I've bought a couple hurricane kayaks there over the past several years. Can recommend them without reservation.

Great trip. Everyone was very nice and helpful. The water was moving very quickly so we ended up doing the 2 hour trip in 1- maybe could've moved us up a little further down the river to accommodate but that's my only suggestion read more

They were great help with getting new hatch covers for my "Necky Eliza kayak. The Hatch covers fit perfectly! Like most people that own an Necky Eliza kayak know the hatch covers only last so many years (10 years of saltwater paddling for me) Now I do most my paddling in Texas on Lake Travis and Lady Bird Lake in Austin, so happy my Old Eliza will be back on the water. https://www.shopriversidekayak.com/shop/Outfitting/Hatch-Covers-and-Rims/p/Valley-Oval-Hatch-Cover-x36646184.htm read more

For anyone thinking about purchasing a kayak or the proper kayaking equipment I highly recommend Riverside Kayak Connection. Last year I purchased a Liquid Logic Inuit 13.5 (Ice Blue) based on the recommendations Laura had suggested. You will always feel very comfortable asking questions from the knowledgeable staff. Riverside Kayak Connection should be first on your list for your paddling endeavors. read more

I've been canoeing a couple of times - in 2004 on the Au Sable river and in 2013 on the Muskegon river - but until my visit to RKC Adventures on Detroit's island gem, Belle Isle, I had never been kayaking before. Everybody told me it was basically the same and they were basically right - apart from me not being able slack off on paddling for awhile due to the lack of anyone else in the boat. RKC Adventures was an ideal place to start off, with the lagoons and creeks of Belle Isle offering less choppy and more chill waters than the Detroit River where I'll likely try my hand at kayaking next. It was $15 an hour to rent my watercraft, and they were more than lenient about not charging for an extra hour even though I had it out for about an hour and twenty minutes. They also have canoes and paddle boats though I couldn't quote you a price on those. They quickly got me checked out and I was out on the water. It was a nice, serene day on the Isle and I got quite the upper body workout, taking a couple rests to just drift in the water. I only saw three other groups of paddlers, all on my way out and way in, and enjoyed having the waterways all to myself. Fortunately, they were mostly free of the seaweed other reviews have complained about. Must indeed be a late season thing, as someone suggested, as this was back in early July. (Yeah, this review has been on the backburner for awhile.) Some of the bridges are very low and I had to laaaay baack like Snoop Dogg to clear them. Not really RKC's fault as the bridges have been there a lot longer than their watercraft rental business, but I hope they advise paddleboat renters they cannot get past them. Leaning back to clear those bridges was about as adventurey as things got. This is definitely a more mellow place for paddling. It was very cool, however, to see the island from this perspective after having bicycled and driven through it so many times. A short way after the creek split into two different tributaries I found my course blocked by felled trees. A bit of a bummer, as I kind of wanted to go all the way to the end of the island, but after a full shift of food running, I reflected maybe that was enough for me after all. When I got back I told the guy who helped me make landfall about the blockage and after I checked back in and went back out to my truck I saw him already setting out to go clear it even though it was only about an hour and a half til they closed. So maybe next time I'll do the full circuit. RKC is a worthy addition to Belle Isle and a great activity for a day with good weather. Happy paddling! read more

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Laura at riverside kayak is amazing !!! She helps you and is so knowledgeable. Granted they do not sell all accessories but the accessories they offer are available. They sell amazing gorgeous kayaks and you will definitely be assisted with a very patient woman, Laura. I don't understand a 1 star review because we have been customers for 5 years and only saw amazing customer service . I wish I could give RCK 10 stars . Love RCK and always send many customers to RCK read more

Riverside Kayak Connection - Inuit and hurricane both purchased at RCK in the last 4 years - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Wyandotte, Michigan

