We took the Puget Sound Tour with Sophie. While I think there is more she could have told us about the region, she did share some things we had not learned before. The kayaks were excellent, the instructions and safety preparation well done. Overall a great day on the water, will return for other tours or just to rent. read more

My fiance and I were in Seattle for a few days pre Alaska cruise and decided to spend an afternoon touring around Alki. I had been very briefly before with my best friend and I knew I would love to see more of the island. I reserved a pair of bikes online beforehand from Alki Kayak Tours as they are quite literally, right next to the ferry drop off on Alki. When we arrived, the bikes were ready to go and we were able to take off within minutes. We spent a few hours riding around the island, stopping for ice cream and to snag a beer at one of the local breweries. It was such a fun way to take in the beautiful views of downtown Seattle, the bay, the gorgeous homes, and Mt. Rainier. We were about 30 minutes late in returning our rentals and they didn't charge us or even really care and returning the bikes was seamless. I highly recommend this as an activity and would 100% do it again! read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've been to this place a few times over the years and you can't ask for a more scenic place to go kayaking. I mean, look at the pictures! The space needle, downtown Seattle, ferries going by - are you on the set of Grey's Anatomy or what? The most recent time I went we rented a double kayak for a self-guided trip out. I found service to be straight forward and matter-of-fact and focused on getting us in the water quickly - probably within seven minutes of arriving we were out in the water. They were very clear about COVID regulations - everyone was masked up and there was a "sanitization station" making their cleaning practices very visible. Equipment was clean but definitely well-loved - it was all still functional though. They didn't offer to put the rudder down for our kayak which made it a bit harder to steer but it was all fine. We paddled down to Alki Beach and then back up which took about 90 minutes and we were not over exerting. We saw an otter and sea lions and were able to social distance very nicely. Tip: if you are new to kayaking, make sure it's calm weather, and consider taking a tour instead of being self-guided. I've taken two tours here and enjoyed both. This is open water and BIG ships go through as well as a lot of boaters that don't know exactly what they are doing and it's worth the extra money to get some basic instruction and someone looking out for you. Plus the tour is pretty interesting! read more

See all

We had pre-booked 2 double Kayaks. The renting place was kind of disorganized or low staffed. The view of downtown Seattle, and Alki was worth it. I would come back to kayak for the view. We had docked our kayaks at the wrong bay and the staff was really nice to kayak it back to the correct bay. read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Rented kayaks for a camping trip to Blake Island. Had a few email exchanges and conversations with the shop and they gave us more than enough help and info we would need to make such a trip. On the day that we did the trip they were welcoming and accommodating in helping us get set up. Would definitely recommend anyone use them for a kayak rental! read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Photo of outside the shop - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Fast and easy to get you out on the water with reasonable prices for paddle boards and kayaks. They bring out the paddle board for you and provide lockers so all you need to do is show up. Thanks! We had a great time. read more

It's the sea my good gentleman and lady that beckons me to ring my final hour into the ever engulfing darkness that seeps through my oxygen and makes me float like an angel on the surface! (Oh... ._. Uhhh hmmm maybe too intense. I'll take it down a notch) *cough* Do you guys like the water? *smiley face* Well look no further because this your place to be and have fun! Let's paddle are way into this review and check out why this place is a great spot to kill sometime. Atmosphere: For once this is easy, It's Elliot bay and gimmick you haven't gone there... Well I thinks it's high time you get your patooty there! With a gorgeous site to Seattle city (You'd be crazy not to insta it. Unless your old like me and then in that case insta it too! Lol) The building where you rent the kayak is pretty chill. Customer Service: Customer Service is pretty straight forward. They're just cycling people as fast they can unto the waters but do instruct you for safety rules and to be mindful of boats on the water crossing. (It's like they care!) As well as instruct you to wear a life jacket while on their paddle boards and kayaks. Overall very friendly people. Experience: It was awesome, it makes you work out muscle that you wouldn't mostly use. While taking in the gorgeous atmosphere of the ever dark waters luring underneath you. Buuuuut it's pretty. Would recommend three important things... number one... WEAR SUNSCREEN!! OMG... JUST DO IT. YOULL THANK ME. MY LEGS LOOKED LIKE THE RED LOBSTER LOGO FROM RED LOBSTER FOR A WHOLE WEEK.... Number two.. go to the bathroom beforehand.. omg just do it. Even if you don't have to. Because if you're really far away and it hits you... that rowing back is the sweatiest you'll ever be.. number three just have fun. That's all lol Conclusion: No joke a great time to spend outside while doing a light but fun exercise activity. Highly recommend coming with a group of people or alone to escape the ever cluttering noise. read more

