IF YOU ARE READING THIS, VISIT THIRD COAST PADDLING!!!! We visited on 6/3. It's a beautiful area to explore while being active as well! The equipment was in excellent condition and the staff are WONDERFUL. The young gentleman working on Wednesday June 3 around 2pm was very kind! He offered us some points of interest to look out for along the way and encouraged us to come back over the summer, which we plan to! We had a hiccup with the parking situation but the staff went above and beyond to help us remedy that quickly and efficiently, so THANK YOU to the Oliver for reaching out to us. Please share our gratitude with your entire team-- customer service like this keeps people coming back!!!!! Excellent excellent excellent! read more

We enjoyed our time. The rental comes with life jackets and the marsh is beautiful. I'm An experienced kayaker but what concerns me is that on a busy Sunday only one high school kid was working, there was no instruction as to where to turn back, which way to go, what areas to stay out of, or what wildlife to keep a safe distance from. (And there were swans with babies there. I mean I know that they're one of the most aggressive shore birds that exist, but some city folk don't) The fine print on the confirmation tells you which way to go, but it's a compass direction, not a right or left. There are no signs stating which way to go. Ive lived here over 30 yrs, I don't think I could tell you which way was which. The kid working doesn't say anything, he just shoves you off. Also, there were storms rolling in about 4pm. Anyone working for an outfitter should always be aware of the weather and tell ppl, your reservation is for x mins long, but keep an eye on the sky, or maybe a white board posted with the forecast? I didn't know about having to pay for parking until I got there as it only shows this in fine print AFTER you get your confirmation. Also I arrived on time but they were backed up and being that there was only one person and there's no sign that says "kayakers must pay for parking" both myself and another group had to run back and do the parking stuff after we had waited 15 minutes for our turn. I was pretty frustrated thinking that surely they own their own parking spaces, but the city of new Buffalo as screwed me over once again. Again, I have kids, which means they can only handle paddling for an hour. This stupid parking Situation FORCES you to pay for 3 hrs regardless if you're there or not. I think that's ridiculous and they're doing it to rip off tourists. Well I'm not a tourist, I live 20 mins away. My family has been here since 1989. The only ppl This hurts is the hardworking locals. I think it's dumb that only the ppl living in the city of new buffalo are allowed to get a parking pass. Give me a break. I'm sure plenty of ppl would pay $100 per year for an annual parking pass. Because of this parking nonsense, I'll be investing in my own kayak and SUP and going elsewhere. This parking nonsense has to stop, it's freaking Michigan this is NOT the HAMPTONS. The city needs to get over itself. I'd give it 5 stars but parking plus lack of staff and lack of communication is why I only gave it 3. read more

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Friendly staff and luckily there were walk up singles available. Lovely journey down and back on the river, great break from the hustle and bustle of New Buffalo's main drag. read more

Third Coast Paddling - Galien River - crane! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - New Buffalo, Michigan

I love paddleboarding and I love exploring new places. It only made sense for me to come rent a paddleboard when I was visiting the Indiana and Michigan. The main reason for my low rating was because the kid who was handling all rentals really had an attitude of "I don't know and I don't care". I almost feel like if I had never been paddleboarding prior to this, I would have had a miserable experience. He gave me zero information and then proceeded to give me a paddle that was too short and also did not know how to adjust the length. Then he sent me out into the water tail end first. The website said we would be guided as to where the turnaround point was-he did not share this. And then when I returned there was zero acknowledgement or even some basic customer service of "how did you like it? did you have fun?". From other reviews I have read it seems like the company is a very reputable service provider in the area. I just think that this one kid is a terrible representation of what you want your company to be. In addition to the complete non-existence of any kind of customer service experience, the water in the river is quite disgusting. I got a rash on my foot just from touching the water. Fortunately I am skilled on the paddle board and did not fall in. I really was hoping that I would have been able to take the paddle into the actual waters of Lake Michigan. That in itself would have been a more thrilling experience. read more

