I had an absolute blast on the Sunset Tour with them last night! Our guide Lorenzo was great, the weather was great, the entire experience was great. I would highly reccommend the tour (especially on a sunny day). It did get a little choppy later in the evening, and I would make sure to dress for the occasion (it did get chilly towards the end, as with any water sport, cotton is rotten), but that's Kayaking 101. read more

We did a last of the season sea kayaking (6 people) and had lots of fun. The guys working were very surferish type dudes... It was quite entertaining to have them drill you on safety. Pay attention though because it'll save your life. 1 hr = $25 for the double kayak. Great experience. read more

We loved this journey with Julian as our guide! He had the patience of a saint and was just so much fun. We loved being on the water in a great quality kayak while enjoying the beautiful Seattle skyline. If you have never been kayaking, or even if you have, you won't be disappointed with this team! We will back! read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Skyline in west Seattle - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We used to rent sea kayaks from Alki Kayak Tours. However, we were told they no longer rent single person kayaks. They only have tandems and sit on top kayaks, which are basically bobbly SUP's. These are poor choices and I wish they would reconsider the decision. read more

I never had a 'real' tour of Alki so I figured that a bike ride around Alki would be a fun adventure. Judy L. and I are good friends and she had rented a bike previously from here with no issues so she suggested renting from here again. For $7/hour, don't expect a fancy ride. I was pleasantly surprised by the height of my bike, most bikes are too tall for me. I was able to get on the bike without looking like a total idiot, yay. We set off on our adventure for about an hour, had a marvelous time! I didn't fall off my bike or run over any kids so it was a great day in my books. Next time, I'd love to come back to rent a kayak. read more

We went over to Alki Beach last weekend with the nice weather. We'd heard of Alki Kayak tours through a deal site, although we didn't purchase the deal. We did have a coupon through our Entertainment book. We rented a long board, a set of in-line skates, and a set of quads. The guys were great, helping us find what we needed. We initially were going to rent 2 sets of quads, but one child was unable to balance and move forward on them, so he used his scooter we had brought with. They had no problem with us backing out of renting the quads and they honored the coupon, even though there were some oddities in the situation. They were pretty busy - customer after customer after customer. Everyone seemed happy with the service. I highly recommend Alki Kayak Tours for your Alki Beach rentals. read more

This was a really fun kayak tour. We took the tour on a Monday morning and it was great. It was about a 5 mile paddle broken up by a visit to a light house & tide pool in the middle of the tour. The day was over cast and there was a light rain coming down but we were totally comfortable. The tour company provided rain jackets and a kayak skirt in addition to the standard life vest and paddle you get on a kayak tour. The staff were great and really personable. If you're up near West Seattle and like paddling on the bay I highly recommend this tour. read more

I like how they will haul the SUP to the beach area for you. I figure since I'm renting I shouldn't have to haul it across a street XD. Get enough of that owning one. Friendly people too-- they were SWAMPED *and* sunburned yet still really nice. You can just show up and get on the wait list.. Which seemed to work well for my friend and I. Board my friend and I got were slow but it was probably better because the water was really chilly.. Not a fan of the rock beach but the views are fabulous! read more

Did my first stand up paddleboarding experience with this place. Friendly folks. The equipment was nice and the instruction was good. Had a lot of fun and I feel the price was more than fair. Will definitely rent from them again. read more

