Sweetwater Kayaks

I was referred here by a friend. I was a little reluctant at first because they are a specialty shop and I was thinking of just going to a big box store. I’m glad I ended up here! The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable. They took time to help me pick the right style of boat for me and the right accessories to get me going. I would send everyone that I know here.

For paddling at Weedon Island Preserve:
The staff have always given good information with good attitude. They moved boats to and from the water. I have only been a few times, but I’m surprised at some of the reviews about poor service. Once I was asked to come back another day because of low tides and unfavorable winds. I didn’t question this because getting stranded in the mangrove swamp at low tide would be a nightmare.
Weedon has a reasonably well-​marked kayak trail. All kinds of critters can be seen. It helps to be quiet. You could get stuck behind some slow loud paddlers in the mangrove channels, and there’s not much you can do about it until you come to one of the ponds. Definitely go around the route in the direction they send you on the day. Otherwise you might come nose-​to-​nose with paddlers going the other way and no room to pass in the mangroves. Much of it is wide open.
There seems to be a regional cultural thing about kayaking being a get-​wet activity. I don’t really agree. Unless it’s choppy I usually come back dry. I don’t mind stepping in water (there’s no dock), but I don’t like starting out in a wet boat. If your boat isn’t dry at the start, ask to have it flipped and sponged out. It won’t take a minute, and it could make your next few hours much more pleasant. The kayaks I rented have been uninspiring, slow, and difficult to keep on course, but they’re perfect for poking around Weedon.

My husband and I are planning to purchase kayaks and we wanted to try the sit on top style before we decided which type we wanted, we have tried the sit in style previously. The website advertises sit on top kayaks and when we arrived we saw several in the racks however we were told by a young man wearing a beanie on a 74 degree day, that they were all broken, that they all catch water and they would not rent them to us. It was my husband’s birthday and we were very disappointed as we were planning to do a little fishing off of them. As it was after 2PM, and we would have limited kayaking time available if we went to a different vendor, we went ahead and rented a tandem, which was really a waste of $ 50, we hated that kayak and our purpose in renting that day was to help make a decision as to which type to buy. The young man and the girl assisting him told us we could go to their store on a day other than Sunday and they would allow us to demo a kayak if we found something we might want to purchase.
First of all, Sunday is my husband’s only day off work and we drove over an hour from Winter Haven to do this, we were hoping to decide what we wanted that day and purchase our kayaks before Christmas. Secondly, what would possibly motivate me to purchase a kayak from a company that informs me that although they have several of the boats I’m interested in, they are all not good and leak water? That doesn’t exactly represent their product very well. I’m confused as to why they continue to advertise and keep these kayaks on site if they are in such poor condition that they refuse to rent them to customers.

Husband and I bought a kayak from sweetwater and a roof rack and a paddle. I am just really starting out and the salesman was just amazing. I am blanking on his name, might have been the owner! He helped me find the right kayak, paddle, roof rack and even taught me how to tie it onto my rack properly. Such great service!!! Will definitely be back when hubby needs a new kayak!

Called to ask a few questions before reserving a board. I love kayaking and was looking to rent for some friends so they could go with. The guy that answered the phone all but called me stupid. Apparently my questions were common sense. If that were the case I would already know the answer. Maybe some training on how to talk to talk to talk to people on the phone. That alone turned me off from your company. I would rather rent a board and yak somewhere other that weedon than give my hard earned money to a business that is so rude.

Had a great time as part of the Bay Area Concierge Association group on Saturday. Despite the pouring rain, we loved the mangrove tunnels and the overall Weedon Island experience. The staff was great (especially Greg), patient and fun. Highly recommend it!

Great experience. My family rented two double kayaks as a birthday gift for my mom and it completely blew our expectations. My dad is not the most outdoorsy guy and even he was blown away.
You follow a map (which they give you) which follows markers along the path. The whole path takes about 4 hours if you decide to go the entire route. We only did about a third of it. The path is clearly marked for the most part and it takes you through amazing mangrove tree paths. At many stretches, you are completely encompassed by the mangroves and sometimes you only have a few feet on each side to paddle. There were little crabs that looked like spiders crawling all over the mangroves. There are plenty of open water and small lake like areas too if that’s what you prefer. The woman who helped us out was very friendly and told us it was ok if we were a little late when returning the kayaks. Overall great experience. I’ve been living in Tampa for over a decade and I can’t believe I never tried this place out.

