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Oklahoma City Riversport

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Oklahoma City Riversport - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Riversport OKC – Class-VI family fun right in downtown!

While the rapids only get to Class-III (for mortals like you and me), the adventure gets up to VI at Riversport OKC ! This world-class rafting and kayaking facility is the signature attraction in Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District and gives guests the chance to experience real whitewater right near downtown and the Oklahoma River.

Riversport Adventure Parks, along with the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation and other partners, have teamed up to bring this incredible urban adventure to Oklahoma City, and we can say that it’s a must-do for any family visiting OKC. Not only is Riversport the place in OKC for a wild ride, it’s also an official US Olympic & Paralympic Training Site for kayaking, flatwater, rowing, and canoe. They’ve done an incredible job with this facility, and we love it!

In addition to the amazing rafting, they have a zip line, slides, gravity ropes, and so much more to explore. After having spent the past few summers paddling and climbing around, here’s our complete guide on having maximum fun during your visit to Riversport OKC.

The AftT guide to rocking your day at Riversport OKC

Disclosure: please note that this post contains affiliate links, and as an amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases. there is no additional cost to you, and it helps us to bring you more great content like this. thanks, before you arrive at riversport adventures, book your rafting adventure.

Available passes at Riversport OKC

Adventure pass.

RIVERSPORT Pass

For adventures on the water in addition to land, the RIVERSPORT Pass is for you. You get all the fun of the Adventure Pass plus RIVERSPORT Rapids whitewater rafting, tubing and river boarding, plus flatwater adventures in the Boathouse District.

For ala carte options or season passes, Riversport has a pass for you. Check out all the options here. Tip: If you're only doing one rafting trip, you may want to book an afternoon time and spend the morning exploring the SandRidge Sky Trail, Sky Slides, Rumble Drop, etc., first. When you're done, you'll be ready to beat the afternoon heat on the river.

When you arrive at Riversport OKC

Fill out your waivers.

After you park, head inside and find the tablets along the wall where you will fill out your waivers. Everyone will need one. If you have the kids with you, one adult can add the kids to their waiver while the other parent fills out their own. Once you’re done will all the legal stuff, hop in line to get your passes.

Grab your wristbands and locker key(s)

Once you’ve decided on a pass, you may want a locker for the day, which is handy and keeps you from having to go out to the parking lot to get your stuff. There are larger lockers available in the restrooms or smaller ones along the wall in the lobby.

If you have an afternoon rafting time and don’t want to wear a swimsuit all day, a locker is a good option, and you can change in the locker room before your rafting time.

Go have some fun!

Our kids love zipping down the slides which are some of the tallest anywhere. After you work up a sweat, cool off at the splash pad or with a cup of Dippin’ Dots® (our fave!).

What to expect on your rafting adventure with Riversport

Safety is a priority.

Before every trip, experienced guides explain how to have a safe trip. This includes how to properly use your gear, what to expect on the water, and what to do if you or a raft mate falls out of the boat. For parents, this is obviously super-important, and the staff does a very good job of demonstrating and making everyone comfortable.

It’s really fun!

If you have some apprehension about your trip, that’s OK. Our kids were 11 and 13 the first time we did it, and they did great. In fact, we went to Durango, CO, not long after to raft the Animas River, and our guide there was impressed with how we worked together thanks to the training we received at Riversport OKC. Have fun with it! Embrace the adventure, and trust your guide. They’re excellent and professional.

There are two courses and you’ll get three runs total

Your guide will explain the difference between the two courses, and on the third go-around, you’ll get to pick which you would like to finish with. They are both fun with slightly different features to keep things interesting.

Class III+ is about as high as they go (for average guests)

Although this is an Olympic Training Center where they can really crank up the water and obstacles, Class-III rapids are generally what you’ll be dealing with. There are also some nice calm areas to regroup before you go again. Read more about the different classes of rapids here.   In short, there is enough whitewater to be really fun without too much danger involved. Just right.

You will get wet!

This may be obvious, but I want to be clear: you will get wet.

Probably soaked .

Your hairdo will not survive, so just go with it. If your guide decides to do a little river surfing (totally fun BTW), you’ll get lots of water coming up and into the raft – perfect for beating the heat in summer.

Essential information for a visit to Riversport OKC

What to wear to Riversport OKC

Important! You may wear water shoes, sandals, or open-toed shoes, but they must have a heel strap and stay securely fastened. No flip flops allowed . Swim suits are perfect for rafting or kayaking adventures, but you will need to change into shorts and a shirt for the land adventures. Some of these require a harness, and it’s best to have some proper clothing for that.

Items that you should leave in the car or a locker

If you don’t want to lose it, don’t take it. Phones, car keys, glasses, sunglasses, hats – all of it should probably stay. Take your jewelry and valuables off also.

Parking at Riversport OKC

Parking is $5. You’ll need to display your ticket on your dash, but you can come and go as you please. During our most recent visit, we left to pop over to downtown for some lunch and then came back.

