Kirsten (the instructor) was FANTASTIC to work with! Communicative, patient, friendly, flexible…read more(with scheduling, skill level, etc.) - inspiring. We are so grateful we got to meet and learn from her!

Just got back from Chicago stand up paddle boarding and honestly had a really fun time. I went to…read morethe diversity harbor location as most of the beaches continue to be closed due to COVID. The view and paddle boarding towards the city is quite scenic and it is cool to be able to merge the thundering city with being on the water. It is right next to a public park so there are many people walking, biking, and having picnics which is also a nice sight, however, on the other side of the park is a highway so that takes away from some of the scenery. There are not great parking instructions on the website but we managed to find a spot hero nearby which was pretty easy. Booking a same-day reservation was not a hassle and you simply fill out a liability waiver on the phone once you get there. I was not super sure about how clean the rented equipment was which could be a concern for some people right now, otherwise the rental process was easy. Some other concerns I had were that they give you a box to store your belongings in, but the box is just sitting out in the back of a trailer and I am not sure how well guarded they were. There is also a very low bridge that I had to lay down to go under, and while I thought it was a fun little challenge others may think of it as a nuisance. Overall, good way to paddle board near the city.

This is a wonderful crew team in the heart of Chicago. I had my best Masters Rowing experience…read morehere, and I love their emphasis on accessibility. They offer learn to row classes, and you can get scholarships to row in their competitive team.

The Lincoln Park Boat Club is completely member run by passionate folks who love boating -…read morespecifically rowing and paddling. I was into stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) so I was considered a paddler. SUP in Chicago can be hard. Lake Michigan is unfriendly to beginners so the lagoon used by the Lincoln Park Boat Club is perfect. The water is smooth, shallow and dirty enough to motivate you to keep your balance! The equipment at the LPBC is great too. There are a variety of SUP boards ranging from foam beasts that would never tip over to slender racing boards. Most of the storage was taken up by other boats. Some vessels were owned by members and others were owned by the club and could be used by anybody. Since the LPBC is completely run by volunteers, everybody has a lot of responsibility and autonomy. A lot of it is run on the honor system. For example, keeping the dock clean of goose poop and locking the garage was everyone's responsibility. To my knowledge, there was no cleaning or maintenance crew. There are no bells and whistles. The LPBC members I met were friendly. The SUP folks were competitive. It just wasn't my scene. I wanted a place to relax, skim across the water, and be outdoors. The other people I met were perfecting their techniques, getting stronger and racing. I ended up going only about four or five times, or about $100/visit. I'd remain a member if I could pay less than the competitive, more dedicated people. I asked if there could be a modified membership or a pay-per-visit deal but (as of this review) those aren't options.

Fun and Relaxing! What a wonderful experience - easy, safe, and fun. I went with my daughter and…read moreher boyfriend - the staff was experienced and helpful, and our trip down the river lasted about an hour and 40 minutes. We had plenty of time to take pictures, splash around, and enjoy each other's company. It was a great blend of relaxation and exercise. Oh, and my wife hurt her arm and couldn't go - I casually asked if we could get a credit since we couldn't find anyone last minute to replace her, and they gave us a full refund. Thank yo,u Naperville Kayak - we'll be back!

What a perfect afternoon getaway! My husband and children (late teens) had a dreamy trip down the…read moreriver! Naperville Kayak booking is easy to book online. They have a professional team and great equipment! Will absolutely book again!

So the weekend is approaching! It's July! It's Hot! Chicago is surrounded by water, at least on the…read moreEast side. What are your plans? Might I suggest Jet Skiing?! Let me tell you about my 4th of July Adventure....... My plans were to hang out and eat BBQ with a friend, but she wasn't feeling too well and had to cancel our plans. After making sure she was ok, I was on the verge of catching up on a series on MAX. Then it hit me, "It's a BEAUTIFUL holiday, and you are about to watch tv? What are you doing? You said you wanted to go jet skiing before the summer is over. What are you waiting for? Let's Do It!" I called Chicago Water Sport Rentals on 31st and spoke with the owner who assured me that the day was perfect and the water was fine, code for: "No Danger Here". After an exchange of "God Bless You", I hung up the phone, quickly put sunscreen on, gathered my wetsuit and sunglasses and headed out the door toward the lake. When I got to the harbor and my jet ski rental destination, that's where the magic happened. After a thorough tutorial about how to properly use and have fun on the jet ski that I was sitting on, off I went to the high seas, I mean out toward open waters with the rest of the water sports lovers. Once I got past the channel filled with boat lovers, sailers, and jet ski pros, I played around in open-calm waters while the sun and the city were beaming down on me. The views are absolutely spectacular and the experience was exhilarating! I was on that thing for an hour. Yes, an hour. Last time it was 30 minutes. This time I wanted to challenge myself. Once I got into my groove, there was NO STOPPING ME, until my time was up. ‍ Lol. I highly recommend you try something new this weekend. If you have been jet skiing before, try a new venue off the 31st Street Harbor. Then treat yourself to lunch at the restaurant directly next door. This experience will make you feel ALIVE!