I recently wrote a review for Washington Surf Academy for paddleboarding and gave them five stars as well. That being said, these two places were completely different experiences and really apples and oranges which is why Alki gets five, and my sort of "recommendation" for being SUPers. I went to WSA and received a tour so definitely not as much instruction though... But on to Alki Kayak Tours. I went this past Saturday for their SUP-U and got received a two hour lesson + "tour" of parts of Elliot Bay. For those looking to SUP around Alki I HIGHLY recommend doing the lesson, even if you've already been a couple of times elsewhere. I say tour in quotes because it's really more of a "Hey, water taxi here so don't get killed. Don't get pulled into the rocks right here... watch these boats and hazards." That being said, for inexperienced beginners, this tour is a necessity to be safe on the heavily trafficked area that is Alki. My instructor/guide was Lolita, a surfer chick that is completely awesome! She has great tips on techinique that will make your stroke more efficient and help you a ton on the water. She was very encouraging and also has a lot of training in yoga/theraputic massage etc and can give anyone tips on how to stand up and do it well on the board. Everyone else there was very friendly and informative and I will definitely be joining them again in the future for Tuesday Night SUPer where you can pay 10 bucks for board demos from 6-9 and also participate in a 1.5 mile race if you're ready. Hope to see you all out there SUPing soon! =) read more

This is a review for their Stand Up Paddleboard tour. I went on this tour with 3 other friends and we had a great time. Only 1 of us had been on a paddleboard before and for the 2.5 hours on the water, no one fell in, so it was not as hard as you might think. Our instructor, Shoshanna, was very relaxed, gave us just enough instruction, and read the needs of our group very well. She got us out there and paddling in 30 minutes. We headed out the mouth of the Duwamish, all the while, she pointed out the sights to us. When we ran into some rough water, she gave us tips on how to stay afloat. She even helped my friends that wanted to have a race. It was very fun and very addicting. Thanks! read more

Going kayaking was a spur of the moment decision as we saw the sun started peaking out. We rented a 3 person kayak which was $40 an hour. The guys were really nice to show us how to get on and off and sent us on our way. As we paddled out, the waves started getting stronger from the boats that came by, but it was actually pretty calm. The water was also relatively clean! I've been to several places in SoCal where the water was just congested with boats and is nasty from all the gas/oil that leaks out. This place was pretty clear so you can pretty much go in whichever direction. The most awesome part was looking at the skyline of Seattle and the waterfront! read more

We did the sunset tour. Overall it was a nice little paddle and the sunset was truly remarkable, one of the better sunsets I've seen in my life with the sun setting behind the Olympia (I think it was Olympic) mountains. The clouds right over the sound were painted this brilliant pink that changed by the minute, really a special scene. We also got to see some sea lions, perhaps a bit closer than we should have, since one of them started barking at us. Turned out okay though and was fun. The kayak itself was okay but the set up for a tour group is always frustrating. People showed up late, people were slow getting in the water, etc. In the end that's the nature of tour groups and not the fault of the company but I would have preferred a stricter policy about when we start and when we leave; those of us who make the effort and sacrifice time to show up on time wind up killing lots of time waiting for laggards. Shosonna was nice but didn't know much interesting stuff about the sea lions; she also didn't have anything at all to say when we asked about public transit options to get out of Alki flats. Do make sure to drive since there is no good public transit out of this area at night...cabs aren't too expensive to get back to downtown but plan ahead since there aren't many circulating out this direction late at night. ADDENDUM: I did get a personal mesage from the owner so they get an extra star for responsiveness. It's a nice way to see the Sound and a good value for the money, just some minor logistical issues read more

Took my dad here for a belated fathers day gift (we went in early September) and the weather was just perfect. Clear skies and sunshine brought out herds of people to Alki beach. We did the Lighthouse tour so luckily we got started around 10am which was a great way to start the day. For the tours, they pair two people up in double-person kayaks so make sure if you do the tour, go with an even number of people. The overall excursion was 14 miles round trip, so in the end it was good there was someone else helping me paddle. The route our guide took us on was beautiful, and we got to see other parts of alki besides the main waterfront. I had a great time and would gladly recommend this cute little rental place to anyone. I would give them 4.5 stars if I could; the only reason why they didn't get the full 5 stars is due to the price of the tours. While I thought they were rather fair priced ($69/pp), it probably would've been cheaper to just rent two kayaks ourselves and paddle around the sound at our own leisure (our guide's main job pretty much was to just make sure no one tipped over or got too far left behind). So overall, this is a great place to go to get on the water during one of Seattle's rare summer days. read more

