Best Scuba shop, owner also an old school local cave diver, very knowledgable. Extensive and…read morewonderful inventory. All the good things others say are true!

I originally called Lloyd because I wanted to do a refresher course. Unfortunately he was booked…read morefor the time I needed, but we then started talking and he gave me a lot of information on where I might go to do The course. I then told him I was going on a trip, and he recommended that I come to the shop and get a mask and snorkel. As soon as I walked in he was so kind and inviting. And to make it even better the dog, Rusty, was the best greeter ever! I've actually never been in a scuba store so I had no idea what was in there. Lloyd gave me a tour of the facility and even gave me a brief history of his over 30 year stint in Gainesville. He is beyond knowledgeable! He has been a master cave dive instructor for 25 years. What's great about this shop is that Lloyd has tested everything that he sells. He immediately was able to place me in 3 masks and then walked me through which one might be the best for me. He has a 100% satisfaction guarantee and told me that if that mass prove to be not the best fit then I would be able to return it and he would fit me for another. That makes shoving out 70 bucks for a mask a little less daunting. I really enjoyed his shop and he comes highly recommended. I will definitely be going back!

Best dive shop in town. Solid selection and have most gear you would need to get started or upgrade…read moreyour setup. Staff is knowledgeable about local conditions and give great suggestions for places to go. I just wish they sold GoPro cameras and accessories but that's not a deal breaker.

Unfortunately, after a positive experience initially, it seems from a shopping experience in 2025…read morethey have tuned out / given up. Unable to get a hold of, order sits unfulfilled, and follow-up to missing parts go unanswered. Had to purchase parts from another Halcyon dealer to get rig setup for pieces missing from EE.

Brought four of my grandchildren here, last Sunday, for their Jr Open Water certification. They,…read moreand my son (who recertified in the same day) thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Great place for everyone to gain a little confidence and spend some time in the water. Plenty of parking. Covered picnic tables. The multi level underwater platforms were wonderful. The little store has some snacks, drinks and dive gear. The food truck was a welcomed item for us.

Beautiful facility with multiple staging pavilions, clean bath house, and additional recreational…read moreactivities like a small basketball court and even a disc golf course with Innova baskets! The staff were knowledgeable and friendly. They have a filling station for tanks and a small accessories selection in the office. We enjoyed our day diving at the Blue Grotto and can't wait to come back with our friends!

Great February day kayaking with our 35# dog. DJ was spot on knowing that a single kayak would…read morecomfortably fit a person and the dog, We saw lots of bird life along the cypress groves on Lake Sante Fe and enjoyed exploring the canals. Super easy and fun, a great rental.

Today at the Melrose boat launch ramp, I witnessed some truly unacceptable behavior from a local…read morebusiness owner. DJ, from DJ's Kayak and Canoe Rentals, aggressively confronted an elderly couple who were simply trying to load up their boat and leave. DJ had just arrived at the ramp with his trailer of kayaks right as the couple began loading up. It took them less than five minutes, but during that time, DJ loudly berated them, making snide remarks and pressuring them to move their trailer so he could back his in. His tone was hostile, impatient, and completely uncalled for. After the couple drove away, DJ continued to mock them in front of his clients, sarcastically repeating "Welcome to Melrose" and making further rude comments. I can't confirm this part, but I believe I also overheard him say something disrespectful about other kayakers launching nearby, including a comment about someone's service dog. Seeing all this, I felt compelled to leave a review on his business page, because this kind of behavior isn't just unprofessional, it's damaging to the welcoming, respectful atmosphere our community is known for. If someone treats locals this way, I personally don't think they should be supported by the community. Below is the response he gave to my review on Google.

Called ahead and checked hours for rental operations, return time,etc. when we arrived we were told…read morethat whoever we spoke with was incorrect and that they stopped renting at 2pm!? This wasn't what we were told nor is that posted on any website or anywhere. Very random and wanton hours that must depend on the day or whims of operators.