There is plenty of food and snacks available

Even though we left for lunch, you could stay all day and enjoy food and snacks at the Big Water Grill, which has a good selection of salads, burgers, fish tacos, and more. For us, it was Icees® all the way.

Weather may affect your day

It’s possible that even though the weather is clear, high winds can affect the Sky Trail and Zip Line. Be aware of the conditions before your visit and plan accordingly.

OKC’s #BoathouseDistrict is just the beginning

While the whitewater rafting may be the rockstar, Riversport Adventures also has water sports and activities at Lake Overholser and at Lake Hefner . Check them out for even more fun on the water.

Log on to get photos after your trip

Once you get home, head over to Riversportokc.org/photos to see photos from your trip. Their photographers do a great job of capturing the fun, and you can download all the photos digitally for an affordable price or pick and choose the ones you want. I’ve put a few our ours in this post.

OKC is the place to be!

Have you been to Riversport OKC yet?

Be sure to check out our destination guide to oklahoma here ., you may also like.

• Oklahoma City:   Oklahoma City with Kids – what to see and do.
• Oklahoma City: Visiting the Oklahoma City National Memorial
• Tampa Bay, FL:   Tampa Bay with kids
• Utah:   Utah’s Mighty 5 – The Ultimate Utah Road Trip
• Colorado: A Winter Adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park

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2 replies to "riversport okc – class-vi family fun right in downtown".

Dangerous. Injured. Family almost drowned. Staff did not help.

Dangerous. Guide could not control the raft. We flipped and were severely injured. If you’ve had a similar experience, please write a reply.

OKC KFOR news is reporting on the dangers of Riversport

Bo, thanks for commenting.

It’s unfortunate that you had such a bad experience. We’ve been twice, and I did come out of the raft once, but because of the training they gave us, I was able to get back in safely. Our guides have always been top-notch, and I would argue that this experience is safer than rafting out ‘in the wild’ which we have done several times as well.

As with all adventure sports, it’s necessary to weigh the risks involved and decide whether it’s right for you and your family or not. I’m glad that everything turned out OK for you.

Safe travels,

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Join us for regularly-scheduled, entertaining, and historically-themed narrated cruises through the heart of downtown Oklahoma City’s Bricktown entertainment district! We also feature private charters and dinner cruises.

Discover Bricktown OKC from a Completely Different Perspective

Located in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City’s entertainment district, Bricktown Water Taxi’s guided tours offer a unique viewpoint for all visitors! Riders get an up-close look at the canal’s many attractions, including historical monuments, colorful murals, and local landmarks. So, embark on your next journey with us through historic Bricktown, where you will explore the Modern Frontier’s past, present, and glimpses of the future!

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We decided to take this tour on a whim and we're lucky enough to get tickets. The guy at the ticket booth was very friendly, helpful, and polite. Our boat ... read more was full. Our driver was funny, knowledgeable, and kind. She answered all the questions the passengers had. We had so many new ideas to check out in Bricktown after the tour. It was very sunny and midday when we went. I was glad I had sunglasses and sunscreen on that day. read less

If you ever get the chance to do this, GO!!! I am not a big water person so I was skeptical about riding but I absolutely loved it! We went ... read more at night and it was so beautiful and the weather was just right for a night time boat ride. Our tour guide Conner was the absolute best! He kept us laughing the whole time. read less

So much more than just a little boat ride! I LOVED our driver! He was both very knowledgeable,as well as funny and involved my children in the tour. The boat ... read more itself was comfortable to ride on as I was dealing with a terrible backache at the time. The ride was smooth and well managed. If your a tourist looking to learn about our Oklahoma history, you will gain an earful as well as relax while surrounded by beautiful artwork depicting what's at the heart of Oklahoma, and made by Oklahoma's own artists. read less

When my family and I went, it wasn’t too busy and they were quick and efficient with everything. The tour was great, and there were so many cool and interesting ... read more murals, statues, and historic buildings! Our tour guide, Connor, was chill, funny, gave a lot of historical facts about Bricktown, and an overall great guy! Definitely a 10/10 experience! read less

If you buy the tickets on line it's only $12 for adults and 9 for kids. We did it at ten too dark for pictures. The ride last 40 minutes. ... read more It was a meat ride with some educational facts about Bricktown and the canal. They drain it once a year and apparently people lose a ton of phones in their. They even found 8 electric scooters. Our guide was very sweet. Still learning on the job so her driving was interesting. You go to the end of the canal and come back. I think they said its 3 or 4 miles. I definitely recommend. read less

Captain Connor was a very informative, relaxed and entertaining guide. In a 40 minute ride, we learned a surprising amount of OKC history and saw many landmarks. Fun for the kids.

