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    Academy Rentals & Tours

    3.5 (89 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Kyle N.

    I wish that I could rate this company higher just on the pure fun had but due to the lack of professionalism, this company left a bad taste in my mouth! Chelsey, our event coordinator was kind in getting my spouse and I scheduled for an ATV adventure however things took a turn for the worse once we arrived for our excursion. Our 'guide' (I use this term loosely) arrived at 6:30 despite being advised to show-up no later than 5:45am. Once we go through the excuses my spouse and I were excited to hop on some ATV's, but it was really hard to look past the unorganized nature of our guide as he rummaged through a messy trailer for (un-washed) helmets and gloves. Now to the ride - there was not much of an introduction/tutorial (despite telling Chris and Chelsey that we were on the 'beginner' level), just Chris showing us where the throttle and back break was located. The ride was actually pretty fun aside from losing Chris a few times since he was in such a rush to get through our adventure. Whenever we were able to catch-up to Chris, he was actually knowledgeable about the history and surrounding areas which was a small positive. Now where things really went downhill - my spouse and I love taking photos, so we asked Chris to snap a photo on my phone but he profusely denied claiming that 'I'll break anything', (we took pictures while on sand by the way) little did I know that this is a ploy within their business since Chris refused to send me the photos without me filling reviews for 3 different sites! This really did hurt my wife as she is an avid scrap-booker, not to mention that we should have just used our packed selfie stick! Moral to this story, please make sure to contact an ATV tour company that is professional - These people do not deserve your business! Side Note: take your own photos because Chris will use them as ransom to write a review. He got one, just not what he wanted -screenshot included.

    Me and my girls out in who knows where in the desert
    David G.

    Took my daughter here for her 20th birthday along with my other daughter. They were both first time riders and my second. The owner and his daughter were so friendly and helpful. We all had a memorable experience and would recommend it to anyone. We will be going back!

    Mike V.

    One of the best excursions I've done and would definitely come back again anytime to do it again. Had a great experience with Chris and he definitely has a ton of experience with the guiding. We were able to have lunch and everything on the tour and drove all the sand dunes within the area, took amazing pictures and great videos, even got to do a little lake side relaxation. Would definitely recommend to anybody looking for a good time for a great price. Worth every dollar

    Jordan N.

    Good: Chris was flexible and able to accommodate our needs and schedule as we needed a special time frame out of the ordinarily for the tour so we could catch a flight, he is also and very knowledgeable about the area and was fun to hangout with during the day! Bad: Communication difficulties, machines not in the greatest shape, didn't listen to some requests The experience: My wife and I are avid ORV enthusiasts (mainly dirtbikes) and were visiting the area for work and decided to find some vehicles to rent to rip through the desert, there are many options in the are but eventually decided to go with Academy Rentals. We had brought all our own gear (helmets, boots, etc...) and did not use his rental gear. I wanted to ride a dirtbike I was familiar with (fuel injected Yamaha WR450F) and was told that it would be very expensive to rent so I opted for a cheaper dirtbike rental option, turns out it was a late 90s, early 2000s Honda XR400. This dirbike is by no means a modern bike, had no number plate or headlight (see picture) and a carb that leaked fuel - Chris just had me turn the fuel off while the bike wasn't running to it didn't leak on the ground. The bike did run well and the suspension was setup well and I did enjoy it. My wife was on a Honda 400ex quad that was very stiff and had loose parts. The quad ran fine though. Chris then informed us that there was another couple people who wanted to ride for the same day and time. We rode for about an hour and then went back to the lot and picked up two more people who have never ridden ATVs before. This wasn't the worst thing since it gave us the opportunity to have my wife ride something that was not a stiff and bouncy quad. We wanted to take out the 2-person Polaris RZR but it had a flat tire and we could not take it out, so we wanted to take the 4-person Polaris RZR out on our own for the tour and was told that it would be easier if we just drive the 4-person RZR and he sat in the back while the other two people that joined the tour rode ATVs behind us. The people who joined our tour were not very experienced (that is totally fine and we welcome new people to the sport!), this made our ride a little inconvenient since we would rip for a few minutes and then stop for the other people to catch up (since Chris was with us in the back of the RZR). I once again asked to go back and take out a RZR on our own and was told that it would be a $3,000 deposit and go through some paperwork from Polaris. We continued to ride with Chris in the back seat for about 3-4 more hours. Drive to our abilities then stop, drive to our abilities then stop. Chris was accommodating to our change in vehicle choices, accommodating to bringing a bike along so that I could ride a bike, and at the end of the day we did not explicitly say we wanted a "private tour" and the tours are open to anyone to join. I do not feel as if Chris did anything wrong or unethical, it was just an awkward experience at times, all in all it was a good tour and experience. After reading reviews from previous years I feel as though our experience with Academy Rentals is better than what it was before, but still has room to improve to be a top-notch rental company.

