Had a great experience in the Open Water Dive certification class. I appreciate the clear communication, the relaxed pace, and the confidence from the instructors. I look forward to continuing my diving education with DNT. read more

I went there to buy a mask that would work with my prescription. The gal working went above and beyond my expectations. She read the blog post that listed masks for a farsighted prescription. She had me try on several masks. I found the perfect mask to fit my face. I used See the Sea for the prescription lens. The prescription worked well. read more

This month my son and I earned our open water certification with Dive N Trips. DNT offers an excellent experience for new divers. The staff is friendly, knowledgable, and available for questions. Our instructors, Dirk, Hazel, and Jessica, were absolutely fantastic. We always felt safe and cared for. If you are thinking about getting started, or advancing your knowledge, this is the place to be! read more

Dive N Trips - Certification at Monterey Bay was a fantastic experience! Thank you DNT!! - Diving Near Me - Pleasanton, California

My brother has been diving for a number of years and I have been FOMOing for just about the same amount of years, but sadly never had the time to get certified for open water diving untilllll...this month! :] I just finished my open water certification with instructors Austen and Hazel. They were awesome -- super patient, encouraging, explained everything well, worked with us individually to troubleshoot any issues, and gave us great tips and bits/tidbits of knowledge throughout our course. (We also had Alex [divemaster] with us at the pool sessions and Caroline joined us for the ocean sessions!) The PADI Open Water Diving course + eLearning is $613, and the rental fees for the wetsuit/hood/BCD/regulator/tanks/weights/gear bag are all included in the price. The overall price will be higher than this though since you need fins/snorkel/mask/boots/gloves too. You will need to pop in there sometime before all these classes start so that you can turn in paperwork, do a mask/wetsuit fitting + get whatever other gear you need (e.g. fins, snorkel, gloves, boots, socks, etc.). (Make sure you call to schedule this, as it takes about an hour.) The course consists of: -1-hour orientation at the dive shop (usually the first Wednesday of the month) -eLearning portion that you do on your own (make sure you actually set aside time to do this prior to your first pool session!) -2 Saturday pool sessions over at the San Ramon olympic pool by Cal High (an optional 3rd if you don't get everything that you need to done in those 2 pool sessions) -1 weekend (typically the last weekend of the month) over in Monterey where you work on all the skills you've learned in the ocean Our pool sessions had 13 students so we buddied up into groups of 2-3 (buddy or "truddy" system). It was a really fun and supportive environment. Although the conditions in Monterey over this past weekend were less than ideal (veryyy poor visibility and super cold, but we expected the cold part, haha), we carried on and everyone in our class = officially certified now! I'm happy to have met my diving buddies and we're hoping to do more dives together soon! :] DNT also offered a free gear rental package for one of their upcoming fun dives (they try to do one once a month) after we got certified + you also get discounts on gear purchases if you take a course through them! read more

My go to spot for diving classes and equipment. Owner and staff are great and take their time to get to know you.

I came here to find a snorkel and mask for a trip to the Florida Keys. Michael was super attentive and took everything I said into consideration when helping me select gear. He talked me down from buying a fancier and more expensive snorkel which I very much appreciated, and also walked me through trying on masks to find the perfect fit. As a snorkeling beginner, I had a ton of questions and Michael incredibly helpful. While I only looked in the snorkel room, from what I could tell Dive N Trips has a great selection of gear and something for all price ranges. Definitely will be coming back when I need more! read more

My 12-year-old daughter was just certified through Dive N Trips and the entire process was excellent. Really, this is a labor of love for the staff and owner. The instruction was led by the stellar Dirk, whose patience and thoroughness throughout made me think that in another life he could have been a NASA astronaut--absolutely above and beyond at every step. Micheal, the owner, is also a teacher and runs the thriving dive shop where there's really a great sense of joy and community. And, there were three excellent dive masters, all excellent teachers and clearly involved because of their passion and love of diving. So, the expense was a bargain; I feel so lucky to have access to such a top-notch diving school and shop, and my next step is to do some of the fun dives they offer, monthly, and soon get certified as an advanced open water diver. read more

I really enjoyed the PADI training course for our an open dive certification. Everyone at Dive'N'Trip in Pleasanton was really helpful in getting us all the gear we would need rented or bought in preparation for the dives. The online course was lengthy and in-depth but got us ready for the meet up, the pool dives, and then the open water dive weekend in Monterey. We had the best weather and visibly too! We felt like the skills we learned will help us be confident divers. I look forward to diving with my wife on an upcoming vacation and possibly joining some of the exciting trips posted at the dive shop too. read more

