Alki Kayak Tours

In July I rented standup paddleboards from Alki Kayak Tours. With me were my guests, five high school students visiting Seattle. All of us were excited to go paddleboarding together. This was my second time out on the boards, first time at Alki Point.
The staff showed our group how to operate the paddleboards and warned us about a wind blowing north, so we should paddle south. They also warned us that we shouldn’t go farther than 100 yards out from the shore.
But these safety warnings were just given to me, as the kids had already begun to paddle far out beyond. By the time I reached them, they had already paddled north and much farther than 100 yards.
Things were going okay until we decided to paddle back. The wind had really picked up and we had drifted out very far from the shore. Two of the students had already reached shore. The three others and I continued to drift out because we were fighting the wind. We tried to paddle back but couldn’t get to shore. We weren’t moving. I fell off the board and couldn’t get back up. It was cold and I started to panic.
I kept wondering when the rental staff would come and help us, but couldn’t see anyone on the shore. I found a whistle on my life jacket and started blowing it. (The staff hadn’t mentioned the whistle to me.) A sailboat passing through Elliott Bay came over, saw us in distress and picked me and one of the other students up. The other two kids were picked up by the King County Water Taxi and brought to shore.
It wasn’t until we were standing, shivering, on the deck of the sailboat that two staff members showed up – in kayaks. How kayaks could tow paddleboarders in distress back to shore — or help someone get back on the paddle board — is beyond me. When following up with the staff, we were told that the manager previously recommended to ownership to purchase a jetski with a rescue sled. The response was that it was too expensive.
My point in telling this story is to strongly suggest that Alki Kayak Tours become more safety conscious. Most important, they need a working plan to retrieve customers more quickly. Even if we were charged for that service, I wouldn’t have been so panicked if I had known that staff were paying attention to the conditions.
Alki Point has a lot of current and a lot of ship traffic. A higher degree of safety is necessary than on a lake.

Great experience, the staff were helpful and informative and the paddling was great.
We were given a gift certificate for a sunset tour for two. We showed up, were given instructions and were quickly in the water, paddling around. On the tour, we saw a sea lion, a bald eagle perched on a boat and a small porpoise out for a swim. The sunset looked great and we plan to go again.

If you’re visiting Seattle (or if you live within a hundred miles of it) Alki Kayak Rentals and Tours is a must stop.
My wife and I were recommended here by a friend and we now see why. It is very easy to rent a kayak for a hour or two plus they also rent SUPs, roller blades and even long boards. We rented 2 singles and the staff was super helpful and friendly. It was a beautiful day out on the Sound and we’d love to come back again.
Pros: Affordable, family, fun. $ 15 for an hour with a single or $ 25 on a double kayak
— Great views of the Seattle skyline from the water
— kayak gear was of good quality
Cons: Parking can be tricky as it is limited. Look for a spot along the sidewalk

We have taken 3 tours with Alki Kayak over the years and they consistently provide great service! The guides are very friendly and patient. We took SUP this last weekend and the guide wanted me to try a couple of different boards so I could feel the difference. After the class, she spent more time with my wife and I to teach us more about SUP and was very generous with her time.

Great experience here. I was a little confused as to where to rent and where to pick up but staff was nice about it. It must happen a lot.
We rented a two person kayak for a little over an hour which came out to be $ 27 something.
The day in Seattle was great. Staff made it easy to figure out how to adjust things and helped a lot with getting in and out of the water.
After 7 they only rent land rentals.

My friend and I redeemed 1 hour of groupon for kayaking and had the time of our lives! This is an experience you must try if you’re in Seattle AND if the weather is perfect. The waves aren’t too sloshy or cold, the sun is great, and the cityscape is magnificent. Would have loved to try SUP but there was a long queue for it and I was too afraid (LOL). Maybe next time!

We rented bikes to cruise around Alki. Love Alki, love bikes. 40 bucks for the two of us seemed reasonable… not highway robbery, but not a screamin’ deal… reasonable. Friendly guys at the front desk. Looking forward to coming back and trying a kayak, paddleboard, etc.

