7 Fabulous Float-to-Stays

Paddling trips on scenic rivers to great mountain towns make for perfect summer getaways.

By Eric J. Wallace / Photo Above: Kayaks on Toccoa River Below the Falls

The Blue Ridge is home to one of the planet’s most concentrated collections of protected lands and brims with visually stunning scenic rivers. Thousands of miles of sparsely or wholly undeveloped waterways course through the region’s peaks and hills, bringing a smorgasbord of destination-grade canoe and kayak trips.  

White-knucklers like myself love to chase hidden whitewater passages and isolated backcountry runs, but there’s something magical about a float down a beautiful span of river to or from a great Southern Appalachian mountain town. Here, I pull from my vault of experience to highlight trips that combine plug-and-play convenience with stellar post-paddle amenities.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA  

The Float. Shepherdstown Pedal & Paddle services a gentle but stupendously scenic 8-mile float on the Potomac River through a meandering swath of protected lands along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Put in near Shepherd University at the Princess Street boat ramp by a set of antebellum-era stone pillars that once held a covered wooden bridge and railway crossing. The river here is about 600 feet wide and chugs along at a smooth, steady pace through lush, densely forested banks flanked by the Elk Ridge mountain range to the east. Development is remarkably sparse, and frequent riffles up the fun factor. Don’t miss the 1834 stone aqueduct on river left at the mouth of Antietam Creek above the takeout at Dargen Bend Boat Ramp.  

Eat/Drink/Stay. Base camp at The Inn at Antietam in the nifty colonial village of Sharpsburg. The five-suite, porch-enwrapped 19th-century Victorian holds spacious rooms that blend upscale amenities like premium mattresses and marble vanities with historic touches like oversized mullioned windows and original hardwood floors.  

Sample a flight of delicious craft brews at Potomac Ridge Brewing within a short walk of a restored stone lock on the C&O Canal rail-to-trail. Continue to Shepherdstown’s Bistro 112 and indulge in a wine-paired, French-meets-New-American multicourse tasting experience courtesy of former Washington, D.C., standout chef, Paul Stearman, in a cottage-chic dining room that dates to 1833.

FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA 

The Float. Local paddling enthusiasts praise the 6-mile span of Shenandoah River South Fork that runs from Simpsons Landing to Eastham Park as one of the region’s most treasured floats. You pass through dense riparian woodlands in the marvelously scenic Page Valley, catching intermittent views of Shenandoah National Park to the east and Massanutten Mountain to the west. Next to no development and an average width of about 300 feet make the waterway feel wild and secluded. Occasional swimming holes, gravel bars, and frequent riffly chutes offer ample entertainment. Front Royal Outdoors provides rentals and shuttles throughout the warm months. 

Eat/Drink/Stay. While Front Royal sits at the northern terminus of Skyline Drive, it lacks a destination-worthy boutique hotel or inn. But don’t worry, Airbnb options abound. Couples or small families, for instance, will love the cabin-style, luxury A-frame Wizard’s Chalet. It’s nestled into a high hillside overlooking the river and boasts a cathedral-ceilinged great room, granite-equipped full kitchen, two large and posh bedrooms, and a deck with a hot tub.  

Celebrate the day’s adventure at Vibrissa Beer in a neatly restored turn-of-the-century Main Street warehouse and pick from a rotating cast of 10 house-brewed beers on tap. Follow this with a short drive to the legendary L’Auberge Provencale Inn & Restaurant for a decadent wine-paired dinner. Chef Alex Sakelakos dishes up seven-course, prix fixe meals that leverage local ingredients to explore classic French techniques in a James Beard Foundation Great Culinary Inn of America.  

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE 

The Float. The smallish northeast Tennessee river flows from namesake South Holston Lake through 17 miles of remarkably scenic countryside to the upper branches of Boone Lake. The section is legendary among in-the-know anglers and delivers one of the Southeast’s densest year-round populations of trophy-grade wild trout.  

Swift currents churn through an easy-to-navigate corridor with abundant farmland to the west and the Cherokee National Forest and Holston Mountain Range to the east. Loaner kayaks are included with a stay at South Holston River Lodge, and you can pick from 6- or 11-mile adventures that take upward of eight hours to complete. Expect plenty of riffles and a string of large islands that create neat bifurcations and awesome swim spots. 

Eat/Drink/Stay. The rustic-themed South Holston River Lodge occupies a dreamily manicured riverfront property surrounded by forests about midway between South Holston and Boone Lake. Pick from a trio of chic, wood-sided cabins with private decks that open onto the river. There’s also a pair of cozy rooms over a visitors-only restaurant helmed by a private chef who cooks three gourmet meals a day—including picnic lunches and scrumptious multicourse dinners.   

Cruise Riverside Road to Bluff City and locally beloved South Fork Taphouse for authentic dive bar ambience and an impressive menu of regional craft brews and ciders.  

STANTON, KENTUCKY 

The Float. A surprisingly accessible paddler’s Shangri-La awaits deep in northeast Kentucky’s Daniel Boone National Forest in the 29,000-acre Red River Gorge Geological Area. The preserve’s eponymous waterway winds through a boulder-strewn canyon lined with towering, 600-plus-foot limestone cliffs and more than 100 natural arches. The eye candy is offset by a hit parade of exciting riffles and totally manageable class II rapids. Beachy sandbars and swimming holes pepper the section and provide myriad opportunities to relax and soak up the scenery. 