Amazing dive shop and instructors, highly recommend if you are even considering scuba diving. I was unsure if I would get through and they made me feel comfortable and confident in my skills and the experience as a whole. I am now an open water certified diver and can't wait for what is next! read more

Dive N Trips is a fantastic family owned business! Michael and Carley are honest, friendly people who take great care of your scuba needs! I finished my open water cert with instructor Tony. He is very experienced with nearly 8000 dives in 50+ countries. He is calm, clear, and encouraging--highly recommend. My private scuba lessons were definitely worth it, and it was tailored to my schedule. The dive shop is stock full of items, and they can order additional per request. There's also a discount if you sign up for classes! Dive N Trips introduced me to scuba, and I definitely recommend checking them out if you're in the area! read more

Neither my wife nor I had dived in 30 years, so we signed up for the PADI online ReActivate program to refresh out skills prior to a planned diving trip to Grand Cayman. Dive N Trips was notified when we completed the (excellent) online course. Michael proactively and promptly contacted me to arrange for a follow-up classroom and pool session. We exchanged a few emails and phone calls, and arranged a time convenient for us, another client and and instructor. Jody led both our classroom and pool session. Our session was conducted at a local pool, where Dive N Trips has a very good relationship. My wife and I were at very different comfort levels, and the other client was pretty experienced. Jody was patient, organized, informative, friendly and tailored the session to each of our individual needs. The pool was comfortably heated, and the provided gear was satisfactory. We are very much looking forward to more sessions with he team. read more

1st experience was for service of my equipment. Had a trip coming up and they failed at every opportunity. Never returned calls, gear was not sent or ordered when told it was. Ended up with one piece (not the piece they stated that it was) not being servicable, got it five weeks later, the day I left for my trip. This has caused a huge inconveniece and additional cost. Cost for the service was not reasonable especially after all the problems. Never even got a "sorry" from the staff. Will not use them again. And do not reccomend. read more

Love this place! Michael & Carley are so nice and helpful.. Today Michael helped me pick out the perfect Boots, Fins, Mask, etc. so that they would be comfortable and not be distracting while I am diving. Coooool. read more

I get my paintball tanks filled here. Other dives shops don't fill tanks immediately. You drop off the tanks and have to come back later. This place fills up the tanks within minutes (depending on busy the place is). Cost $8.00/tank. Friendly folks. OK, there is one BIG problem. As others noted, this place is closed when they aren't supposed to be. I've almost gone here during normal business hours but decided to call ahead to check. No one answered the phone so I cancelled the trip. CALL THE STORE BEFORE YOU DRIVE HERE. CALL THE STORE BEFORE YOU DRIVE HERE, CALL THE STORE BEFORE YOU DRIVE HERE. Other than that, I don't mind the trip over here. read more

Just got certified by Dive N Trips in Pleasanton, CA. What a great team! Couldn't have been more informative, safety conscious, good-natured, and effective. These guys know diving and are loads of fun. Thanks! read more

I signed my child up for summer camp through our city which was run by Dive n Trips. This camp did not meet expected safety standards and my child's time at the camp was unfilled due to early dismissal every single day between 15 and 35 minutes. The camp was meant to run from 9am to 11am. However, my child was let out early which resulted in a significant loss of time and experience that was promised upon registration. She was let out early and free to roam outside the gates of the pool unsupervised. If you sign up for this camp, I highly recommend staying and watching instead of dropping off like at other summer camps. The owner failed to respond to emails in a timely manner. When pressed to respond, the owner claimed my 11 yr old daughter was disruptive and left on her own accord. My daughter was in fact the one helping everyone else disassemble their gear, helped to put everything away, and was told to check out on her own each day. I do not recommend this company as a summer camp provider. read more

Did a refresher course here back in June. Affordable, and honest people. Would recommend this shop to anyone in the Bay Area.

