Used other companies before and had no problem. Only tried tip-a-canoe because they had canoes available at last minute. Waited in a long line in a crowded area with no direction. Then, if you want the 4 hour trip, you have to walk down a busy street to a drop off point where they have a bunch of canoes dumped on the bank. You have to find one and pick it up and over the rocks to get it into the water. No one was there to help. Very difficult with two small children, oars, life jackets, seat pads, cooler.
River trip was nice, but the four hour trip was six hours. Nothing wrong with canoe or oars.
At the pick up point, we had to wait for the one van to pick everyone up. We watched other people get picked up and leave several times over. We stood on the bank waiting our turn, and when it was, we were put in a hot van and waited while the rude person picked up canoes and load them on the trailer. We waited over 30 minutes after we landed at the pick up point before we left to drive back to our car.
We had to unload our oars, life jackets, etc... and take it back inside the small building which would not have been a problem except the driver actually expected a tip. I like to tip, but I reuse to tip someone who was slow rude, and made us do all of the work except put a car in drive. Very indicative of the experience.
I will rent canoes for the Harpeth again, but I will not use tip-a-canoe again unless I have no other choice
Pros: Harpeth River is nice
Cons: Slow, service non-existant
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