Wondering where to rent kayaks and standup paddleboards in Vancouver? Turns out you have plenty of options. Whether you’re an experienced paddler visiting Vancouver and looking for an easy escape or a beginner seeking the services of an outfitter, we’ve compiled a list of Vancouver’s best kayak rentals and paddleboard rentals.
Along the way you’ll discover guided tours of some of Canada’s best paddling destinations, as well as retail boat, board and accessory sales.
[This article is part of the The Outdoor Adventurer’s Guide To Vancouver. Find all the resources you need to plan an adventure-filled trip to the city of Vancouver.]
Vancouver kayak and paddleboard rentals
Vancouver Water Adventures
Located in the heart of downtown on Granville Island, Vancouver Water Adventures is a great kayak and paddleboard rental outlet for exploring False Creek. The company’s rental fleet includes 60 sea kayaks (including singles and tandems) and 80 SUPs. Besides a downtown location (1812 Boatlift Lane, 604-736-5155), Vancouver Water Adventures operates a mobile kiosk at the north end of Kitsilano Beach.
The company’s decade of experience shines through with its Vancouver kayak and SUP day tours and lessons. Their kayak and paddleboard rentals are available in two-hour increments, with additional pay-by-the hour time available.
Creekside Kayaks
A Vancouver kayak rental specialist, Creekside Kayaks is located on False Creek in the Olympic Village (Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, 604-688-2382). Solo and tandem kayaks are available to rent on an hourly basis.
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Mountain Equipment Co-op
Try before you buy: rent a kayak or paddleboard from MEC’s downtown Vancouver location (111 2nd Ave East, 604-872-7858) and explore local waters. MEC retails a wide range of models for all applications, from recreational kayaks to long-distance touring sea kayaks and standup paddleboards for cruising, surf and fitness paddling.
Jericho Beach Kayak Centre
Jericho Beach is a great destination for sea kayaking and Jericho Beach Kayak Centre (1300 Discovery St, 604-689-7575) is your Vancouver kayak rentals outlet, located right on the waterfront. What’s more, the company offers guided day tours, sunset outings, night paddles and winter kayaking tours.
Various levels of kayaking lessons are on offer, many of which are Paddle Canada-certified courses. Jericho Beach Kayak Centre maintains a fleet of single and double sea kayaks, with multi-day off-site rentals available. Pre-booking is mandatory; no walk-ins are accepted.
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Rocky Point Kayak
Rocky Point Kayak (Rocky Point Park, 2805 Esplanade Ave, 604-936-1112) is conveniently located at the junction of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm—both of which are great kayaking destinations in the Vancouver area and are only a 25-minute drive from downtown. No car? No problem. This kayak rental outlet is easily accessed via Vancouver SkyTrain’s Evergreen Line, giving you quick access to the water.
Kayak, SUP and canoe rentals are available on a two-hour, daily or weekly basis, and paddling instruction is also on offer. Open April 1 to Thanksgiving (mid-October).
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Deer Lake Boat Rentals
Deer Lake Park in Burnaby is a great destination for Vancouver paddling on sheltered freshwater. Deer Lake Boat Rentals (5435 Sperling Ave, 604-521-3183) rents canoes and kayaks for use in the area.
Windsure Adventure Watersports
Windsure Adventure Watersports has operated at the Jericho Sailing Club (1300 Discovery St, 604-224-0615) on Jericho Beach since 1977. It’s a great bet for Vancouver paddleboard rentals, with recreational and high-performance boards available for one- and five-hour rentals. Lessons are also available.
Yes Cycle Adventures
This downtown Vancouver SUP rental outlet (1351 Burrard St, 604-569-0088) maintains a fleet of inflatable paddleboards for daily rentals, with lessons available. Their location is just minutes from English Bay—a great place to dip your paddle in the water—but since these SUPs are highly transportable, you can take it to any access point in the Vancouver area with little trouble.
North Vancouver kayak and paddleboard rentals
Cates Park Paddling Centre
Located in the heart of North Vancouver’s largest waterfront park, Cates Park Paddling Centre (4141 Dollarton Hwy N, 604-985-2925) near Indian Arm offers Vancouver kayak and paddleboard rentals in an amazing paddling location. Single kayaks, tandem kayaks and SUPs can be rented from two hours to two days. Guided day tours are also available.
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Deep Cove Kayak Centre
Located 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver on the picturesque shores of Indian Arm, Deep Cove Kayak Centre (2156 Banbury Rd, 604-929-2268) is one of Canada’s preeminent paddlesports outfitters. They offer sea kayak rentals (single and double), standup paddleboard rentals, surfski rentals and canoe rentals on an hourly, daily and multi-day basis. The company offers guided sea kayak and SUP tours and certified paddling skills instruction in one of Vancouver’s best places to paddle.
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Middleton’s Boats
Middleton’s rents canoes and sea kayaks in North Vancouver (604-240-0503). Contact the company on Facebook or give them a call to organize individual or group rentals and deliveries.
Bowen Island Sea Kayaking
Bowen Island is a world apart—yet only a short ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay on Vancouver’s North Shore—and Bowen Island Sea Kayaking (located at Bowen Island Marina, 604-947-9266) is your go-to outfitter. You can rent single and double sea kayaks as well as SUPs to explore the waters of Howe Sound, or sign up for a guided tour or lesson. Kids kayaks and overnight rentals are also available.
Belcarra Paddling Centre
The Indigenous guided canoe and kayak outfitter Takaya Tours offers single and double sea kayak and SUP rentals in Port Moody’s Belcarra Park (4500 Tum-tumay-whueton Dr, 604-936-0236), about 20 minutes from Coquitlam and the metro Vancouver area, at the mouth of scenic Indian Arm. Find rates for part-day, full-day and multi-day rentals online.
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Mountain Equipment Co-op
Try before you buy: rent a kayak or paddleboard from MEC’s North Vancouver location (212 Brooksbank Ave, 604-990-4417) and explore local waters. MEC retails a wide range of models for all applications, from recreational kayaks to long-distance touring sea kayaks and standup paddleboards for cruising, surf and fitness paddling.
Sea to Sky Adventure Company
Located a short drive north of Vancouver, Sea to Sky Adventure Company in Squamish (38551 Loggers Lane, 888-284-2453) is a great Vancouver area kayak and paddleboard rental outlet with convenient access to Howe Sound. Inflatable and hard SUPs, canoes, recreational kayaks and sea kayaks are available to rent for two hours (walk-ins only), four hours or full days.
How much will kayak and paddleboard rentals cost in Vancouver?
Most Vancouver kayak and paddleboard rental operators charge in hourly, part-day, full-day or multi-day periods. Expect to spend around $25 for a one-hour solo kayak or SUP rental in Vancouver (tandem kayaks are about $50 per hour). Rates decrease for longer rental periods; for example, a typical two-hour kayak or SUP rental costs $30 to $45. You’ll pay $100 to $125 for a full-day kayak or SUP rental, with rental costs decreasing with additional days if you’re setting out on a multi-day trip.
Where to buy a kayak and paddleboard in Vancouver
For retail paddlesports sales in Vancouver, check out specialty shops like Deep Cove Kayak Centre and Coast Outdoors, both located in North Vancouver. Both offer expert service from paddling professionals, with the opportunity to test paddle new kayaks and SUPs in advance. Mountain Equipment Co-op has stores in both downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver, and sells a wide range of kayaks and paddleboards for all applications.
Rent kayaks and discover Vancouver’s waterfront, including the beaches of Stanley Park. | Photo courtesy of: Tourism Vancouver // Hubert Kang