The Galien River is very calm and easy to kayak through. It's only about six feet deep, so it's not like it's a roaring rapids. My girlfriend had never kayaked before, but she picked it up quickly. We rented a 2-person kayak ($25/hour) and had a lovely time floating down the river. The young guy manning the desk was very helpful, sharing a map and advice about avoiding the areas of the river that have been choked off by lily pads. They'll hook you up with a kayak, paddles and a life vest. (It needs to be in the boat with you, but you don't have to wear it.) We saw lots of birds and dragonflies, but not much other wildlife. As you paddle down the river, you see some cool looking homes and the tall observation platform from Galien River Park. This is an awesome way to burn an hour or two when you're in New Buffalo. Minimal experience is required. Tips: * Wear sunscreen * Bring a bottle of water. * You will get a little wet, but probably not drenched. * Leave your shoes and socks on the shore or in your car. * Put the more experienced person in the back. It's easier to steer there. Also, from their website, here's when they're open: May: 10:00 - 6:00 Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays Memorial Day through Labor Day: 10:00 - 6:00 daily September & first two weekends in October: 10:00 - 6:00 Saturdays & Sundays Call to confirm early or late season: 269-468-9399. read more

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Easy to find. The staff was super friendly and chill. Very calm water. Very relaxing stroll. Great for beginners and if you have kids.. The whole trip took us about 2 hrs, we took our time and took lots of pictures. Unfortunately there were no pit stops to strech your legs. I didn't get to see any eagles but I did see a lot of other birds and baby ducks. We parked across the street where the beach is located since we were staying in the area after kayaking-$12 for the whole day. They do offer paid parking for their customers but I believe its only for while you're kayaking then you gotta go. I recommend checking this place out! read more

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Easy to use online and in person! The river is beautiful and worth a trip! I also appreciate renting a dry bag for a few bucks... very convenient. read more

Good summer event. Prices are good and plenty of kayaks. Very flexible with their schedule

I picked this place to take my first try at stand-up paddleboarding. The the folks here are chill and yet helpful, they have plenty of equipment so we had no trouble getting out on the river in the middle of a beautiful July day, and most importantly, the river is beautiful. We saw lots of geese and dragonflies, a few amphibians, and lots of interesting plants and flowers. Between that and the hot, still, humidity, it reminded me of Florida. It took us a little more than two hours to paddle out to the harbor and back. I'm interested in going back and exploring more, perhaps in a kayak this time. read more

Quick onboarding, friendly staff, awesome sights to see while standup paddleboarding (SUP).

Update 8/16/22. On 7/12/22 we had a horrible experience but I'm happy to say that I am very impressed with the response from the company. The owner himself emailed and texted me to apologize and make amends. I went back with my three kids to give paddleboarding on the Galien River for an hour another try. The employee that had caused the problems before is no longer with the company. Will was working today and he was super friendly and helpful - a wonderful representative for the company. We got off without any trouble and enjoyed a lovely trip on the river. The location is beautiful, calm and easy to paddle. Even the weather cooperated to make it a perfect day. I really appreciate the care and concern shown by the owner and the actions taken to rectify the situation. read more

The Galien River is a great place to kayak and it would be perfect for first time stand-up paddle boarding since the river is so calm. We rented 2 kayaks and saw many geese and several cool homes on the river. It was very relaxing. I would suggest bringing a change of clothes because your lower half will get wet! read more

Super nice guys running the livery. They'll show you on a map where the 1/2-way point is for a one hour trip. The equipment is in great shape. It's easy to kayak with no skill level. Rent a double of you want to slack off while your partner paddles. read more

Third Coast Paddling - Galien River - Mellow float down and back up. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - New Buffalo, Michigan

My review is not about my kayak or paddle boarding trip, but a particular employee at Third Coast. My family and I were at the public launch this Sunday and my 3 year old dropped my husband's phone in the water. Ian immediately ran over to help. No joke, he jumped right in the water to look for the phone. These fall days can get chilly, especially the water!! He had no idea who we were and had no reason to help us, other than he is just an awesome guy. Between Ian and my husband, they found the phone and it dried out just fine. Kudos to Third Coast for hiring a caring/nice guy. But especially to Ian- thank you again SO much. If only there were more people like you out there, the world would be in good shape! read more