I've never been in a 3 person kayak before and was able to rent on at Alki. They guys that worked there were super nice and was patient even though we were acting like idiots and crashed our kayak into the rocks while trying to take some pictures. It was $40/hour to rent and that's really all you need. You just kayak around the harbor which isn't super big because you can only go within a certain area. Overall though, it's a fun activity and you get a great view of the Seattle skyline. read more

This was a first time kayaking event for me and my adult children on the open water. Usually we are in a lake so when I arrived ( this was a surprise gift for my birthday) I was a little nervous. But Austin was our guide and he was amazing! We had a short overview of all safety things and also the basics of paddling. I'm sure the others in the group were bored but they were kind enough to go along with the demonstration. We all got into the kayaks safely and we were off towards the Alki lighthouse. The water was calm so recommend going on a morning tour. We went at a comfortable pace and Austin was great at conversing with everyone at one time or another. He took note in introductions and asked questions later on about each persons lives. It takes amazing communication skills to be able to do this. At the lighthouse we got on shore and walked around Austin showed us a few things in the water like small crabs and shells. He was able to share a few history lessons with us also. Back to the kayaks we went and in just a short time we were back to home base. Safe and sound. I would highly recommend this place ! read more

This is fantastic place for locals and anyone from out of town. You get a great view of Seattle, and being puget sound you catch the waves which can be bumpy sometimes but so much fun. There are tons of restaurants in the area to grab a meal and drinks afterwards. A great beach with bonfire pits..it makes for a fantastic day date! read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Perfection! - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I love going to places that I constantly zoom by in a car and view them from a different perspective. My kayaking tour experience today did just that! Greg and his staff from Alki Kayak Tours took us on a tour around Harbor Island and down the Duwamish a bit. It was so awesome to learn about the industrial history of Seattle, the impacts and plans for the future of the area. Paddling under bridges and piers was so rad and the morning fog burned off in time for us to enjoy a glorious view of the city skyline and the Puget Sound for the paddle back in. I have to admit, I would usually just rent a kayak and paddle around myself, but after today I think I will have to go for the tour!!! Way to much valuable information and cool sites that I would have missed. read more

I love this place! If you want to enjoy some outdoor activities on a sunny (or even overcast) Seattle day, check this place out! Kayaks, stand up paddle boards, rollerblades, long boards, boats, bikes... ah! So much fun. I've been here 3 different times, twice to rent rollerblades and once to rent stand up paddleboards. It's just $5/hour to rent rollerblades and $15/hour for stand up paddleboards. Certain times of the year (May-Aug +/- several days), they have Monday Ladies' Night $10/hour. On top of the decent prices, the people who work there are really nice and helpful. read more

the best kayak shop west of the Mississippi! The employees are great especially that kid Nate. I truly cherished my time at AKT.

Paddleboarding here is such a treat. I decided to give it a try this summer and I'm pretty hooked! The view is unbeatable and, though a little jarring at first, the paddling is so much fun (and a good workout for your core). On a nice day out you're able to see the cascades and plenty of sea life. The staff here all seem pretty chill and give great instructions, so no need to fret if you're a first timer. AKT is also conveniently located next to the King County Water Taxi and a handful of good eats just minutes away-- perfect for a sunny day out. The only thing to keep in mind before going is that they don't have lockers, so bring only what you need! read more

Purchased Groupons for the experience and it didn't disappoint! A friend was visiting Seattle for the first time and wanted to go kayaking. We had never kayaked before, so, we were a bit apprehensive. Ann was an excellent tour guide; safety details first and a fun time on the water. Bonus was a picture of us to recall the memory. Really great time and would recommend. read more