    Cinna B.

    Wow, that was fun let's do it again! Thank you Academy for making my sons 11th birthday epic! All my son talks about is wanting to go dirt bike riding. Well, we don't own and dirt bikes or quads or desert toys.... So, that's where Academy saved the day. After spending a lot of time calling around and several Google searches later. I called Academy and they hooked us up with an awesome deal with no hassles just good times. I have to admit that when I called originally, I made reservations for two. an adult and a kid. But then I showed up with five. Four kids and one adult. Lucky for me Academy hooked us all up and got us out in the dirt in no time. I'm sorry guys but I'm terrible with names, but the two guys who helped us were super professional super courteous and playful and fun with the kids. They set us up with our gloves, helmet, and goggles. Got our bikes gassed up and took us out on the dirt. After this adventure, this is what all of my kids want to do for their birthday's. Now I don't have to do big birthday parties anymore. More desert adventures to come with Academy making it easy for us. Pro's: - Great customer service - Yelp deals when you use the Yelp app - Easy, just show up with your water and snacks - Pay ahead of time - Kids are welcome - They have helmets, Gloves, and goggles for you - Great for groups Con's: - Darn, I can't think of any

    Water break!
    Jay J.

    I went out there with a group of six and we had a great time. Chris was a great guide, took us to some really cool ancient spots, and made sure everyone was having a good time, hydrated and fed (we brought our own food of course). He was hilarious too, constantly cracking jokes and keeping the energy/ vibes high - which is tough to do in 90 something degree weather... Not really sure what all these people are complaining about, it's the desert and it's a rental company - these things take a beating, people destroy rentals. I personally think the quads were in pretty good shape. Coming from being a manager at multiple boat rental companies I understand how things go with maintenance and usage. I will definitely come back and hire Chris in the future. Hopefully sooner than later. Thanks again Chris, it was epic!!

    Asaf S.

    My wife and I went to Academy Rentals for part of our wedding anniversary. We had a blast. We met with Chris, who is very knowledgeable about the area and offroading, and had a great experience. Everything you need Chris has. He'll give u recommendations prior to your meet up to make sure you are ready for the ride! He even takes pics and videos if you want. We're definitely coming back. Thank you Chris. It was a memorable experience

    Michelle D.

    Chris is a complete whack job... but the tour exceeded our expectations all in all. We had 2 experienced riders and 2 beginners. Tour was supposed to start at 8am, but we didn't get on the road til 8:45am as Chris didn't prep any of our equipment. He took long phone breaks during our tour that kept us waiting and loved talking about himself. So just be ready for a character. He's a professional rider and knows his shit. We booked a private tour to ensure we made it to the dunes and it didn't disappoint. Don't expect to be handheld and make sure you hold on tight. Thanks for the wild ride Academy Tours! It was truly epic and our favorite memory of our trip to San Diego.

    Molly F.

    Has a great ride with the family! Chris was great !! We will definitely refer our friends and family! Hope to return real soon!

    This place is cool and friendly staff I really liked my ride and really enjoyed myself we'll recommend

    Day in the Desert
    Peter S.

    We booked a tour with Chris and it was awesome. I guess everything changed since he got his new stuff. We got all the equipment , helmets, gloves, goggles, and backpacks for water . He explained everything to us and then we hit the desert. You have to follow his rules about safety because that's very important out there. And he always has a story to tell . There were five of us together for the whole day . We will be back because it was just fun and relaxing . Bring enough water, and of course breakfast Burritos ;) Next time we do the wake-boarding as well . Thanks again Chris for that day.

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    5 years ago

    The place is a scam. Stay away from it. They have faulty bikes and then after the trip they will claim that you have damaged the bike.

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    6 years ago

    Best ATV rental in town. Had a great time and Chelsea and Chris were super friendly and helpful. Had a great time!!!

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    6 years ago

    This place should have 5 stars!!!! I went for my bday and had the best time EVER!!! Our tour guide was rad... can't wait to go back!