We learned a lot about kayaking from the owner, John. He and his staff took their time in…read moreexplaining every detail of the equipment to us. We had a lot of fun paddling in the harbor and checking out all the boats docked there. There was quite a bit of boat traffic this Sunday afternoon so we rolled with the waves as boats come in and out. Some might find that unpleasant but we thought it was a good opportunity to get a taste of what kayaking on the lake could be like. Kayaks and paddle boards stay within the harbor, which is about 9 miles of boat docks. It's quite an different experience from other kayaking locations; it's manmade and urban and the only wildlife is seagulls. There is a parking lot though its $28 for 0-12hrs during the weekends. We chose to park on the other side of the trail and walked to this location. It's a beautiful walk! The best amenity is the private bathroom with shower. We usually don't get wet with kayak but since this is the lake, we were drenched. Highly recommend wearing swimsuit for any water activities. We'll be back to try the jet skis.

This place is it!! They have everything you want/need to make your vacation top notch fun!! We…read morerented bikes (adult and kid size available) for the week and they were delivered to the rental home at no charge. We also rented kayaks that the owner, Art, delivered to the launch site along a nice river. Again, at no charge. Finally, we treated ourselves and the kids and rented a paddleboard for the day to play with in Lake Michigan. Again, no charge for delivery and pick up from the beach. Pain free fun!!! Art and his wife are friendly and knowledgeable and completely accommodating. We will use them again for sure!!

Was on my way to Chicago to purchase eBikes and stopped in to RAR to look around and ended up…read morepurchasing from Art and Shelly. They had scheduled appointment customers they were helping and managed to work us right in without neglecting them. Art and Shelly are fair, knowledgeable and extremely kind. Art spent so much time with us explaining the ebike world to us and making sure we made an informed decision with test rides and answering all our questions. Before we left he made sure everything was fit and working properly to our satisfaction and patiently making changes to our needs. I feel confident Art and Shelly will continue to support our purchase above and beyond should we have any future problems or repairs. Our maiden trip was 18 miles on some hill country that I certainly would not have entertained on my mountain bike. In my late 50's it has opened up a whole new world of possibilities and much needed exercise. If you are considering an ebike go to RAR first!

It almost seemed like a dream. From the very start, cruising through a large patch of lotus plants,…read moreit felt otherworldly. Very peaceful, going at our own pace. Enjoyed the cliff walls of Buffalo Rock and the shallow waters of some side passages. We paddled for 5 hours, covering 8 miles total. After we were done we headed to charming, historic downtown Utica for drinks and dinner at Skoog's Pub & Grill in North Utica, IL. I was impressed with the logistics and operation of the kayaking experience, from the guide* to the equipment and online booking process. *Full disclosure, the guide was my twin sister, but I am being objective...seriously.

I have mixed feelings about this kayak tour company. I signed up because although I'm a very…read morecapable and seasoned kayaker, I didn't know this river and I like learning about the ecosystems and local wildlife. For this reason I like having tour guides. Going up the river was fine. Coming back went a bit sour. I went as slow as I was capable of paddling or not paddling, but apparently it was too fast for the preference of our tour guide. I was barely touching the water with my paddle. I have no idea how I could have gone any slower. It wasn't humanly possible. After shouting at me several times, he took to chasing me down and ramming my kayak so it'd spin in circles. Would I rent a kayak here and kayak the river alone? Yes. Would I personally use a tour guide here? No I wouldn't. Would I recommend? If you're a family with little kids or a drunk sorority house, absolutely. If you know what you're doing, just go it alone. You'll probably enjoy it more. Edit: If the tour guide had concerns for group safety, he could have said so. Although ramming my kayak with his seems to be a bit of a conflict as far as my safety goes. It was an unprofessional approach when he could have simply explained why he needed me to slow down

I would highly recommend Urban Kayaks to anyone that wants a scenic kayaking experience along the…read moreChicago lake front. Frank and LJ helped us out and their customer service is truthfully top. They make the experience super fun and chill and take the time to give you a brief but effective/informative kayaking tutorial before you start. I've kayaked many times before but I am far from a pro or an expert, so the tutorial was very welcomed and it was thorough and one that helped make the kayaking experience better! I HIGHLY recommend Urban Kayaks Lakefront and will definitely be kayaking with them again the next time that I kayak in Chicago!

Last summer, I was strolling along the riverwalk and saw the sign for Urban Kayaks. They mentioned…read moreanother location, next to the lake, so I went to check it out and fell in love. I vowed to return this summer and was so stoked I bought a $200 summer pass (good from June to October) even before Mayor Lightfoot opened up the lakefront. I have already visited Monroe Harbor three times in the last 30 days and absolutely love the Urban Kayak operation. Everyone is friendly and so professional. First, the kayaks are new and in excellent shape; makes you realize how pathetic the selection can be with other kayak rentals. Second, the staff are an enthusiastic and knowledgeable bunch who make sure everything is in working order before letting anyone head out on their own. Third, the Chicago views are spectacular and even when it's a hot day, it just feels great to be on the water. Fourth, they are less than a quarter mile from the Millennium Park Garage (check out ParkWhiz for super cheap parking). This summer pass has been one of the best investments I've ever made for my mental and physical health and I'm going to kayak all summer!

Yesss! Best $10 ever spent! Thank you Groupon! This was such a quick fun adventure and so easy. I…read morearrived and was helped by two young guys, just hanging out in their crate lol....I love that idea! They've got life jackets and give you some quick instruction before you head off. Paw Paw river is nestled between some nice homes and a golf course so you've got some nice views. Lots of wild life to see and a few bridges (watch your head please) If you're in the area and want a quick workout, please do this!

Really great experience and for so cheap! Joey was a real help to top it all off! Can't recommend…read moreenough bring the whole family