Southwind Kayak Center Rental Base

Kayaking is always a good time for me. We were excited to go kayaking in Newport (we’ve been paddleboarding and kayaking all over So Cal) as this was my fiancé’s first time kayaking. We easily found Southwind, parked the car, and headed to the rental desk.
They ask you to leave a license and will hold any items you don’t want to bring with you. I chose to keep my stuff in a ziploc baggie, but should have given it to them as I was afraid of capsizing everytime we entered a heavy wake area. You rent for as long as you would like.
I chose to use the restrooms before we began, which are near the flagpole as you enter. You are given life vests which you can wear if you wish. Once we were all ready to go, we headed to a sandy area under the bridge to get our tandem kayak. It is first come first served, and we noticed a line of people waiting for kayaks when we returned.
As said, you can go as far or as near as you’d like. We went around Balboa Island and admired the funny boat names, beautiful homes and the people out on the water. You do have to beware of duffys and pontoons and other boats coming behind you as well as the ferry and the fishermen. It was overcast and I wasn’t enjoying kayaking here because of the wake, the other water traffic and the fishermen, so I probably won’t be back for more kayaking here.
Returning was easy, there is a deck hand to help get your boat up to the bank. Return your paddles, lifevests pay and collect your license. We paid $ 25 for 1 ½ hours.

We decided to go kayaking over Memorial Day weekend, so we stopped in on Sunday morning about 11am. It’s pretty easy to find, just enter the first driveway on your left after turning onto Bayport and drive all the way to the end of the driveway under the bridge. Ample free parking. Renting the kayak itself is very quick, just fill out a form, leave your ID, pick up your life vests and you’re off. You don’t have to reserve for a certain number of hours; just return the kayak whenever you want and they’ll charge you accordingly. Another nice thing is that they round to the half hour, not the full hour. They’ll help you launch and help pull you in when you land. The launch point is a firm dirt area under the bridge and you won’t get wet or muddy. Looks like they offer some sort of print coupon because I saw someone using one, but I don’t know where to find it. Bring a water bottle, shades and some sunscreen. That’s all you need.
We rented a tandem kayak. We are novice kayakers but it was very easy and fun. I don’t think it’s possible to capsize the kayak. The life jackets have a zipper pocket on the chest where you can store your cell phone or keys. The water is very calm and there are lots too see. Your seat will get wet and you might get a little splashing but you won’t get drenched. After about 90 minutes my lower back was starting to bother me a little and started getting a blister but it was pretty mild.
The employees were all very friendly, low key and had good attitudes, which made it even better.

Feeling outdoorsy? Want to impress your friends? Do something different? Go Kayaking!
The weather has been perfect lately for spending a relaxing and exhilarating experience. Summer is almost here, it’s been sunny and breezy — enjoy a nice day on the waters of the Newport bay. I shared a double-​kayak with my friend and it was about $ 10 per person. Also Robert is a great guy, awesome customer service, I’ll definitely be coming back and telling all my friends about this truely hidden gem.
It’s was a little hard to find this place, so make sure you turn into the white gated lot as soon as you turn on Bayside.

I like to give shout-​outs to the small businesses that make me feel they’re giving their all. Such was the fun had at Southwind yesterday. The two guys helping us were super friendly, made it easy to select life vests and kayaks for me and my daughters (all newbies to kayaking), and asked us if we had a good time upon our return. There’s lots of inventory to choose from, the place appears orderly, and you can’t beat the location for getting in and out of the water. I will definitely be going back.

I love this place! We got here exactly an hour before closing and they were so accommodating and nice. The weather was perfect so the waves were minimal and the kayak ride was beautiful. They have 10% military discount here so take advantage of it if you can! You will get water on you quite easily so make sure you are dressed appropriately. They welcome kids and provide life jackets. The place was a little difficult to find at first but if you go straight in to the end of the gate, you’ll find signs. Prices are very reasonable. Definitely coming back to go kayaking again!