OUTSTANDING!!! I live in Orlando and was referred to Sweetwater Kayaks by an outfitter in the Orlando area. These guys and gals are very knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. I have been in the shop several times now taking classes, getting gear advice and just out paddling on my own. Russell and the crew always make me feel like a princess when I’m there. Why would I go anywhere else? You can’t go wrong with these folks. Love the laid back atmosphere blended with the high skill and knowledge. Great combo if you ask me! Go there!!!

Very unfriendly service, and the worst boards you can ever get.. We rented 2 paddle boards, both were about to split in a half. The girl who helped is, didn’t smile once, barely said a word. Just make the best out of your day and go someplace else.

We had a great time! If you’re traveling to florida and looking for something to do, this is it. We rented 2 Kayaks. The check-​in included a liability waver. They let us borrow a water proof bag (bring a camera!). The trail cuts through floating mangrove islands and opens into occasional lagoons. We saw dolphins and a bunch of jumping fish. The trail is 5 miles long, but you don’t have to complete the whole trail (5 miles was exhausting!). It is easy to navigate, little signs guide you. Very friendly staff as well!

On Sunday May 25 we rented two Kayaks from Sweetwater in Weedon Preserve. Check in was quick and easy. You aren’t going to get a warm and fuzzy feeling from them. They are crazy busy getting kayaks in and out of the water. What you will get is a well oiled machine and they will get you in a kayak quickly. We were given a map showing us how to get to the trail. The trail was beautiful and with easy paddling can be done in about 3 hours. The $ 40 rental is for 4 hours so you will have time to explore on your own. When we returned it was fairly easy getting out. There wasn’t an official check in procedure which for safety reasons concerned me. We pretty much just called out our name. What if no one heard? What if someone forgot? At the end of the day if two kayaks are missing who is actually missing if you don’t have people sign back in? This is why they lose a star. When you have people out on the water who are more than likely inexperienced you need to care for their safety a little better. We made it back safe and sound and had a great time though. I recommend.

I had a Groupon for this business and my fiancé wanted to kayak on a nice day. The place was easy to find, but the staff were too casual. For instance, they simply gave us a map and told us to pick a kayak and put it in the water. That’s fine and well, but they provided no other insight or info on expectations for returning the kayak. When we returned later in the day, they didn’t acknowledge our presence. Maybe it was because of the Groupon, but I didn’t feel welcomed or like I want to recommend the place to friends and family after the experience.

Review for Sweetwater Kayaks Rental out of Weedon Island Preserve.
Whoever answered the phone has no regard for the customers. It must be that they have made plenty of money thus can afford to stop caring.
Our friends made an appt for 10 a.m. Sunday the 24^th.
They arrived a few minutes before 10 a.m.
They waited.
10:07 They called.
Lady said she was there 5 minutes ago but no one was there so she left. Eh?
Something about the weather not safe therefore no kayaking.
Asked them about their kayak experience. About 10 years.
Asked them where. Around Tampa Bay including Weedon.
She then asked if they have any idea what’s the current windy weather means. Uh… yeah…
Final result. Their appointment means jack to them which means THEIR WORD has 0 value thus their business ethics is questionable.
This lady thinks that it’s okay to cancel at the last minute without any notification, letting people prepped for their trip and drive all the way out there just to drive back home. No apology or raincheck offered.

I was planning on buying a yak from somebody on Craigslist and was on the way to pick it up in St. Pete. The crappy rack I bought was a piece of junk and I had to find a better alternative QUICK. I stopped by Sweetwater Kayaks.
Nice place. It has a lot of stuff and the staff were very helpful. They helped me pick a good soft rack that worked great on my minivan. I felt so dumb but even so these guys were really helpful and assuring. They even said after I picked up the kayak that I can stop by again and they can help me make sure that I was transporting that kayak successfully. Next time I’m in town I’ll try to stop by. They definitely helped save the day. Why don’t we have cool stores like this in Spring Hill?

This store has it all. Great selection, great service, great attitudes, great prices… If you are in the market for a paddle board, kayak, accessories, or just some PFD’s this should be your first stop.

We had a great time kayaking, the mangrove trails are excellent and we even saw a stingray :-) 4 miles from start to finish and so much nature to take in. Great experience!

I regularly kayak the waters of Southern California and this Florida experience has trumped all my previous ones.
Chad is the ultimate pro at setting your bearings and assisting with the rig, tips, tricks and warnings. The rates aren’t too shabby: $ 40 for a half-​day. We finished the 6mi trip in under 3hrs, but we paddled hard through some areas since we thought we were short on time.
Spectacular views, stunning scenery, nature up close and personal. Bring a waterproof camera, 2 water bottles, and some grapes or sunflower seeds to fuel your ride. I can’t wait to bring some other buddies and do this trip again.