Money talks! We went in to rent 2 double kayaks at 3:00 Friday afternoon. It looked promising, plenty of kayaks sitting on the shore and not many people around. I walk to the counter and get a blank stare with mouth open. I initiate the conversation with a Hi, we would like to rent a couple of doubles. I'm told they cannot do that because they have a tour bus group and unless we are with the group we'd have to wait til 4:15 to rent the boat. I said bummer, she said sorry. As we walked away another guy said the tour boat left a big deposit. Yup, cash is king with this place. Now I know I just need to buy two kayaks instead of messing with this mess again. I have two stars for a great location and what appears to be plenty of boats. Just no service. read more

Skip this kayak tour! Much better just renting a kayak on your own. We did the Duwamish 3 hour river tour, which took 5 hours due to headwinds. I don't mind paddling hard if there's something worth seeing, but all we saw was old ship yards and cars and a dirty river. Addition to Original review- when discussing my concerns, owner was very professional and I suspect he may make necessary adjustments. Maybe the light house tour is better and I'd skip either way during high winds. read more

Good staff, good rates, and fantastic view of downtown while you kayak Also rents bicycles, skateboards, and rollerblades super cheap. Great way to enjoy Alki Beach area. Ignore the previous review - there's regular public bathrooms in the fish and chips place next door. read more

This is such a great place to rent from. They have lockers for your belongs so bring a lock if you want to lock up your valuables. They have a good amount of rentals, but get there early so you aren't disappointed if everyone is already out on the water. The owner is super nice and helpful. I saw a seal and lots of jelly fish when I was out. read more

Let me start out by saying that the review is not reflective of Alki Kayak Tours as a whole, but due to a terrible experience we had with a specific guide named Betsy. I consider myself to be a pretty reasonable person, but felt like I should share this feedback to warn others. I purchased a Groupon for a 2 hour tour with my family and ended up booking it for the Elliott Bay tour on a Saturday. We were driving over from Lynnwood and left with plenty of time, but ran into ridiculous traffic on the way and also had to deal with finding parking on a Saturday afternoon by Alki. We made sure to call in advance letting them know we were running late and the person on the phone ensured us that it was fine and that they understood. Although we are local, we don't really go out to Alki that often and aren't familiar with that area. We got checked in and met the guide who asks us if we are from out of town and when we told her we were local, she snaps that if we are local, we should have known Seattle traffic and planned better; that she is a teacher and doesn't appreciate tardiness. I apologized and she passively said it was fine, but immediately the tour started out with Betsy going out of her way to intentionally embarrass us in front of the other people in the group. She then asks us if any of us have kayaked and we told her that we are all beginners (unless you count one time as experience) and she tells us that since everyone in the group is beginners that we may not be able to kayak due to the weather and condition of the waves because she is unable to pull our kayak around (nobody asked her). She made it seem like she was so UNLUCKY to be stuck with all beginners. She then has us practice getting in the kayak and I hear her BARKING at my sister in law in a very aggressive tone because she apparently was not getting how to steer it right away. BTW, my SIL is the shortest of our group and Betsy made it a point to put her in charge of steering which is questionable. Did I mention we were all beginners? Anyway, we got out in the water and she basically made us feel obligated to go back to shore because she did not think we were ready to kayak and in her words were 'kayaking in circles'. However, she kept asking what we thought and that if we wanted to try, we could. Even though I said I felt fine, she kept repeating that we were not ready, also pointing out again our lack of kayaking skills, and that for 'safety reasons', she would recommend for us to go back. At that point, I felt degraded and didn't really want to spend another second being stuck on a tour with a guide who was so passive aggressive, disrespectful, and condescending, so we told her we would go back. In her words she said, "I'm not trying to be a DICK, but it's for safety reasons." To be honest, I didn't feel like our safety was her genuine concern; she just wanted to get rid of us. Maybe because we were late, maybe because we were inexperienced kayakers, could have been our hair color for all I know. Needless to say, she looked very happy to hear that we would not be continuing the tour, cheerfully said goodbye, and went back out to guide the rest of the group. I understand that yes, we were late. Regardless of what traffic was like, that is a fact. However, if that was going to be a showstopper, they should have told us over the phone so that we would not have to go through this extremely belittling experience. I also understand that we are beginners, but nowhere did we read that we had to have experience to book the tour. If she did not feel comfortable guiding multiple beginners, then we should have been assigned a different guide who was more experienced and professional. This should have been a fun and leisurely activity and Betsy made us feel inadequate for no reason. I also understand that the water conditions were a bit choppy, but I didn't feel like we were ever in danger. When we defeatedly walked back to check out and get our stuff out of the lockers, the employee looked very surprised to see us and when we told her what happened, she immediately called her manager back who apologized repeatedly and reassured us that she would be taking action. We got a gift certificate so we will try booking another tour at some point in the future (obviously not with this same guide). We even made sure to get the name of this particular guide so that we would know to avoid her in the future. Hopefully, we will have a better experience but based on what happened today, I am giving this place one star. It is too bad that this one guide's unacceptable attitude is reflecting poorly on the business; I was really looking forward to the tour based on all the positive reviews I read. Based on some of the recent reviews, it doesn't sound like this guide has any business working here (or any job that actually requires a respectful attitude towards people for that matter). read more