We rented two bikes here and biked around Alki Beach. Price is pretty reasonable… I think for nearly three hours of biking, we paid a little over $ 40.
They have two windows — one for picking up your rental/​leaving your information, the next is for returning. When we were picking up the bikes, after employee took my husband’s ID, he told us to pick a bike and he will meet us «over there» pointing to where their other window was. So, we thought we’d have to check out the bikes there. We waited for another employee to man the other window and within minutes they got this large group of people wanting to rent as well so we got lost in the shuffle. After maybe about 10 minutes I finally got to talk to another employee and asked if we can check out the bikes and leave already, but was told that as soon as we had left our ID and checked out on the first window, we were free to just take a bike and go. So, we could have been biking already 10 minutes ago… but that’s cool, it was an honest confusion.
Next time, will try the kayak tour! :)

This place is awesome, not to mention the wondrous view of Seattle. I’m usually a fall weather kinda gal, but I love paddle boarding here when it’s warm and sunny out!
A group of four of us decided to spontaneously go paddle boating, which cost $ 15 an hour. It’s not cheap but not terribly expensive either, so I’m content. :)
we paddled past Salty’s in Alki towards the broken down piers. It was awesome!

To my friends and I went on self-​guided kayak tour on Puget Sound. the kayaks are in really good condition and easy to use an operator if you’ve been on them before. They don’t give you much instructional know just to tell you how to paddle didn’t give you any indication of what to do if we’re pack does happen to flip over now to get it back right side up. They’re really laid back and sometimes to a fault because at checkout it took an awfully long time for them to get us checked out and it’s based upon the time when its return is how your charged. The rates are really decent person go kayak it’s $ 15 an hour all you do is sign a waiver get a life jacket and they send you out on your way. would be nice to have a little bit more instruction on where to look out for some of the aquatic life and where you stay away from while on your adventure. overall is a quick and in the process they have lots of kayaks so there’s no need to really call ahead and reserve anything unless it’s a really busy weekend. you can rent a one, two or three person kayaks. Yeah also offer paddle boarding at the same location of that interests you also. I definitely go back and check up paddle boarding for my next trip.

First sunny day of spring, why not paddle board! Tom was helpful explain to us the dos and don’t, the city skyline is always beautiful.

Took my kayak and rented one more for few hours this summer, instructors are friendly and give good prices! Been wanting to check out a tour, I hear it’s pretty memorable! Next year forsure:)

I had a perfect Seattle summer day in August thanks to Alki Kayak Tours! I was hosting some out-​of-​towners and we were looking for something Seattley to do aside from eating more kale salads and sampling single origin coffee…
When we arrived, there was hardly any wait even though it was the perfect day for kayaking. They provided us with all the equipment we needed and told us what to do if a seal is near (apparently, disturbing protected wildlife = sizable smackdown). We rented 2 double kayaks and paddled around the Sound for close to two hours with gorgeous views of the entire Seattle skyline and alki beach. The best part — when we returned our kayaks they only charges us for 1 hour!
P. S. Afterwards, you must replenish those seafaring muscles with some godly creations at Marination Station next door. Kimchi fried rice is killer!
Things I’ve learned the hard way…
1. Water is the essence of life. Bring a water bottle or die.
2. If you want to bring your phone and other loose things, just don’t OR put them in a gallon-​sized ziplock.
3. If you suck at kayaking — rent a Double. (You can actually rest sometimes and let your partner do the work AND they are much harder to tip over.)

Paddleboarding here is such a treat. I decided to give it a try this summer and I’m pretty hooked! The view is unbeatable and, though a little jarring at first, the paddling is so much fun (and a good workout for your core). On a nice day out you’re able to see the cascades and plenty of sea life. The staff here all seem pretty chill and give great instructions, so no need to fret if you’re a first timer. AKT is also conveniently located next to the King County Water Taxi and a handful of good eats just minutes away– perfect for a sunny day out. The only thing to keep in mind before going is that they don’t have lockers, so bring only what you need!

This is fantastic place for locals and anyone from out of town. You get a great view of Seattle, and being puget sound you catch the waves which can be bumpy sometimes but so much fun. There are tons of restaurants in the area to grab a meal and drinks afterwards. A great beach with bonfire pits. it makes for a fantastic day date!

