Dishonest and Unprofessional - Avoid This Place…read more I rented kayaks here with my girlfriend using a Groupon that vaguely said "kayak rental for two" with no clear time limit. It was our first time kayaking and we were just trying to have a good time, but when we got back (about 90 minutes later), the owner, Trudie and her aggressive employee ambushed us with an extra $50 charge for supposedly going over their "one-hour limit," which was never clearly communicated. I should've known this place was shady when Trudie asked for a tip before the service, holding the POS iPad and waiting for me to say an amount she could enter herself. It was awkward and pushy--I reluctantly said $5 because what was I supposed to do, tell her no while she stared at me? Their employee originally told us, "You have about an hour or so," which was super casual and vague--nothing about a strict time limit. When we returned, suddenly he was claiming it was "one hour, give or take 10 minutes," which makes absolutely no sense; what does that even mean, 50, 60 or 70 minutes!?!?! Nobody talks like that unless they're scrambling to save face in front of their boss. It was obvious he made it up on the spot to cover himself. What made it even more infuriating was hearing the employee lie to my face while condescendingly saying, "Hey buddy, I said one hour, give or take 10 minutes". The attitude, the dishonesty, and the fake "policy" were a perfect storm of unprofessionalism. On top of that, Trudie knows most people don't bring their phones or watches out on the water, especially first-timers like us. We had no way to accurately tell time out there, and it feels like she counts on that to trap people into being "late" so she can tack on extra charges. When I pushed back, Trudie, her employee, and a random bystander--who seemed to be her personal friend--ganged up on me, trying to intimidate me into paying the surprise fee. The whole situation felt like a setup. I even saw Trudie earlier trying to overcharge tourists for paddleboard training they didn't need. On top of all this, the harbor was packed with over 100 boats constantly coming in and out to park, causing delays and creating a chaotic situation that made it genuinely hard to get back on time--especially as we battled the wind and current on the way back. Trudie didn't care about any of that; she was just focused on squeezing out more money. It really feels like Trudie targets tourists and Groupon users to tack on hidden fees. She clearly resents people using Groupons and will find any excuse to charge you more. I mean, if you don't like giving deals through Groupon, then don't even offer them! Even if you're just a minute over, they'll round it up to the next full hour and hit you with a $50 charge--with ZERO upfront warning. There are much better options nearby like Monterey Bay Kayaks or Kayak Connection--they offer clear expectations, honest pricing, and actually know how to run a customer-centered business. Oh ya, almost forgot to mention that there weren't any kind of demonstration or instructions offered like there were when I recently visited Monterey Bay Kayaks so they obviously don't care about your experience or your safety. Avoid The SUP Shack at all costs. I've been in customer service management for over 10 years, and this was honestly one of the worst, most unprofessional experiences I've ever had.

I had a Friday "wellness day" from work and decided to head up to Santa Cruz for the day. Went to…read morethe SUP Shack on Friday, which was great because it was super quiet, but I had a great time. Saw a Sea Lion just hanging and couple harbor seals deep in the harbor. Local business run by Trudie, she's so helpful and kind. Will definitely be back!

I just want to say what an amazing experience I had with purchasing my Starboard paddle board from…read moreCovewater Paddle Surf. Olivier was extraordinarily helpful in finding me a board and working on getting it delivered to the East coast. He carefully wrapped the board and it arrived here in perfect shape. I am now on my board almost everyday and I am in heaven every time I step on this board..aka Stella Bella Starboard. I would recommend Covewater Paddle surf to everyone and a special thanks to Olivier!!

I booked a private SUP surf lesson with Olivier and had a great experience. Olivier is incredibly…read moreknowledgable and an excellent instructor. He tailored the equipment and location to my skill level and we had an epic session where I learned more in 2 hours than I had in years of paddle surfing. Olivier uses headset technology that allows him to communicate with you throughout the session - it was amazing. Book a lesson with Oliver and you will level up immediately. Plus you'll have a ton of fun!

