I have always been an advocate of customer service and this past week I went with my family and another family and we felt like outcasts. The customer service was terrible and treated us like we were doing something wrong. They wouldn't let us park in the lower lot and made us park on the hill even though the lot was open with plenty of spots available. Asked if we then could drive down and drop off our chairs and cooler and was asked if we had a reserved a cabana and when I told them we didn't, stated firmly "no" I couldn't drive down and drop off my things and that we had to walk them down. Then our friends had their own kayaks and the employees were rude to our kids when they launched them in the water even though they have their permits and our friends were paying in the office. We had also purchased a groupon but apparently must not have spent enough money from them to be considered a customer. Everyone from the dock employee to the employees inside were rude and seemed like they were burned out. VERY disaapointing since we have been there numerous times with our families. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt and I would have not given this a bad review if it was one worker, but it was ALL of them. 4 different interaction with different people were all disappointing. DISAPPOINTED Carlsbad resident!!! read more

Beautiful place, friendly staff. This was only my third time paddle boarding, and my friend's first. My first time was at Balboa and they gave a little bit more indepth instruction/training for first timers than there was here. Heading out was pleasant but the jet skis do create a challenging wake and some noise that you might not want. I like SUP because it's so relaxing and peaceful, and jet ski noise takes away from that vibe. Coming back, this is a very challenging paddle. There is wind coming off the ocean and a current that will frustrate someone who just wants a relaxing experience. For these reasons, I would not return here but everyone has to determine for themselves what they like! One of the employees told me that in the afternoon when the wind really kicks up, they often have to go out and rescue people. Yikes. read more

Staff service is okay. I rented some jet ski's for 2 hours at 175$ plus a 300$ deposit for each ski to soon find out that you only can ride them in a big circle at no faster than 45. Mph, tricks and donuts can only be don in the middle of this circle lone at a time( are u serious??) this is so the staff can see you from the shore. (What the hell??? ) They should be charging 50$ for 2 hours for that! It's been a week and I still haven't received my deposit back because I used my credit card. The bathrooms are nasty, there is no food to buy there or around the area. They have a snack shop at the rental station that charges you $3.50 for a bolus icy which is 99 cents for a pack of 24 at the 99 cent store $4 for a tiny bag of chips??? Jet ski where also raggedy as heck. I won't be spending a dime here again. Your best bet is to take a drive somewhere else not worth it. I rather pay more money somewhere in San Diego. read more

We had a great experience. Used Groupon to get kayaks. Great parking and kid friendly beach area. Quick and simple check in. Two great hours on a calm Lagoon on a clear and warm sunny winter day. Saw jumping fish but didn't catch anything. Very simple and family friendly. Thanks for a great afternoon! read more

The water and surrounding area is a really beautiful place for kayaking. The complaint I have is with the rental folks. A friend and I rented kayaks there recently. We sent on a weekday late morning, so the place was not crowded. That's why there was really no excuse for our being given dirty kayaks. There was a guy hosing down the kayaks, but he was really just aiming the hose in their general direction. The two kayaks we got had trash in them (mine had candy wrappers and a pile of string) and the seats and cargo areas had sand in them. Would it really have been that hard to clean out the trash and hose the sand out? Neither of us was familiar with the rules for kayaking in the lagoon and were expecting to get some kind of briefing before we took off. We found out the rules from some other paddlers out on the water. It's a great place to go kayaking and the rates are reasonable, but the kids that work there need more supervision. read more

Great for a fun weekend but make sure you keep track of your own time. They seem to cut your time short. I was wearing an Apple Watch and my time tracking was on point. read more

So impressed with this place! We celebrated a birthday here with 20 guests. The facility and the staff far exceeded our expectations. The staff was so accommodating. Austin and Chandler in particular, but every staff member was friendly and helpful. All our guests had a wonderful time, and so did we. We will definitely be back. Thank you for a great day! read more

