let me tell you everybody has to do it!!! My guide was a wonderful lady Elisa, she explained us everything with love and passion, she really love the old river. Truly worth it, incredible experience. 4 full hours of nature, great people and good vibes. Very easy to make a reservation, the tour was on time and at the end of the tour they gave us soft drinks and beers 🤩😂

I have taken several private kayak lessons from ACE. A rolling clinic and river trips. My instructor Ryan is awesome! He is incredibly knowledgeable and patient. I felt safe the whole time, which helped me focus on learning skills, and we had so much fun! If you are wanting to get into white water kayaking I highly recommend taking a clinic or 3 from ACE and definitely request Ryan as your instructor!

This was our second trip to Ace because my daughter wanted to go white water rafting for her birthday. The first trip was mediocre. Because of the guide. Very little information and instructions. This trip however was a very different experience. We had Brooks for a guide and he made our trip very enjoyable and gave people in my group the confidence to bring out their best and have an overall great experience. We will be returning for the next level and will be requesting Brooks as our guide. I recommend if you go do the same. He his an asset to Ace!

Didn’t stay here but wish we did. We started at the zip line and it was an incredible experience. Liz, Justin and Zeb were so much fun and really made the trip invigorating. Great information and tour as well scenery and personalities. You have to go zip line!We then went on the white water rafting trip with Matt. To say it was a blast is an understatement. I didn’t think we could top the zip line from earlier in the day but the rafting was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. The staff here are incredible and just want to shout out thank you to Matt, Liz, Justin and Zeb! Excellent work and keep the energy up.

My family and I stayed in Blackberry. It is a small open campsite towards the back. Bathroom facilities were pretty good for camping and campsite was well-maintained. The rafting was fun (Upper New), and I definitely recommend taking a duckie over the raft if you have the choice. The water park honestly stole the show though - lots of fun for the whole family with dozens of obstacles, water slides, zip lining, a blob, and more. The food was excellent too!Conch outlook is worth the drive as well. Definitely will go back!

Went white water rafting on the lower river with 4 other guys for a bachelor party. It was just us in our raft + Chris Fix - he was absolutely the man. Was very knowledgeable, personable, and helped make sure we were safe and had a great time. Would highly recommend him and the experience as a whole.

We took a group of students to Ace Adventure for an overnight rafting trip and had the best time! From the minute we arrived to the moment we left, the employees at ACE were friendly and eager to lend a hand if we needed anything.The food was plentiful and absolutely delicious, and the overnight camp site was beautiful and comfortable.Above all, I was very impressed with our raft guides. They were clear and concise when giving instructions and also had our safety in mind at all times. Marissa was friendly, informative and amazing out there on the rapids! We were all blown away by her skills and professionalism.

My family and I recently visited New River Gorge and had an absolutely fantastic time, especially at ACE Adventure Resort. Our main adventure was whitewater rafting, and it was an experience we will never forget. The rapids were thrilling yet manageable, and our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and made us feel safe throughout the entire journey. The scenery was breathtaking, with stunning rock formations and lush greenery surrounding us as we navigated the river.ACE Adventure Resort provided excellent accommodations and facilities, making our stay even more enjoyable. The resort offers a variety of activities, and we took advantage of some of the hiking trails, which offered beautiful panoramic views of the gorge. The whole area is well-maintained and provides a perfect mix of adventure and natural beauty.We highly recommend New River Gorge and ACE Adventure Resort for families looking for an exciting and memorable outdoor experience. We can't wait to return!

We did a guided family white water rafting trip with Ace and it could not have been better! The guides were absolutely amazing and the trip we did (upper New River, all day) was a perfect trip for families with kids. There was just enough rapids for it be exciting and plenty of opportunities for the kids to swim and play in the river. They fed us a surprisingly nice lunch and we even got a cool little tour of the island where we stopped. Just a well done experience all around. Also make sure to budget in to buy the pictures after the tour. The tour photographer did a fantastic job capturing the action shots and they are definitely keepsakes. Highly recommend this company if you’re looking to do any rafting. They were a well oiled machine but made it all feel very personal. An unforgettable experience!

We would like to commend Lindsey/Lindsay(?) (sorry if we’re misspelling your name, we’re not from here!) who was working on 11 May, at 6pm at the Welcome Centre. While the site messed up and forgot about our tents, Lindsey was approachable, fast, efficient and a great problem solver. She gave us clear instructions the first time we drove in, highlighting the number to call in case of emergency, and the Welcome Centre’s number to call before 9pm (the reception‘s staffed hours). Thereafter, we drove up and realised there was no tent where it ought to be. We contacted the welcome centre and requested that they send someone up to set it up. After a few minutes, Lindsey informed us that she had discussed with the bosses and since they could not set up the tent, they would offer to move us to the cabins as an exception. Although I was really looking forward to the tent-camping, we did after all have a great experience with the bunk bed cabins and were also kept safe from the elements ☺️ We would really like to shout out to thank Lindsey (11 May Welcome Centre, on shift 6pm) for the way she resolved the problems and her attention to detail from the get-go, informing us about the numbers to call etc and being so friendly and hospitable. As we’re not from the area, we did extensive extensive research before choosing a campsite LOL— If you’re reading this and looking for somewhere to go camping, well, look no further! Prices were great (we think?) for the tent camping ($10 for the tent set, $15/pp for the camping space).

What a fantastic water resort. We came for an activity during a humanitarian trip and had the best time. The activities are very well done with something for all ages. The minimal supervision is actually an excellent approach, allowing guests to make the most of their visit.

Recently went through Ace Adventure for an all day rafting trip down the New River Gorge. Had an incredible experience!! The business was VERY well run, from booking to the end. The staff was all very friendly and there to make sure our trip was awesome. Huge shout out to our guide FOX. He was very knowledgeable about the river and put in the extra effort to ensure we had lots of fun, adventure and just an all around great time. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND this place if you're in the area and looking for some outdoor adventure. They have it all!! Thanks again everyone!!!