California Watersports

A couple of months ago, my wife and I booked this place for a big gathering. We rented the big gazebo, which overlooked the whole lagoon. Due to the number of people, we are able to have prices fixed per head. Now, pay attention because here is the conniving scheme that this management has done to us. Make sure you remember this detail. We have an agreement that our time starts at 12:00 pm till 5pm closing. That was the deal! My wife and I made sure to be the first one there. We got there at the horrific parking lot at 11:30 am. Asked the Management Office where our parties can park and ask them where exactly the gazebo is. Sorta like recon mission. They told us all the information shook hands that we are all going to be back at 12 pm. They said, "Oh yeah, no problem, glad you guys are here," and all that blah blah. Saw some of our friends arrive at the same time or 5 mins after us. Informed them that we can not show up at their office at consensus time. So right when 12:00 pm. hit, we started walking at the office and informed them that 75% of the attendees were here under the name of my wife. We asked how about the others that are late? We are told that one of us should stick around at the office so that we can verify that they really are part of our party. So my wife stayed while I took care of the gazebo space that we rented and got that place settled for friends that are already with us. So we thought that everything was going well until one of the employees told us that we must leave by 3 pm. We asked why and she said that one of our friends had arrived before us and started using one of their water sports. We argued that how can that be, as we are the ones who got there first talk to the manager for recon, and checked people in one by one. If one of our party arrived there early they wouldn't be able to use one of their water sports and they would have waited for us because they have not been there as most of them are from out of town. As for the local friends, they are the 25% of attendees that came in late, so they arrived after us. Clearly, this employee is lying. However, no matter how we try to argue, they are adamant about kicking us out at 3 pm. The supervisor on duty went out and said that they could extend it until 4 pm. When technically speaking, we have until 5 pm. We didn't want to argue anymore because we are losing the time that we can spend with our friends. We figured that they want to close early and clean up before 5 pm. That's why they didn't hold the end of their bargain. Such a horrible business. We will never come back here again, and we will never recommend it to others as well.

Being situated right off the freeway, how could this little water sport rental place be any good, right. That's what we thought, but decided to take the kids and introduce them to power boats and wave runners. What a surprise it turned out to be. Staff was friendly, polite and helpful. Parking was easy as place wasn't crowded. Had plenty of top notch gear to choose from. And we all had a blast. Great place to picnic and power boat for the afternoon. Highly recommend spending an afternoon here.

This place is awesome. That staff is super friendly and accomadating. Parking was never difficult, you can bring you own pop up tent and food. This is fun filled day for your family even just getting in the water. We rented waverunners, standup paddle boats and kayaks. It was so fun and everyone left pooped but in a happy way

Dirty water next to a freeway. I brought my own jett skies hopping I could launch them and I could not. I was dissapointed. But we made the best of it. They had an ok volley ball net and some picnic tables available for use. The place is run by teenagers and is a but dirty. Bathrooms are at the top of the hill. I don't think I will be going here ever again.

Great place to experience lagoon happenings! Weekends can be busy., but plenty of available parking. A must do in Carlsbad. Try a swan if you don’t want to get wet.

Erik and his staff at California Watersports (or Carlsbad Lagoon) were awesome. They have everything you can imagine for waters sports; waverunners, mini boats, runabout boats, small and large pontoon boats, aqua cycles, and even fun little swan paddle boats. Make sure California Watersports is on your bucket list when you visit Carlsbad or San Diego. They helped me do three through eight of my 57 Adventures in 57 Hours in San Diego.

Definitely a lot of fun for everyone! The excitement in the air is contagious! The only thing is it may be a tad pricey but if you love the water, it's worth every penny.

Love the lagoon tons of fish jumping, and the watersports crew are always top-notch!

Beautiful area! Can get busy, but it is always fun to see paddle boarders and kayakers enjoy their time on the lagoon. This area is dog friendly too!

