Floatery

Serving NC, Virginia, and beyond. Book at floatery.com Formerly Dan River Outfitters. Our goal is to become the best tubing Adventure one can have.

Floatery is Madison NC's premier river outfitter on the Dan River. 3-hour self-guided float trips, premium tubes, night floats, firefly floats, camping & sky camping. We hated to abandon our old page due to 11K followers, however, early on it was mainly on lookers. We are wanting only our tried and true customers to come along on this journey of excellence. After tubing the river all day,

stay in one of our camp areas that are spaced out. We refuse to PACK them in for profit sake. We want you to get away from the world for a bit. We may not be the cheapest, but we are trying to be the best. After all we are the "Art of River Fun"!

06/01/2026

Let's be real — name changes are rough. 😅 But when your customers hunt you down anyway? That's everything to us. 🥹 We rebranded from Dan River Outfitters to Floatery — same people, same river, same vibes you love. And the new name? It means bigger things ahead… more rivers, more adventures, more variety for YOU! 🌊😍

05/26/2026

So yeahhh...this happened 👊
60 feet input device, river entry for the new route.
The boys have been recruited as official test pilots and let's just say we have a small, medium, and large human to catapult in order to test all sizes for safety😂
Rain...you have been formally asked to leave the premises. We have tubes to launch.
Videos dropping as soon as the sun shows up and the water recedes a bit. Trust me — you're going to want to see this nonsense 😁
Note: There is a bypass for those who wish not to slide into the river.

05/22/2026

🌊 Great news Floatery family!
First — thank you so much for all the calls and messages of concern. It truly means the world to us and reminds us why we love our customers and what we do.
We wanted to update everyone following the closure of Madison River Park for 30 days. After exploring all options we are happy to confirm that the closure will NOT affect Floatery operations.
We have secured an alternative route that allows us to operate completely independently. We cannot wait to welcome you to the Dan River on May 30th.
The river is beautiful, the weather is warming up, and we are counting down the days.
We cannot wait to see your gorgeous faces on the Dan River! 🌿☀️
Floatery opens May 30th — book at floatery.com

05/21/2026

Ten days from now Floatery opens for the season. Here is the reason behind the season.

Why we actually do this.

So here is the story for anyone who is new here.

—

After 30 years working in technology I did something that made absolutely no sense. I bought a 1931 motel on the Dan River.

I have untreated ADHD and have spent three decades staring at computer screens, solving problems with code, and watching the world get more connected and somehow people are more disconnected at the same time. I knew that feeling intimately.

Then one day I stumbled upon this old riverfront property in Madison NC. Abandoned. Forgotten. Buried under 40 years of vines and rubble with a roof that had seen better decades.
Something about it just stopped me cold.

I walked through it and I saw it immediately — the bones were magnificent. You could see what it had been. You could see what it could be again. Maybe it was the way the river sounded behind it. Maybe it was the idea of saving something old and giving it new life. Maybe it was just the ADHD telling me this was a terrible idea and therefore I had to do it.

So I did.

No grand plan. No contractor army. Just me, a friend here and there, a crap ton of sweat equity, and a building that had been waiting four decades for someone stubborn enough to show up.

Then one afternoon I was down by the river with friends. No agenda. No phones. Just the water moving and the trees and the sound of absolutely nothing urgent. And I felt it — that specific kind of peace you forget exists until you are standing in the middle of it.

I looked at the river. I looked at the old building behind me. And I thought — what if people could feel this every weekend?

Floatery was born about five minutes later.

And then something unexpected happened.

People got on the river and they just... exhaled.

They put their phones in dry bags. They stopped checking notifications. They floated through the trees for three hours and came back looking like different people. Lighter. Quieter. More themselves.

That is when I understood what I was actually building.

Not just a tubing company. Not just a motel restoration. Something that helps people remember what it feels like to be a human being instead of a user.

—

If you are new here — welcome. This is why Floatery exists.

We are a seasonal river tubing operation on the Dan River in Madison NC running Saturdays and Sundays from May 30 through September 15. Three hours on the water. No wifi. No agenda. Just the river doing what rivers do.

We are also in the middle of restoring the 1931 Grogans Riverfront Motel behind us (all proceeds go to the restoration) — bringing a nearly century-old piece of this community back to life one river tube at a time.

From the staff and myself, we believe in that old school customer service and providing an experience that creates memories. Is river tubing for everyone, no. Will everyone come out with memories and a story they will remember a lifetime, yes!

Season opens May 30. Madison NC. See you on the water. 🎉

05/19/2026

A Gentle Reminder from Nature, and a good vibe we all need 🌿
A park has temporarily closed a beloved trail because a whip-poor-will has laid her eggs right along the path. 🪺
Instead of pushing forward, the park chose to give the mama bird and her future chicks the quiet space they need. And honestly? We’re standing behind this decision 100% 🥰
At Floatery, we’re all about floating through life in harmony with the wild places we love. Sometimes that means stepping back, slowing down, and letting wildlife take the lead. These small acts of coexistence are what keep our rivers, trails, and forests healthy for everyone—people and birds alike.
So if you head out this week and see a closed trail, know it’s not a loss… it’s a love letter to the natural world. There are plenty of other beautiful paths (and rivers) waiting for us. Let’s explore them with open hearts and respectful feet.
Here’s to sharing the outdoors responsibly 💚

05/17/2026

Hey everyone! ❤️
The food trailer right on the riverbank is getting there!
We’ve just got some pressure washing, deep cleaning, and a few final touches left — the build is wrapped up and she’s looking strong. We’re pouring everything we have into making this riverside cafe happen for you this year!
Next up: Health department, getting the ground tables perfectly aligned, and figuring out those floating tables so we can bring you the true definition of riverfront dining.
Thank you for your patience and support — we’re working hard to make it real. Fingers crossed we can serve you soon!

05/12/2026

We just launched something special:
Floatery's brand new Safety Page is now live at
floatery.com/river-tubing-safety
Here's why this matters to us.
We have seen firsthand what happens when people come to the river unprepared — guests who haven't eaten, haven't hydrated, don't know what to expect at the rapids, don't understand river depth. We built this page because we genuinely care about every single person who floats with us.
The new safety page covers everything:
📍 A complete Dan River float route map — showing our put-in, the Class 2 rapids at the start, the 3-hour Class 1 float, your take-out, and exactly how far we are from the Eden Dam
🌡 Heat, hydration and nutrition warnings — please read this one
🌊 River depth and rapids information
🎵 Music and noise policy
🍺 Responsible consumption and conduct policy
⛈ Weather and cancellation policy
📸 Visual how-to guides — including how to get out of an eddy, rapids instructions, and more
We are a full disclosure company. That means no surprises, no fine print, and no information withheld. You deserve to know exactly what you are floating into before you ever get on the water.
Read it, share it, bookmark it. And if there is something you think we missed — email us at [email protected] and we will add it.
See you on the Dan River. 🌿
floatery.com/river-tubing-safety

05/10/2026

Nothing beats those late nights getting the property ready for the season.
This commercial property refuses to act like one — it thrives in harmony with the wildlife and the environment all around it. There’s something magical about the river — it just resets the soul.
Come see it for yourself.

05/08/2026

Following numerous requests, we've added the detailed River Route map to the Floatery - River Tubing page. It shows distances, water depths, optimum flow levels, and other key river information to help you better plan your trip.
Looking forward to seeing yalls beautiful faces this year!

Address

4890 NC Highway 704
Madison, NC
27025

Telephone

+13369167070

Website

http://floatery.com/, http://grogansriverfront.com/, http://tiktok.com/@floatery, http://youtube.com/@riverreelsofficial

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