Travel Log: Bristol

Teresa Nidiffer's catchphrase is simple: "When are you going to let me take you down the river?"

Experienced in rafting and kayaking, Nidiffer opened Watauga Kayak Tours and Outfitters in 1998 and has been taking people down Watauga River since.

Whether it's in a 10-man raft or a single-person kayak, on the calm Watauga Lake or down the rapids of the Watauga River, Watauga Kayak is the ultimate outdoors experience in the Tri-Cities. White-water rafting is by far the popular choice among tours.

Inexperienced in rafting? Feel like you're too old? Have a disability? None of it matters.

Greg's Pizza is a local favorite, with its straight-sliced pizza and fresh-made subs.

"The rafting part is definitely for any age, from young at heart to teenagers. We have a trip for all ages," said Nidiffer, who added that because Watauga River is a Class I and II river, it provides tours for beginners and experienced rafters who seek more excitement. "There's a more exciting trip we can do that has more rapids if someone likes that type of excitement. Or if somebody would rather have a leisurely float without a lot of rapids, we can do that trip too. We can modify any of our trips."

She's taught friends who can't swim how to kayak. She's taken guests with disabilities on rafting tours down the rapids. She's even navigated the waters with her 95-year-old grandmother on her birthday.

"We are the longest float trip on Watauga River," said Nidiffer, who guarantees the lowest price on Watauga River. "We are a local, hometown company and we try to introduce people to our beautiful area."

That introduction, for the smoother trip, begins near Watauga Dam. Guests help put rafts in the water (with a guide in each raft), jump in and are off for their tour. Rocks, residential areas and farmland are intertwined with the slight bumps in the water. And three soothing hours later, after a mid-trip break and floating with the fish, the trip ends at Watauga Kayak's headquarters directly on the river banks.

"The temperature of the water is very cool, so it makes the temperature rafting a lot cooler than your air temperature if you were driving down the road," Nidiffer said. "Plus, we stop for a break on the water and if somebody wants to jump out of the boat and get back in, we allow that. It's a nice, refreshing quench from that summer heat."

Even some NASCAR pit crews have stopped by to take rides down the water before guiding their driver later in the weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Nidiffer said the tours can loosen up the teams before the stress of race day begins.

For race fans, the door is always open. Nidiffer said a simple call to her shop the day before is plenty of notification for a rafting trip this weekend.

"Most of our trips for rafting start at 2 p.m.," she said. "We can do trips as late as 4:30 or 5 o'clock. It makes enough room for people to do several things in the day and then they can come in and raft. Or they can raft mid-day and come back in by 5 p.m. and be ready to do something else for the evening.

"We are very eager to welcome and introduce people to the community and welcome all our race fans. This is a Class I and II river, so it's great for first-timers and it has less risk for white-water rafting. It is family-style for small kids and also for people who want to have a little more excitement."

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MAP OF BRISTOL, TENN.
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DID YOU KNOW?
In Tennessee, it is illegal to take a fish off of another person's hook.

MUST-VISIT RESTAURANT
Greg's Pizza -- With cheese on top of the sauce, and cut into straight slices, Greg's is tops in the Tri Cities for pizza. It's literally hand-tossed; you can watch as the dough-slingers toss the bread into the air. But don't underestimate the ham and cheese or meatball subs. Johnson City's location is carry-out only, but the Elizabethton store has booths for dine-in.
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WEATHER FORECAST
Weekend weather can be summed up in a simple word: Hot. Highs hovering in the mid-90s with a dip in temperature on Saturday. And the best thing: No rain. Complete forecast

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL
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