My husband, daughter & I took the Detroit historic canal/Detroit River tour and had a blast! I planned this on my 50th birthday and booked MONTHS ago so don't wait!!! (In fact, the 9:30am trip on August 4 was already sold out so I emailed them and they added a 1:30pm for me so how's that for customer service!!!) Our guides/facilitators were the best! (Izzy, Mack, Quinn, Finn) They get you outfitted and cover the safety rules and a quick demo and you're in the water within 30 minutes. (and we had a full group.. 16 maybe more?) These guys are extremely patient and very low-key, which is important with a bunch of "tourists" on the water, some for the first time. (and we did have someone flip their kayak and stay behind when we went out in the river and they handled in without a hiccup) It's a very interesting tour, filled with historical facts, especially about the days of prohibition. (if you know nothing, it will enhance your experience to at least google The Purple Gang or The Fisher Mansion before you come) and although I have lived in Detroit all my life, I didn't realize how many people make these canals their home. **tip** you are going to get wet. If you are not ok with that, perhaps take the Diamond Jack tour. They send you A LOT of warnings, in emails, that say ridiculous things like "Wear clothing that can get wet", which I laughed at and THEN: we weren't there 5 minutes and the woman behind us was assigned her kayak and immediately whined that her seat was wet and was there a dry one? I mentioned that we all had some water but she kept going.. so Izzy gave her kayak to her husband and gave her the larger one. (note** as soon as she hit the water she started whining that the kayak was too big for her) We made a mental note to paddle out quickly away from her and never saw her again until the end... at the end she was complaining about her arms... so here's my tip: IT IS A SEA KAYAK AND YOU ARE PADDLING YOURSELF So extra kudos to the guides who stay cool and relaxed and still want to save your life if you get wet, lol read more

I've been wanting to try kayaking for a while now, and when I found out that RKC offers a "Detroit Eastside Canal Tour" I decided to sign up. A few days before the tour, I got an email with details about where and when to meet up--it is not at their store location but a little park off of Jefferson in Detroit. The tour price includes kayak/paddle and PFD (required). They had a variety of different sizes of boats and even had women-specific PFDs (if you're not a women you probably won't understand but it was so nice to have not super-squishy boob syndrome!) The staff are available to get first-timers set up and after a quick history lesson we were in the water. They have you paddle around the lagoon a little bit to get familiar and then you head out into the river. And let me just tell you, I am in reasonably good shape, but paddling up river was *hard* work. Even though it was overcast and not particularly warm I was working up a sweat even in short sleeves. After paddling a while, they take you into these canals with tons of houses--it's an area of Detroit I've never seen and honestly didn't even know existed. It's kind a perfect cross-section of Detroit--many well-maintained homes and them some boats that are half sunken into the water. You go through two separate "canal areas," stopping periodically for a little bit of a history lesson. I was excited about heading downstream for the return trip, but it turns out the wind on the Detroit River can be quite finicky, and me and my kayak were no match--lots of hard work again! But they have plenty of staff keeping an eye on everyone and they give helpful pointers if you're struggling to figure things out (even though I was tired by the end, I definitely felt confident the whole time I was paddling--the boats are very stable and it's not like those rolling kayaks you see in competition!). I suggest bringing a snack or two (you'll be able to eat when you're stopped for your "history lessons"), a big bottle of water, and layers--you'll be out on the water for a while and you will get hungry and thirsty the weather/temp on the water is always changing. Don't worry about having too much stuff because you can just store it in the little cubbies (I'm sure there's an official name for them) on your kayak--they're watertight. If you're interested in exploring Detroit and finding off-the-beaten-path activities, I highly recommend this tour! read more

Riverside Kayak Connection - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Wyandotte, Michigan

Born and raised in Detroit and I kayaked for this first time last year and fell in love with it. Now I've come back with multiple friends to kayak, canoe and water bike. They rent out the kayaks etc and they're very affordable. I love Belle Isle. The atmosphere is beautiful. There's geese swimming around you and a thriving beaver community. Cons: When the water levels are high you have to duck under which may be scary for beginners. Also there's lots of natural debris like branches that take some navigating. So it's good practice for beginners. Overall it's a fun experience. Great for family, friends and couples to enjoy nature and exercise. read more

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We wanted to try something different & explore Detroit in a unique way. We were not disappointed. The staff explained everything well, took safety very seriously. Weather was great. We saw the Fisher mansion, explored a little canal called Little Venice & enjoyed the historic information provided. A fun activity to do with friends or out of town guests! read more