Don't ever go here. We had the worst experience I've ever had at any business at Carlsbad Lagoon, on so many levels. These people will lie to you to make a dollar. I went in to get a gift certificate for a one-hour paddleboard lesson for my daughter's 11th birthday. the young lady said they give lessons and gladly took my money. When I came back on my daughter's birthday with her friend, they said, "Oh, just head down to the water and they'll get you set up." When they got down there, some tatted up kook finished gassing up a jetski (spilling tons of gas in the water near a bunch of kids BTW), put them on boards, and just pushed them off. They had no clue what to do or how to use the paddles that are twice as tall as they are. They stayed on their knees and basically dog paddled 50 yards through jetski wakes and got stuck in a mucky area on the edge of the lagoon that reeked of gasoline. I asked if someone was going out there to give them a lesson and tattoo kook said no, they usually just figure it out on their own. Nice! Where's the lesson I paid for? I was scared for my kid and her friend with all the jetski wash banging them all around. Then the kids got stuck banging up against rocks and falling off the boards into swamp muck layered in gas, so I asked a guy on a jetski to tell them to dog paddle back in and I headed into the office and started out very politely asking for the manager to request a refund for a service we paid for but did not receive. The young lady at the counter was more than exceptionally rude and told me the manager wasn't in and that they don't give refunds. Turns out the manager was there and actually standing right behind her. He listened to our request for a refund no less than four times and didn't say anything or offer any assistance. Great leadership as the owner, not! He'd rather hide behind a teenage girl and make her lie to us to try and get us to go away. When we didn't leave he finally fessed up and admitted he was not just the manager but the owner. We asked why his staff lied to us and he didn't have an answer. He didn't believe me about buying a "lesson" since they don't actually sell lessons, just use of the paddleboards, until we determined that it was actually his wife who orginally sold it to me. He offered a half refund since the girls were on the boards for almost half the time at that point. I couldn't believe this guy's audacity. He still wants to take half my money for a service we didn't receive. That's like ordering at a restaurant, your food never comes, telling the waiter you need to leave, then the waiter telling you that you still have to pay half the bill! What kind of sham does this guy run? After much hemming and hawing, in front of no less than 10 customers waiting in line, he finally opened up the til and literally threw the rest of the refund at us. The city of Carlsbad should shut this place down and restore the lagoon to its original state. These people are doing a huge disservice to our community and polluting unmercifully. But hey, if you like getting ripped off, swimming in gas, and spending your weekends with creepy, tatted up, fat, nasty, river rat people you'll love this place. read more

We arrived there mid morning to enjoy a nice little pedal boat ride. We were a party of 5. There were only 2 functioning pedal boats available and they were 2 seaters. We asked for a four seater for my 6 year to be safer. We were told that she would be fine in the back and the other 6 pedal boats were broken anyway. The manager was a complete jerk and could not care less. When we came back after the painful hour of pedaling due to the poor functioning of the material, one of the staff did not even help us to put he pedal boats to shore. Don't waste your money and time there. RUDE staff and BROKEN UP equipment!!! read more

All I can say is the manager connor , chandler r soooo feminine and Timothy I think his name was kept asking me for change for "the children". read more

Went there yesterday with my wife she rented a kayak i have a SUP so i brought it with me. As i am walking down to the water i hear "hey bud come here" coming from a 17 year old kid in a wooden mini lifeguard chair. He hes waving me over with his hand while practicing his best too cool for school face. So i put down my board and walk over and he informs me that its a private beach and i will need to pay an $18 launch fee. I explain that my wife is a customer and we are together. He responds with sorry bro i could lose my job. So i tell him no thanks im going to walk down the beach too the non private area and put in there. As i am walking down the boat ramp 100 yards away i hear frantic yelling "sir thats a private area". Bye this time i have my feet in the water hes still screaming. I ignore him and paddle away. My wife tells me that he lectured her saying thats "hella disrespectful bro". $50 bucks for a SUP rental!!! Save your money Costo sells SUPs for $150 bucks park at Kelly elementary and walk to the lagoon from there. Stay away from this tourist trap. read more

