My wife and I are visiting from Maine and wanted to explore offshore so we researched boat rentals in our area, chose Cortez Watersports and are SO happy that we did. Booking was super easy and the rental process was thoroughly explained. We invited two other couples to join us and found the pontoon boat that we chose to be spacious and comfortable for the six of us and one dog. We arrived around 8:45am to check in and carry our belongings down to the dock where everything was loaded into the boat for us which was nice. We were then given an explanation of the area map and a tour of the boat. We had an amazing day on the water where we saw several dolphins, found dozens of sand dollars, parked at some sandbars and caught a few fish. We arrived back at the dock at 5:00pm and unloaded our stuff onto the dock where it was loaded into a cart and wheeled to our vehicles for us which we really appreciated. The fine folks at Cortez Watersports were friendly and catered to us beyond our expectations. We would definitely visit them again and highly recommend that you consider them for your next on the water outing. read more

Cortez Watersports - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

Had a great time on the water, highly recommend the guided tour on jet skis, we went to the best places and had a great experience read more

Cortez Watersports - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

What a lifetime memory! Initial experience on a jet ski and could not have asked for a better instructor/guide. John was the consummate professional. Patient, knowledgeable, and captured amazing photos/videos of the trip. He gave us room to go off and enjoy the scenery as well. We did the two-hour tour, and it was jaw-dropping up by Passage key. Rode alongside sharks, dolphins, and pelicans. Jewfish Key was picturesque as well. Parked on a sandbar and enjoyed the surrounding water. It's well worth the price. I will definitely return. read more

Cortez Watersports - Passage key - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

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Great day on the water in rented pontoon. The staff couldn't have been nicer and more helpful. They had a lot of hurricane damage and are working to recover. read more

Looking for some vacation fun, we were worried about having a tour guide on jet skis. We both like free-range adventure. Honestly, though, major asset in having John out there with us to show us cool stuff and let us do our own thing all at the same time. He also took a ton of great photos and videos, which we would otherwise not have done. Didn't need to worry about a thing. We saw all the critters including Tarpon, Sharks and even two manatee. My wife and I are full-throttle speed enthusiasts, we maxed out the machines (very fast & fun) and had a great time. Don't worry about the tour guide requirement. It's open play with amazing tips on where to go and what to see. Highly recommended. read more

Super friendly staff! Very welcoming! They deserve 5 out of 5 stars. However I do not recommend renting a boat. Too much shallow waters and not enough long distance to have any fun. Not worth renting a boat for half or full day! Everything else was great. Deducting one star for lack of "space/distance" to explore on a boat! read more

We rented jet skis and had an absolute blast!! Loved it so much! Everyone was super friendly and helpful!! Highly recommend!

Very flexible with us when we had to reschedule due to poor weather. Would definitely use them again and I highly recommend you give them a try. read more

Cortez Watersports - Fathers Day on the pontoon boat. - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

We went out on a jet ski tour - AWESOME experience. Our tour guide took us out on the water. There was lots of water traffic so it was really nice having a guide. They took us to some cool spots we would not have found on our own. We were able to spot some dolphins which was a perk. Kudos to them! HIGHLY RECOMMEND read more

Cortez Watersports - Guided Jet Ski Tour - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

Great boat, beautiful spot, friendlyhelpful staff. They are still working hard to recover from last falls hurricanes - give them your support. read more

Starting with Lacey, the customer service was a home run. She was super helpful on all the rules for licensing and ages and took our reservation no problem. Sent screen shot and couldn't have been nicer. Mr. Lacey called me early on day of res and suggested coming a little later due to wind and temp concerns and he was right. The skis were awesome. Lots of great pics taken and shared after the ride. Found us some dolphins and was a super chill dude. Highly recommend these good folks and glad to have found them. read more

John was SO amazing guiding me and my partner on a two hour jet ski tour. He was so friendly the day before when we went in with questions and to book, and kept all of his promises of seeing our favorite marine life! So professional and personable, John eased all of my nerves and gave us a one of a kind experience. The mangroves were beautiful. His wife, Lacey assisted us as well and they make a wonderful team. 10/10 would absolutely return. read more

Cortez Watersports was the perfect company to do our spring break wave running activity! Our family of 4 had a great experience! It was our first time using them, and it won't be our last! Shawn, our guide, was very professional and knowledgeable with the waterways! He showed us exactly where we needed to go, but gave us the space to drive around on our own and have fun on the jet skis. The sandbar stop looking for shells and sand dollars was a hit too! Highly recommend them, and will refer them to our friends and family that come and visit Florida. read more

We rented a pontoon boat for 1/2 day, and it was a blast. Customer service was excellent. The boat was stocked w/ water toys, and a cooler full of ice. They properly briefed us efficiently, so we could get out in the water quickly. Our family loved it so much, we've booked it again. Boats are dog friendly, and in great condition. read more

Had a wonderful 4 hour boat rental complete with dolphins at the end. Cortez Watersports staff are helpful and knowledgeable. 3rd generation owners. read more

