Name: Rowing Dock
Telephone: (512) 459-0999

Sort By

We came here as a group of 4 on a saturday and the line was very long but only took about 30 minutes to get to the dock. 3 of us rented paddle boards and 1 rented a kayak. We had an absolute blast paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake. It’s my favorite thing that we have done in Austin so far. It’s so fun and seeing the city from here is so beautiful! We stopped at the sand bar for a bit before heading back and that was a fun break. If you’re visiting Austin, you have to see the city from paddle boarding or kayaking on Lady Bird Lake!

It adds up quickly to rent from here and time flys by so fast on the water. I’m not sure if there is a cheaper place to rent but I still recommend here as it was convenient and fast to rent!
Ariel B. , 5 years ago
My favorite place to be in the summer, I come here every year for my birthday to kayak and to spend some time in Austin. Kayaks and paddle boards are always clean and well kept!
Sarah Mae K. , 5 years ago
Man, this place is a hidden gem. If you’re looking for a spot that’s chill and secluded, this is the place to go. Their customer service was awesome too, their employee George left a good vibe and friendly impression on us that compelled us to ask for his name to leave a review. He said he gave us the “Ferrari” of kayaks, I mean at that point I knew I was being taken care of. If I’m being honest though…it resembled more of a Lamborghini but I’m no pro. Definitely coming back
Ely G. , 5 years ago
Love rowing dock. always a positive experience with them! They are affordable and work to get you out on the water asap. Super great staff, always very kind and helpful. Great views of downtown or peaceful scenery depending which way you go.
Jennifer A. , 5 years ago
They have such exceptional customer service from start to finish. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for some water fun!
Melody A. , 5 years ago
I’ve gone to Rowing Dock plenty of times since I moved to Austin a few years ago and it’s always been a great and personable experience. The people that work there are amicable, kind, and knowledgeable about anything and everything about the services they offer. So far I’ve done SUP, single, and double kayak and I hope to bring out my doge for another go around!

Anyways – most recently myself and my buddy came to support their safe and secure staggered re-opening during the ShinerBockVirus on Sunday 3 May. It was simple and straight forward and everything they posted online to reserve a spot was easy to follow the days prior. We paid online and completed our waiver and emailed it (with an immediate response!). We arrived that Sunday 10 minutes prior to our 11AM send off and the staff were attentive and helpful (as they’ve always been). The dock was organized and we got out in the water lickity-split. We enjoyed the water for an hour, as required by the safety precautions and were handled easy enough when we docked. A great event as always and we’ll be supporting every weekend we can until we open up finally!

Lastly, they are very active on social media. I’ve been featured on their IG all the moments I’ve posted a story and/or posted photos. And they respond in no time flat. Great social media presence IMO

Tips
– You can park on the main road, on the shoulder. Just be safe!!!
– There’s a snow-cone place that is still open! whooooooop~
– Follow the river like a street, i.e. paddle on the right side
– Paddle against the current as far as you can first, then let the current bring you back to the dock – it’s a wonderful feeling
JR L. , 5 years ago
Best customer service I’ve ever experienced. Ordered gift certificates not realizing that my address associated with PayPal was outdated. When I contacted Rowing Dock they went above and beyond to fix the issue that was 100% my fault. Received the gift cards today and I can’t wait to get on the water! Thank you! My partner is EXTREMELY happy with her gifts!
Jolynn B. , 5 years ago
My son is celebrating his 7th bday & this was such a perfect day out for him. Not only are they open but their process proactively keeps social distancing & our equipment was immediately sanitized when we returned. Thankful for Rowing Dock’s staff for showing up & showing out!
Isabel R. , 5 years ago
We had a blast kayaking at the Rowing Dock. My suggestion is that you sit in the kayak on the dock before you take off. I had a Wilderness Systems kayak, but my girlfriend was given a sit upon kayak that didn’t adjust well to her legs. Take an extra minute to make sure the boat is a good fit for you.

We kayaked to the left, because we were interested in seeing more naturally scenic views. We were not disappointed, as we saw 30 turtles, a Great Egret, Osprey, Blue Heron, Kingfisher, Blue Jays, and many other shore birds.

We kayaked all the way down to the dog park, and there was lots to explore.

We rented a dry bag, but you can save a few dollars if you bring your own.
David B. , 5 years ago
Great place for rentals. Lots of availability and good prices. Nice equipment. Would use again next time!
Laura M. , 5 years ago
We had a blast using the 2-person kayak from Rowing Dock.