Not kid friendly--mostly a place to test out jet skis. My 8 year old couldn't reach the pedals on the water bike or paddle boat, and the paddle boards are also too hard. We went kayaking, but the waves from the jet skis made it tough--plus there is not much space to row since the boats and jet skis own the lagoon. The bathrooms were full of stench, the small places to swim were gross with horse poop around and seaweed everywhere, and I saw two cars get stuck in the parking lot gravel with spinning wheels. There's a steep hill cars are supposed to go down and then park in dirt parking lots--no thanks. It looks great from the road, but I would not go back. There are much better places to go for a beach or kayaking or water toys--Mission Bay, for instance, which is cheaper, too. Skip this one. read more

me and my wife came to the lagoon for some paddleboarding, we got a special rate on a social networking site, the board was a good board for a foam board, The paddle was in bad shape. the restrooms are in need of repair in a bad way. but other that that the lagoon was nice and the workers were frendly. we had a good time despite the a lack of maintenence on the facilities and equipment read more

My friend and I rented a boat today with our 3 teenagers. They provide a driver and our driver was Collin. He did a great job pulling the kids in the tube, teaching them wakeboarding and wakesurfing. I highly recommend this!!! read more

I went there today with my girlfriend to kayak. Never been kayaking before. We got to the shore and were each given a kayak. One was very nice. One was terrible. Both were filthy and one seat had no back support. The seat was broken. I didn't notice the difference in seats until we were underway. And the oar was missing a chunk on one end. The place was not that busy so I could see when we returned that there were many available kayaks in good working order. Why someone would give me a piece of crap kayak when there were better ones a available is beyond me. I'll go kayaking again. Just not there. read more

The facilities are great and they have a great selection of equipment to rent. However, our experience with the staff wasn't great. They seemed put-off when we arrived to check-in for our reserved time. There were three employees behind the counter who were chatting amongst themselves and appeared bothered that they had to pause their conversation to check us in for our reservation. If you can get past the customer service, then it is a nice way to spend a morning/afternoon. read more

We rented 2 peddle boats. They're difficult to maneuver when the water is so rough due to the jet skis and ski boats. It was a great leg workout, but not much fun. One of the boats leaked and took on water. The lagoon is a nice place, but It's not a good place for peddle boats or SUPs when the jet skis are creating rough water. read more

This is a little gem in Carlsbad. We had driven by Carlsbad Lagoon for years when traveling back and forth to San Diego hoping we would have a chance to visit. We rented 2 Jet Ski's and 2 paddle boards yesterday and had a great time. The staff were friendly, informative, and very easy going. We will definitely go back soon as we are now hooked on the vibe of riding the Jet Ski's. read more

What a great time! They have so many things to rent, it's easy to get there, and so much fun. Thank you on behalf of the Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary. read more

We went here for my sister's B-day party yesterday . Friendly and helpful Staff and good equipment, then add the California weather and great friends...We had a perfect party...We would recommend them to family and friends. Until next time!!! read more

This past Saturday morning I made my way down to the lagoon with my kids and husband. I have been to San Diego on vacation a dozen times and this was my first time going to the lagoon, and it will absolutely not be the last! When we got there I wasn't sure what to expect but boy was I impressed! When I first arrived I was pleasantly surprised by the affordable prices for the rentals, especially for San Diego. We decided to rent 2 jet skis for an hour as well as paddle boards for two hours! The girls in the office were so sweet, helpful, and made us feel like we were at home. When we got down to the water the boys who were working at the beach were not only helpful, but patient and acted like they really cared about their job and the lagoon. The jet skis were a great time and it was a lot of fun paddling over to the beaches with our paddle boards. My kids had a blast and it was absolutely the highlight of our vacation. I will be recommending this place to everyone I talk to! Definitely a hidden gem in San Diego. read more

I wish I could give 5 stars... but I can't. Here's why. The steep down slope to get to the waters edge can be a little scary. As we decided on what to rent we saw one of the tricycles begin to sink on one side with two teen girls struggling to make it back in. Not sure what happened there - maybe the plug came out and they were taking in water in the one wheel. We completed the waivers on the tablets provided - nice feature... and rented one of the two self driven boats... they gave us a lap around the lagoon, explained the rules and how to drive the boat. Staff was friendly and laid back. We got just out of the wake area and the boat died on us. We called for help.... took two calls. The kid that came out to help tried his best to get it started again... wasn't going to happen. He ended up going back to the dock, grabbed a rope and slowly pulled us in with his sea-do. We changed to another boat and decided to do 1 hour instead of 2... enough time... the second boat was full of trash and dirt. Both boats do not provide a shaded top. We've wanted to check this place out for years... I don't think we will be back any time soon. It was an experience - we have some laughable memories - but we will wait until the equipment is updated. read more

