I did a 2 day yoga sup retreat where we camped overnight on the island. It was an amazing experience. Julian took care of all of our needs, including really delicious meals and snacks with fresh greens from his garden! It felt incredible to be in such rich natural surroundings, just across the harbour from Toronto's sparkling skyline. I personally would have enjoyed more than the two yoga classes over the two days but I can see how it made sense as an introduction. It also would have been cool to spend a little time breaking the ice and getting to know the other participants before we set off on our adventure ( I feel bad that there were only 10 of us and there were three people whose names I never learned). Both Julian and Amanda the yoga instructor were extremely kind and accommodating. The boards and camping equipment were excellent. And I especially loved the experience of seeing my first ever "moon rise". Thank you for a truly wonderful weekend! read more

Sunset SUP Yoga class at Toronto Island was so much fun. Online registration and payment was easy. Once you have registered, they send an email with all of the instructions you need and a map. The ferry trip to the island ( tip - buy your ticket in advance online) was smooth and you can bring your bike!!! Our instructor Amanda was great, she met us at the meeting place and made sure we all felt ready to SUP before setting out. Amanda led us out on the boards to a calm location where she led our yoga class. I had done many yoga classes before and Amanda's sequence was just right for the SUP boards. We even did crow pose!! As we finished off and paddled back to the beach we saw a beautiful sunset against the Toronto cityscape. I would recommend it to anyone who has done a few yoga classes prior and is looking for a very unique experience with. The SUP technique is pretty easy even if you are a beginner. All in all a wonderful experience. read more

Incredible experience!!!! My boyfriend and I had friends in town from Montreal and wanted to show them the best experiences in Toronto, and this was definitely one of them! We visited the Toronto Island SUP over the Canada Day long weekend; although the Toronto Islands were technically closed due to high water levels, we were able to get over to Ward's because we had a reservation with the SUP (all of this info is clearly displayed on their website). We were greeted with friendly smiles by Julian and two other lovely women (can't remember their names). After a short but informative lesson, we were out on the water enjoying ourselves! When storm clouds suddenly rolled in, Julian came out on a bike along the shoreline that we were following and made sure that we felt safe, reminding us of the safety protocol for lightning situations. Overall, we felt well-equipped, safe, and had a great time! Would recommend to any adventurous friends!! read more

I signed up to do a TISUP lesson + extra hour on my own before a spontaneous vacation day at the beginning of September. The lesson was great - I'd been on a SUP a few times before and have canoed dozens of times, but learning and practicing SUP-specific techniques made a big difference in my confidence and ability to navigate through the water, especially as some parts were windy and needed more than a standard stroke. It was nice to have having the extra hour to be SUUUPer-chill. In my opinion, this is what SUP-ing is about. If you need to get somewhere, take a canoe or kayak. If you're on a SUP, you're focused on the journey. I was happy to see that the racks holding PFDs and paddles had lockable cages on top of them for your personal items (I don't think the website had mentioned these). I did bring my own drycase for my phone, but they also have many there and I could have taken one as included with my lesson. read more

The Toronto Island Night SUP Adventure was the best thing I've done in ten years of living in Toronto. Paddling into the night with the backdrop of the Toronto skyline was simply magical. The tour starts gently, as the lagoon at Algonquin bridge is very beginner friendly. By the time you make it to the open water across the city, you'll have gotten the hang of it and you can always kneel down if the water is too choppy. The experience is rounded off by exploring some hidden passages between islands and returning from Center Island via the 'back allee', passing under two bridges, where it is pitch dark but your torch paddle will provide all the light you need. The three guides did a great job making everyone feel at ease, getting beginners up and paddling and taking pictures for us, while creating an atmosphere where everyone could feel safe and simply enjoy the experience. I'll be back next year! read more