This place is horrible and we're never renting there again. The blonde lady that runs the place is nasty. She's super rude, treats guests like if they were employees and is super lazy. We had a 2p reservation that she cancelled because of a storm that never came. I honestly think she just wanted to leave early or not work that day because she had been calling since 9a to cancel. The only reason I'm leaving them 2 stars is because the guy that runs it was really friendly, thorough with his explanations and courteous. He was the complete oposite of the blonde lady. read more

This is the 3rd time we have rented jet skis with Cortez Watersports. Each time was a memorable experience! They are super easy-going and want to make sure everyone has a great time. We will continue to use them when our family is looking for some extra fun! read more

Cortez Watersports - Stopped at the sandbar and got to see some sting rays swim by - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

Super easy to rent, they send you texts with links to set it all up and get waivers signed. They suggest showing up 30 min ahead to get all dialed in. The lady at the window and staff are so friendly and Dale was our "guide" who suggested where to ride, where to avoid, do's/ do not's and provided a map. We rented 3 skis for 4 people for 2 hours and had a blast. We saw dolphins and manatees and they also suggested we eat at Tide Tables, which was also great. I forgot sunscreen but they kindly let me use their own personal cans (they don't sell any) but they do sell floating crokies to hold your sunglasses in place. The jet skis were very nice, well maintained. Don't forget to tip your guide! read more

Great friendly staff! Boats are well maintained. We have rented pontoons from other places between Siesta Key and Bradenton. We were very impressed with Cortez Watersports. They supply you with cooler and ice and paddle board. Check in and check out was fast and easy. Staff help you load and unload and even haul all your gear to your car! Will be renting from them again!! read more

This is our 4th year using Cortez Water Sports for a boating day. The boats have always been great and the staff is so helpful and friendly. Very organized and always make sure to guide us to the best places to see and do what we want to do. read more

Cortez Watersports - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

As several other reviewers have expressed, the female owner of this business is unprofessional and disrespectful. I caught a little glimpse of this behavior when we walked in to book our experience. She was on the phone speaking aggressively to a customer. She was also unwelcoming and unkind to a group that walked in looking to book an experience. At that time she did not behave this way with our group however this changed after we spent our money and called her on the phone regarding something she did not follow through with. My low review is not even about the actual experience, or the the item she didn't follow through on. My review is directly related to her treatment of customers. I was in utter disbelief with the way she spoke to my husband on the phone when he called to follow up. She was not on speakerphone yet I could hear her loudly through the phone as she was raising her voice, talking over him, being condescending, and unprofessional. I am utterly disappointed that he experienced such a disrespectful interaction from a business owner whose small business we supported. She was unapologetic, unremorseful, and would not take accountability for her behavior when he expressed that she didn't need to speak to him in that manner. After reading the many other reviews outlining similar behavior I cannot attribute her treatment of my husband to having a "bad day". Clearly she lacks the ability to treat others, especially her customers, with common decency or respect. My hope is that this review will prevent others from being treated so poorly in the future. read more

The place was amazing!!!!! The instructor was so informative that someone like me who is scared of water made it fun and comfortable. Thank You guys. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND anyone traveling to this area to check them out read more

John and Lacy from Cortez Watersports were great! We rented a boat and spent the day cruising around with great friends. We had a blast! Rent a boat from John and Lacy, you'll have an amazing time too! read more

Cortez Watersports - Great boat, great fun! - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

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I had so much fun :) with Cortez Watersports ! I called last minute and we were fit right in! We did the hour jet ski rental. Shawn, Mandy, and Cody were beyond pleasant and gave great instructions for the jet ski !! My husband even fell behind lol and they were right on it to get him ! The jet ski were nice and fast, going 60 mph and the water was warm ! We had our pictures taken by Mandy and they came out perfect, I wasn't able to get them right after because i forgot, but I contacted them and she sent It right away! I will definitely be coming back for my next trip ! Thank you guys so much again, I truly enjoyed my evening. read more

Cortez Watersports - Fun in the sun‍‍‍ - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

John and the team were amazing. Took us on a tour of the bay, through the mangroves, and out to the Gulf. John took photos and videos while we were out on the jet ski's and shared them with us afterwards, which was really an amazing touch. We were able to see some dolphins, and had an incredible day out on the water. Couldn't recommend a better experience. read more

My family rented a boat and came back the next day for jet skis. Very friendly and helpful! Highly recommend!!

I wish I could've left a better review but the honest truth is that my family and I got together for a birthday and ended up being disrespected and un accommodated. The lady at the front started dealing with us with an attitude from the beginning they told us that we were overweight when we only 13 people when the limit was 16 persons. We decided to end up getting two boats because we ended up feeling that it was as necessary. In the last two hours one of the boats broke down leaving us to stranded and waiting on support to come and tow the boat back. All 13 of us ended up on a boat comfortably when they told us we couldn't . The gentlemen that was assisting us let us know we would be accommodated for the two hours that we missed but when we got back to the dock the lady said they won't do anything for us. Our overall trip was fine because we made the best of it and tried to appreciate the time we had but... the reason I'm leaving this review is because they really went out their way to sell us the second boat claiming we needed it and at the end when their boat failed they also failed to accommodate the two hours we lost on the water. Having them accommodate the next time was okay with our group like the gentlemen said but the lady working the front did not care and said "it is what it is.... You guys can leave a review but you guys already signed the contract". read more