See all

Booking online was easy but the process of checking out the gear was disorganized. They're old us to grab life vests and paddles from the rack but it was empty. We had to wait about ten minutes for them to give us gear and actually get launched which ate into our rental time. No one ever checked our name off a list when we returned the items which made me wonder how they are keeping track of items if they are stolen. The view was beautiful and we ended up seeing a seal along the ride. I would return for a rental since the view was worth it but service could definitely be improved. read more

See all

I bought my husband a gift certificate for a sunset sea kayak tour for two TEN years ago, for his 40th birthday. Life, kids, work, etc. got in the way and we never got around to doing the tour. He recently found the certificate and called to see if we could still use it and add a second two-person kayak for our kiddos. No problem at all. Ethan, our guide, was fantastic! He's friendly, personable, knowledgable, and did a great job teaching us how to paddle. I can't say enough good things about the sunset tour and how much fun we had. The kayaks are well-maintained, the staff great, and the entire experience was top notch. Highly recommended! read more

My two other friends and I joined Alki tour last night to see sunset. It was a great experience. 3 tandem kayaks were in the water. I sat with a guide behind me. I felt pretty safe with him. It wasn't first time to use sit-in kayak. I have sit-on kayak. Our guide,Taylor( I am sorry if I spelled wrong) was very friendly, provided us many information. Water was very flat and easy to paddle last night. I would love to come back to try other tours. My friends also highly satisfied as well. Even if you don't have any kayaking experience, this tour would be great to anyone. Thank you. read more

We had a great time cruising the sound on our sup boards! Staff was super friendly, helpful & very customer service oriented! We would come Back and rent again!! read more

Rented a few times before and it's pretty easy to book online. The double kayak is a good deal. Saw they have 3 person kayak on their site but they don't have it available to book so it they should update that. read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Wonderful experience paddle boarding. We went on a hot and mildly windy Sunday and had a great time. The views of Seattle are amazing and a great photo opportunity. The staff was very helpful and accommodating. Parking: parallel parking along the steeet, you may be in for a bit of a walk Storage: lockers are available for you to use, they provide the keys Attire: wear something that can get wet, and make sure to have shoes of some sort. You're forced to walk through a ton of rocks to get on your board, there is no dock Pricing: a tad expensive but probably the norm around here. Also note, you get charged a minimum of 1 hour even if you don't use the whole time which is a bummer. Equipment: they obviously provide everything. The boards are a bit narrow which makes the choppy seas a lot harder to manage. read more

Alki Kayak Tours - View of downtown from the shoreline - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great company with people who care and who know what they are doing. Great adventure for the weekend.

Wonderful experience today going kayaking! Come as early as possible to ensure you get the kayak style you want. We arrived about an hour after they opened and there was no more single kayak, so we opted for the tandem/double which was still a lot of fun although we couldn't race or compete lol. The staff are helpful and chill and price is super reasonable. Definitely recommended location to catch great views of both downtown and the mountains! read more

See all

Super fun and worth it! Sunset tour was awesome and don't forget to tip your guide!!! There's a little tip bucket where you check in read more

See all

Great view of Seattle Space needle and city from kayaking on the water. Head north and view the mountains. Head south and see the Harbor seals. I enjoyed kayaking Puget Sound on beautiful summer morning. read more

Alki Kayak Tours - City view on the water - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place is awesome, not to mention the wondrous view of Seattle. I'm usually a fall weather kinda gal, but I love paddle boarding here when it's warm and sunny out! A group of four of us decided to spontaneously go paddle boating, which cost $15 an hour. It's not cheap but not terribly expensive either, so I'm content. :) we paddled past Salty's in Alki towards the broken down piers. It was awesome! read more

Alki Kayak Tours - So beautiful. - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Miya was our tour guide for the West Seattle Sunset Tour. First, it was a beautiful and different way to see the city. We had a great time. Second, Miya made it accessible for multiple skill levels, and had fun things to share about the area that were new to us, even as locals. read more