Love coming here to rent one of the many fun water vehicle options from California Watersports! The staff is always very friendly and helpful, and they make the rental process quick and easy. My favorite things to rent at the lagoon are SUP boards and jetskis, because the lagoon is a really great place for both activities. We recently came by to do a jetski rental and arrived a few minutes late, but they were kind enough to give us the full hour of use. We purchased a locker rental for $5 but later found out there are storage compartments on the jetskis. Overall the Lagoon is a great place to visit, either to enjoy your time out on the water or take a relaxing walk around the trails any time of year.

My girlfriends and I decided to try our hand at stand-up paddleboarding, and we found a great discount on Groupon for Carlsbad Lagoon. It was easy to find, and parking was plentiful, which was a relief. The equipment provided was good quality, though there wasn't any real instruction on how to paddleboard. I would recommend bringing someone who already knows how to do it if you're a beginner. Despite this, everything went seamlessly. We showed them the coupon and got 2 hours for $40, which was a fantastic deal. Renting a locker was an additional $5, which was reasonable. The on-site facilities were well-maintained. The bathrooms were clean, and there was a hose available to rinse off after our paddleboarding session. We had a great time, and it was such a fun way to spend the day. I took a star off because of the lack of instruction.

Went paddle boarding and kayaking here today. Easy to make a reservation online and sign the waiver online. They help you with the kayak and get you started in the water. It was a little windy so hard to paddle today got good exercise though.

The teenagers managing this location will call the police on you if you bring your own paddle boards and don't pay their toll to get in.

Brought my family here for a Saturday afternoon and it was pretty awesome. My sons are on the autism spectrum and enjoyed our swan peddle boat rental. The prices for peddle boat were inexpensive and it wasn't too busy with people. The views were gorgeous and the staff were super friendly and knowledgeable. I'd definitely bring my sons here again and rent jet skis or a pontoon boat next time. The water wasn't the cleanest but what can you do, it's not the staff or company fault for that. If you want a small quiet adventure in the water, I'd definitely recommend this. Also to other families with children on the spectrum, that enjoy water- this is definitely worth trying. Thanks again

2 hours riding a swan boat, $115, on a late Sunday morning is serenity! We packed snacks and had a picnic on our swan while watching fish randomly jump out of the water. From dock to entrance of the wetland to the east, it's approximately 40 minutes of active peddling. We paid cash (love that it's an option here!), the restrooms are near the docs, it's clear where you can stay on the lagoon (motorized boats and swans dont mix!), and if you dont want to peddle a boat, they also offer kayaks, SUPs, jetskis and some other fun options at reasonable/comparable rates. The first swam we boarded has a malfunction as soon as we left dock, so it was a minor chore to change swans. We also didn't have instructions on how to safely return our swan to dock after our 2 hours.

My 13 year old son was signed up with his friends ( 12 year old and 8 year old ) for the HT0 summer camp. Start time was 9 am. I checked my son in at 9 am inside the shop , he received the shirt we ordered for him and was told to wait with about 20 plus loud , restless kids mostly between the age of 6 years old 8 years old , We waited for 40 minutes until the final camper that was very late arrived before it could start . There was no supervision at all . Looked like way too many cammpers and not nearly enough staff . i was concerned... i stayed Once it started at 9:45 am. I finally left . My son had his watch in his backpack and called me an hour later saying it was very loud there because of the kids, ( he has ear sensitivity due to autism , ) but he was trying to deal with it and was looking forward to a fun day ! In the background of the call i could hear a camp counselor telling My son to have me call him on his cell phone . i proceeded to call , the counselor said my son was nice but it wasn't a good fit and to pick him up soon . i left to get him immediately. Once i parked my son saw me and bolted to my car , i told him he can wait if he would like so i could check him out . i walked inside the building and was met at the register by the counselor that i spoke to . He said they gave me a refund to the credit card i paid with . He Said sorry and goodbye , i left the building , saw my son at the car . i let him know he will not come back , and he said no one told him he wasn't coming back and had no idea . He was pretty disappointed.

My 7 year old daughter had camp here this past week. She had a blast and was exhausted every night. Her favorite activity was paddle boarding. It's a great camp to encourage interest in our lagoon and she loves discovering all the sea life. She can't wait for next years camp!

