We did the bioluminescent kayaking trip and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the tour and our guides. They start off with a half hour introduction that includes each of their backgrounds regarding kayaking experience and some of the knowledge they have gained that pertains to the kayaking tour. Then they give a brief lesson about the bioluminescent plankton, then the safety talk. By the end of the talk you can tell how much they all love what they do and how committed they are to making sure you are safe and that you have a wonderful experience. The kayaking was easy, nothing strenuous, making it easy to watch the bioluminescence. And the bioluminescence was absolutely magical! They look like fireflies in the water! You can light them up with your paddle or even your hands. If you stir the water and scoop it up you can even get some lit-up plankton in your hand.. I would highly recommend Olympic Outdoor Center for this tour and we plan on returning again! read more

Terrific bioluminesce tour! Carter and Amber were great guides. The little plankton are not as bright as the images but they are glittery and magical and it was a super cool, unique experience. Everything was well run and the communication was excellent. Port Gamble is also a very neat little town to stay. I highly recommend this experience read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

We went to the bioluminescent kayak tour at Port Gamble. It was too crowded, the website said to get there at 9 but it didn't start until 9:30 and no one informed us in advance, the intro speech at the beginning was a mess and hard to follow with the leads jumping in to speak over each other, fireworks were going off around the lake which ruined the vibe. To top it all off, we barely saw any bioluminescence. I still liked kayaking under the stars with my friends, but I don't need this experience to do that. Warning: Even in June it got cold and I'm glad I had layers. The website said a lot of things that seemed to be outdated (they don't give you a water bag for your phone/keys). But bring as many layers (including hats, gloves) as you can because the wind can make it so much cooler. Pro Tip: there's a porta potty down by the launch point. read more

my husband and I took the evening bioluminescent kayak tour. Chris was informative and made sure we were all safe and had fun. It was truly delightful and magical. read more

I took the 'Introduction to sea kayaking and capsize recovery course' and loved it! John and Carson were extremely engaging and knowledgeable. The focus on safely was spot on - exactly what I needed to hear and practice - and brought home vividly by them sharing stories from their own experiences out on the water as well. Then there is the location: beautiful Port Gamble - what's not to like ! Cannot wait to return to take the next step: the 'Sea kayak navigation & touring essentials' course. Only a couple of weeks away... read more

I highly recommend their introductory sea kayaking class. It was fun and provided extremely important safety information. The instructors, Trina and Brian, were enthusiastic and supportive and very knowledgeable. I feel a lot more confidence now about keeping myself safe out on the water. read more

I can't recommend the Intro to Sea Kayaking and Capsize Recovery class highly enough. The instructors Trina and Chris were awesome. They did a great job explaining, demonstrating, and coaching us through each lesson. They were receptive to questions and took into account each student's interests, learning style, and level of experience. I was nervous to capsize and work on rescues, but they made it seem a lot less daunting. They are also very nice and made the class super fun. I'm new to kayaking, and now I feel like I have the knowledge I need to go on the water safely. read more

The bioluminescence tour was truly magical. The guides did a great job of presenting (one of them was even a naturalist!) information about the phenomenon as well as a brief primer on the wildlife of Puget Sound. They did a great job of balancing safety protocols with allowing people to relax and enjoy the experience. They have a difficult, physically-demanding job that they performed with casual ease, compassion, and good cheer. Even though the group was large, people were respectful. The conditions were also perfect for viewing the biolummies: warm water after a string of hot days, mostly overcast skies with a few stars and a wee, crescent moon. In the darker, treeline-shrouded areas of the bay where large firs cast long shadows, a multitude of ephemeral, fairy-like blue sparks of life are animated with each playful swoosh of the paddle. Even more than the bioluminescence, I found myself laying back in the kayak to gaze at the nighttime forms of clouds bending in the jet stream, their vapors trailing off in infinite directions beyond the vanishing horizon. It's been years since I experienced the peace and stillness of being on a boat on calm waters at night. It was like ten years of therapy and healing accomplished in one night, simply by being in nature. I thank our guides and naturalist for providing us with this priceless experience. read more

What an amazing experience! The rental process was fairly easy and accessible. Amber was helpful with the safety instructions. This was an amazing overall experience.cute port. The perfect day, no wind and plenty of sun. read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