We have rented equipment from them several times over the years. On the plus side, it's a very convenient location, right where the ferry docks. The rental prices seem a little high, especially $10/hour for the bikes, when there are Lime and OFO bikes all over for much less. The roller blades for $5/hour are a good deal, but the quality is a bit inconsistent - my daughter got a good pair, but mine were basically unusable - really unstable and the heel brake was too low, so every time I hit a crack it hit the ground and lurched me forward. But, they let me trade it in for a bike, which was much better. After lunch, we took out a paddle board, which was very nice and stable, and a tandem kayak, which was a lot of fun. They also offer free lockers for your stuff which is very nice. Would definitely recommend. read more

A few of my friends and myself decided we'd like to go kayaking for the first time! Oh man, we came to the right place! The price was very competitive and for the "Sunset Tour" we got a great deal! Also! Our instructor was AWESOME! (Request for Amanda if you have the option!) She is very professional and knowledgeable of the area! Not to mention, she has a great personality! We also saw a harbor seal while out on the water and also some jelly fish! The skies were a little cloudy (but thankfully because we didn't get sun burnt) but it was still a beautiful experience! This was something I really enjoyed (and my friends did too!) and I would recommend this place (and the tour guide!) to everyone if you are an experienced OR a new kayak-er! Good job Alki Kayak Tours! You rocked our kayak! ;) read more

See all

What a great time! The tour guide Ryan was personable and non-judgmental. Kristina was professional and helpful. It was challenging paddle without being completely exhausting. You'll see lots of tide pool sea life. read more

See all

We rented two bikes here and biked around Alki Beach. Price is pretty reasonable.... I think for nearly three hours of biking, we paid a little over $40. They have two windows -- one for picking up your rental/leaving your information, the next is for returning. When we were picking up the bikes, after employee took my husband's ID, he told us to pick a bike and he will meet us "over there" pointing to where their other window was. So, we thought we'd have to check out the bikes there. We waited for another employee to man the other window and within minutes they got this large group of people wanting to rent as well so we got lost in the shuffle. After maybe about 10 minutes I finally got to talk to another employee and asked if we can check out the bikes and leave already, but was told that as soon as we had left our ID and checked out on the first window, we were free to just take a bike and go. So, we could have been biking already 10 minutes ago... but that's cool, it was an honest confusion. Next time, will try the kayak tour! :) read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Rented bikes for the day! - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

The employees here were really helpful & polite. Went here strictly to rent rollerblades. It's $5 an hour & you can rent it as late as SUNSET. You have to leave either a debit/credit card or some sort of ID with them during the duration of the rental. Just as collateral, I guess. I had no problem with it :) Their rollerblades are actually in really good condition if not, BRAND NEW. I was surprised because I was expecting to get some beat up ones. Especially for the price I was renting them at. I am looking to purchase my own rollerblades but if that doesn't happen I will for sure come here to rent some. Can't go wrong with the price at all :) RECOMMEND RECOMMEND! read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Rollerblade Rentals. - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I would just like to say that Sophia our tour guide was amazing. I was on the water with my wife for our honeymoon in Seattle. Needless to say it was our first time kayaking and the water was a little rough but Sophia was so friendly and accommodating. As we were doing our training on land two of the kayaks had some problems and Sophia made sure to reassure us that things would be ok and wouldn't happen on the water. We had a great time on our tour and Sophia was very informative! read more

Lesson perfect! Business a little loose. Steve Rescue and Recovery class was awesome. He was knowledgeable, patient, informative, friendly, funny. Could not have been better. Thanks! Business aspects were a little loose. I booked the class four weeks in advance, confirmed in person on location. Then I called day of class and was told that they didn't have my booking! Huh? Had to reschedule to a week later. read more

Great experience here. I was a little confused as to where to rent and where to pick up but staff was nice about it. It must happen a lot. We rented a two person kayak for a little over an hour which came out to be $27 something. The day in Seattle was great. Staff made it easy to figure out how to adjust things and helped a lot with getting in and out of the water. After 7 they only rent land rentals. read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Perfect day to kayak in Seattle - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We had great time kayaking. The employee was nice, helpful and friendly (I remember his name is Sam). Would definitely be back next summer for sure! read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

You can rent double kayaks for about $30 an hour. The ride is nice, but the service was a little apathetic and unorganized. Unclear direction from the check-in desk to where we had to go to wait for a kayak. The gear was a little ratty - old smelly life jackets and the kayak was dirty inside. read more

