Kayak Starved Rock 1170 North 27th Road, Ottawa, IL 61350

"We had an amazing time at Kayak Starved Rock! We were camping over at Kayak Morris over the holiday weekend, and decided to do our kayak portion for the trip at Starved Rock. The view was great, the staff was incredibly helpful, and all of the equipment was well maintained. We’ll definitely be back again!"

"First time kayaking for our family and it was such a great experience! The short instructional videos we were sent to watch were very helpful on what to expect. Though it showered most of the time as we paddled out, it was still fun and the sun came out for the last half! Our main guide, Rich, was entertaining and informative. Our secondary guide, Dave, kept a watchful eye on the group and was very patient as some of us beginners were getting a handle of the steering. Scenery was beautiful and we spotted some turtles along the way! Will definitely do it again the next time we're in Starved Rock."

"Walked up and got on the river in 2 tandems pretty quickly, on a Sunday no less. You can also reserve online if that's your preference. We did the self-guided 2-hour trip, for which they recommended kayaking along the southern shoreline (nearly 1.5 miles), then crossing the river to the bluffs at Buffalo Rock State Park. We had time to make it to the eastern end of the bluffs and a little beyond before we had to turn back to make it in time. All told, it was about a 4.5-mile paddle, give or take. Following the suggested route, kept us in pretty calm waters (with the exception of crossing the river, though the wake was only bad there if a speedboat or pontoon had gone by quickly recently. They also do have a longer trip available, for which they recommend exploring around what I'm seeing is labeled as Sheehan Island after checking out Buffalo Rock's bluffs, as well as guided tours. Just one word of warning, that I remember seeing on their website and being a bit puzzled about before actually being there in person: this location (on the south side of the river) is "Kayak Starved Rock" and if you make reservations online, make sure it's for there. There's also "Kayak Starved Rock Campground" which is based more or less directly across the river, between the Starved Rock Marina & Yacht Club."

"We had an excellent time! Great tour guides. Great for almost any novice. The skill level is minimal. We saw eagles, silver carp, turtles and more. The scenery was beautiful and peaceful. I would highly recommend you try this 2 hour guided tour. Kayaks and life jackets provided. You can also use your own kayak and gear if you wish."