High winds and rough water meant our tour was switched at the last minute to the alternate Grand Island tour at a discounted rate. The tour was excellent even with the switch. We got up close to beautiful rock formations and our guide, Courtney, was great. And Captain Harry kept us all safe and sound. A great organization -- hope we can come back someday for the Pictured Rocks version! read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - Exploring Grand Island by kayak - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

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Our group experienced rough waters and missed the PR tour but got to paddle Grand Island along with receiving some money back. Even though we missed Pictured Rocks, Grand Island was just as beautiful. We had "Adventure Vinnie" as our tour guide and he took our group through the tighter rock areas, waterfalls and caves that really test your paddle skills and made the day even more fun. Launching from the boat means you have an added layer of safety and you get to see more without having to turn around and go back. I highly recommend the Ultimate tour (or Unexpected Tour)! Thanks for a great day! ** It's always important to remember that Munising Bay can look calm and Lake Superior can be completely different at the cliffs. The weather can turn at any moment like it did for us.** read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - Grand Island waterfall - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

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First 1 star review I've left. I recognize I am not a business owner, but the way our trip was handled was very unfortunate. I called an hour before to ask about lunch, no mention of a possible cancellation. We arrive at check-in time to be told all tours are cancelled due to bad weather and high winds - it was 86 and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. A light breeze at times near the shore, but it looked pretty calm out there. The lack of communication and abrupt cancellation with no alternate routes (as mentioned on their site) was a major disappointment. We had driven 7 hours for this for my husband's birthday. They did provide an immediate refund and recommended the boat cruise down the street. When booking the cruise, the team was surprised to hear of the cancellation - it was truly a perfect sunny day in the UP (rare). What was even more surprising was seeing about 50 tandem kayakers at the rocks while on our cruise. We're guessing the competitors across the street went for it. And the kayakers were having no trouble at all, it was very calm waters (and in a tandem much less likely to flip). I recognize there are liabilities involved but your cancellation policy seems a bit over cautious. People travel long distances for this. A wait and see policy makes more sense IMO. Ultimately, my question is: if a cloudless scorching hot day isn't good kayaking weather, what is up there? I recommend checking out the place across the street, or others in town who have more flexibility. Even our boat captain himself said the wind was more on land and we "lucked out" with this gorgeous weather. read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

Had the time of our lives on this tour. Adventure Vinnie is truly one of a kind. He answered our questions, took our photos when we asked, and made sure we felt safe as first time kayakers. Would recommend this to anyone looking to get an up close and personal look at the beauty Lake Superior has to offer. read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

Great experience. Super efficient loading and unloading the kayaks. Great guide who had a lot of info and even took complimentary photos. Well worth the price. read more

The crew worked their butts off to provide a great experience despite some almost rough swells. Clean boat, help getting in and out of the kayaks on the water. Guides tried to get pictures which they airdropped to you for free. Wonderful views of Pictured Rocks read more

We did the ultimate kayaking trip and it was absolutely wonderful. Our guide was so nice, helpful, patient and informative. The ship's captain was a true professional who inspired confidence while keeping things fun! This is a great adventure and awesome way to see the picturesque shoreline. This entire operation is first class and we highly recommend it. Can't wait to come back and do it again! read more

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Cancelled the tour 10 minutes before we were supposed to leave. Beautiful day, wish they didn't cancel on us. Hopefully I'll get a refund.

Well organized. Nice equipment and great crew. Beautiful area and a must see when visiting the UP!

One of the best things we've done! So worth the money. The practice is down to a science, the workers are so helpful and friendly, and the views are breathtaking. A must do! read more

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Great experience!! The captain and crew were super nice and made it very clear that the passengers' safety came first. It was super fun and our tour guide Elle was so sweet. I ended up getting sick on the boat and the crew was very accommodating, giving me water and offering me snacks to help. Overall a great experience and I would recommend them to anyone! read more

PRK provided us with an incredible experience! We took the Ultimate Tour. This company is wonderful, the safety demonstrations were great, they provided equipment that was in great shape, our Captain Harry was fun and informative, and the guides all had great energy. Our guide, Vinny, was so much fun, he was very good at explaining everything we were seeing and the history of the area. He was adventurous and encouraged our group to be also but only to your comfort level. Vinny took pictures of everyone in our group and shared them with us, it was a nice personal touch. We loved him and he really made this experience over the top for us. It was a 10/10 experience for us. If you are considering this company go for it, you will not be disappointed. read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

Excellent experience! Our guide Devin was super informative and knowledgeable about the geology, flora and fauna of the area! Will always recommend to anyone in the area! read more