We traveled from Denver for our best friends 40th b day weekend and this was something she wanted to do pre arrival.... so we booked Groupons after researching several tours in town. When we arrived, 30 min early, the front desk gal was super friendly. Got lockers for our belongings and ready to go. However our guide Betsy was definitely rude, and was clearly having a bad day. We kindly let her know that we were going to be short one in our party and without hesitation very rudely snapped at us... then continued to berate and belittle not only our party but everyone around us. She was simply awful! Our excitement went from 100 to 0 due to her poor conduct and unruly character. We decided to cancel before we even started as we were not going to spend 2 hours in kayaks as beginners mind you with this horrible human! There's not a snow balls chance in hell we'd want to do this with someone of this stature. Glad we decided against it. We had a much better time walking the pier, watching the Angels fly overhead and take the $6 water taxi back to Pike's. The manager profusely apologized and we'll be calling Groupon for a reverse or credit for this experience. Bitter Betsy needs a serious attitude adjustment and maybe a new job!! read more

The staff is really friendly and helpful. The prices are reasonable as well. Such a fun experience and great break from being trapped inside. The city looks beautiful from the water. read more

If you're visiting Seattle (or if you live within a hundred miles of it) Alki Kayak Rentals and Tours is a must stop. My wife and I were recommended here by a friend and we now see why. It is very easy to rent a kayak for a hour or two plus they also rent SUPs, roller blades and even long boards. We rented 2 singles and the staff was super helpful and friendly. It was a beautiful day out on the Sound and we'd love to come back again. Pros: Affordable, family, fun. $15 for an hour with a single or $25 on a double kayak - Great views of the Seattle skyline from the water - kayak gear was of good quality Cons: Parking can be tricky as it is limited. Look for a spot along the sidewalk read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Gotta snap a GoPro selfie - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Their prices are cheap, and service is relatively fast. However their customer service sucks, their body language was negative and they were not helpful and ignored us when we asked for stuff ex: locker locks, water to hose our feet read more

I swung by last minute for questions ; Richard who worked that shift totally took time this answer them even though he was closing. Next day I arrived around noon. Got in a sit ON kayak. You will easily spend two hours in water. Keep that in mind. Wear yoga pants or swimsuit. I brought a bag pack with water bottle and put my cellphone , glasses or anything I didn't want wet in a food container with lid. I strapped my bag on my back OVER life vest comfortably. Jen is the manager and she was on point and badass service. I spent 2-3 hrs on water. From the rentals all the way to light house. Bring a Bluetooth to listen to music. read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Really great local spot. We rolled in to get double kayaks with our kids and it was a quick process. We didn't have to listen to a long safety intro which sometimes can be a little unnecessary. The beach guides provided a few solid tips and we were on our way quickly. Efficient and friendly service! read more

Great place for outdoor sports. They are connected to Mountain to Sound Outfitters so essentially they cover it all: Biking, kayaking, rollerblading, paddle boarding, fishing, and snow boarding and skiing... Freaking rad! As a newly self proclaimed "Seattle-lite" and first time homeowner in the West Seattle area, I plan on becoming a loyal patron to both Alki Kayak Tours and Mountain to Sound Outfitters. Also, they have FREE stand up paddle boarding on Tuesdays. How cool is that?! Give it a try- it is easy if you have good balance, and maybe you will see me trying to rollerskate around the sound (yes, I said rollerskate... I just looked at their website and they have them!.. I have not done that in so so long!). read more

+IT STARTED WITH A BIRTHDAY PRESENT+ This year on my birthday I decided I was going to try new things. Top of my list was kayaking. Living in West Seattle I had often been by Alki Kayak and never investigated any further. So happy I did! The people at the Kayak shack are so safety conscience and knowledgable. We were instructed on how to paddle, where to go and NOT to go, I felt no fear and left the shore confident of a good time. It was amazing being out there. I was wishing I hadn't waited so long to try it! From that point I began to sample the other wares available there. Two favorites stand out. NUMERO UNO. BEACH CRUISER BIKE . What could be better than pedaling leisurely down the beach , wind in your hair and sun on your back for 7 bucks an hour? I think I have rented a beach cruiser bike (more like three at a time with my daughters) almost every week this summer, and every time I smile the entire hour. Try it , you'll see what i mean! NUMBER TWO: LONG BOARDS! woot! DUDE ! This is totally awesome! I have discoverd my inner skater chick, from my first 10 /hour try! They have all of the safety gear , and answer every question I ask. I loved it SO much I bought one the next day from them . I have brought everyone I know to try it out . L-O-V-E IT ! They also have roller blades there for 5 bones, if that's what blows your skirt up . I learned that they also have overnight kayak trips to Blake Island... I am SO there ! If you are looking for something fun to do, hed to Alki Kayak tours ASAP! read more