We’ve been paddle-​boarding before but, this was our first SUP adventure with our dog Wendell. He loved it! The staff was accommodating and professional. There’s free parking and you launch from the sand. Paddle out to your left and you go into the marina. If you want calmer waters paddle out to your right toward the back bay. This was a great SUP day and Southwind was a great place to launch from.

This was a great place to rent a kayak and paddle board. Good prices, great service, and the people working there were very helpful with instructions on how to kayak and paddle board. We will definitely be back!

Came here yesterday with a group of 6 including a kid. And the staff was super friendly and awesome ! Loved it here. I will definitely be back!

Easy in and out. Great place to rent and get in the bay for a kayak or paddle. Team was nice and kid friendly. Area is great for beginners.

Once you find Southwind Kayak, literally under the bridge, you have a nice take-​off spot for kayaks and paddle boards. Easy parking. A double kayak is $ 20/​hour. The staff is super friendly and will give you advice on technique and where to explore. Gorgeous calm waters. The kayaks have nice backrests! Enjoyable experience.

The kayaking experience: fun and do-​able with kids riding tandem in a double-​seater
The setting: beautiful Newport Bay and its mansion-​studded islands
The staff: helpful and friendly
The price: fair enough
Advice: don’t wait till you’re tired to turn around, you’ll be twice as tired by the time you get back!

This has been my go-​to spot to kayak and paddle board for a while now. Mainly because the staffs here are very helpful and friendly plus I like the view here better than the last place I went to (No one want to look at giant mansions and yachts all day). Also, because this is the back bay the water are much calmer in my opinion which makes paddling a little easier but trust me you will still get a great arms workout. I always get a double which is $ 20 per hour, I believe singles are $ 10 an hour (?). I do recommend this place to others because you get a varieties of view from (luxurious mansions on one side and the back bay reserve on the other side), the people you meet here are very nice, and the boat riders here are very courteous of kayakers/​paddlers.

My friend and I came here couple of days ago. I loved the Unilocal reviews and decided to try it out.
First of all, the experience was great! The water was nice and calm except when few cruising boats that sailed near. The scenery is beautiful, from one side you get the beautiful bay houses in balboa/​Newport and the other side if you go under the bridge to the right is more natural scenery. Either one is a win win
We rented a double kayak for an hour and ended up with $ 10 – 11 each. Pretty reasonable
The service was great! The owner/​manager was this friendly, happy man that welcomed you whole heartedly. The staff on the registers were very helpful and organized.
One tip: we called to find the place. It is literally under the bridge! Once you walk into the parking lot, walk past the bathrooms and it will be on the corner to the left. You will see the sign.
Will be coming back here for sure.

Feeling outdoorsy and want a good arm workout? Go Kayaking!
We got super lucky with the weather — sunny and breezy — and easily spent about an hour paddling up and down the bay. They were able to accommodate our group of 14 with all the equipment, and we all had so much fun! I shared a double-​kayak with my friend and it was about $ 10 per person.
It’s a little hard to find this place at first, but make sure you turn into the white gated lot as soon as you turn on Bayside. Don’t forget to slather on the sunscreen to protect your skin! I’ll definitely have to try paddleboarding in the future next time :)

Last year, my husband and two of his friends went kayaking before our wedding because who doesn’t love kayaking in beautiful Newport bay? I gave my husband strict instructions to wear sunblock, because sunburns don’t show up nicely in wedding photos. Plus, skin cancer.
One year later, on our anniversary, we decided to go kayaking at the same place. I used to run along Back Bay and always saw kayakers but just never got the chance to try it myself.
We parked under the bridge (can get really busy!) and rented two single kayaks super easy peasy. The only singles they had were sit-​insides, which are a little more wobbly than sit-​on-​tops, but it’s not a huge deal — just don’t try and dance around while paddling and you won’t tip over. As we were pulling into the water with our kayaks, a group came back with their sit-​on-​tops and the guys offered to let us switch if we wanted to. We were totally fine with ours, so we kept going.
It’s lovely to just paddle around the calm bay; one side is homes on top of a cliff, the other side of the bridge is homes directly on the water, all with beautiful back patios, boat docks, and private yachts. There were a good number of people out and about on Saturday morning around 10:30 AM, but it never felt crowded or like you’re going to be run over by other boaters.
The people who run this kayak center are really nice and fun — one of them gave my husband a hard time for his driver’s license photo (which he took when he was 16 and rocking a hardcore ‘stache).
Super affordable fun for a morning, and I’d love to go back sometime and try out paddleboarding!

