I had a wonderful experience renting a kayak from Genesee Waterways! Drive directly to the back of Genesee Valley Park, past the pool and other green spaces, and there's a large sign denoting the booth where you can rent. There was no one in the booth when I arrived - if this happens just take a walk around the building and there is likely someone just tending to the kayaks who will come back around. This is going to be a better deal than some of the other rental options, with 3 hours only setting you back $25. You can paddle to the left and see some of the UofR campus, but paddling to the right will allow you to head down the canal and see a lot more nature and views. The single employee pulls and pushes everyone out to the water, which blew my mind. I will absolutely be coming here again and look forward to many more trips down the river and canal. read more

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This place is awesome! I lived in Rochester for the majority of my life and it's not until I moved away did I realize how amazing it would be do kayak on the Erie Canal. So on my most recent visit to Rochester this past summer my cousin and I scoped out various places to rent kayaks. We settled on Genesee Waterways Center. Renting the kayaks was supper easy. We rented them for 2 hours for $25 per person. The rental process was seamless and the woman taking care of us was super friendly and knowledgeable. We kayaked along the Genesee river towards the canal. It was very peaceful and scenic. It was such a fun experience and we can't wait to go again! I'd definitely recommend this place to others. Also be sure to wear sunscreen and bring water on the very hot days. read more

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A Groupon deal (2 canoes for 4 people for $33) is what attracted us to this fun outdoor activity. My wife, my teen sons, and I had a great time paddling on the Genesee River and the Erie Canal. The canoes glided across the glistening water and we enjoyed the sights and sounds that flooded our senses. We spent about 90 minutes on the water and would have spent more time except one of our group had a terrible headache. From check-in to being in the canoes on the water took roughly 10 minutes. There was no line which was nice. read more

Loved this trek along the canal. It was a beautiful half-day experience and truly time consuming! We were out there for what felt like hours and still had time left to roam the waters... if only we didn't get hungry. You definitely get your money's worth. Also, if it's sunny, be prepared with sunscreen and water, there's little tree coverage so you're soaking up the rays. As for the logistical experience, it was a lady and man running the show for us that day. We went into the office, but no one was there so we walked around back where we found the people in charge. We signed some waivers and made our way to the kayaks. The lady was hilarious with all her quips and questions. We had to wait a little bit for folks to return so I advise you get there early or mid-afternoon in order to get the first picks of the kayaks. There were five of us so we were lucky to get the right number of people to return and trade off so we could all take to the water together. We went to the right up the canal first so we could float downstream on the way back. There are some bigger boats that come through and create some waves. Just be mindful not to get in their way because obviously they'd capsize these teensy kayaks. But those guys were few and far between. We got to spend the day on the water -- it was peaceful and relaxing. The picture perfect fall day. It's a different experience than kayaking on the bay, but equally awesome because the scenery is lovely along the canal and it's really open so there's a lot of area to cover. Thumbs up! I'll be back once the weather is warm again. read more

Genesee Waterways Center - Gorgeous trip on the canal! - Boating Near Me - Rochester, New York

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The reason why I gave two star... the young lady had poor attitude like she want to get everything over with in hurry. The rental kayak seat was very worn out from being used many time by customers. However the seat was very uncomfortable and caused my back and bone tail feel very numb and store. I paid 25 dollars for 3 hours but I had to give it up for the day at 1 hour and half. It was very disappointed. The view and ride was awesome and fun! Wish I was comfortable and continued through out dot on 3 hours. I wouldn't recommend it. read more

Get ready to feel like you're an employee there. Lift the canoe, grab your own oars as they are understaffed. Place is unorganized and unprofessional. read more

Renting Kayaks here was fast and easy. With COVID-19 stills concern, we didn't have to go in the office to process the rentals. Everything was done outside. The attendant brought our kayaks to the dock and got us going easily. The river current was not too bad. He explained what to expect, depending on which direction we went. North would take us downstream to the beautiful city views, and south would take us upstream and to the Erie Canal to explore. We decided to head up to the canal. We paddled for just over two hours and covered a few miles of the canal. We enjoyed the peacefulness of the cana and saw some nice wildlife while on the Genesee River as well. read more

Visited the Genesee Waterways Center to rent kayaks and had a fantastic time. It's unfortunate that not many people in Rochester know about this gem. It serves as a crew/rowing center for various area schools but also provides canoe/kayak rentals and other services. Better location in my opinion than Erie Canal kayaking as the views are much better along the river and this center has many more options for places to paddle to. The center is located at a crossing point of the Erie Canal with the Genesee river, as well as being extremely close to a marshy tributary type thing called Red Creek with lots of wildlife. A short paddle towards the city also provides a great water view of the skyline. There are some wetland habitats along the river so you have a great chance at seeing interesting wildlife such as herons, hawks, etc. The employees are extremely friendly and helpful and interested in making sure you have the best possible time. We were provided with a map and recommendations as to where to go, what to see, what wildlife has been observed recently and where, etc. There is water and bugspray available as well as public bathrooms at the center. The staff provides a brief explanation and assistance entering/exiting the boats from the floating dock, as well as paddling basics. They also set up our footrests in the kayaks. Pricing is 20$ for the first 2 hours and 6$ per hour after that, paid once you're done. Check the Genesee Waterways Center website for actual hours (or call) - the google maps page sometimes says they're closed when they're actually open. read more

Super convenient location to kayak. A short paddle away and you can choose to go on the canal or stay in the river. Every direction is beautiful so you just can't go wrong. read more

Kayaking was a lot of fun once we were out on the water. Not a hard path even with a bit of a current. Not the most scenic view of course with highways and rundown bridges. The reason for the low rating is the terrible attitude of the employees. The female was pleasant when paying and filling out the paper work. The two men working were snarky, impatient, and had a bad attitude both when helping in and out of the water. If you don't want to be there then find a new job! Don't recommend if you want your day to be ruined by a terrible attitude. read more

Awesome experience for my family and I 100% worth the money Xavier is really helpful and welcoming. I would highly recommend for family's to go to experience the fun we did when we came back to Rochester. definitely go back for another awesome experience Too bad we never tried this in California for our first time. Highly recommend everyone to see Xavier and kayak. read more

Such a great way to explore the hidden gems along the erie canal and genesee river. My husband I rented kayaks for the morni ng and explored the path along the Erie Canal and the Genesee River alongside Genesee Valley park. It was so nice and relaxing to breeze through explore the hidden beauty just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of Rochester. The man running the place was very helpful, giving us maps of the area and also gave tips on areas that would be beneficial to see during different seasons. As new kayakers, this was extremely helpfulc and he made us feel very welcome there. We will definately be back! read more