I'll post pics later, but the 2 hr paddle was as stunning as the Grand Canyon! It can not be described by picture or words... JUST GO! There are boat tours that are nice but they don't paddle through the caves or get to look straight up to see how really high 180 feet looks. I don't have a bucket list, but if I did this would be near the top. The crew and guides were personable and safe. Making sure everyone was having fun but also staying in touch with the transport boat that followed us the whole tour. It was just a short paddle away from scooping you out of the water for a restroom break or if you were too tired to continue. As my boys said, it was EPIC. read more

I am not usually one to leave reviews (this is my first), but I had no choice but to do so with this company! Let me start off by saying that we were not able to kayak on the rocks, as the conditions were bad on the water. They offer an alternate route of paddling Grand Island, which we took advantage of. Despite not being able to see the Pictured Rocks like we'd hoped, we still had a wonderful time around the island. Jordan (very knowledgeable) was one of the guides on the trip and explained everything in depth while still allowing it to be a relaxing trip. They do take you out on a boat, which stays within close proximity of kayakers for added comfort. I will add that at one point the wind picked up and the water became fairly wavy. Various people became sea-sick and one tandem kayak tipped over. The crew was excellent at handling the situation, but I have to especially commend Jordan, as he was calm and composed and did an excellent job communicating with people to ensure everyone was comfortable. I would recommend this for anyone considering!! read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - East Channel Lighthouse (150 years old!) - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

Situation: September 8th, 2020. Day after Labor Day, my wife and I traveled to Munising specifically for this tour to see Pictured Rocks. The weather was unpredictable, 48 degrees at 9am when the tour started but no warning from the crew beforehand of a potential disruption of the trip. We could tell from the evening before that the water was looking choppy but figured the staff would be monitoring and cancel if necessary. The morning of we all loaded up on the boat and got out on the water only for the captain to tell everyone that the weather was making the water too treacherous to kayak by the highlight coastline (understandable). Two options were given. 1) Kayak in the bay at a reduced rate that wasn't communicated. 2) Full refund but have to stay on the boat for the full 4 hours while others kayaked along shore No option was offered to take passengers back to shore so they could carry on with their day. The captain said, "either kayak or sit on the boat. We are not dropping anyone off early". End result: We were stranded on the boat in the bay with no Pictured Rocks, no kayaking, no salvaging of the day. There was NO compassion from the crew and cared little about the interests of the group. They only seemed to care about salvaging any amount of money they could from their passengers. We are writing this review from the boat. Some positives: The entire staff was safety-oriented, the boat was warm and clean, and on a perfect weather day this would be a one of a kind/unique experience. The full refund was also offered with no hassle. read more

My boyfriend & I had a trip scheduled for Wednesday (7/29/20). Pictured Rocks Kayaking was following all COVID restrictions and check in was very easy! Before we went out on the boat, the guides went over safety precautions. The boat ride out to Pictured Rocks was beautiful but unfortunately the water was very rough and it was not safe for the kayaks to go out. We instead took a boat ride around Pictured Rocks & they dropped us in around Grand Island to kayak, where it was safe. I was definitely disappointed about not kayaking Pictured Rocks, because that's obviously what I wanted to do & signed up for. But later that day, the captain found out that another kayaking company did drop them in the rough water & several people had to be rescued! So I feel very blessed that the captain knew what he was talking about and did not take us out. We would have all been in danger. Grand Island was beautiful to kayak & our guide was awesome! Pictured Rocks also refunded $59 on each ticket because the Pictured Rocks kayak tour was canceled. So we got to ride in the boat, see pictured rocks from the boat, and kayak Grand Island for just $100 each. The refund was in my account 24 hours later. Very happy & impressed & we will be back!! read more

They wouldn't take us to Pictured Rocks due to inclement weather, which is fine. They said "we're going to take you to the other side. If you don't like it, we'll refund you." I've spoken to them 3 TIMES now about giving me a refund and They keep saying "ok" but they won't do it. They didn't keep their word. That's why they get 2 stars read more