Your typical kayak place. A guy that was working today, handing out life vests, was very nice. However, when I called inquiring about the Yelp deal, I was told one thing only to arrive and be told something else. Completely disappointing. They need to get on the same page. read more

7/12/22. 1:30pm. We booked one hour with two paddleboards on the Galien River. Hands down the most horrible experience I've ever had!! The lone male employee's behavior was incredibly intolerable. He was cursing angrily (even tho there were small children around), and his attitude was rude and snappy to everyone. He kept pacing down to the water and back with his phone to his ear. We were finally all set to take off, life jackets on and paddles in hand (my husband was even ON his board and waiting to push off) when I asked if we could have a shorter paddle as the one the employee was giving me was too long. He flatly said, "Lady, just get on the board!" I was shocked! I said, "Excuse me??" His reply was, "I'm working my ass off today and I haven't gotten a single tip so just get on the board." He threatened to cancel our order. I was dumb-founded, to say the least! I told him I had paid for an hour's fun experience and if we used a paddle that was too long (which I'd done before so didn't want to repeat the experience) I'd end up with sore arms and not enjoy it. He threw his arms up and said, "I warned you!" He walked back up to the table and started helping the next family. My husband and I just stood there not sure what had just happened. I thought he was going to bring us a better paddle. He didn't. Instead he came back and dragged my board out of the water. He said he had refunded our money and snottily said 'have a nice day'. When we threatened to call someone he said, "Go ahead and call! Please! I don't care. I just called my boss and quit." He repeated that he had quit several times, yet, he went back up to further help the next group. We stood aside while I tried to call the company but they do not have any sort of customer service available whatsoever! No phone number anywhere, except to an automated info message that was no help. Not on the website or either of the two emails I'd gotten pertaining to this order. While I was on the phone the employee yelled at two more groups who showed up telling them that he had quit so wasn't going to help them. I finally got thru to someone but they said they were just the retail store and had nothing to do with the setup at the river. I was so upset by the employee's radically rude treatment that I was nearly in tears. It had taken effort to talk my husband into trying this activity with me and now the entire day was ruined. As we were leaving we passed another store called Outpost Sports. I went in and immediately was greeted by two wonderful women who listened to my story and were so empathetic it was impressive. The owner was actually angry at the way we'd been treated and said it was important that visitors to New Buffalo have a fun experience. How nice to hear! She not only set us up with two paddleboards, paddles, and life jackets, but instructions, helpful suggestions, bottles of water and many well wishes. She totally saved our day and we had a great time. I will DEFINITELY be going back to Outdoor Sports and never Third Coast Paddling again. read more

We had a hard time finding this location as it moved from its old spot along Red Arrow, but we really enjoyed our outing. People working there were very nice and helpful. Don't miss the bald eagles!! read more

This is my first post. My husband and I both took a day off of work just to drive 90 miles to go paddle boarding. The website stated that they were open daily thru mid October. When we arrived on 9-7-16 there was no one there. I called the number on the trailer. I was told "Yeah, we are working on updating that." and "there were no other options" when I mentioned that the website reads they are open daily. I give then a ZERO rating based on advertisement and phone etiquette. Hard working people do not get many vacation days. Thanks for making mine memorable. read more

Beautiful float on the river! Nice easy flowing river for any skill level. Great family outing!

Our experience was top notch. We took the entire family on a really busy day and they unfortunately did not have enough paddle boards for all of us. Instead of trying to switch us into kayaks the gentleman working the stand called his manager at the store and arranged to have more brought down to us in a matter of 10-15 minutes! Tyler and Chris were so great and made sure our experience was the best. Customer service is the name of their game and we will return. Thank you! read more

Grandkids and I rented last summer . The day we rented SUP was so windy, that I cancelled . They were great accommodating the change and we paddleded on a perfect summer day on Lake Michigan. I will see you this summer. read more

We had a great time - staff and equipment were wonderful! The four of us went SUP paddle boarding today (kids are 9 & 10). I'm not very athletic or coordinated, but did great with my daughter even on the board with me. It's easier than you'd think and a ton of fun! They provide everyone with life jackets and being tethered to the board ensure safety. Great family activity! Will be the most memorable part of our trip. read more