Red River Adventure outfitters provides rentals and shuttles for a flagship half-day run that flows for about 8 miles from the gorge’s Copperas Creek Canoe Launch to their riverfront headquarters. 

Eat/Drink/Stay. Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals manages a vacation portfolio with options for everyone. Stay spots range from window-lined studio treehouses surrounded by leafy forests to sprawling and extravagant log-cabin-style lodges with massive great rooms, pool tables, and hot-tub-equipped decks.  

Sky Bridge Station brims with old-school, honky-tonk vibes and an unexpected array of craft alcoholic beverages in a renovated 19th-century cabin that sits about 6 miles from the outfitter. Continue to Red River Rockhouse for epicurean-approved burgers, tacos, and wraps paired with wine or craft beer on tap in a smartly overhauled, CCC-style stone rancher.  

BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA 

The Float. The French Broad River is known for high-octane whitewater sections and languorous, fam-friendly floats near the city of Asheville. But its upper section is staggeringly beautiful and 100% beginner appropriate. The give-or-take 8-mile passage from Rosman’s Headwaters Outfitters to the Hannah Ford Road takeout is about as scenic as they come. Chug through near-magical tree tunnels at an elevation of around 2,500 feet on the eastern border of Pisgah National Forest, enjoying tons of light riffles and small sandy islands that make for perfect picnic spots.    

Eat/Drink/Stay. Book a modern, treehouse-style cabin on the outskirts of Brevard at Pilot Cove. Units are perched on the mountainous border of Pisgah National Forest and equipped with chic amenities like walk-in glass showers, floor-to-ceiling windows, and large decks with soaring eastward views of town.  

Post up for craft brews at regionally famous outdoors hub and watering hole Pisgah Tavern a few hundred yards away. Sit at the rugged wooden bar and take your pick from a curated, ever-shifting lineup of eight award-winning beers from around the country. Head downtown to chef Trey Foster’s Vescovo Neighborhood Eatery for inspired farm-to-table takes on Italian staples and astounding craft cocktails in a fashionable and intimate 50-seat room.  

BLUE RIDGE, GEORGIA 

The Float. The Toccoa River begins in the deep mountains of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and flows northwest to feed into 3,300-acre Lake Blue Ridge. Easy access and a robust trout-stocking program attract big crowds to its tailwaters, but the Toccoa’s insanely scenic upper section is a paddler’s dream.   

The picturesque 14-mile span between the state-designated Deep Hole and Sandy Bottoms recreation areas is particularly glorious. The current is fairly swift, so gung-ho adventurers can tackle the full section in a day. But a half-dozen public ramps and landings make it easy to break trips into bite-size chunks. Floats are characterized by steep, densely forested banks, fairytale-esque rhododendron thickets, a deluge of riffles and small rapids, and few marks of civilization. Float North Georgia offers wraparound support for trips.  

Eat/Drink/Stay. Base camp in the heart of downtown at The Blue Ridge Inn. A railroad magnate built the Stick-style home in 1890, and it was transformed into an 11-suite bed-and-breakfast about a century later. You’ll be awed by features like a lavish downstairs lobby with period-style furnishings and a massive, 135-year-old crystal wedding-cake chandelier. A string of recent renovations has brought five-star upgrades to rooms. 

Walk a few blocks to Angry Hops Brewing to sample a collection of 17 house brews on tap in a colorful outdoor seating area off East Main Street. Italian-born chef Igor Ferraro uses locally sourced ingredients to carry patrons on an upscale tasting tour of his homeland at Ferraro’s Kitchen fine-dinery. Waitstaff will help you sift through selections for a vino-paired, four-course meal you won’t soon forget.   

TRAVELERS REST, SOUTH CAROLINA 

The Float. The Upper Saluda River Blueway flows through the state’s rural northwest hill country for 120 miles and is home to a treasure trove of visit-worthy floats. Some of the waterway’s most picturesque paddling unfolds above its namesake lake within 5 to 10 miles of downtown Travelers Rest—and Sunrift Adventures offers catered trips throughout the span.  

While hardcore enthusiasts regale the class II and III rapids of McElhaney Shoals, the roughly 7-mile run from Old Hunts Bridge to the upper Saluda Lake boat landing is a laid-back gem. The river here is rarely more than 100 feet wide and flows through mostly isolated forests interspersed with numerous small lakes and tributaries. The area is also packed with iconic wildlife like bald eagles and great blue herons.  

Eat/Drink/Stay. The Station by Compo Hotels backs onto the paved Swamp Rabbit Trail greenway, which connects downtown Travelers Rest to the neighboring city of Greenville. The chic, townhome-style, modern farmhouse cottages feature midcentury-themed furnishings, vaulted ceilings, exposed wooden beams, galley kitchens, well-appointed sitting rooms, and more. 

Rent a bike from Sunrift Adventures and pedal 1 mile north on the greenway to Main Street’s hip and funky Swamp Rabbit Brewery & Taproom. Six house beers on tap are supplemented by a broad variety of regional brews, wine, and ciders.  

Find Michelin-recommended, farm-to-table eats across the street at Topsoil Kitchen & Market. You can order à la carte, but the four-course prix fixe option is the best way to enjoy the hyper-seasonal culinary musings of James Beard Foundation Best Chef semifinalist Adam Cooke. 

The story above first appeared in our July/August 2026 issue.