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Almost ten years ago my husband and I wondered what to do with our "empty nest" selves. We were celebrating our 25th anniversary, and wanted to do something together rather than buy something for one another. My sister said, "Why don't you check out that kayak place in town?" Those words were the beginning of a new life for us. we went to one of their demo days' events with intentions to BUY, we "test-paddled" numerous kayaks and received good suggestions and advice from staff and friends of RKC. No one pressured us to buy. We could tell that these people LOVE kayaks and kayaking! A week later we went to the shop and made a very informed decision about our purchase. Fast forward ten years. we have two more kayaks bought at RKC, we have taken several classes, attended demo days ourselves as "friends of RKC," completed several symposiums, gone on a guided tour of Isle Royale, attended numerous Wednesday night paddles, started "Paddle to Hell" campouts, helped start a paddlers' group at Grosse Isle Yacht Club and more. The important thing is that we have a whole new social group; people who are as passionate about paddling as we are! Riverside Kayak Connection has been a family to us. These are folks who love what we love - kayaking! Meanwhile, my husband Mike and I have made life-long friends! Every staff member of RKC has brought something to this; skills, knowledge and experience. I love exploring areas I've never seen in my own backyard, like Humbug Marsh! These people are FAMILY! I have read that some folks have had complaints about RKC and its staff. This is sad to me because I know that if you have an issue, they WILL make it right! No one is perfect. Things have not always been perfect for me either. What I do know, however, is that they try to get it right and when they don't, they work double time to correct it. This is a company that has been through some hard economic times and survived. Now they are "riding a wave" of tremendous growth as RKC Adventures. Growing pains are challenging I'm sure, but we have totally enjoyed our chances to take part In various paddling experiences on Belle Isle with them. Our favorite paddle was the "Full Moon Paddle." Go out there, paddle a kayak, ride a bike, get outside! Who knows? It might change your life like it did ours! read more

We rented kayaks on Belle Isle this weekend. As Belle Isle is now a state park, you will need to either have a recreational passport on your vehicle registration, or pay at the booth as you arrive on the island. Once at RKC, there was plenty of parking and there are real bathrooms on site (i.e. not portapotties).The staff was efficient, though not overly friendly, and we were in the canal within 10-15 minutes of arriving. The amount of seaweed in the water is pretty ridiculous, and why I knocked off a star. It became a real upper-body workout to fight through it all, although it did lessen somewhat as we moved through the canal. This was late August, and my husband said that it gets worse as the summer goes on, so I guess next year we will go earlier in the season. We paddled to where the canal splits in two (see the map on their website) and back, which took us a little over an hour. It was very peaceful once you left where you're alongside the road, and we saw lots of little fish, and a few baby turtles resting on top of the greenery in the water. When we got back we had been on the water for 70 minutes, and I appreciated that they didn't charge us for more than an hour (you pay for an hour before setting off, and they said if you're out longer you can make it up when you get back). We also saw stand-up paddleboards and canoes being rented (don't rent a SUP unless you're somewhat experienced, this is NOT water you want to fall into). Overall a really enjoyable experience and we'll come again. read more

They went out of there way to help me out with a key for a Yakima car top cargo box. Patronize this business. You will love the experience!

Now, Riverside generally gets good reviews, so my experience may have been a fluke, but it bears mentioning. Signed up for kayak classes, directions on reservation say to meet on Belle Isle at the parking lot west of the Yacht club. When I arrive (early) the parking lot is under construction, there is no sign from RKC or indication that this is the correct spot. The isle is packed, so I end up having to park a mile from this parking lot near the 'bathhouse'. Walk that mile a couple of times along the beach, looking for anything that might indicate that there is a class being held. Nothing. Called the number for the business for help with directions, which goes to voicemail. Leave a voicemail stating the situation, and inquiring about a refund. 10 minutes later I get a call from Aaron who is leading the class, who says it has been moved to the opposite side of the isle. Not being familiar with Belle Isle, I tell him it's unlikely I'm going to make the class, as I have to walk back to my car and then try to find the place he's describing. He says to call the shop and ask for a refund, which I do (and which I receive). What upsets me is that if you're going to run a business out of public space, you should make damn sure that you have the correct directions when people get there. A simple phone call or email to students (of which there were only a max of 6, so it isn't a huge endeavor) would have saved me two hours of driving to, around, and back home from Belle Isle. read more

The most wonderful staff! Great tours! Just finished the Detroit River Paddle, from Belle Isle Detroit - Wyandotte Pine Street Launch. Thank you for creating Fun events in the Detroit area!!! read more

Our first time ever to go Kayaking! Why oh why did we wait so long??? We had a Ball!!! Service was good. We rented a rather new cabin- very clean and well stocked. We took all our own linens. Fire pit was a nice surprise! The Rifle River sure was beautiful , many animals ....even some deer drinking from the river , right in front of us. We'll Definetly be back! read more