I was a little skeptical since this is such a touristy area and every business in the area is a chain BUT it was actually pretty neat. Pricing is high, ... read more but on par with other cities with similar experiences so I would say it’s reasonable. Our guide focused a lot on the history of the area as well as the statues and artwork you wouldn’t see unless you were in the water taxi. I definitely would take time to do this as it helps a really touristy area feel more local. read less

Great value and gentle way to tour, to learn about the creation of Bricktown a.w.a. some Oklahoma history. Tour guide Robert was very friendly and fun to listen to. They ... read more raised the sun/canopy before we started, at our and others’ request (it was hot- thank you!) Tons of art: sculpture, murals, mosaic, huge bronze life-size historical sculptures that blew my mind. Prettiest place we’ve visited so far in the state we’re trying to make “home”! Well worth it! read less

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The Boathouse District along the Oklahoma River offers some of Oklahoma City’s more popular ways to spend time outdoors, enjoy views of the downtown skyline and get active. Located within walking distance of the hotels and restaurants of the Bricktown Entertainment District , the Boathouse District is the focal point for OKC RIVERSPORT ’s rowing, kayaking, running, cycling and fitness programs.

Visitors can rent kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and water bicycles and check out dragon boating. They can zip across the Oklahoma River and back on the SandRidge SkyZip or climb the six-story SandRidge Sky Trail and Slide, an 80-foot adventure course to be climbed while safely fastened in with a harness. Getting down requires sliding down the Sky Slide or dropping via the Rumble Drop.

RIVERSPORT Rapids , the 11-acre whitewater rafting and kayaking center, opened in May 2016. This state-of-the-art aquatic adventure facility is geared for both family fun and elite athlete training, adding even more outdoor recreation opportunities to the list.

The Youth Zone packs in plenty of adventure for the younger set – the Sky Tykes adventure course, the Cloud Bounce, a miniature zip line and the Extreme Air bungee. The Boathouse District playground is free. Be sure to wear close-toed shoes in order to enjoy these activities.

Missing Mizzou student Riley Strain’s bank card found near river in Tennessee

N ASHVILLE, Tenn. ( WKRN ) — More than a week after University of Missouri student Riley Strain disappeared while on a fraternity trip in Nashville, his bank card has been discovered on an embankment near Tennessee’s Cumberland River.

Police made the announcement about the bank card on Sunday, just hours after crews were called out to the river to recover a floating body . The Nashville Fire Department said the individual surfaced from the water wearing a “maroon colored shirt and does not fit the description of the missing student.”

On March 8, Strain was asked to leave Luke’s 32 Bridge, a bar owned by country singer Luke Bryan, after  only being served one alcoholic drink and two waters , according to TC Restaurant Group.

“At 9:35 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building. He was followed down the stairs with one member of his party. The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs,” the company said in a statement released one week after the incident.

Surveillance video  from the Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop caught Strain stumbling and falling in a parking lot around 9:45 p.m. Then, at 9:47 p.m., surveillance footage  caught Strain crossing the street.

Strain’s last phone ping was near James Robertson Parkway and Gay Street between 9:55 p.m. and 10 p.m. Detectives said the last phone conversation Strain had with one of his friends was also during that same time period, but the ping covered about a two-mile radius and didn’t give them a direction of travel or any more details about where Strain might have gone.

A friend of the 22-year-old called 911  on Saturday, March 9, after saying he went to the Central Police Precinct and called the sheriff’s office to file a missing person’s report.

Investigators previously said there had been no indication of foul play or of Strain being involved in any type of fight or argument.

Strain is 6-feet, 5-inches tall, with a slender build, blonde hair, and blue eyes, according to his family. If you see Strain or have any information about where he may be, you are asked to call the MNPD at 615-862-8600.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.

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OKC Boathouse District

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Located on the Oklahoma River in downtown OKC, the Boathouse District is at the crossroads of the nation – the intersection of I35 and I40 – making it easily accessible to metro OKC residents as well as visitors to our city.

The Boathouse District was established in 2006 with the opening of the Chesapeake Boathouse. It has rapidly grown to include a row of iconic boathouses along the river, the world-class Chesapeake Finish Line Tower, and RIVERSPORT Adventure Park which offers exciting outdoor activities including RIVERSPORT Rapids, a $45m whitewater rafting and kayaking center.

Today, the Boathouse District is destination for athletes, metro area families and visitors to Oklahoma City. Athletes look forward to rowing or paddling on the district’s world-class 4000m race and training course, while families and visitors can get on the water in a kayak or stand up paddle board, take a bike ride on pump track, mountain bike skills course and the 13+ miles of trails, or enjoy RIVERSPORT Adventures.

We also invite you to enjoy the art and architecture of the Boathouse District. The Compass Rose sculpture by internationally acclaimed artist Owen Morrell graces the entrance to the Boathouse District, and everyone appreciates the iconic architecture of the structures along the river, each designed by architect Rand Elliott, Elliott & Associates.  Together, the architecture and athleticism of the Boathouse District are becoming recognized as a world-class destination by local and international visitors alike.