Olympic Outdoor Center's Bioluminescence Kayak Tour in Port Gamble was absolutely a highlight of our trip to the PNW. We had 5 guides that evening, each of whom were amazing and very informative. They also set the expectations for what we hoped to encounter as well as information regarding the area and other things we may see that evening (i.e., harbor seals- hoped, but none that night hah) The night we went was absolutely perfect. As it had been a cloudy evening, the sole light pollution in the area (ahem, the MOON) was not an issue that night! Additionally, the water was as still as the night and like glass as we glided through the waters leading to the Puget Sound. We were blown away once we saw what can only be described as illuminated glitter on the water! Such a unique experience that we have already recommended to friends and family. We had this experience in August and definitely wore pants and dressed with the evening temperatures in mind (sweatshirts, jackets). Though, we did warm up pretty quickly once we began kayaking. read more

I've rented from these guys several times. The equipment is always above average for rental and in good shape. The staff is always awesome. And of course it's a great place to paddle a kayak or paddle board. Dyes Inlet is a protected body of water that often has water like glass. read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

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Meh. Also, meh. They have a nice selection and very competent help. They are polite and respectful and you can expect expert advice. That said, I've spent a lot of money at this place and have been disappointed with their follow-up. Over the last couple of years any time I've needed to order replacement parts or whatnot, their follow-up has been nonexistent. I suspect that if you are busy and do not have time to do their job of following up with them that your customer service ends with the purchase. Unless you can get over to them in person, you're on your own for service on whatever your purchases are. read more

My husband and I took the intro to sea kayaking class taught by the wonderful Erika. She was super experienced and knowledgeable and fun and we learned so much! She corrected some of our paddling mistakes and taught us how to successfully do water rescues. We are far safer and more confident kayakers thanks to her. Even if you have some experience kayaking like we did, I highly recommend taking this class! read more

I ordered a $2800 Eddyline Caribbean FS Angler special order with factory installed rudder from the Port Gamble store. I was charged on my charge card at the time, but a month later, Drew (store manager) couldn't tell me when my kayak would be ready. He doesn't make the trip to the Eddyline factory in Burlington until they have a "truckload", but he was unable to provide a time frame for when that would occur. In addition, he's a pretty rude dude. I cancelled the order due to their inability to deliver product in a timely fashion, Drew's lack of common courtesy and customer service savvy. I would recommend going to REI or anywhere except Olympic Outdoor Center for your kayaking needs. Plus they charge a "Kitsap County Sales Tax" that you can avoid elsewhere. read more

I recently did the bioluminescence kayaking and it was just ok. The guides were all very young (just out of high school) and acted there age. There was a large group, not a lot of instruction, and too much juvenile humor. It would have been nice to know some things ahead of time. For example, are dry bags needed, or lockers provided, for personal items. (FYI they're not). Also would have been nice to know before hand that you really can't get a picture of it with your cell phone. We did see the bioluminescence and it was nice but not the wow factor I had hoped for. Glad I did it but wouldn't do it again. Smaller group size would be better to keep it well structured and organized. read more

Great shop, the manager helped me with my Old town Bigwater, yak dolly and pfd purchase - really nice folks A+ thanks guys!! read more

I was in Seattle area test driving the new turbocharged AWD Volkswagen #GolfAlltrack a few weeks ago, and we decided to use the car to go kayaking at Olympic Outdoor Center's Port Gamble location. I had never previously been kayaking, so I was concerned that I might flip the kayak over and drop my iPhone in the water! (Of course I could have just left my phone in the car, but then I wouldn't be able to capture any content, duh) The nice kayak instructors hooked me up with a plastic bag that I could safeguard my phone into, and I stuffed it into my life vest. They were extremely helpful to our entire group, and showed us how fun and easy kayaking can be! I can't wait to go kayaking again thanks to my awesome experience with these guys! Oh, and if you want to see some more photos from our trip, check out my Instragram or click the link here: http://motormavens.com/2016/10/volkswagen-golf-alltrack-turbocharged-sportwagen/ read more