We had an exceptional experience with Neill from Capitola Surf and Paddle. His approach,…read morepreparedness, support and coaching made for a wonderful 2 hour semi-private lesson. My daughter managed to successfully ride a few waves and is now hooked on surfing. I highly recommend them!

The staff are incredible! Our now 11yr old has been taking lessons for 2 summers. The staff are…read morekind, knowledgeable, patient and efficient (they're in the water practicing faster than I expected!), and the girls make significant progress in each lesson. We'll definitely be signing up for more lessons!

I have been wanting to try surfing for the longest time and finally gathered up my courage to do it…read moreyesterday. Richie was so awesome, assured me that I could do it and kept encouraging and helping me to catch the waves. I was about to give up after a few tries when I rode my first one. I didn't expect that on my first lesson, as I never swim in the ocean before so it has been a euphoric experience. Still smiling when I think about it. Thank you Richie for making my dream come true! Definitely will get a lesson from Richie again if I'm in the area again.

Second time ever on a board and caught waves!! Richie, our instructor was great, safe and soft…read morespoken with a gentle footprint . He had 100 percent control the entire time. I absolutely loved it and hope to be back next weekend! What an epic experience!!!

Our group paid for 3 hours of kayaking. The man in the booth was great in providing us wet pants,…read morewet jackets, wet shoes, otter information, etc. He was so kind and approachable. They also had pouches to store our phones in. If you kayak around the wharf, you can hear the sea lions. We unfortunately capsized but it was a memorable experience.

For 3 people we did an open 2 person kayak and a SUP on a calm day and spotted otters and sea…read morelions, and amazing dive-bombing pelicans. The staff were super helpful and the price was very affordable for 3 hours of magical time in the water! Loved it

We planned to kayak in the Harbor today, and we were planning to go to the Sup Shack, where we had…read morerented kayaks last summer. Sup Shack was unexpectedly closed (hours and webpage said they were open, the number listed didn't connect, and there was no note). The Hostess at Crow's Nest recommended Kayak Connection! It turned out to be a phenomenal experience! Milan (sp?) talked us through everything, made sure we all had well-fitted life vests, and the office recognized my step-daughter's 16th birthday with a free Santa Cruz sticker. It's true that the construction impedes the experience to an extent- Milan had to call the foreman to have us escorted through, but they did so promptly ensuring minimal disruption of our experience. We got assistance boarding, and we were especially impressed with Milan's patience with my step-daughter, who has Down Syndrome and needed some extra help. He was super patient and kind! We really appreciated that, unlike with Sup Shack, we were given "free rein" during our hour outing, except for needing to follow common sense safety rules. As soon as we were done, we called the number on the kayak paddles, and Milan was down in a jiffy to assist us back. We saw a seal, quite a few crab, many birds, and friendly boaters. We felt the price of $65 for an hour per double kayak (including life vests, paddles, the kayak, and assistance) was a very fair value. Highly recommend this exceptional and reliable business for your next outing!

Kayak Connections in Santa Cruz was amazing. Reece and Anna were incredibly nice, helpful, and…read morewelcoming from start to finish. They explained everything clearly, were very informative about safety and the area, and made the whole rental process super easy and stress free. Their kindness and great attitude made the experience even better. I would definitely come back and highly recommend them!

SO MUCH FUN! I am a…read morebig guy and was scared out of my mind BUT the nice little lady...Natalie I think...was very helpful and calmed all my fears. She showed me pro techniques that helped me in the calm water and the baby surf that was out there. I was doing hand stands by the end of the day! We got out early, it was calm and a little foggy but then the fog burned off and it was amazing! So peaceful. We got to see dolphins, sea lions and an otter with its baby! And schools of fish under your board...pretty cool! Can't wait to take my 9 year old out there! Thanks again!

1st. Class Service. This is a paddle surf shop. and I am a longboard surfer. I needed a special…read more"Waist Leash". Olivier Guincetre the owner said not problem. He took the time to show me how to take apart my ankle leash and install the waist leash and even gave me the little allen wrench.

