Name: Texas Rowing Center
Telephone: (512) 467-7799

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Friendly staff, adequate equipment and the most reasonable prices I found. Lots of turtles, birds, bats, and downtown views.
Evan O. , 6 years ago
On July 4th they were very helpful and friendly when we asked questions of where to sit for the fireworks. While I wouldn’t recommend viewing them from their dock (can’t see fireworks) I would recommend this establishment. Good people.
Lacey P. , 6 years ago
This is my go to paddle board rental location. We have been using this location for several years. If you are military, they give you an additional hour for free. We recently took our small dog with us and it was a lot of fun.
Carols G. , 6 years ago
Had a great experience here. I bought a groupon for an hour of paddle boarding. It couldn’t have been easier. We found payed parking easily on the street really close to the entrance. Make sure you fill out your form before you go to the counter or you’ll annoy the woman working there. You leave keys or an ID in a security box (a plastic Tupperware) until you return your boat/board. An hour have us just enough time to leisurely paddle from the dock to the S Lamar bridge and back. I’ll definitely go back the next time I want to rent a kayak or paddle board.
Liz M. , 6 years ago
Third time here but came around 3:30 and that was perfect! Still had lots of good sun on a perfect day but no long lines at all. Parked right across from entrance on street which is $1 per hour until 6 pm M-F. Signed waiver, paid, put keys and wallet in a box that that stack behind counter (trusted them over hiding in car), life vest and paddle and to quick instruction and on the board we went.
Jeanne D. , 6 years ago
We’ve gone to ARC for years and have rented kayaks and SUPs from them. The last two summers my boys have attended their Rowing Camp. Whether it be rentals or camp we have always had the best service, friendly staff, awesome fun-filled activities, and safe equipment. I only recommend this place to everyone who visits. It’s right on the downtown trail which is perfect to bike or walk to if you can’t drive. This is must-do experience in Austin!!
Joy W. , 6 years ago
The staff here was so kind and efficient!! We had a large party of 16 and they helped us get in the water quickly. We all had a great experience and would 10/10 recommend.
Abby F. , 6 years ago
Best place to get a sup or kayak in atx. We’ve been coming here for years and the service is always top notch
Anthony T. , 6 years ago
It was really busy on a weekend, but understandable when the weather is nice. Efficient line and process. Grab a waiver to fill out until it’s your turn to pay. Prices are the same as other rowing places.

Pros:
– Parking is easier
– Less traffic area
– Farther away from downtown (my preference), you get more of a nature scene

Cons:
– Bit of a row until you get the downtown skyline
– No cubbies for your stuff, only a small plastic box to hold items for collateral

This will most likely be my go to rowing place, it was an overall great experience.
Geoffrey C. , 6 years ago
Opens at 6 AM – enough said!!!
Lots of Standup paddle boards.m, big ones.
I loved it, great price.
Love Y. , 6 years ago
River is super calm, renting was super easy. They provide life jackets and paddles for you. Service was good. Canoe was in good condition. Beautiful views of the city, fish and lots of turtles.
Ash N. , 6 years ago
Friendly staff and easy process to get all set up to go on an adventure. Pricing is standard from what I’ve seen and they even offer an all day deal if you feel up for it. Great location too as it’s not too long of a paddle to downtown and you get scenic views of the Greenbelt in the meantime
Marcus R. , 6 years ago
Texas Rowing Center was fun in the sun! It was actually supposed to rain the weekend we came here, but lucky for us we stopped by just in case and it ended up never raining a drop.

Check in is super easy, you just fill out a waiver, pay at the register ($20 for an hour is what we chose), give them your belongings to lock up in a locker, get a life jacket, paddle, and then walk to the dock. Once at the dock, a worker places whatever you rented in the water. We all chose to do stand up paddle boarding. Their only main rule was to be sure to enter/exit the SUP at the dock on your knees until you’re about 20 feet out in the water for safety.