We went for a sunset kayaking tour in downtown earlier this week. It was the best decision and, hands down, one of my top 3 favorite tourist things to do in Seattle (even though I live in Seattle now!). Our 2-hr tour started around 7pm at the Bell Harbor Marina and our guide, Matt, was already there waiting for us (and another lovely lady who also signed up for the tour) well before the tour started. I found out Alki Kayak Tours have been operating mostly out of West Seattle but have recently expanded their tours/kayak rental to downtown area. Our tour was just 4 people (including our guide!) and felt really small and intimate. I've done a lot of tourist activities in/around Seattle, including the Pike Place Market, Ghost Tours, Seattle Center and its peripheral museums, Ballard Locks, Kerry Park, SLU wooden boat tour, etc, but this activity by far exceeded my expectations! I just love the feeling of being one of the very few people paddling right in Elliot Bay. We paddled from the Bell Harbor area up north to just around Magnolia and back. On the way there and back, our guide also provided information about Seattle as well as pointed out animals that we saw along the way (we saw a wide variety of birds, jellyfish, seals and sea lions!). It was such a nice, calm and relaxing activity for all of us. Not only that, it was very interesting to see Seattle from a different angle (outside of Elliot Bay!). As we headed back towards Bell Harbor, the sun starts to come down and as we waited for the sunset, the clear sky revealing Mt. Rainier and the sunlight reflecting on the buildings in the downtown area were so memorable and picturesque. We had plenty of opportunity to take pictures and hung out til the sun went just right below the horizon. If you had a chance to take the sunset kayaking tour, definitely do it!! It was sooo worth it, even if you have to pay full retail price (or better yet, found a discount from deal sites/magazines!). read more

Fun! Bring your friends, look up the times, and don't reach to hard over the side of your kayak. Also might want to use the bathroom before you head there, as there are only port-o-potties (nothing in the fish n chips place) to use. It's also entertaining to listen to the surfer-accent-dude lecture you seriously on safety (pay attention!) and when you're done tooling around the bay and get back to shore, you can skip across the street for bubble tea. A triple was $55 for 1.5 hours (pro-rated, yay). Haven't tried the bicycle or skate rental, probably never will. Check out the jellyfish in the bay! Irksome yet awesome. read more

In July I rented standup paddleboards from Alki Kayak Tours. With me were my guests, five high school students visiting Seattle. All of us were excited to go paddleboarding together. This was my second time out on the boards, first time at Alki Point. The staff showed our group how to operate the paddleboards and warned us about a wind blowing north, so we should paddle south. They also warned us that we shouldn't go farther than 100 yards out from the shore. But these safety warnings were just given to me, as the kids had already begun to paddle far out beyond. By the time I reached them, they had already paddled north and much farther than 100 yards. Things were going okay until we decided to paddle back. The wind had really picked up and we had drifted out very far from the shore. Two of the students had already reached shore. The three others and I continued to drift out because we were fighting the wind. We tried to paddle back but couldn't get to shore. We weren't moving. I fell off the board and couldn't get back up. It was cold and I started to panic. I kept wondering when the rental staff would come and help us, but couldn't see anyone on the shore. I found a whistle on my life jacket and started blowing it. (The staff hadn't mentioned the whistle to me.) A sailboat passing through Elliott Bay came over, saw us in distress and picked me and one of the other students up. The other two kids were picked up by the King County Water Taxi and brought to shore. It wasn't until we were standing, shivering, on the deck of the sailboat that two staff members showed up -- in kayaks. How kayaks could tow paddleboarders in distress back to shore - or help someone get back on the paddle board - is beyond me. When following up with the staff, we were told that the manager previously recommended to ownership to purchase a jetski with a rescue sled. The response was that it was too expensive. My point in telling this story is to strongly suggest that Alki Kayak Tours become more safety conscious. Most important, they need a working plan to retrieve customers more quickly. Even if we were charged for that service, I wouldn't have been so panicked if I had known that staff were paying attention to the conditions. Alki Point has a lot of current and a lot of ship traffic. A higher degree of safety is necessary than on a lake. read more