MUST DO ACTIVITY in Toronto! Beginners - don't worry, a little bit of time and you can do it! My wife and I were first timers, we thoroughly enjoyed it! We were worried if our backs would be under stress while paddling but thankfully all their paddles are height adjustable so we were standing straight, no issues on the back. Gorgeous back waters is where you will be expected to paddle, waters are shallow mostly, so we did take dips into the water. We paddled on Aug 8th, was a weekend. Book online, you will be really lucky if you try walking in for booking. Suggestion : Try booking for earlier slot, ours was 10.35am booking so we skipped the rush. Parking : We parked at 10 Front Street West, M5V2X4 highly recommend bcoz it is underground and flat 12CAD for like 12hrs! SUP Board: try to pick the board which has some wooden finish to, it moves faster with little effort as compared to blue ones. read more

On my annual visit to Toronto, I took a private lesson with Julian and rented a paddleboard the next two days. Julian was a great instructor, trained in kinesiology, so he had a good sense of how the body works and what to focus on in terms of teaching a particular individual. Once I was up and paddling, he introduced technique refinements at the appropriate points on the learning curve. In other words, he made it easy to learn, and it was fun and great exercise in beautiful surroundings. His reservation/payment process is easy and the equipment is great--unobtrusive flotation devices and well designed dry bags, plus, on my third day, I was able to try a different kind of board. I did not get to paddle on the lake side due to wind, but the lagoon offers plenty of opportunities and some beautiful views of Toronto. I am hoping to return at the end of September for one more shot. read more

Great excursion for a sunny summer day! I've been paddleboarding a couple of times on both guided and self-guided trips through the waterways. The staff was very knowledgeable and the whole process was very quick from arrival at the site to departure on the boards. They have free storage lockers available and dry bags for a $1. The location is easy to find and a nice spot to start exploring on water. There were a lot of weeds in some spots which can drag on the leash a bit and there were a lot of powerboats cruising around to be aware of, but that was all part of the adventure. The paddles were adjustable and boards easy to ride on a calm day, with bungee straps to hold your stuff. Amazing views of the Toronto skyline enroute! Completely recommend for any outdoor water sport enthusiast or newbie. read more

I had my first paddle boarding experience with Toronto Island SUP and was extremely impressed! As someone who is not generally particularly athletic I found the idea of paddle boarding a bit daunting, but felt completely at ease with Julian's instruction. He took us on a beautiful tour of the islands and at no point expressed any frustration even though I was definitely the slowest in the group. It's definitely the perfect opportunity for beginners to try out the sport or for experienced SUP-ers to check out the beautiful scenery surrounding Toronto Islands (Julian knows all the hot spots). Would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a new, fun activity to try out in the city this summer. I'll definitely be checking it out again. Thanks Julian! read more

Had a good experience overall. However I would suggest the company tells us that the rental hour starts at the time you chose your booking, and getting equipment and screening prior to getting on the water goes into your rental time. Me and my boyfriend were 5 minutes late, then after putting on lifejacket, getting paddles, short orientation on how to paddle and general route, screening for to see that you can paddle and steer - that took an additional 15 minutes from our rental hour, so we only had 40 minutes left. I think TISUP should definitely include this heads up in the confirmation detail email. Personally I think getting equipment and screening shouldn't be counted in the paid rental time. read more

Registered for the overnight SUP Yoga on Toronto Island. It was an amazing experience! Everything was so well organized, from the e-mails leading up (including what to bring & itinerary) and everything at our spot on Snake Island (including tents, mats, sleeping bags, all food - which accommodated everyone's dietary restrictions!). We had a great evening and morning yoga class, as well as a paddle board tour of the island. Overall, it felt like were were there for 3 days, even though it was 1 night - we did so much, while not feeling overwhelmed, as everyone participated in whatever they chose! Very much a go at your own pace. Overall, I loved it and would recommend it to all! read more