No tutorial is necessary even if you haven’t been SUP before. Just paddle on your knees till you get comfortable and stand whenever you feel ready. I recommend always paddling against the wind when you start out so that when you’re ready to head back to dock the wind will be in your favor when you’re more tired.

A HUGE plus for us during this visit was ACL! ACL weekend 2 was when we happened to be here, and Texas Rowing Center is literally across the river from ACL. We luckily got to listen to live ACL music for free from the comforts of our SUP on the river. Definitely cheaper than buying actual ACL tickets, and way more fun being on the water right behind the stage. Thank you Texas Rowing Center for making Austin so enjoyable!
David C. , 7 years ago
Fun place to rent gear! Prices are great & paid for the unlimited which is $30 for a kayak! It was a little confusing at first because they assumed that we knew what we were doing & where to go but it was fine. Had a great day on Lady Bird Lake, highly recommend!
Rachel H. , 7 years ago
Very affordable summer fun! The TX Rowing Center has kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards to chose from…pick your poison! lol Whatever you decide it will be a great time for sure! The view on the river is amazing! We happened to be out on the river on the evening of the red moon and can’t even begin to imagine of a better place to have experience the red moon from. We also went during their Summer Latin series which entails of a local band playing on a pontoon during your ride. The Summer Latin Series can be a great date night or a great evening with friends alike. The Texas Rowing Center has definitely become one of my staples for Summer fun! I hope you will get to experience the same!
Anna V. , 7 years ago
I rented my first SUP board from Texas Rowing last summer and I’ve been hooked ever since. The calm river water is perfect for beginners. I don’t think lessons are necessary – just start off on your knees and stand up when and if you feel comfortable.

This is probably the cheapest and friendliest place to rent a paddle board in downtown Austin. Their prices are at least $5 less than other rental spots nearby and I really appreciate that boards are already in the water, saving me the struggle of carrying a huge, heavy board (this is especially true now that I’m pregnant).

Check in process is easy and relatively streamlined. You sign a quick waver, choose how long you want to be out, drop off a personal item in your assigned cubby (wallet, keys), grab a life vest and get your board / kayak / etc.

Paddling along the Colorado River is great fun in the Spring / Summer. I always have an awesome time and recommend it to everyone who comes to Austin.

Tip: prices increase on weekends.
Rebecca S. , 7 years ago
Great prices to beat the summer heat ! No need to blow up your kayak or mount anything .
This place provides rentals for paddle boards , single and double kayaks . Water feels great in case you fall in and life jacket is provided!
Edith M. , 7 years ago
I can only speak for their paddle boarding, but they will be my go-to spot for renting a board until I buy one for myself. The staff is friendly and plentiful, and they are all there to help you get setup and answer any questions you have.

The process for setting up is easy. The waivers are out on a table for you to sign, and when you’re done, you head inside to pay. They also give you a small box so that you can store keys, wallets, and other items you might not want to take out on the water.

The $35 – $40 charge (depends on weekend or not) for renting a board all day is competitive against other spots in Austin.

The reason why I prefer this place is because it’s priced well and it’s nearby the Barton Springs entrance (there’s another SUP company that’s right on the springs, but they charge $14 more for all day paddling). I love taking off from the dock, getting some exercise paddling to the mouth of the springs exit, and paddling up to find a spot to hang out and swim.

Fair warning, the dock that you take off from gets really hot when the sun is out in the middle of summer. They typically run a sprinkler to keep certain sections of the dock cool so that you’re not burning your feet while waiting, but this isn’t always the case.

They’re pet friendly too! This past weekend, I took both of my dogs out, and they had a great time!
Norman T. , 7 years ago
These people have treated us kindly and respectfully. My boyfriend and I rented a two-person kayak from the Texas Rowing Center. Just because they noticed my boyfriend was a big muscular guy, they gave us the bigger three-person kayak at no additional charge. They seem to care more about your safety than taking your money. This type of old school customer service hardly exists these days, so we’re very grateful for restoring our faith in good ol’ customer service. We’ve enjoyed the water tremendously, so we’re definitely going back.
Rana A. , 8 years ago

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