Aqua Adventures Kayaks & Paddleboards
Aqua Adventures Kayaks & Paddleboards
4.6
Water SportsBoat RentalsNature & Wildlife ToursStand Up PaddleboardingKayaking & Canoeing
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
From kayaks, stand up paddle boards, surf ski and canoes, we offer retail sales, rentals, lessons and host tours and events. Our staff offers a wealth of knowledge and experience. We’re located right on the water on beautiful Mission Bay which makes renting a kayak or paddle board a dream! Whether you’re just trying out kayaking or stand up paddle boarding for the first time, or you’re a discerning pro, we’ve got something to offer you!
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Aqua Adventures Kayaks & Paddleboards
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.6
43 reviews
Excellent
34
Very good
5
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
3
flounder73
Denver, CO18 contributions
Jul 2020
My kids had such a great time over the 4th of July weekend that they wanted to go back and rent SUPs again. So we went back a week later and rented SUPs and a tandem hydrobike. The marina area is pretty calm so my kids had no problem stand up paddling after about 5 minutes. They were hooked!
The folks are friendly and knowledgeable and their security dog is so cute.
Tip: They have the waiver forms on the ground in front of check in so QR scan the correct one and fill in the waiver. Also, masks are required until you get onto the water so make sure you bring a mask, gaiter, etc.
The folks are friendly and knowledgeable and their security dog is so cute.
Tip: They have the waiver forms on the ground in front of check in so QR scan the correct one and fill in the waiver. Also, masks are required until you get onto the water so make sure you bring a mask, gaiter, etc.
Written July 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rhonda P
1 contribution
Jul 2022
AMAZING company! The staff were friendly and welcoming beyond belief and made sure to get us out on the water in no time. Our kayaks were in great condition, and you just can't beat the views in Mission Bay. 10/10 recommend for an amazing time on the water! :)
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris W
Bremerton, WA10 contributions
Mar 2022
FANTASTIC customer service.
I needed a kayak for a unique experience (I sent a couple on a treasure hunt through san Diego) and the whole team at Aqua Adventures was absolutely fantastic. Pricing was exactly what I expected it to be. The team was extremely helpful and clear on instructions.
Tony really went above and beyond in helping me and the couple.
All in all, they're fantastic and I'll absolutely be renting from them again in the future
I needed a kayak for a unique experience (I sent a couple on a treasure hunt through san Diego) and the whole team at Aqua Adventures was absolutely fantastic. Pricing was exactly what I expected it to be. The team was extremely helpful and clear on instructions.
Tony really went above and beyond in helping me and the couple.
All in all, they're fantastic and I'll absolutely be renting from them again in the future
Written March 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan E
3 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
My family and I rented five paddle boards from aqua adventures. It was a two hour rental. About an hour in, my son fell off of the paddleboard and dropped his paddle. After immediately getting back up on his board we looked around for the paddle which should have been floating there and easy to find. Long story short, We spent the next 45 minutes looking for the paddle which took up almost half of our rental time.
We checked the currents to see where it maybe would have carried it to and obviously looked all over the surface of a pretty large area but it was nowhere to be found. We had to put two people on one paddleboard and limp back to the rental station while towing one paddleboard behind us. Upon returning they advised us per their rental policy that we had to pay for the lost paddle. I can understand this from a business standpoint as they need to have some sort of policy if people would disappear with their paddles all of the time but we obviously didn't have it in our back pocket trying to steal it. Keep in mind all of the other paddles that we tested floated just fine and were easy to retrieve. I was upset that they would rent us a set up with faulty equipment (a paddle that didn't float) and then charge us to replace the faulty equipment.
I have two suggestions for this company, number one, maybe paint or duct tape the paddles with some bright neon colors for easy spotting and number two maybe have a wrist strap for the paddles if they don't float properly. I think this would make for less lost equipment and a more pleasant experience not having to pay for equipment that should not have been rented out in the first place because it did not work as it should. The paddles are very dark in color and if it sinks in the murky Baywater, there's no way you can even see it to even try to dive after it since it is dark gray.
I would have given five stars if they were more diligent about the equipment that they rented out and took some responsibility for checking the equipment before sending it out. Instead, half our time on the water was spent searching for a paddle and having to pay an extra $50 plus tax for a lost paddle. The dock people were also rude about it and demanded my last name on the reservation so they could quickly call the front desk girls to charge me for the paddle.
We checked the currents to see where it maybe would have carried it to and obviously looked all over the surface of a pretty large area but it was nowhere to be found. We had to put two people on one paddleboard and limp back to the rental station while towing one paddleboard behind us. Upon returning they advised us per their rental policy that we had to pay for the lost paddle. I can understand this from a business standpoint as they need to have some sort of policy if people would disappear with their paddles all of the time but we obviously didn't have it in our back pocket trying to steal it. Keep in mind all of the other paddles that we tested floated just fine and were easy to retrieve. I was upset that they would rent us a set up with faulty equipment (a paddle that didn't float) and then charge us to replace the faulty equipment.