Great customer service, cheap prices, allot of fun. Came here because we were in the area and wanted something to do decided on kayaking and it was awesome. Perfect place to get out relax and have fun.

I had a tremendously great time with about 7 other friends. We paid about $ 10/​hr each which was more than adequate to get around inside the harbor.
There are a lot of boats in the area coming in and out so that’s one thing to look out for. Sunblock and sunglasses make things more enjoyable, they also have waterproof cameras available in case you don’t want to destroy your iphone105.
I had forgotten to put on sunblock so the day after you could see the outline of where my raybans had sat on my face.

My significant was feeling rather outdoorsy during our weekend in SoCal, so he suggested that we go kayaking on a Saturday afternoon. What we appreciate about this rental place is that it is that their prices are reasonable. In spite of the busy weekend, we received prompt and obliging service.
HOURLY RATES
. Kayak Singles: $ 14.00 + tax
. Kayak Doubles (some are available with a children seat): $ 20.00 + tax
. Standup Paddleboard SUP: $ 20.00 + tax
. Sea Kayak Singles (for ’ sea kayaking experts’ only): $ 16.00 + tax
. Foot pedal driven kayak: $ 20.00 for single & $ 25.00 for double + tax
DAILY RATES
. Kayak Singles: $ 50.00 + tax
. Kayak Doubles (some are available with a children seat): $ 65.00 + tax
. Standup Paddleboard SUP: $ 65.00 + tax
. Sea Kayak Singles (for ’ sea kayaking experts’ only): $ 60.00
. Foot pedal driven kayak: $ 65.00 for single & $ 80.00 for double
Splendid scenery! So chill and everyone on the water is having a great time. You will definitely feel a sense of envy while kayaking near all the towering homes of the wealthy — these people all own their own boats! UGH rub it in will ya? :p

Aaron is ABSOLUTELY the best part about this place! His attitude, service, care and passion for what he does is INCREDIBLE and it shows through in his smile, hard work and discipline.
The paddle boarding was such a great experience its a perfect location for paddle boarding with a mixture of channels and semi open water for you to get the full experience of what paddle boarding has to offer.
The price is PERFECT and we were out for about 2 hours before we got a bit tired and decided to come back in. We were able to see SO much and we will definitely be back to work with Aaron again.
Thank you Aaron!
«Your smile was payment enough»
Gabriel Cashman & Yumi
The clients with the corgi puppy

I’m beginning to notice the abundance of joy + well being that outdoor activities provide for my health instead of always taking my fitness interests at the gym. I little shy that I am when it comes to outdoor activities, my friend suggested we go kayaking one weekend when the high heat of Laguna began to peak. This was something I wanted to cross off my list, and so glad I finally had the chance to make it happen.
Southwind Kayak was so easy to find, and so easy to manage! It was comforting that the men who run the establishment gave no hassle or concerns to us other than signing a few liability documents, and sending us off on a kayak boat. We floated on water for a good 2 and a half hours and went as far as we could on the lake we were on. It was relaxing, and I felt more at ease drifting along other adventurers. We went into every corner we could find to discover something new.
Here is a quick tip: lather yourself with sun protection cream and take it with you on the boat. I got burned and now wear awkwardly designed strap marks on my shoulders.
The rates are very accommodating and an additional $ 10 is added for every hour used, however they do not begin charging the extra $ 10 until half past the hour!
I look forward to coming here again and hopefully try paddle boarding! x