1. Took several phone calls from two of our staff to secure our reservation. We spent time on the…read morephone when we did get through to Jay explaining that we had a group of seniors and we wanted an easy kayak for them. 2. When we needed to alter reservations, we received no return phone call. 3. When we arrived and asked for a change to the reservation we were told absolutely not. We pointed out that we called the number given to us to try and do this in advance, but were told that didn't change anything as we left a message when the outfitter wasn't open. 4. When we launched, no one explained safety gear, paddling procedures, that the kayaks had foot pedals, or where we would take out. When we asked for a map or chart, we were told to find one on our phones. 5. When kayaker had medical issue (heat exhaustion, accelerated heartbeat, and leg cramping), which manifested in the 1/4 mile before the spring run at at Gilchrist Springs, Deacon (the bright spot of the entire trip) tried to get someone to pick him up and was told we should switch his kayak and that no one would come get the person. 6. Deacon (again, the bright spot, perhaps put this kid in charge) tried, without success, to fix the broken seat for the kayaker in distress. He also showed him how to use the foot pedals to help keep the seat from sliding. He did offer to switch kayaks, putting the distressed kayaker in a tandem with one of the group leaders. He clearly wanted to do more and had empathy, but anything else was clearly above his pay grade. This brought the total of boats on the water down by one (which will come into play in a moment) 7. No one mentioned the rapids. Fairly mild for seasoned and competent kayakers, but for a group of seniors who stated they were seeking an easy paddle, a mention of this when Jay told us which would work would have been advisable. 8. When we reach the take-out, one of the men working commented that he thought the seat of the kayak in question (distressed kayaker) might have been broken when he set out the boats at the launch that morning. If so, why did no one attempt to remedy this at the time? 9. In response to this, I explained we had switched two kayakers to a tandem at Gilchrist, (at this point, the trip is over) to which he replied, "Oh, so that's why there's one less kayak coming back. I wondered about that." So... he noticed we were short a boat but didn't wonder or question as to what happened to the boat? What if someone had gone missing? Does this outfitter have any sort of safety protocols in place? 10. We called after roughly 30 minutes waiting to get picked up at the end of the run. That appears to be when someone send the van to get us, even though staff assured us when we took out of the river someone was already on the way. We will not use any AOA services again.

Nice pool nice staff there is a regular pool lap pool and a kiddie pool I visited for my swimming…read morelessons in June and July would go again next year

No complaints, really. I came here to both lap swim and to dive. For diving, they have two 1-meter…read moreboards and one 3-meter board. The lifeguards, though young, are very professional and good at their jobs plus prompt to answer any questions. There's ample room for lap swimming plus a children's shallow kiddie pool and another shallow area for people to just splash around if not lap swimming--plus the diving well. Some reviewers have commented on high school swim teams coming here to practice: apparently the deal is for some to come here, some to Westside, some go to UF as well. Until the School Board builds its own aquatics facility (unlikely), that will probably be how things go. (Whereas Jacksonville high schools in contrast have their own swimming pools on site in many cases.) School swim teams need places to practice, so this is a logical solution and I don't see it as impinging much on other patrons. Other reviewers (here and elsewhere) have complained some kids are loud and disrespectful: I did not experience that, yeah, kids can be loud but all I encountered were very polite. The locker rooms: the men's locker room is indeed old, probably original. I did not find it dirty however. Unlike the renovated Westside (Cherry) Pool, it actually has enough lockers to accommodate for two swim teams--or probably more. That's important if you're having meets here. I don't think Westside with its renovations provides that level of locker room space. So, as a diver and swimmer, no complaints here. Yeah, it's not a brand new nor renovated facility but clean and well-run: it meets my criteria certainly.

If you are looking for a fun outdoor activity in Gainesville for a few hours, try a two-hour…read moreintroductory session with Canopy Climbers. Don't be fooled--This activity is different from the tree climbing we did in the backyard when we were younger--it was closer to rock climbing (with maybe a hint of CrossFit with the rope climbing). I was very glad that we got to experience it. The adrenaline rush when you are standing on a branch 30 feet high is not easily replicable! People of all athletic levels can participate and challenge themselves.

We've had such a wonderful experience with Alijah. He is incredibly patient, consistently showing…read moreunderstanding and care no matter the pace of progress. His encouragement and positive energy make a huge difference- he knows how to connect with kids and create a fun, supportive environment. He keeps things engaging and playful, which means my daughter is not only progressing but genuinely excited for each swim lesson. It's such a joy to see her so happy and motivated in the water. I highly recommend him to any parent looking for a swim instructor who combines skill with kindness and truly knows how to make learning fun for kids!

Alijah is absolutely fantastic! First of all he communicates really well and is always on time…read more As an instructor he is gentle yet knows when to push so my daughter can keep improving. She looks forward to her lesson every week. We are halfway through our lesson package and extremely pleased.