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We went to the Poulsbo location today to go kayaking for our anniversary. They have snacks (ice cream, Popsicles, chips), water, soda, sunscreen and even sun glasses for sale. When we got there, a group of people were getting ready to out in their kayaks so we didn't know if we would get one. Brandon (I think?) was working by himself and he handled himself very well for being so busy on a Monday! He was super patient with us when I had to keep adjusting the pedals on my boat. We saw seals, cranes and a ton of creepy jellyfish. When we came back in, he was helping a huge group of kids with paddle boards and he stayed patient with them. We'll come back just because the employees seriously rock! read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

We were at the poulsbo location yesterday. It was a super nice day, and the poor girl working there needed more help. It seemed like they didn't plan for the volume of people on a nice day. Instead of taking care of a group that was there and had their paperwork done she kept stopping to take care of people that had just walked up. Customers were having to help each other. The whole thing would have gone a lot smoother if one group at a time would have been taken care of. There needs to be better planning on managements part for good weather days, and training for employees in how to handle a higher than normal volume. read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

Went Sea Kayaking here for the first time. -Easy Checkin -Very knowledgable staff -Equipment is in great condition -We saw a bald eagle on the water!!!!!! -We saw a jellyfish in the water -Very reasonably priced. About 25 bucks for a two-person kayak! Delicious! -The instructor was super helpful too -Beautiful views of the lake, mountains, and water in the area where you kayak. read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - Very happy after kayaking!!!! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

Tons of outdoor on-the-water Fun! For kayak weekend-warriors, this a great affordable alternative to owning your own kayak or standup paddle board. Reasonable prices & good service. The training & tutotial was in-depth and got me refamiliarized with the kayaks features. Safety was their priority. Would definitely do again!! Overall score: 4.25 / 5.00 read more

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Watch it! These guys will rip you off if not careful. I made clear what I wanted, and was handed a product (dry bag) at least double the size. Didn't realize it until I got home after a 2.5 hour drive, as I didn't have my reader glasses with me. No apologies at all from them when I called. So not only are they one of the priciest kayak stores, they are one of the most dishonest. read more

My first kayaking experience, we had so much fun! The girl that helped us out was definitely in a bad mood. I don't blame her though, it was such a busy day at the marina with all the boats and the farmer's markets going on today. I expected them to give us a lot of instruction and tips before heading out, but they barely did. So, we had to figure it out on our own, after hitting like 10 different boats in the area. The view here wasn't as spectacular as I expected, but that was on me. This would probably be a good choice for beginners since you're going along the shore the majority of the time. read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - View from kayaking along des moines marina - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

I liked this store a lot, but it seems like REI is the better choice for if/when you run into any product issues. When my $1249.00 Pau Hana Solo SUP Backcountry Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board sprunk a leak and started deflating out on the Sound on only its 3rd time out, I called the store to see if they would help me repair or replace it. I offered that I would pay for them to help me repair it. They said no, call Pau Hana to deal with it via warranty. Based on my experiences with REI, I believe REI would have just swapped it out for a brand new one. I regret not purchasing this from REI, based on this experience. read more

I bought a used kayak here and Mike was excellent. Mike helped me tie the kayak down on my car and also hooked me up with a cart and tie-down straps. I took the kayak out fishing this past weekend and had a blast! If you're interested in buying or renting a kayak and want to support a local business definitely check them out! read more

Can't say enough good things about these folks. We used two of their locations and they were both excellent. Drew got us all set up in Port Gamble and we had a fun Kayak in the fog. A couple of days later we tried the Poulsbo location and Tim took great care of us. Loved exploring the Marina and the Seal Colony nearby in the Sunshine. Detailed Safety instructions both times. Thanks for making our week in this beautiful area so much fun! Can't wait to come back. read more

This place is Awsome!!! We arrived there a group of 6 total there was a family infront of us yet the young man working there handeled it great. We had some questions and he answered them with a big smile on his face, we will most definitely be back. read more

Amazing instructor! I had never been paddleboarding or kayaking, he made it easy and was great to work with. I would recommend them to anyone looking for an adventure. I will be returning for both future lessons and to rent a board! read more

Olympic Outdoor Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Port Gamble, Washington

My girlfriend and I planned on having an afternoon kayaking, and chose Poulsbo. We arrived and were told hours before closing time that they were closed for the day. Because of inclement weather, though it wasn't raining. We drove to Silverdale and were given a similar response. This is very unprofessional. It is Saturday afternoon, and because it has been low volume customers and overcast today, we were turned away at TWO locations because of "weather". We were very disappointed. We will not be trying here again. read more