Easy parking, we got the 15$ groupon and we were off and running. The staff even gave us the 2 person kayak instead and honored the groupon. Check in and check out was very quick and efficient.

Our kayaks were clean and worked well, our life jackets were a bit musty but they were fine.

You can ride east towards the city, or you can go west towards the nice houses. We chose to ride east and got a wonderful view of the skyline. Towards the end there are a couple of bridges where you can see turtles! Two hours was plenty of time, we were gone for about 75 minutes and definitely took our time. Bring sunblock and water. Bring something waterproof for your valuables, or they rent out little bags for 2$ each.

A must-do in Austin on a sunny day!
Gizelle F. , 5 years ago
This well run dock offers an easy, pleasant, and efficient way to get on the lake fast to enjoy that sunshine and outdoors. The woman running the front desk renting the paddle boards was incredibly nice and easy to work with. I have only been SUPing once before, so was bit of a novice with the process, but didn’t feel out of place at all. There is no beginners’ shame here!

The man giving the actual instructions was a little hard to understand due to his fast-paced talking and a little bit of an apathetic attitude, but the man who helped us on our return into the dock made up for it with his helpfulness and big smile!

They charge by the hour and honored my friends coupon, so we got a nice morning on the lake working our core and biceps in the sun. The dock is nice and seems to be up to code with all the safety requirements. I am sure on a busy Saturday, the parking lot fills up fast, but it is a decent size to accommodate a number of rowers!
Frances H. , 6 years ago
I was lucky enough to be gifted a 10-visit card to RD and I’m definitely a huge fan. It’s not as easy to get to as the dock off Trinity (no affiliation), but I now see that the one off Trinity is a cattle call in comparison to the experience you get at RD. No matter how busy it is, they’ll make sure you get a paddle that is fit to your height (vs just picking one at random from an unorganized stack of ’em). They always have some sort of treat out (whether it be a protein bar or the last time I was there, someone was handing out grapes just because). Everything just feels a lot more welcoming at Rowing Dock. (Note: I’ve only ever rented paddle boards.)

Because of its location more west down Lady Bird Lake, it’s less crowded on the water. Also, the sweet spot is going between 7:30-9am, if your schedule allows, as the water is so serene and you basically have it all to yourself, sans a couple of early morning rowers.

They do have a dedicated parking area…it’s not huge, but it’s something and there’s more parking down the road if you can’t find a spot in their dirt lot.
Katie B. , 6 years ago
Arrived a bit after 8 am on a to be a scorcher Saturday, stopped at the portas (not great but better than the bushes), easy quick release signed. Waited in line 5 minutes then after paying we were in our kayak for two in literally 2 minutes. They steadied it while we got in and again on our return. Drinks for sale and dry bags for rent if you forgot yours and free Kind bars for sustenance. Everyone very pleasant and couteous. No groupon currently. There’s a price max after that initial 1 hour charge that you’ll eventually reach if you paddle long enough. Kayak was roomy and in good shape.
Jan C. , 6 years ago
I had some friends visiting this past weekend and they wanted to do some kayaking. Well, Rowing Dock is close by so I sent them there. They had a great time by my niece’s boyfriend, Trevor forgot his sandals in the kayak.
Rowing Dock was so busy that as soon as someone got out of a kayak someone else got in. So when Trevor realized that he didn’t have them the kayak was long gone.
So they left a name and phone number, but without high hopes.
Around a half hour before they closed Trevor and my niece thought they’d just go down to double check.
Thanks to Spencer’s efforts they had been found, but with the amount of business they hadn’t had a chance to call yet.
Thanks Spencer.
Jim O. , 6 years ago
Exactly what you’d want. I went on a Wednesday and it wasn’t crowded. Very pleasant staff, well stocked, and even cute t shirts.

A must try experience in Austin Texas!
Diana V. , 6 years ago
Fair prices (just around $20 for an hour), clean & well-kept equipment, helpful & enthusiastic staff, great location… and DOG FRIENDLY! Such a fun outdoor activity and an excellent place for it… Situated in a cozy nook at the heart of the lake, around the corner from the beautiful parks, and close to some delicious eateries (lots of Food Trucks within 10min!).

Just all-around awesome!
Can’t wait to come back!!!
Marie L. , 6 years ago

HeyAustin

With a tent stake planted firmly in the underbelly of Austin's downtown life.

Rowing Dock

Verified Listing

Rowing Dock

Login