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    6 years ago

    It's was amazing. Had the time of my life! Very nice and professional staff. My son loved too!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Academy Rentals & Tours

    Review Highlights - Academy Rentals & Tours

    Chris is the man, he makes you feel right at home and is happy to talk shop and answer any questions you may have.

    Mentioned in 53 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Dezert Adventures

    Dezert Adventures

    4.8(66 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    This is my second time using this company, and the change in management has only positively…read moreimpacted the quality of the tours. Dustin was a knowledgeable and patient guide. Highly recommend. I would encourage that they put a few signs on the road and at the building to help people find the location more easily.

    I left my house early to make sure I arrived on time 9am rental. At 850am, a text message read:…read more"Here is the location we are using for your 9 am pick up." This is Dylan with a map marker. A few minutes later, he called me asking where I was. I said I'm making a turn, but my GPS says go straight, and the street sign says road closed. I had to pass the road closed sign to get to the rental location. After I parked, Dylan came out to greet me. He took me into the office, asked for my ID, asked if I had ridden before, and then told me that the handlebars were $90. I asked why he told me about handlebars, and he said it's because some people get charged for them. He then said that if I came back early, he would give me a discount. I said, "Cool, thank you". I then went to my car to change. I met him at the ATV, where he explained the controls, and I thanked him. Dylan then told me to follow him; he was going to show me some areas. He took a razor, and I followed him on the ATV. He took me to a place under a bridge where people hang out. It had chairs, a basketball hoop, a basketball, and a lot of stickers. He then took me to a windmill. At the windmill, I asked what the marker was for to get back to the rental shop. He said to use the tall antenna, which is close to him. I thanked him, and I went off on my own. At first, I was excited and explored the area. I was worried I might get lost. This place is nothing like Ocotillo Wells. Ocotillo Wells is a State Vehicular Recreation Area with a map, Marked trails (with names), and Unique Geologic sites. Ocotillo, where I was, is just a desert. I tried to keep track of where I went. I found some medium hills, went up, took some pictures, and then went back down. Then, I continued exploring the area. It was fun until I went up to a sign that said BOMBING AREA- DO NOT ENTER. I called Dylan from my cell phone, and he said, "Don't go in there." I said, "What's this about? He said they do testing over there, but are not currently doing anything at this time. I thanked him and hung up. I went away from the signs and found another one that said Laser Targeting DO NOT ENTER. I decided to go towards the main road instead to see if I could get out of the area. I then see a Sign that says Navy Reserve, DO NOT ENTER. I then turned around and kept riding. I found a path that avoided the signs. After 10minutes of riding, another sign popped up saying NO VEHICLES, NO ATVS, NO DIRT BIKES. I then went another direction after riding for 5 minutes. Another sign said NO TRESPASSING. At this point, I was irritated. I rented an ATV only to be told I couldn't ride in the area I was put in. On my way back I was able to see the windmills. I found a path to the right and followed it, which brought me closer to the mountains. I went up some hills, then followed the path, but I felt like I was going to get lost because I didn't know where I was going. There are no trail names here. I kept going, then somehow ended up going down a hill. I made a right and kept going, which took me to a path I'd been on before, where the hills were. I then kept going toward the cell tower and returned it to the ATV rental spot. I got some drinks from my car and took a break. I looked around the shop, and no one was around. I rang the bell, looked at the garage and the office, but no one was there. So I called Dylan and asked where he was. I needed gas. He said he was at the other rental location setting up people. If I was done riding? I told him I needed gas. He told me to get it from the blue truck that has a pump on top. I thanked him. I filled up the gas tank and went riding again. I then rode to the left side of the ATV rental place. I liked this place at first because it had more hills. Then I followed a trail that led to more hills. Unfortunately, the fun was short-lived. As I kept going, I saw an area that said DO NOT ENTER MINING in progress. I said, "ok, whatever." I still had a trail on the side of it. I continued and saw some guys hitting some targets with guns, so I went another direction. I kept going until I saw a No Trespassing sign. I tried another way and then kept going straight until I saw a cement wall like at US border with DO NOT ENTER. I was completely blocked. I got tired of not being able to explore much on the right side due to the BOMB signs and No trespassing and NOW the left side had DO NOT ENTER signs and cement walls. I rented for 8hrs but I finished the area in 6hrs due to it having closed areas. When I returned Dylan said the ATV was good. I asked about the discount for returning early. He said he would have to talk to his grandfather he doesn't know how to process it. Update 5 days later I called and wasn't given a discount as mentioned when I first arrived