No trained lifeguards on duty! Please be careful! My 10 year old daughter and I waited on a paddleboard for a half hour before a jet ski could come pick us up. I couldn't see her injury affter falling off the paddleboard. I called them twice. I should have just called 911. Then they finally came and it was so shallow the jet ski couldn't come to us. I had to paddle to him. He just waited doing nothing while I struggled to get out of the mud. Then when they got her to shore they were too busy to help her. When i got to shore they handed me the first aid kit. i understand its at your own risk, but a little kindness and customer service would have been nice. I took my daughter to the dr and she had numerous cuts all over her feet and they had to give her a shot for the toe that was sliced, along with a tdap. I paid for two hours and asked for one hour refunded. They refused and offered a token. I said I won't be back. And I won't. Terrible experience. So dissapointed. Our excitement to go turned into a nightmare. And i had to put 1 star to add this review. Thats about all they deserve for at least making their way out to us. read more

Fantastic Place!! I had a chance to visit the lagoon last Saturday. Even though it was extremely busy, the owner greeted me with a big smile and treated me like I was family. The employees were all very polite and helpful and seemed happy I was there. This is a very family oriented place where both adults and children have an exciting fun day. It's a great place to get a break from the heat inland. I highly recommend California Watersports to people of all ages!!! read more

My boyfriend and I rented an aqua cycle. They gave us one that was not functional. It ended up filling up with water and we had to leave it in the middle of the lake and hike back. I tried to ask for a refund and the rudest girl refused to help or even apologize for the terrible experience I had. There was no management to talk to. I wouldn't recommend renting here. read more

I took my kids out on the waverunners and they had a blast. They go about 40mph and the staff was friendly and helpful. There was also an inflatable trampoline for the kids to swim on and play while they were waiting their turn. There was also a shower to rinse off after playing in the salt water. Overall, an excellent experience. read more

Absolutely wonderful staff! They were very friendly and very helpful. Not to mention super accommodating to 4 old ladies who didn't know what they wanted to do. Great, great place to spend an afternoon. Can't wait to take the family and kids. read more

Terrible business through and through. The scenery is nice, but the customer service sucks and the rates are outrages! I was treated with absolutely no respect whatsoever. Do not take your family here, for one it will burn a hole in your wallet and for two you will be treated like dirt. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED read more

I came here last Thursday as part of a work related recognition event. It turned out to be one of the most memorable events I've attended. It was great to get out in nature and enjoy the beautiful weather. We were given our choice to paddle board, kayak or water bike (I think thats what its called lol- you know the bike with the big tires that float on water) I chose to kayak. I was a little hesitant to try the paddle board because I have horrible balance but I may need to try it next time. It looked like alot of fun. After some instruction and assistance from the staff I was quickly in the water and kayaking for the first time. I was really surprised how easy it was. I felt totally secure and any fears of falling or flipping over were gone. I enjoyed the lagoon and was surprised to see fish jumping out of the water around me. The size of the lagoon was perfect. It was large enough to enjoy but not too large to intimidate. There were other people enjoying the lagoon but I never felt like it was overcrowded or that I would run into people. I cant comment on cost as it was free for me but I just checked out their website and it looks super affordable. I plan on returning with my family and enjoying it again. read more

came here on a rainy saturday with my boyfriend and his friends.... and omg i was sooo sad that it was raining :( obviously these water toys arent meant to be played in the rain... but despite the horrible whether conditions, this place is super cool, chill and fun. its private property so you can do whateverrrr you want ! bring a case of beer or a bottle of alcohol and youll have lots of fun. the people who work here are SOOOO NICEEE ! our boat guy let us stay out there for an extra 30 minutes just to make sure that everyone on our boat got a chance to wake board. they close at 7 but we were out there until 745. such nice and thoughtful workers :) :) will come back again on a bright sunny day instead ! read more

This place was great. Got a really good deal on Groupon and headed out. Paddle boarding for two hours, it was beautiful. The staff was really nice and friendly and the service was quick. We didn't even have to wait for a board. There are BBQ's to use on the side and a small store if you need anything. The lagoon was nice and calm and there was enough room for everyone to go around. There were even jumping fish ! I'd recommend it definitely. Don't just pass it by on the freeway, stop and go! read more