The boat was clean, warm, and had 2 bathrooms. The tour guides were nice and valued safety. They made sure you're set in your kayak before launching you into the lake which is nice. Their kayaks were in good condition. I would like to share my experience and clear up some of the FAQs listed on their website. I read these prior to booking our trip as it is quite expensive at $160pp. I felt that some of them were misleading... What if it rains? "We paddle in light rain, however, the tour will run weather permitting with a safety first mindset. A back up trip will be offered in case of a weather day where we cannot safely kayak the Pictured Rocks. Paddling will be done with the wind at the paddlers back whenever possible." After boarding we were speaking to a guides who mentioned they hadn't been out in 6 days due to weather but wanted to give it a shot since it had been so long. This concerned us a bit given the weather of our trip. He said it was unlikely we'd go out on the rocks. Then the waves were too big and the captain started offering alternative options. The alternative option is at a reduced rate ($100 pp rather than $160pp). If you're not interested in the alternative trip or it is not what you expected they will offer a full refund, BUT they will not bring you back to the dock until the tour's normal end time. You waste a half day either sitting on their boat or kayaking an area you don't care about or maybe already had a similar kayak experience earlier in your vacation. What is your refund policy? "A purchased tour ticket will be eligible for a refund or an exchange up to 48 hours before the scheduled tour time. If Pictured Rocks Kayaking cancels a kayak trip, you will be provided with a full refund or an alternative* tour may be offered at a reduced rate if weather permits. All exchanges are dependent on availability. NO REFUNDS or EXCHANGES will be granted after the time of your scheduled tour. NO EXCEPTIONS. To exchange or refund your ticket for another time, please call us immediately at (906) 387-5500. If a cruise is cancelled due to weather, an alternative option may include a tour of Grand Island if weather permits. This tour will be offered at a reduced rate. No tour will be refunded once they have started." We spoke to multiple other paddlers who called ahead multiple times to see if the trip was cancelled due to weather. They were told the trip was still on. The morning of the tour the captain explained that "we'd see what it looks like out there and go from there". At no point did they share that if you weren't interested in alternative options that you'd still be committing 4-5 hours of your day. On top of that, based on the above from their website, if you are confident that the water is too rough and wanted to cancel same day then you'd have to forfeit all of your money. The only option to get your money back in a situation of inclement weather is to take a gamble (since the company won't actually cancel the trip unless maybe their boat can't even go out). Lastly, What is your cancellation policy? "PRK reserves the right to cancel a scheduled cruise for any reason up until the time of departure. Cancellations are unlikely EXCEPT in the event of inclement weather. Typical weather conditions that warrant cancellations are high winds on Lake Superior causing high waves along the lakeshore, dense fog along the lakeshore, or severe lightning nearby on Lake Superior. Weather conditions on Lake Superior do change quickly and while we are pleased to make as many trips as possible, safety is our greatest concern. Please be advised of this especially if you are traveling from a long distance or have an extremely inflexible schedule. You may call our ticket office with concerns about a cancellation the day of your cruise." They dock the boat in the calmer bay and use it to their advantage. The captain mentioned, again after boarding all passengers, talking with the Pictured Rocks Cruises before our tour who told her the water was really rough. For some reason that intel wasn't enough to cancel. They boarded everyone knowing they'd likely offer an alternative of kayaking in the bay. PRK does not seem to value your time. They assume you are looking to do ANY type of kayaking. What they should do is seriously assess the weather BEFORE boarding all passengers. They should offer options BEFORE everyone is stuck on the boat. That way passengers could CHOOSE the alternative route if interested and if not interested they could get a refund and go on with the rest of their vacation. Overall, I'm sure this is a great experience during prime weather, but I would be nervous to take a gamble on this a second time due to a waste of time/not getting what we expected. In the end, we got a full refund, but we can't get lost time back. read more

The team was very organized, informative, and kind. Because safety is their #1 priority, they were very upfront before starting the trip. We were informed that the fog may prevent us from doing our original tour plan but an alternative tour was a possibility. We went out on the boat, which was very nice and clean, and the captain/team decided that the fog was too heavy and dense. They decided to call off the trip and we got our full refund immediately. I hope to come back another time and actually do the tour! read more

We were scheduled for the picture rock kayak tour but the wind would make the trip unsafe so the grand island tour was offered at a reduced rate you could get a refund ect.. We took the offered tour as well as 99%of the other passengers. The grand island tour was awesome. We had a wonderful time. Our guide was from the area. She was able to give us history about the island. Staff was so friendly and helpful if you needed it :) I'd book your reservations early for this establishment. read more