This was a great experience to see Toronto from another perspective. It is a very fun activity, can be a birthday surprise, an anniversary gift or just a fun date. The overwhelming feelings that you get looking at the city are unforgettable. It's not the same as looking out of a boat or ferry, or the island itself. Pictures won't do justice of what you will see. We were lucky to also witness a family of swans, I have never seen baby swans so close. Definitely would do it again. As for paddle boarding, I have experience so for me it was very easy. There were a lot of beginners in our group, they pretty much became pros at the end of the night. read more

I enjoyed a great group lesson (just two people in the group) with Toronto Island SUP. We learned to paddle in the calm waterways between the islands. The instructor was patient and taught us the basic strokes and different body positions one can use on a paddle board. There was plenty of time to try out the different strokes and to explore the many waterways of the islands. It was easy to reserve the class online and Toronto Island SUP gave me a followup call to give details and confirm the reservation. This was an amazing way to try out paddleboarding in a beautiful natural setting so close to downtown Toronto! Highly recommended!!! read more

We took a bunch of (otherwise moody) tweens out for a few hours and Julian (the instructor) was informative but also loads of fun and had the kids really entertained. They had an absolute blast and really enjoyed SUPping. You can SUP near some neat channels and also get to a nearby beach/shallow water so it's totally safe for the kids to fall in the water (which they probably enjoyed more than the SUPping. Totally recommend it - especially for tweens/teenagers that don't want to "hang out at the beach" but need to get off their screens and enjoy some fresh air/water! Great alternative to biking or just walking around on the Island. read more

My 9 year old son and I booked a paddle boarding lesson this past Sunday. The booking was easy to make and when we showed up for the lesson we got a brief lesson on land on how to hold the paddles and get back on the boards if we fell off. Our instructor Fay then took us out on the water for about 75 minutes with 3 other people and was very helpful in rescuing my son's paddle in the 11 times he fell off his board. Despite falling off his board my son would say it was a great experience and he can't wait to go again. We had a wonderful time and all the people we interacted with from the company were very nice and genuinely helpful. read more

We booked the boards on Friday online, which was easy and ensured we were ready to go as soon as we got there! However, what we didn't anticipate was the line up for the ferry! We rushed to the Island worried we'd lose our reservation but the staff were great and understanding. They set us up, made sure we could stand up and let us get on our way! They were super friendly. The boarding experience itself was so fantastic that as soon as we got home, we ordered two boards online. It was a beautiful way to experience the Island. I couldn't stop telling my students about it the next day. We'd definitely recommend it to anyone. read more

It was my first time paddle boarding and I love it. I chose the lesson option where Greg, the instructor, shows us how to hold the paddle and stand on the board etc. He was very attentive and willing to answer any questions. The whole section last about 75 minutes in which 50 min we were actually in the water. I think it's a good amount of time to get to know and have fun with the activity. We also paddled to where we can see Toronto skyline and Greg was kind enough to offer taking the photos for me and my friends (which was not easy to do with 3 moving boards). Overall it was a great experience. I would come back. read more

Outstanding! I cannot tell you enough how enjoyable this experience was! The staff was incredibly knowledgeable, encouraging, and experienced. Safety is of their upmost importance, with lit up paddles, to all of us having lights on the backs of our life jackets, to keeping us together, but also helping those who are having troubles (whether that is falling off...it's okay, it does happen, I should know by experience), and providing amazing and clear instructions. I truly had a wonderful time and I would recommend it to everyone. If you can, arrange to have your time there (with Stand Up Paddleboarding) with Emma! read more

I really enjoy paddling around the islands and exploring the nature and lagoons with a gorgeous view of Toronto. Renting from Julian was pretty easy. I registered online and called the day before and he told us that if there was a thunderstorm warning, we would have the option to refund. The day of the rental, he met us at the bottom of the bridge with the boards and gave some ideas of where we could paddle to. My only feedback was the map that was given to us - would be great if there were some more landmarks so we knew where we were and how far we paddled. Otherwise, great experience and would go again! read more