Nick was an amazing driver and gave my family and friends an experience to remember. This place is a hidden gem. Jet skis. Speed boats with water skiing, wake boards, and tube for the kids. Thank you. read more

I love this place !!! Just started stand up paddleboarding here and absolutely am hooked at the age of 45. If I can do it , you can too!!! There is nothing like it being out in this beautiful lagoon , it is gorgeous and there is something for everyone , wakeboarding , kayaks , aquacycles , jetskis , volleyball nets , and a small floating raft area for the kiddies , even though my grandkids prefer to be on the paddleboard with me. Come on down and give this place a try , you will love it. read more

This place is fantastic! Our squadron on Camp Pendleton is gathering donations to raise money for military kids, and the owner, Josh, made a generous donation to our cause. Thank you, Josh! Go check out this place if you haven't already, and support a local business that supports our military!! read more

We had a great time. I liked the fact that it was located at the lagoon vs the ocean, I felt safer this way.

My family and I went on Valentine's Day because we wanted to do something fun and memorable. We had read great things about Carlsbad Lagoon and there was a Groupon coupon (2 hours for a selection of watersports for $27) so we decided to give it a try. It was so much fun and a great time had by all of us! It was pretty busy for being the offseason: it was a holiday and the weather was gorgeous, but it wasn't too crowded. We arrived in the late morning and after getting checked in we were on our way. We decided to rent a double kayak and managed to fit myself, my mom and 17 year old brother into it. It was our first time being there and going kayaking and the staff was so nice and helpful. Once we were all in and after a few minutes of getting acclimated to it we were paddling our way out. The lagoon is gorgeous and a great place for a fun, relaxing afternoon. You launch from the shore, paddle out and around to some great little beaches or keep going through the canals. We made it to the beach and dropped my mom off and my brother and I kept going through the canals. We didn't go all the way but it was so nice to just float and admire all the beauty around us! Overall, the trip was about the 2 hours and a heck of a lot of fun. If you're in the Southern California or Carlsbad area and are looking for a pretty inexpensive, fun afternoon I highly recommend going to Carlsbad Lagoon! They have so much to choose from like jetskis, boating, paddle boarding, kayaking, peddleboating and aqua cycles. There is something for everyone and we will definitely be back! read more

We just had a BLAST at the lagoon with our 10 and 7 year old children. We rented jet skis and had a wonderful time. The staff, especially a young man named Alex that helped us in and out of the water and onto the skis, was extremely helpful, and epitomized Southern California! We have every intention of returning again, as this was a perfect family destination! Do yourself a favor and sneak out here to enjoy some family time! read more

This is definitely one of my favorites places in North County, it's a short drive from LA and an even shorter drive from San Diego! If you're looking to paddle board, jet ski, or even wakeboard they have it all here! All the equipment is in good shape and comes at a good price. I come here to paddle board and usually go with the 2 hour rental so I can have time to hang out the beaches at the other end of the lagoon which are never very crowded! When it comes to jet skiing the ski's are in good condition and they seat two people so the price is worth it. Besides that they rent out kayaks and a ton of other equipment that I've seen but my favorite thing to do here is wakeboard. The wakeboarding boat is definitely the best deal, I usually bring my whole family (8 of us) and we wakesurf, wakeboard and the kids love to tube. All the equipment is included with the rental and life jackets of course. The girls in the office are usually very helpful and friendly and although it does get pretty busy on the weekends they usually always take reservations! read more

Great place! Take advantage of the Groupon or other local deals. The staff is beyond friendly! It is very fun and very original.

My wife and I took our 5 year old here for some on the water action during our visit to San Diego. We purchased a Groupon (a must do to save $$) and decided on trying out the water cycle. BIG mistake! I never expected to work that hard! We quit after about 45 minutes and rented kayaks instead which were so much more fun! They also had paddle boats, paddle boards and wave runners to rent also. The wave runners were only allowed to go in a big circle in the lagoon, seemed a little boring to me. All in all we had a great time and would recommend this to everyone! read more