The staff at Dive N Trips was amazing. I was skeptical and hesitant to even begin this underwater adventure known as PADI; however, after my first trip to the shop, I felt like one of the team. Everyone at the shop is pretty awesome! The lessons were well thought out, the exercises are tough but I wouldn't have it any other way. Your life is depending on you and muscle memory should the need arise. The first time I was able to breathe underwater was and is one of the best memories of my life. Dive N Trips made that possible for me and I'm forever thankful. It's a whole other world down there and now that I'm PADI certified because of the Dive N Trips, I can explore and share these memories with my wife and partner in crime! The only thing I was not really prepared for was the costs associated with all the gear, lessons, etc...I hear from other folks that the prices are reasonable compared to other shops and lessons. Again, I'm a newbie and didn't ask enough questions. Other than that....I loved it, recommend them and would do it again! read more

I've rented scuba gear from them a few times. They are very safety oriented and will check your gear. Of course as a diver you have to check you gear but some other shops don't really check when they rent to you. An extra set of eyes help. All of my dives were issue free when I rented my gear from them. Years ago I rented dive gear for Dive Against Debris as a volunteer diver and they gave me a discount as well. Not sure if they still do it but it was nice. read more

We came in today to get a new dive mask for my husband. The man helping us was super efficient-looking at my husband's face and choosing a couple of masks that he thought would work with his face. This is probably the least painful purchase we have had to make and after the test dive Kevin makes tomorrow we may come back for other purchases. When we were being rung up, the guy (who we now know is the owner) thought that Kevin looked familiar but this was our first time in the shop. It wasn't until we left and Kevin looked at his receipt that he realized that the owner Gene was the man who Kevin got his Dive Certification 23 years ago when he was just shy of 15! Small world and goes to show the owner sure knows his stuff! I am sure we will be back! read more

I got my open water SCUBA certification through Dive N Trips this past week. The whole process from day 1 forward was absolutely great and my instructor was fantastic. I work a very hectic work schedule and I needed to be certified in less than 2 months. Taking classes on the weekends were impossible because of work, and my initial phone call with the owner, Gene, was to explain to him my predicament. Gene quickly told me what my options were as well as what the pricing would be. He suggested that I consider taking the classroom portion of the course online through PADI (so I can go through it quickly and on my own free time), and then after that, I come in to schedule for my pool and open water dives through a private instructor. So after I got my online courses completed and obtained the E-certificate that PADI gives you, I walked into the store at 5:45pm (they close at 6) and thought it'd be quick to just schedule the pool/open water dives. I found out that I had a ton of paperwork to fill out, had to take a "review" exam (just to prove that I actually did the online courses and didn't get someone else to do the online exam for me), then purchase some basic gear (fins, snorkel, boots, mask). The staff stayed late until about 7:30pm just to take care of all of that for me! They could've easily turned me away and told me to come back another day since they were closing soon, but they were super accommodating to my needs and got all of that taken care of after hours. I got fitted for a rental wetsuit, BCD, and weight belt as well. The instructor I was assigned to (who turned out to be absolutely fantastic) was able to work with my schedule and got all four days' worth of dives done in 3 sessions (1 pool day, 2 open water. I think typically the pool dives are done on two separate days if I'm not mistaken). I was able to be certified in less than a month from the start of walking into the store to get my paperwork filled out. The store has local pools that they work out of (primarily in Livermore) to do the pool dives and they can do the open water dives locally in Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton/Livermore if you don't have the time/energy/money to drive too far, or, for a more visually stunning and worthwhile dive, down in Monterey. I opted to do both my open water dives in Monterey because I had a full day to devote to the class and I must say it was a great decision! I think that the best part of the whole experience is that my instructor made me feel extremely comfortable with everything, from taking that very first breath underwater and not freaking out, to the very end to make sure that I was comfortable and confident with myself. During the pool sessions, we were done a bit early and he even stayed an extra hour or two just to make sure I had confidence in how to manage my buoyancy, even though my skills were already "acceptable". He was super patient and didn't seem irritated when I didn't understand something and needed him to clarify, or forgot the 5 point descent technique (for like, the millionth time. Even *I* was getting upset with myself). The rental gear I was given worked great as far as I can tell (I have nothing to compare to), and all in all, I'd definitely go back to get more advanced certifications when I'm ready!! read more

This place is horrible. Ordered a wet suit for a trip to Cozumel and they received it like 3 weeks later after promising to have in two weeks in time for my trip. All they had to do if retuned my money being they did not stand by their promise. But instead refused to give me my money back and basically said too bad so sad. They really care less about their costumers very un satisfied with this place. I would not recommend this place for your scuba diving needs. He also answered my review with complete lies. I specifically ordered this suit and was promised that I would have it for my trip. I even waited till I had to go to the airport and they still didn't have it. It's a shame that these people do business this way and all over a $100.00 dollar sell. I did not storm out the store but definitely told them that I would never shop there again and also recommend to all my friends not to do business at this place. And if I can save another person from getting a bad deal from this place even better. It was even offered by a different person at the store to refund my money,knowing that I was right, but the owner seems to be such a cheap person that he would rather loose a customer over $100.00 dollar sell which is very little considering it's an expensive sport and I could've potentially spent a lot more money in the future. Again I recommend not doing business with this store and there are other places in the Bay Area dedicated to this sport. read more