I wanted to get a local shirt for a friend's birthday and I seen these keep Capitola salty…read moreT-shirts, which I knew would be a big hit for my friend This is a charming little store in Capitola. The staff was super friendly and helpful and they also did gift wrapping for free! Total beach vibe, they live up to their name. If you haven't been down to the Capitola Beach company go check it out.

This place is amazing!!! I LOVE the selection of clothing, also because I love Roxy, but everything…read morein the store has been thoughtfully, hand picked. I believe it was the owners that helped me and they were both amazing! I came in for a travel bag and left with the most amazing bag ever! (aloha bag --go get one)! Highly highly recommend supporting this business and checking out what they have to offer. Thank you again for the amazing service . I can't wait to go back for more!

visiting the Santa Cruz area I decided to swing by the harbor. My son and daughter-in-law live in…read moreSanta Cruz, but I don't know if I've ever visited the harbor before. The parking was interesting. I could get in, I just couldn't figure out how to get out. If you're here under an hour there is no charge, however, good luck getting out. It took me forever to get out which of course cost me. Sigh. Would I come back? Probably not to this parking lot!

I love this place! The staff are friendly and the harbor itself is top notch and my new favorite…read morepiece of Heaven on earth for my sweet little boat. I feel safe, happy & free by the sea!

I've had the pleasure of taking several Adventure Out classes over the past year--Rock Climbing,…read moreMountain Biking, and most recently the Wilderness Survival Clinic--and every single experience has exceeded my expectations. The wilderness survival clinic with Jack was transformative. I initially signed up simply to spend more time outdoors and pick up practical skills, but what I found was something much deeper. Adventure Out's classes don't just teach--you're invited to truly interact with nature and form a real relationship with it. One of the unexpected highlights of the clinic was how naturally it became a team-building experience. Even though almost everyone in our group had just met for the first time, we quickly found ourselves collaborating, communicating, and problem-solving together. Building an emergency shelter as a group--choosing the right location, dividing tasks, and working within a limited time--was incredibly fun and surprisingly connecting. It added a whole new dimension to the experience and showed how nature can bring strangers together in meaningful ways. Our instructor, Jack, has a remarkable ability to make every person feel seen and included. Watching how he engaged with adults and kids alike--especially the two young children (ages 6 and 4!) in our group--was inspiring. His presence, awareness, and ability to track the energy of the group is unlike anything I've seen. The way he integrated the little ones actually inspired me to bring my 10-year-old daughter next year. And speaking of unforgettable moments--seeing fire by friction created before my eyes was one of the most beautiful outdoor experiences I've had. Learning how to carve my spindle, and progressing much farther than I expected, was empowering. Two folks in our group were able to start fire for the first time ever, based on Jack's instruction! I found Jack's YouTube tutorial afterward, which has been incredibly helpful for practicing at home. I'm already signed up for the wilderness survival overnight immersion next June. A huge shoutout as well to Dan, who taught my rock climbing class. The first session was so fun, motivating, and perfectly paced, and I enjoyed it so much that I later took a private rock climbing class with my daughter. I got hands-on practice with belaying, and she had an absolute blast climbing outdoors for the first time. It was an unforgettable experience for both of us. I'm planning to take more classes with my daughter, as well as take the rock climbing anchors class. Another big thank-you to Eli, who taught my mountain biking class. The class was tailored to my request for hands-on experience fixing common bike issues on the trail. We also covered MTB riding techniques, which were super fun--and as a bonus, we ran into pro cyclist Kate Courtney, which added an exciting surprise to the day! Adventure Out consistently delivers exceptional instruction, meaningful experiences, and a culture that supports learning, curiosity, and personal growth. I'm deeply grateful for the community they've built.

Beautiful, I don't like to walk but I do and my god the beautiful landscape, bring fish food, the…read moreducks and fish will follow you a great deal around the lake, delightful! There are nice bathrooms inside the large beautiful office bldg, a small coffee stand and indoor seating... What a find!