Just want to say before I leave Washington that those is one of the best things I'll miss about being here. Over the course of three years I've put my kids in two summers worth of kayak camp, rented kayaks and bought two SUPs. They are awesome! Every interaction has been positive and helpful. I highly recommend them for rentals, sales, and camp. read more

Loved the launch site from a sandy beach. Staff went over safety procedures, checked that we had our foot pegs setup correctly then pushed us out into the water - didn't even get our feet wet! And, he put down our rudders - white-glove service for the PNW. Kayaks were in good shape. The recommendation to go without a spray skirt was spot-on. The sandy beach makes it so easy to leave and return. Perfect for newbies. Not a lot of boat traffic. We saw porpoises - so beautiful. Combine a 1-2hr paddle with lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants in Port Gamble - pretty much perfect. read more

I purchased a new kayak from OOC shortly after I purchased my condo on Liberty Bay. I thought it would be cool to get around Poulsbo by kayak and leave the car at home. That was in 1995 and I still get around in the same kayak! For anyone considering purchasing or renting a kayak, I can't stress how important it is to take the classes they offer for begining kayakers. Knowing the "rules of the road" while out on the water is critical if you want to be safe. I recommend that you rent a kayak at OOC at first because kayaks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Where to kayak? I suggest Liberty Bay because of all the unique inlets and the relative shallow water. Summer can be quite the adventure because of all the wakes from speeding motorboats! read more

My husband and myself have been enjoying kayaking for several years from this business. Great customer service, the owner will go the extra mile for you. If you want to Kayak and do it in beautiful surroundings this is the place. read more

We took my boyfriends sister and her husband down to Liberty Bay for a trip kayaking. We went down and rented two double kayaks from the location on the water. The young man working was nice and gave us a very good tutorial. I would come back several times and we plan on it later this summer. The staff was friendly and the location is great, a day on Liberty Bay is fantastic and fun. read more

A friend & I were looking for a way to beat the heat... and also do something adventurous. She had been kayaking before, but not I so I was a little unsure how this would all go. After we stopped in the Port Gamble location to get the details, we were saddened to find out that there was no sunscreen to purchase in the shop or even in across the street at the general store. You know us native PNW folks are translucent as summer starts, heading out with out the SPF would be a bad call! We went on our way to find the lotion & ended up closer to the Poulsbo location after our purchase. We lathered up & went to check out the kayaks on Liberty Bay. The guys there were great, super friendly & ready to teach us the ins & outs of kayaking before getting us on our way. Zach taught us the ropes & answered all our questions! We had a great jaunt around the bay... after figuring out the whole turning thing. We even saw some seals bobbing around which made it even more exciting. As we got back, we went to pay & low & behold... there was sunscreen in the little hut. We asked if they sold it, and they said no... it's for folks who forget to bring it. Way to think ahead guys! Wish the Port Gamble location had done the same! I'll definitely be back to get the hubs in a kayak! read more

Rented kayaks with my brother for 3 hours at Redondo. Folks were quick to get us out on the water to enjoy our day. Helpful, courteous and professional staff. We had a great time and would use this company again. read more

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Olympic Outdoor Center- provided excellent service in the rental of 29er mountain bike. The store offers excellent equipment, friendly service, and nearby trails that are scenic and FUN. read more

I rented a kayak and went out on Liberty Bay for a bit. How wonderful is that?! They have a selection of kayaks set up on the water to make it easy for you. You can take classes here on alot of outdoor activities. They carry a variety of outdoor items and associates are very knowledgeable about their products. Plus, it's easy to find. Nice atmosphere! read more

My husband and rented stand up paddle boards out of Liberty Bay (Poulsbo) on Sunday. Mikail was AMAZING! he went over everything and answered all questions with humor and patience. We had a a great time, it's obvious the staff at Liberty Bay knows and likes what they are doing. Thanks! read more

My children have done kayak camps with Olympic Outdoor Center for the past three years. They have always had a wonderful time and cannot wait to do it again each summer. Last year they actually enrolled twice. James and Nick are awesome instructors and make it so much fun for them. Can't wait for this years calendar to become available. read more