The perfect way to enjoy a view of the Seattle skyline on a hot summer day! Dip your feet in the cold water while kayaking Puget Sound.

We had fun kayaking for an hour around the puget sound after eating at nearby Marination. Staff seemed knowledgeable and helpful, but I am taking two stars off for customer service issues. When we finished kayaking, no one was at the water to help us disembark from the kayaks (which is harder to do than it sounds without getting your pants soaked). Furthermore, when we went up to pay the lady behind the counter said that it looked like we had been out for about an hour and a half when we had only been in the water for an hour (timed it on watch). We argued against it and ended up only paying for an hour as was appropriate, but it left a bad taste in my mouth - especially after having to get ourselves out of our kayaks read more

The day was absolutely gorgeous. The water was perfect. The staff was nice. We had such a wonderful time. Kayaking is so peaceful it is recommended for anyone. read more

Alki Kayak Tours - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I've rented kayaks a handful of times from AKT and each time I am impressed with their service. No matter how busy they are, they're always courteous and friendly. I've also taken beginner kayak and rescue courses through them and gained tremendous knowledge from their experienced instructors who were understanding of each students abilities and comfort level in and on the water. I highly recommend AKT for rentals and instruction and also recommend their retail shop, Mountain to Sound Outfitters, when ready to make a purchase. read more

What wonderful service!! A great casual place to kayak at. I was helped by a really sweet women who I had great conversation with and gave me very accurate information about wind direction, best kayaking route and where to find wildlife! (At a safe distance). Based on her recommendations I had a beautiful scenic kayaking trip, saw some sea lions, and had just enough energy to beat the southernly wind coming back to dock. When I pulled up on shore, another employee was helping a family and quickly ran over to pull me up on shore. Checking out made my pocket book so happy, such a reasonable price! And I honestly think they undercharged me - no worrying about getting swindled on prices! Such a fun experience with great customer service, highly recommend! read more

Such a fun experience. Each staff member we encountered was super friendly! Our guide was very personable and knew a ton of Seattle area history. read more

Yesterday was such a nice day, and of course, Washingtonians rushed outside trying to catch some sun.. Soooo... I went to Alki beach with my sister and a friend and we decided to rollerblade! We rented rollerblades for only $5/hour. They were in really, really good condition. I guess it's newer model, because they had really cool tightening system, it's very easy to use. Guy and a girl that work there were super nice and friendly. I wish I caught their names... We started pretty bad, one of us fell (not me...), but we figured it out and it was really good. The sunset was amazing, Seattle in the background, just wonderful afternoon. I recommend it! read more

This is my go to place for kayaking! Amazing view, very open and not a ton of boats to steer clear from and the customer service is always great! The owner is also super cool! Definitely one of the better kayak rentals out here. read more