I have two suggestions for this company, number one, maybe paint or duct tape the paddles with some bright neon colors for easy spotting and number two maybe have a wrist strap for the paddles if they don't float properly. I think this would make for less lost equipment and a more pleasant experience not having to pay for equipment that should not have been rented out in the first place because it did not work as it should. The paddles are very dark in color and if it sinks in the murky Baywater, there's no way you can even see it to even try to dive after it since it is dark gray.
I would have given five stars if they were more diligent about the equipment that they rented out and took some responsibility for checking the equipment before sending it out. Instead, half our time on the water was spent searching for a paddle and having to pay an extra $50 plus tax for a lost paddle. The dock people were also rude about it and demanded my last name on the reservation so they could quickly call the front desk girls to charge me for the paddle.
Written July 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy P
7 contributions
Jul 2021
It is recommended to book online so you are sure to get the equipment you want, especially for a larger group. We had two adults and two teens and did a walk in. It worked but there weren't enough tandem bikes which we would have preferred. Park in the dirt lot across the street. Make sure your hydrobike seat is set the correct height. Our son's was set when he left and then the seat broke which made his ride pretty bad. We ended up stopping very early and the dudes that work on the dock weren't available to help us dock. It worked out and was fine. Good prices and we had fun.
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patrick
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Friends
We got yelled at to leave the property for no reason. I then Called the number to file a complaint and was called a “b*tch” on their phone line. Not kidding. If their calls are recorded, they can pull up the exact moment. All of their associates need to be retrained.
Written January 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Let me start by saying I'm glad to hear you all got home safely in your drunken stupor.
Not going to argue with Patrick, here are the facts:
- Alyssa Harvey and her group came off their boat rental completely belligerent
- They wanted to continue the party in front of our store drinking on the sidewalk and playing loud music
- We asked them to turn off their speaker that was playing way above a reasonable volume, this caused some people in their party to get upset
- Alex Hernandez, the drunkest dude in this party became even more obnoxious
- Next, they threw something and it stuck a car parked in front of our store, causing a large scratch
- At that point YES, they were told to leave the property
- Alex acted like a punk and tried to initiate a fight as his friends escorted him away
- His brother came over and apologized on his behalf
- Everyone who had been drinking, got in the cars and drove off
- After they left, Patrick called our business and was demanding to know they name of the employee, was very aggressive, rude and threatening, making statements like "I need to know the name of that person" "You better tell me his name"
- I let him know that they had caused enough damage and they needed to stop calling, we had contacted the police and we would be making a report of the situation. Patrick began harassing our business and called back 6 more times in a row.
- A police report was filled #20002326 on our behalf
As a small business we will hold our customers to a standard of being respectful and will hold them accountable for damaging someone else's property. We do not encourage this kind of behavior whether you are drunk or not.
Written January 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
hikingaf
St. Augustine, FL103 contributions
Jan 2022 • Friends
Nothing like being on a bike on top of the water on a Beautiful Sunny San Diego day! It was cool to see the seals up close. Riding the waves caused by passing boats, helped get us a little exercise in also! Great energies by the staff, which we found was very courteous and hospitable. Easy check-In process. Thorough safety rules and Instructions. We will definitely be back.
Written January 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ashley Hosek
2 contributions
Sep 2020 • Friends
Planned on only going one day & went back for 2. I love how to can get so close to the sea animals! I’m from Arizona so that’s a trip to see. The guy that helped me get on my board was so nice! I think his name was Alex...? He had longer black hair. Shout out to him. Dying to go back when I’m in SD.
Written December 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SOCALGourmet
El Cajon, CA703 contributions
Sep 2019
Great fun and professional service for 90-minute rental (or longer) of a Duffy 21. Boats were clean and ready to go, and the dock brief, though fast and furious, got us out on the Bay quickly and enjoying alternative course routes on a gorgeous Labor Day Weekend. At a max speed of 7-knots, these electric boats are perfect for giving younger sailors a chance to drive and feel empowered by steering the boat and varying speed. If you have never tried a Duffy, Aqua Adventures is the perfect place to start. Enjoy your time on the Bay!
Written September 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you! We really appreciate your generosity. It's always nice to know that we are moving in the right direction.
Written September 12, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Eva L
California127 contributions
Sep 2015
I go here every weekend. I love this place. The staff are some of the nicest people I have met in a service industry. Very knowledgeable, professional and easy going. No hard sell. The price is better than anywhere else in San Diego for renting kayaks and SUP. They are dog friendly and even have dog life vests for you to borrow at no extra charge. If you rent a kayak they have old rugs you can put on the bottom of the kayak so your dog doesn't slip on the wet plastic.
On Thursday nights during the summer they have a Social Paddle for 2 hours for something like $15. Great deal.
I have never had a bad experience here.
On Thursday nights during the summer they have a Social Paddle for 2 hours for something like $15. Great deal.
I have never had a bad experience here.
Written September 8, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.