I had a trip scheduled for Friday, 30 August. The excursion had to be canceled due to weather. They sent me a follow-up email letting me know the trip was canceled. This seemed professional and I was happy with the service so far. Please see below as I copied the email verbatim that was received that morning: little did I know... "Good Morning: We regret to inform you that your Pictured Rocks Kayak trip, scheduled for today (Friday, August 30, 2019) has been cancelled. The zone of Lake Superior which includes Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is under a Small Craft Advisory until late this evening. Wave heights are predicted to reach heights of 8 to 10 feet. Obviously, these conditions make it completely unsafe to kayak or even to operate a boat along the Pictured Rocks. See the National Weather Service Small Craft Advisory here: https://marine.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=LSZ250&warncounty=marine&firewxzone=&local_place1=12NM%20NE%20Munising%20MI&product1=Small+Craft+Advisory&lat=46.5834&lon=-86.4881#.XWjwmuhKjIU A full refund for your kayak trip will be processed today, and should appear on your bank statement within 3 to 5 business days. If you have questions, or would like to reschedule your kayak trip, please call our office at (906) 387-5500 or respond to this email. Our office will be staffed from 9am to 4pm today." Email clearly states that a full refund for my kayak trip was supposed to be processed the same day. A week later no transaction had taken place. Their team instructed me that they have a new manager and they don't call client anymore, only email. In contradiction to the email, they also don't issue refunds immediately. You need to call them and tell them you *want* a refund. They either need to change their email language to explain that you need to call, or credit the refunds on the same day as the email promises their clients. Business practices as they are seem asinine and only cause further frustration. Now the 3 to 5 day waiting period has begun seven days from the date the trip was canceled. Pictured Rocks Kayaking was eager to take $300 from my wife and I, but hesitant to refund it. Only after I frustratedly called and explained that my bank has evidence of no refund the transaction was this company willing to process my refund. If you are using this company to see the rocks, make sure you call to get your money! read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - Refund Email Screenshot. - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

Professional crew, easy launch from boat, beautiful scenery and we didn't flip the kayak! Excellent day on the water! Glad we booked online since they were sold out week we visited. read more

We have now gone twice on this adventure. It's about five miles in a tandem kayak & takes about 2 hours. The boat takes you out on a 30-40 minute boat-ride & then places you in the water. It's the only way to really see the beauty up close of Picture Rocks. Staff is very professional & goes with a safety first mentality which is important as the waters can change quickly. A must see read more

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Pictured Rocks Kayaking was a great experience and I definitely recommend doing a kayaking tour. There is ample parking, portable toilets on ground and bathrooms on the boat. Yes, boat. What makes them different is that they take you out on a boat and follow the tour from a distance. This way, if you get tired, cold, need to use the restroom, they are there for you. There are 2 seater kayaks available. If you go alone, you'll be paired with another loner or a guide. They sent out 2 guides...1 per every 6 boats. We had 24 people total on the tour. Pricing is decent, especially when surrounding companies charge more. They have a gift shop area in their offices which sells clothing (sweat pants, shirts, sweaters, jackets, blankets, hats, dry bags, cellular dry bags, etc) The team is great! Very friendly and helpful, especially to travellers. The reason for my 4 star review is because our guide, who I won't name, didn't seem to be very interested in the tour. He made small talk to everyone which makes him super personable, but when you pay for a tour you hope to hear about what you're seeing. We we're supposed to see 13 different points of interest but he never said what they were or explained them. Also, he didn't take very many photos. We were hoping to purchase them..but I think I'm in only a handful. So of the 13 points, I found myself googling afterwards to figure out what I saw. Lastly, and not by fault of the crew, it was extremely foggy and the first half of the tour wasn't really exciting. All the vibrant colors that we would have seen without the fog, were just dull. Other than that, great tour. read more

Pictured Rocks Kayaking - Tours Near Me - Munising, Michigan

Great Kyacking our tour guide was amazing! Highly recommend. Need to have moderate skill with kyacks but very accommodating to new kyackers.

We had a great captain and guides who made sure we had fun and stayed safe. We will be back! The scenery up close was beautiful and going through the caves, arches and inlets was awesome. read more

We went on the 5 hour kayak tour and really enjoyed it! We were not very experienced kayakers but the our guide Charlie gave us great instructions! We all went at our own pace and Charlie would have us make stops to tell us about the history of the area, local myths, and facts about the rock formations. The guides were all very kind and enthusiastic! read more

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My wife and I both went to Northern and are avid kayakers. This was one of the best experiences we have ever had. The views are breathtaking. Our guide was very funny entertaining and full of knowledge about the pictures rocks. The tour is $135.00, a piece and last for about 4-5 hours. If you get the chance to do this don't pass it up. It takes about 1 hour to get out to the pictures rocks. The large boats are always near by for safety reasons. All equipment is provided and instruction given. read more

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Great trip. Perfect weather. Great crew. We all get prepared to get in the water and do 5 miles. Nice job. Very safe operations. 5 stars.