Got a Groupon to rent equipment for 2 hours and choose to do kayaking while my mom and brother tried out cycling. It was really cool and a lot bigger area than I thought; it was frustrating how big the waves got due to the jetski area. There is a little rest area that has food and chairs; the service was good. I will likely give it another try.

ALWAYS A GREAT TIME HERE. Makes birthdays and gatherings that much easier. Each slot has chairs, 2 tables, trash bin, grill, non motorized rentals, motorized rentals, canopy.. life vests, gift shop. Different spots available on the deck, infront of the water, private little houses. Great Staff, very friendly and helpful. Everytime we come here our family and friends have a blast. Great memories for our kids and friends. Definitely recommend.

Our family recently spent the better part of a Tuesday at the Carlsbad Lagoon where we rented Jet Ski's, Paddle boards and Kayaks, lounged at the shores and watched an amazing day unfold! What an awesome family experience! We were met by Delaney in the office who showed us our "Toys" options for the day and signed us up; it was a fairly simple check-in process and we were on our way to the beach with enough toys for 13 people at a fair price to enjoy the day! After the sign in process we went outside to see Fletcher, the young man who took us through the safety instructions for using the Jet Ski's. Here we signed an additional set of forms indicating we went through the mini safety course, understood the safety concerns and how to use the life jackets etc.. in todays world, safety is a huge concern when powerful toys are in the mix. Fletcher was extra helpful throughout the day with our family members changing from Jet Ski's to Kayaks to Paddle Boards and back again, helping as needed. As the day went by several other young men were there to assist as well. Overall this small business is a well oiled machine, the equipment they offer is in good condition and there is plenty of free parking and on-site clean restrooms as well. Each member of the team were friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and seemed truly interested in making our day special - and it was! This is our second visit to this establishment, we were here 6 years ago almost to the day. On that visit we were blessed with the same great service and positive experiences so I had to do a review... What an awesome place to spend a day playing in the water and relaxing in the sand in a safe controlled environment! We will surly make it a priority to visit this place again in the future. For a fun day with a friendly, knowledgeable staff, a great beach with awesome water toys at a fair price, be sure to visit Carlsbad Lagoon, you'll be glad you did.

Staff was kind, friendly, and helpful. I don't have a single negative thing to say about the customer service or team. My review is centered around the jet ski rental experience. To put it simply... it's absolutely not worth it. You can only go in a counter clockwise circle and can't go too slow but you also can't go too fast, they flagged us down for both... it was confusing. I've driven past here my whole life and always wanted to cruise around the lagoon but didn't realize that it was so incredibly expensive and that there were so many restrictions. I understand it's all in the name of safety and can respect that, but the experience overall is absolutely not worth the cost.

We rented a aqua cycle for our date day and had so much fun going out on the Lagoon! We have always seen people out on the Lagoon and were so happy we finally got to experience it. The cycle was pretty hard to pedal and was a great workout! The only issue I have is the workers didn't really explain everything super well which was a little weird to us. They were friendly, just wish they would have explained more of how to do things/where to go.

Matt, Will and Erik best team ever. My mom and I took the paddle wheeler yesterday afternoon. They greeted us and they were so accommodating and welcoming. We are so excited to go back and have more water excursions. Carlsbad Lagoon has everything you want for being on the water. They have a cute little beach and store.

First time coming here. We lucked out by getting parking on the lower level. The girls at the counter were moving things along; one was very friendly, the other, not so (but, she did the minimum, so no harm no foul). They give you wrist bands and a post it (with the number and kind of equipment rented; and the amount of time for the rental) to be given to the employees on the beach. The young men on the beach were polite and helpful. Tell them it's your first time (if it is) and need instructions, they will teach you--at least this was our experience. I'm not sure how they will be if crowds become thicker. They are not greedy with tips compared with their La Jolla counterparts. One of them even refused a gratuity that we had to give to his supervisor to be given to him later. This shows they are there for the job, not the tips. Kudos to these young men. The lagoon is separated by buoys for motorized and non-motorized watercraft. It makes it easier to launch and return. However, I noticed as you reach the other end of the lagoon, some kayakers (maybe those coming from the other business around the lagoon or ones launched from the public beach) were crossing over. Not sure how the business can monitor this since it is technically not their responsibility; but, it might be an accident waiting to happen. I guess, if you're renting the faster motorized crafts, be on the lookout for this probability. We don't want to be part of incidents that cause injury even if it's not our fault. They have lockers just outside the office, restrooms just on the rise on the right side of the exit. There are a couple of showers just outside the restrooms. I've seen photos of folks planting umbrellas and laying out their beach towels, but in person, I don't see where they could manage that. If you're just starting out with kayaking or paddle boarding this is a good place to go. This lagoon is the perfect place for beginners.