    Photos
    Dezert Adventures
    Dezert Adventures
    Dezert Adventures

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    Academy Rentals

    Academy Rentals

    3.7(6 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    After a short Yelp search I found academy rentals. My 11 year old son constantly talks about…read morewanting to go dirt bike riding so I found us a rental place and scheduled it. Online scheduling is fast and easy you can pay for your tours or rentals online. Or you can call in or text and and schedule them that way. I did a little of both on this visit, our second visit. I went online on a Friday and scheduled for one father and son to go ATV riding and take a sand dune tour from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Later the rest of the family decided they wanted to go. So I sent Academy Rentals a text and said 5 will be showing up instead. 2 parents and 3 kids ATVs. They texted back right away, no problem see you on Sunday. We went on a tour with four other folks that we didn't know and it was a great time! Our tour guide Chris was awesome! He was full of energy smiling and happy and was perfect with our three kids 9, 11, and 13. He gave the adults some opportunities to push their limits on their ATVs but always left a safe option for the kids. You can pay credit on the spot when you get there if you choose. Helmets gloves and goggles are provided if you don't have your own. Make sure you bring 8 bottles of water for each person and some snacks. It is very hot and sunny out there during some times of the year, so it's best to be completely covered arms and legs no shorts no tank tops. This was our second trip to Academy and it also was an awesome one! I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to do a bachelor party, at bachelorette party, or just get out of the city unwind and detach for some good old-fashioned Southern California fun!

    Chelsea and Chris were extremely nice throughout the entire process. The ATVs were in great…read morecondition and very fun to ride. Definitely recommend for first time riders!!

    Photos
    Academy Rentals - The family that rides together,  sticks together!

    The family that rides together, sticks together!

    Academy Rentals - He's not a little boy anymore, mama

    He's not a little boy anymore, mama

    Academy Rentals - The rest, Yelp has text limit 
 Update in next photo

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    The rest, Yelp has text limit Update in next photo

    San Diego Dune Tours

    San Diego Dune Tours

    4.0(112 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    Fun for everyone! Many options for young riders to adults. I myself am a big guy and was…read morecomfortable the whole duration of the tour. Excellent service

    I would give zero stars if I could…read more Preliminarily, I would like to note that they offer a free t-shirt for anyone who writes a positive review, which violates Yelp policies and suggests the few positive reviews may be "bought" instead of legitimate... Some wives organized a dune tour for our husbands on Sunday, May 17, 2026, and unfortunately, the Yelp reviews, which show a clear pattern of fraudulently retaining deposits and double charging customers, were not reviewed before the primary organizer who selected this company. Regrettably, every negative review about this company is 100% correct. This experience was negative from the get go: -Upon arrival, they did not have the can-ams that were pre-ordered -The company was incredibly disorganized and were inexcusably ready extremely late after we arrived but had an "excuse" for everything (lost an oil dipstick for one, had to put air in the tires on another, had to put gas in ALL of the ATVs, all of which should have done before the customers arrived) -We paid a deposit of $2,161.96 but were told that they would not necessarily retain the full deposit -One member of the group did, unfortunately, flip his ATV, and they acknowledged there was some damage and never disputed that the group would cover it; however, the company (Chris, specifically) promised an itemized invoice for the damages. The following is what transpired: *Monday, 5/18 - Chris said he would send invoice *Thursday, 5/28 (1.5 weeks later) - We e-mailed asking for the itemized invoice and security deposits of $1,332.13 and $1,545.00 *Monday, 6/1 (2 weeks after promised the invoice) - Told we would have the breakdown this week *Sunday, 6/7 (3 weeks after the ATV tours) - Asked "Has there been any update on the price/invoice of the breakdown of damages?" *One of the husbands in our group disputed the charge for the deposit given (1) he had not yet received the itemized invoice he had been promised and (2) we had not received evidence to suggest any potential damage equated to the amount of the deposit, meaning there could have been an overcharge *Thursday, 6/11 - Upon learning of the chargeback, Chris sent the attached photographs of threatening messages (these are his own words) threatening with completely incorrect and inaccurate recitations of the law, which were barely comprehensible given Chris' lack of even an elementary level of proper grammar and syntax

    Photos
    San Diego Dune Tours
    San Diego Dune Tours
    San Diego Dune Tours

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    Academy Rentals & Tours - atvrentals - Updated June 2026

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