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One star is being nice !!!! super bad costumer service!!!! my family and I are on vaca and tjought jetskis wpuld be a fum activey as we dos this last year. We are a family of six. the tour guide guy started of nice however, he spoke so much to our teenages amd whould appear to get upset of they did not pay attention. once on the jetskies he was acting like we should know what to do etc..on the way back my 14 year old got stuck in a sandbar and the tour guy started cursing at him!!!!! Once, at the doc they said he caused $1,000 of damage mind you the ski was working fine after being removed from the sandbar, the guy said my son made the scratches however, the jet skies had them already! The guy became super rude cursing and accusing us! I should've just gone with the place we did last year only thing is that they didn't have enough jet skies. NOT A FAMILY PLACE DONT GO!!!! SUPER RUDE!!! read more

What a breath of fresh air this place is! Came to this god forsaken beach town for a family reunion and quickly found out that most of the locals are grumpy old men and women who are not welcoming to tourists. Not to mention there is nothing anywhere near Anna Maria Island that is dog friendly. Not even well behaved leashed dogs. I digress. Cortez Watersports was friendly from the first phone call placed. Danny was super nice, extremely helpful throughout the whole boat rental process and gave us a bunch of excellent tips and pointers as far as where to cruise to so we can see wildlife, visit sandbars, and stay away from drunk partiers! All of which we greatly appreciated - especially the fact that the boat had a speaker with iPhone hookups to play our music and charge at the same time. We could use kayaks and snorkeling gear for free with our rental and they were dog friendly! Did i mention DOG FRIENDLY?! Yes, that means real dogs - not your little purse warmer with the bow ties. We had a blast and would highly recommend Cortez to anyone looking to truly enjoy their time in the area! read more

Cortez Watersports - Better behaved than your children - these girls sure had a blast! Thanks Cortez!!! - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

We went to a spot recommended by our Air BnB host, asked a question, they rolled their eyes and I decided not to rent from them. Searched around and found Cortez Watersport's. What a tremendous experience. They were about as helpful and friendly as possible and made our day. There are plenty of options but when we return, we will come back. I am a total newbie in boats and I felt safe, secure, and not taken for granted. Oh, and we saw a shark and a dolphin. I know they didn't make that happen but in a way, they totally facilitated it. read more

I would highly recommend the family owned Cortez Watersports‼ The online booking made it convenient and easy to do business. They are very kind and hospitable and give great advice on how to enjoy your personal adventure. read more

Cortez Watersports - Jewfish Sandbar - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

The prices are great but the staff is better. It was only $400 for 4 jet skis for 1.5 hours. The staff was very friendly lagging and joking with us. They also explained everything well. It was about 1/2 hour out of our way to go here but some of the reviews of the other rental places made them seem untrustworthy. These guys are the opposite. Fun, professional, and trustworthy ... What more could you want. If you are looking for a place to rent watercraft from pick this one! read more

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Great experience! The couple that manage the business were our guides and they were great. Took us to Passage Key and around the entire Anna Maria Island. They ensured we didn't "bottom out" and showed us where to "rip it up". It's a great way to see the whole island if the weather is good. read more

had a friend from up north come and visit the week of 6/22 and wanted to take him out on the water. 10/10 recommend the high speed jet ski tour. registration was simple and the lady was very friendly. there's not many places where the guide himself has the need for speed and catching some air off the waves. and to top it all of he wasn't hounding you on how far you could go it was awesome to have free range, he really set the bar with his energy and having fun himself. read more

This was the third time we rented from Cortez watersports. They are family run and extremely friendly and welcoming. The boat came with a paddle board and children's kayak. And a cooler for drinks. We had so much fun! We will be back. read more

Super friendly! Seadoos were in great working order and clean. The equipment including the life jackets were clean and in great working condition. We will be back again! read more

Cortez Watersports - Boating Near Me - Cortez, Florida

We have used other boat rentals on previous trips but Cortez Watersports is the best. We reserved an18 foot pontoon for 8 but they upgraded to a 20 foot and included a paddle board. We got great tips on best spots to see dolphins as well as good instruction for safety and navigation. On top of this we. Got a great lunch recommendation at Star Fish after we were done. We will definitely use them on our next trip to Longboat Key. read more

Cortez water sports never disappoints! We go there every time we are in Bradenton because we know that we will receive treatment as if we were family. We love to support family owned business and Lacey and John are amazing hosts. They even include their kiddos sometimes and the minute you step inside you feel happy! Beautiful boats and amazing customer assistance!!! Keep it up and we will be back as often as we can!!! read more

Lacey, Sean and then rest of the staff were a dream to have! We took jet skis out with them and had the time of our lives. All around amazing experience! Thank you Cortez Watersports! read more

This place was amazing... first time in Florida and it was the best experience I ever had. I'll definitely come back. Me and my family rented a jet ski, we got to see dolphins. The view was so beautiful. Costumer services was amazing Johnny I think that was his name he was so friendly with us. I definitely recommend EVERYONE to go. read more

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