We took the Historic Kayaking Tour around Connor Street in Detroit that took us through an area of Detroit I never knew existed. Little man made islands with historic homes. The guides were fantastic, organized, kept us safe and sound. Izzy, Mac, Tiffany...fantastic cannot say enough about the wonderful experience and will definitely be doing other tours with them in the future. LOVE A WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS and DOWNRIVER OWNED BUSINESS as well! read more

We went kayaking here for the first time this weekend. I found the employees to be helpful although we did not require much. They pretty much gave us basic instructions and let us go. Kayaking isn't that difficult, and it's something you really have to learn on your own. The only problem I had was with all the seaweed in the water. It was too much. It made the kayaking difficult because the row would get caught in the seaweed. I think they should get rid of some of it... it would make the experience much better. read more

I just don't understand why any business, large or small, would not jump on the chance to make a sale. I was in the market to purchase a fishing kayak right when Covid hit. I searched everywhere and this seem to be the only store within a reasonable distance to where I live, that had the specific kayak I wanted. When I first contacted the store, Laura was very helpful in getting me a quote and getting me info on some of the other necessities to go along with my new kayak. That's when the good service stopped. Looking back, it was a joke when I went to the store to pick up the items I had purchased. Thank god I do my homework on pretty much everything I buy but especially on purchased where I'm spending almost $2,000.00. If I hadn't done extensive research on the kayak I was picking up, I wouldn't have left the store with everything that was supposed to be included with the boat. A handle which needed to be installed on the bow and a junk drawer for under the seat were not given to me. Once I was loading the boat up I realized they weren't on the boat and the employees hadn't given them to me. When I went back in the store, they gave me the handle which was in OK condition but both of the junk drawers that they had for the two boats in their stock were completely warped and look like they had been used. Not surprised seeing as all the kayaks were stacked on top of one another when I got there. You would think they'd put the handle on when you're spending $1600 for a boat. At a minimum, have the handle in the boat, don't make customers do a check list that they have all the parts included! . I shouldn't have been surprised as one of the foot pedals was installed upside down and backwards. The kayak I purchased had a very nice seat which was also put together incorrectly. Big surprise! I've been trying to contact them several times to order another boat but they are not returning my calls. I find it odd they don't answer their voicemails but I'm done trying to call them multiple times to get info. I'll gladly have my boat delivered from an online supplier. I always try to shop local but their customer service went to crap since I bought my boat. Surprised me I hadn't heard back when I'm trying to throw a sale in their lap but after reflecting how my first purchase went, I'm glad they didn't return my call. I'm taking my business elsewhere from now on, lesson learned. I don't recommend doing business with Riverside Kayak Connection. read more

I just took the Detroit canals tour today and it was a great time. First off, how often do you get to see the Fisher mansion from the water?! Too cool. I've done my share of kayaking at other places, mainly county parks, so I'm used to the 8 foot Otters and 10 foot Old Town kayaks. These kayaks today were FANTASTIC. I felt like I was truly spoiled with the great quality of their 14 foot Tsunami kayaks. Will you get wet? Probably. Will you be tired at the end? Of course. Is it all completely worth it? You bet it is. read more

I've taken 3 of Riverside's kayak tours and each tour has been an excellent experience. The guides have all been helpful and very knowledgeable about the area! Thank you RKC for all the fun!!! read more

I went on a group tour with RKC on the River Rouge and around Zug Island. It was one of the coolest things I've done in my life.

We had a really great time paddle boating and reasonable price. It is not a large space to paddle or kayak, but it was still a great experience. Very easy to use. The only reason I am knocking down some starts is because one person from our group forgot the driver's license that was left as required deposit. We were not able to come back the same week to pick license up so asked if it can be mailed. Were told it was mailed. Called to follow up after not receiving it for 2 weeks, was told it was mailed. Called again after 1 more weeks, was told was mailed. A few days later received a call that license was in a different office not mailed and I could pick it up. We were grateful that somebody took responsibility and did follow up to get it picked up from Wyandotte office! read more

These guys are great, and ever so helpful. Laura and her staff are just awesome. I love my new Santee. Discounts on everything too :) Thanks Ryan read more

Two of the people I came here with have never been canoeing, so we thought we could give it a try. When we got there we had a few questions and the employees were rude about it. Once we got ready to get in our canoe, the employees seemed very confused about where to put us and which paddle to give each of us. Some of the instructions they gave us did not make much sense so we had to just figure it out ourselves. The water was okay, but the further you went there was a bunch of garbage in the water floating around. Although the prices were not that bad, I would rather spend a little more money somewhere else. read more