Alki Kayak was very generous to 350.org in 2015 during the Shell No campaign. We had thousands of people in vessels in May of 2015, many of them outfitted by Alki Kayak Tours in return for donations. So when a friend visited me this weekend from Portland, I was happy to rent a double kayak from Alki for a couple of hours. That said, I was concerned that none of the doubles had working rudders. The double kayaks are big plastic tubs that don't track well without a rudder. Staff told me most of the rudders were broken and that with a minimal staff, they couldn't fix the rudders. If I had known that the doubles lacked rudders, I would have reserved two sit-upon single kayaks. read more

Paddle Board HEAVEN!! Thank you to Angela and team for making our paddle board experience safe and tons of FUN. After we arrived it only took us about 10 minutes to get into the water (that time included the rules, a quick lesson, and paddle board sizing). We paddled around the dock and inlet, and then ventured off towards Seacrest Park. The weather was like a Seattle postcard - warm with a light breeze - but it was the knowledge Angela shared before we left the shore - stand upright, paddle, and if you fall in - how to get back on your board. The price was reasonable - $20 bucks. What a blast! read more

$10 an hour to rent bikes was fair, and the staff was really nice. Note, this place is not near the main part of the beach - it's near the water taxi terminal, and there is at least one other bike rental place nearer the main beach, but that one is more expensive. read more

I will never be able to say enough about the amazing experience that was provided to myself and the (insanely) large group I brought out to the Alki Kayak team. When I initially contacted Greg and his team I thought my group might be 35 at the most, well lets just say I was really low balling it and 48 hours in advance through them a curve ball. The group more than doubled in size, and it would have been so easy for the team to say sorry there is just no way, but they made it happen! Within 30 minutes everyone had gone through a kayak 101 class, geared up and got in the water--pretty damn impressive.On top of all that, the weather was awful. The temperature sat at 50 degrees the entire time with constant rain showers. That didn't stop us though--- everyone got on the water. The team made the best out of the entire situation and provided an amazing tour for the group. Eternally thankful! The Alki Kayak team were beasts and they did not stop working for pretty much 4 hours straight. Outside of the excellent service that was provided, I wanted to comment on the location. You hands down can not get a better view of the city than out on the water on Alki. It is truly amazing. The view, the wildlife ( Bald Eagles, California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals) and the staff make this the best place in Seattle to Kayak, Paddle Board, Bike....etc. Make sure you visit Alki Kayak Tours a few times this summer. I am so unbelievably excited to get back out there with just my husband and do a guided sunset kayak tour. Thanks again Alki Kayak Tours! read more

My friend I used Alki Kayak Tour for their bike rental service, and boy was that interesting, and made for a great story after the fact... Breezy Pixie Rental Chick (BPRC): It's a beautiful day! Welcome back! My friend: Yes, it is a beautiful day. Hey, I hate to rush, but we need to make the next water taxi back; we have a plane to catch! BPRC: Oooohhh, where are you going? Such a pretty day for flying! Isn't Seattle lovelyyy! Friend: Yeah, we love it, too bad we really have to jet now... BPRC: So, where did you go on your ride? Me: Alllll over. It was great. So, I left my credit card as collateral... BPRC: Okaaayyy. (BPRC disappears into a little shack, and after a few minutes, returns with a bright smile.) BPRC: Well, I can't find your credit card anywhere! Oh, boy! Me: Well, it looks like... BPRC: Yeah, I think the other girl took it kayaking with her because it's not where it's supposed to be. Me: What? Kayaking? BPRC: Yeah. (Smiley face) Friend: But we need to be on the next water taxi! We are going to miss our flight! BPRC: Darn. Sorry. (Shrug.) Me: Can you look again? BPRC: I guess! Actually I'll just check in the restaurant next-door. Me: ???? (Minutes go by. BPRC returns from the restaurant.) BPRC: Yup! It was there! Everyone: Whew! Long story, well, even longer, my friend and I had lovely time riding along the coast and through residential neighborhoods on our not-so-gently-used bikes (mountain and beach cruiser), I got my credit card back, and we made our water taxi in time. Try it too, if you dare. Hell, it's cheap! read more