I'm so glad we chose Pictured Rocks Kayaking tour to see the pictured rocks! Our tour guide Charlie was very informed on the history, myths, and geology of the area. All of the tour guides were really friendly and gave us tips on what to do locally after the tour. This is a tour you should definitely do. They take you out to where the picturesque scenery is so that you aren't spending all day paddling. We now have a great plan for what we want to hike tomorrow! Highly recommend, nothing bad to say! My favorite part was going through the small cave :) read more

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Wanted a quick getaway weekend up North-- and away we went up to Pictured Rocks. Looking online, I was trying to figure out the best way for my amateur photographer soul to view and capture the beautiful landscape. I found them on TripAdvisor and looking between a couple of options for kayaking. As someone who is not innately skilled at kayaking, their group seemed very organized. We chose a morning trip (afternoon wasn't available when we had looked initially), which overall about 5 hours in total. You arrive 30-60 minutes prior to the scheduled time (for us, 9am) to sign your life away, get your equipment (life jacket and spray skirt), and getting briefed on the morning schedule. Since you travel by boat to the place you start kayaking (45-60 mins), you can bring a small bag of snacks, dry clothes, water. Definitely recommend bringing snacks and water. I didn't mind sitting in wet clothes for the ride home-- but as a heads up, your abdomen and low back will be damp by the end of it. They split you up into groups with probably about 6 or 8 tandem kayaks in our group. So it's a good size group. Our guide (Chad) was young, cheerful, and calm so felt quite secure as a newbie to kayaking. He was very knowledgeable about the rock features, and we had a great time on the tour. This was really the best way to see Pictured Rocks up close. I risked my Nikon on the trip-- did not capsize or get it wet. They do sell waterproof phone cases-- which I did also buy, but in the end decided to risk my DSLR. The kayaking itself was probably about 2.5 hrs. You can walk around the back deck on the boat ride there and back, so you can take additional pictures or just enjoy the views of the lakeshore. The other nice thing about having the boat nearby means that in case of any concerns for safety or fatigue, you are able to retire to the boat if needed. (Bathrooms on the boat too.) This is their 3rd season open. Albeit it runs on the pricey side ($149 per adult), I think it's valued appropriately for the excellent experience, security, and guidance that they provide. read more

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What an awesome staff! We had a great time today. This is the only way to kayak if you are a beginner or are traveling with the family. They watch out for your safety & make sure you have fun! We said we'd give them 6 stars if we could!!! read more

We loved our experience with Pictured Rocks Kayaking! Vinny was knowledgeable, entertaining, and made us feel safe during our paddle. We had such a great day on the water with him! Everything operated smoothly and the staff were helpful and friendly. Definitely recommend! read more

Amazing experience! Super professional, fun, safe, and absolutely stunning views. Thanks for helping me check off this bucket list item! Highly recommend. read more

This is our first activity in Munising, the wind was light, sun was out and staff was impeccable. Jordan, our guide was knowledgeable not only about the formations, but also the region. I'm not sure if the day could get better. I can't wait to share the GoPro videos with friends and family. A must do if your here on vacation. All the equipment was either new or in great condition. Well worth the cost. read more

Everything was top notch. Excellent experience. Great guides. Very pro. Would highly recommend as a nice half-day excursion.

Worth the time and money (5 hrs $149). My wife had never kayaked before but loved the experience once she got into it. A boat gets you right to the prime viewing spots and drops you in the water. Tandem sea kayaks are all they use and they are very stable, maneuverable, dry (with skirt), and FUN! This GUIDED tour beats the in-boat tours. More fun and much closer to the rocks. We would do it again! Bring your camera. Leave everything else back on the boat. read more

Highly recommend. We did the ultimate kayak tour and paddled for about 2-1/2 hours. It's a fairly easy paddle with lots of breaks to see the rocks or just rest. Fun and informative guides and having the boat on the water with you for bathroom breaks and any other need was wonderful. They also positioned our drop off so that we would paddle downwind. read more

Best experience ever!! I've never been kayaking before so I was a little nervous at how things would workout, but when the end came I didn't want to get out of my kayak! They take you for about an hour boat ride, then you launch your kayak off the back of the boat. It's about a 6 mile kayak tour, about 2 hours. They divided us up into groups of 3, therefore each guide was responsible for 6 kayaks (they are all doubles, so 12 people total). Our guide was awesome! We went through caves and he was so informative. There were times we just got to sit there and float around. I thought I would be worn out but I wasn't at all. After it was over we had another hour boat ride back. We packed a lunch and ate it on the boat ride back. Not really much room to bring snacks on your actual kayak. I brought a water bottle and that was all I needed. The views were great! We did the morning tour so the water was nice and calm. They do have restrooms on the boat as well which is really nice. We did get a little wet. Next time I would probably bring an extra shirt and shorts to change into afterwards. I brought my GoPro and attached it to my selfie stick for some awesome pictures!!! So glad I did this tour. read more

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