This shop does a great job helping the customer from BC's , dive computers, to regulators to maintenance of equipment. Paul is an awesome tech supporting regulators, and dive computers . He is outstanding trouble shooting issues. He is very technical and does an excellent job. Jodie is excellent in answering questions on all type of dive gear. She knows all the stores products. She has not steered me wrong in all the items I have purchased over the past several years of giving business. I always feel confident when dealing with her. The new owners Micheal and Carly are very nice. They both really want customers to know they are there to help each and very customer that walks in the store and leave completely satisfied. read more

The 1st day I visited the shop I felt welcome. Met Gene the owner. He is a great instructor and is extremely knowledgable. He made sure my gear fit and worked for my body. Was able to exchange mask and flippers during class pool sessions before I headed out to sea. Gene even offered to ensure my selected colors were considered. Other staff members Nate and Jodie were great to work with as well. The gear and wetsuits are very nice and go out in a functional gear bag for travel use and return. Check the web page for classes and ocean updates. Also look at the fun dive trips that are hosted by Dive n Trips to keep you diving and meeting new friends. read more

Dive N Trips - Diving Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Just came here for the first time this afternoon with my wife and 8 month old daughter. We're going out to Oahu in a few days and love snorkeling but have always had a hit-or-miss experience with masks and water leaking in. So we decided to come here to buy a mask that fit our faces (my wife is tiny and I have a typically flat asian face). The owner Gene was very helpful - analyzing our faces and going through fitting of several different masks asking us various questions. He was super knowledgeable and very patient with us (me especially since I'm very particular about things). We unfortunately went well past their closing time but Gene continued to help us. I never felt rushed. All in all, I had a great experience shopping here. With his 25 years of diving experience Gene will be able to help you with anything and to top it off very professional and kind. I will certainly be coming back here for any future diving needs. Thanks Gene! read more

Gene & his staff are some of the best around. My son received his open water last year from here. Then for my birthday I did the open water course! Very knowledgeable staff, they are very big on safety and making sure you understand what you are doing!!(it is Your life down there!!!) Very helpful on rental equipment and tips on the best places to go in CA. (They also plan trips all year long to different dive places!!) Great place to go for all your GoPro needs!! If they don't have it, they'll find it.... read more

One more thing scratched off my bucket list! Learn how to scuba dive. Pleasanton is not close, but it was worth the trek! I took the open water cert course with my brother (this is in his neck of the woods) - it was a wonderful experience for both of us. The shop is family owned and their staff is super friendly! We did our course with Dan, who is an excellent instructor. The pool sessions were staffed by additional assistant instructors, and all of them were patient and helpful during the skill building exercises. Our open water dives were in Monterey at San Carlos beach. Our group was super small (4 students) so the instructor to student ratio was excellent. The shop stocks high-quality gear and they give you a good 'student' discount to encourage you to buy your gear from them. I highly recommend investing in a quality mask, it makes a huge difference! read more

The people at Divd N Trips are extremely knowledgeable, trustworthy, and patient. As a first time diver, I needed a lot of help. They were able to help me get all the gear I needed and the fit was perfect. I would recommend this dive shop to anyone! read more

Excellent experience! Nick, Gene, Tony, Jodi and everyone were just so friendly, fun, helpful and knowledgeable--and they accommodated my rush timing as well as my need to do my final open water certification dives in Curacao. What an adventure SCUBA is ... and how awesome that I didn't have to leave Ptown to get outfitting, training and all set up for open water. Plus the package includes club membership. Thank you team! Looking forward to the next trip! read more

Wife and I had a great shopping experience at Dive N Trips. As we are novice snorkelers, Jodi took the time to explain the minimal equipment needed for our upcoming Galapagos trip - correct mask, dry snorkel, vest. She was very knowledgeable about the pros and cons of various types of equipment. She had the patience and took the extra time to find the right size mask to ensure a good fit. read more