We went for a sunset kayaking tour in downtown earlier this week. It was the best decision and, hands down, one of my top 3 favorite tourist things to do in Seattle (even though I live in Seattle now!).
Our 2-​hr tour started around 7pm at the Bell Harbor Marina and our guide, Matt, was already there waiting for us (and another lovely lady who also signed up for the tour) well before the tour started. I found out Alki Kayak Tours have been operating mostly out of West Seattle but have recently expanded their tours/​kayak rental to downtown area. Our tour was just 4 people (including our guide!) and felt really small and intimate. I’ve done a lot of tourist activities in/​around Seattle, including the Pike Place Market, Ghost Tours, Seattle Center and its peripheral museums, Ballard Locks, Kerry Park, SLU wooden boat tour, etc, but this activity by far exceeded my expectations! I just love the feeling of being one of the very few people paddling right in Elliot Bay. We paddled from the Bell Harbor area up north to just around Magnolia and back. On the way there and back, our guide also provided information about Seattle as well as pointed out animals that we saw along the way (we saw a wide variety of birds, jellyfish, seals and sea lions!). It was such a nice, calm and relaxing activity for all of us. Not only that, it was very interesting to see Seattle from a different angle (outside of Elliot Bay!). As we headed back towards Bell Harbor, the sun starts to come down and as we waited for the sunset, the clear sky revealing Mt. Rainier and the sunlight reflecting on the buildings in the downtown area were so memorable and picturesque. We had plenty of opportunity to take pictures and hung out til the sun went just right below the horizon.
If you had a chance to take the sunset kayaking tour, definitely do it! It was sooo worth it, even if you have to pay full retail price (or better yet, found a discount from deal sites/​magazines!).

Five stars for being dog friendly and helpful on showing us how to properly use the kayak. I have been going here for about four years because of the excellent service!
Please note:
–bring your own dog life vest
–I don’t think they allow dogs on the kayak during the tours

A few of my friends and myself decided we’d like to go kayaking for the first time!
Oh man, we came to the right place! The price was very competitive and for the «Sunset Tour» we got a great deal!
Also! Our instructor was AWESOME! (Request for Amanda if you have the option!) She is very professional and knowledgeable of the area! Not to mention, she has a great personality!
We also saw a harbor seal while out on the water and also some jelly fish!
The skies were a little cloudy (but thankfully because we didn’t get sun burnt) but it was still a beautiful experience!
This was something I really enjoyed (and my friends did too!) and I would recommend this place (and the tour guide!) to everyone if you are an experienced OR a new kayak-​er!
Good job Alki Kayak Tours! You rocked our kayak! ;)

The employees here were really helpful & polite.
Went here strictly to rent rollerblades.
It’s $ 5 an hour & you can rent it as late as SUNSET.
You have to leave either a debit/​credit card or some sort of ID with them during the duration of the rental. Just as collateral, I guess. I had no problem with it :)
Their rollerblades are actually in really good condition if not, BRAND NEW. I was surprised because I was expecting to get some beat up ones. Especially for the price I was renting them at.
I am looking to purchase my own rollerblades but if that doesn’t happen I will for sure come here to rent some. Can’t go wrong with the price at all :)
RECOMMEND RECOMMEND!

We did the sunset tour. Overall it was a nice little paddle and the sunset was truly remarkable, one of the better sunsets I’ve seen in my life with the sun setting behind the Olympia (I think it was Olympic) mountains. The clouds right over the sound were painted this brilliant pink that changed by the minute, really a special scene. We also got to see some sea lions, perhaps a bit closer than we should have, since one of them started barking at us. Turned out okay though and was fun.
The kayak itself was okay but the set up for a tour group is always frustrating. People showed up late, people were slow getting in the water, etc. In the end that’s the nature of tour groups and not the fault of the company but I would have preferred a stricter policy about when we start and when we leave; those of us who make the effort and sacrifice time to show up on time wind up killing lots of time waiting for laggards.
Shosonna was nice but didn’t know much interesting stuff about the sea lions; she also didn’t have anything at all to say when we asked about public transit options to get out of Alki flats. Do make sure to drive since there is no good public transit out of this area at night… cabs aren’t too expensive to get back to downtown but plan ahead since there aren’t many circulating out this direction late at night.
ADDENDUM:
I did get a personal mesage from the owner so they get an extra star for responsiveness. It’s a nice way to see the Sound and a good value for the money, just some minor logistical issues