Couldn't have been more helpful, needed to upgrade and restock some of my equipment before a last minute dive trip out of the country. Jennifer even supplied the name of a competitor to check with about stock and availability when she didn't have what I was looking for in stock. Prompt and courteous service both over the phone and in person. Thank you Gene, Jennifer and Jody. read more

Gene is willing to help anyone. I walked in after not diving for many years and he went out of his way to make me feel comfortable and confident getting back into the water. When you walk into his shop you will always feel at home. No pressure to buy anything, just come in and Gene and his staff will make you feel right at home and answer any or all your questions that you have. I will recommend Dive N Trips to anyone read more

For your own and your family's sake, DO NOT get any equipment serviced at this shop. After having my dive equipment serviced at DiveNTrips it FAILED on the very first dive while at 30 meters. When contacted about the issue and what may have possibly been the cause the owner Gene replied "once equipment leaves this shop we have No Responsibility for it" Frankly that is an Unbelievable attitude for a shop owner to have in regards to LIFE SAFETY Equipment and it's maintenance or repair! Gene's attitude while trying to get this resolved was inflammatory and ripe with accusation. His expressed opinion was it is up to the customer to insure full functionality of equipment (at depth) prior to leaving his shop. Frankly I feel I would have had a better and safer outcome if I tried to service my equipment at home with a hammer. If their equipment service and owner Gene's attitude is is any indication of how this shop regards customer service and the regard for their client's safety I would have second thoughts utilizing them for ANYTHING! If I could give them negative stars as a rating I would. read more

Definitely DO NOT get your gear serviced here! I am a certified scientific diver with dives logged all over the world. The service we received on our dive gear here was absolutely the worst. We took our computers in for a basic battery swap and check up (we really wish we had done it ourselves), and the first dive we did following the service the battery compartment flooded and the computer fried. The owner tried to tell us that the computer frying on the same dive as the battery flooding was just a coincidence, and therefore, the dive shop had no responsibility. Additionally, he claimed they had no record of servicing the gear (I am looking at the invoice as I write). This is my first YELP review, and I am writing this because I feel compelled to warn people that these guys are not about customer service or gear safety. There are much better dive shop options all over the Bay Area. read more

This self-proclaimed "Bay Area premiere" dive center has a lot to learn about customer service. Don't expect to receive any prompt follow up calls for purchases or equipment repairs. Also, despite advertising Saturday hours as 11-5, on two occasions I drove all the way to Pleasanton to find the shop closed. Found out later it was because the staff went diving! read more

Great place to obtain gear or to get certified to diver (or advanced certification). You can rent everything here, including tanks and bring it with you to ensure you don't waste time on the morning of your dive. read more

Gene was the best instructor I have ever had the experience to be trained by. I am now a PADI instructor thanks to him. His price was where I do not know how he made money as the training was in a small class size. His passion for the sport showed. I now own a dive shop in Hawaii and recommend going to him for all training in California. read more

Be afraid! I took a newish computer to Dive N Trips to be serviced before a recent trip. Someone obviously didn't close the battery compartment correctly and the computer flooded on my first dive. One expensive computer ruined. I did email them about it and got no response. If your equipment is pricey too - I'd suggest avoiding this place!! read more

I have just finished my pool portion of my scuba diving certification. Next weekend we head for Monterey. What a great experience this has been for me and my husband. The instructors Josh and Jason have been EXCEPTIONAL. So very helpful, clear, and patient. I have been so appreciative of them not only teaching me about safety and fun, but sharing their wisdom, tips, and experiences with me as well to help me become a Diver. Thanks guys! The store itself is very friendly and professional. They all take an appropriate amount of time to be sure that your equipment fits and is comfortable. We struggled finding a wetsuit that fit...I was beginning to feel very embarrassed, seriously ready to say, "Perhaps this just isn't meant to be for me to do." It was getting later, and later, but everyone was encouraging and doing everything they could to find what was best for me. Through their determination....the right wetsuit came to be. I am glad I didn't walk away and throw in the towel...because I love Diving! read more

This is literally years late, but I see that the people I worked with are still around, so it's worth it. I got my open water cert maybe four years or so ago here from Dan Longnecker before a family trip to some amazing tropical dive sites. Since I couldn't make it to the group dives, Dan had me do private lessons with him and a wonderful lady whose name I no longer remember (seriously, it's been years). Possibly Emily? In any case, we went to Shadow Cliffs - the absolute murkiest, cloudiest water we could find, and my instructors persevered to get me my certification in time. They went above and beyond! Highly recommended. read more