Came to the lagoon to standup paddleboard on Sunday 8/6. Met my friends in the parking lot of the Rec Center around 1pm. Most of us had our own boards, but we had 1 renter so we met here. (Which caused us to all have to pay the $10 lagoon fee + $10 entry fee, although I will say no one asked to see any documentation the entire time, you could probably skip/risk the $10 entry fee). Paddling around the lagoon was so pretty and relaxing, there were a couple of boats and Jet Skis out, but there's enough space that the waves don't affect us too much. We paddled all the way to the end, anchored for a while and had a couple of drinks, and paddled back - took us about 2 1/2 hours. I definitely want to go back, it was super chill and relaxing compared to mission bay.

Great time with the family and cousins, we had 15 of us and we rented a number of speed boats and Pontoon boats, the staff was great and overall, we all had a blast!!

Fun break from city life right off the 5 freeway in Carlsbad. Good parking, clean public restrooms and convenience store were nice. Wave storm paddle boards were suboptimal but perfect for beginners or infrequent paddlers. Staff was helpful. 3 star due to limited paddle distance and amateur boards, but perfect location and environment for quick 1-hr paddle.

We had an event at Carlsbad Lagoon this past weekend and everyone had a wonderful time. Anna was very responsive while we were working on setting up the event. The staff was super nice and accommodating even though we were a bit of a challenge ;-) . The whole team was great to work with.

Kids love it here Goods toys to rent. Friendly staff and easy to get to. Spend the day and relax

Just arrived here for my birthday celebration, driving an hour + to be here for a 2pm swan appointment. There are no employees on site and the building is locked up and closed. We have called the phone numbers listed and we are within the hours of the business working operation hours. The line goes straight to voice-mail. We left a message and are still waiting..

Lots of fun friendly staff. Great location for kids. They had a small beach area that was nice with chairs.

Great activity for anyone who is looking to enjoy that SD weather and also get in the water. The Lagoon is very clean and flows into the ocean, so make sure you don't get caught in a current. They have a variety of options to rent, from paddle board, kayak, big wheel things (lol) and motor boats. The lagoon is very long so even if there are a lot of people out that day, there's still plenty of space on the water to enjoy. The prices are a little high and maybe priced more for tourist, but it was still affordable and I had a great time.

We rented a tantrum kayak and when we got in my seat was drenched from the last people who used the same one. It was obviously not disinfected as I developed a bad uti the day after spending 2 hours in that kayak seat that was not disinfected. I called and they said they can't disinfect after every use because it's too time consuming. I live nearby and love kayaking. I don't understand why they are not sprayed with disinfectant and rinsed after each use.

Great place to enjoy Watersports while in Carlsbad. They have a large free parking lot, public restrooms that are relatively clean, and online reservations for convenience. The staff is also friendly; a bit overworked during busy times (we went during Memorial Day weekend), but did well with keeping quality service. We did the CraigCat rental (motorized small boat) for two hours, which was a great experience. You have a relatively large area for the motorized boats, and a separate area for kayaks/stand up paddle boards, and water cycles/swans that you pass through to get there. I felt that an hour rental would prolly be sufficient unless you go with someone else who really wants to drive too, just because you can only really go in a circle around the lagoon. Will come back to try the paddle boards and kayaks! They also have rentals for boats and docks to have a party which is pretty cool.

We often take the kids to Carlsbad Lagoon for the boat rides and paddle boarding. In the past we were able to rent the jet skis but then they discontinued them due to their insurance. The kids enjoy food and music on the boat, it's a calm lagoon and easy to reserve the boats. The prices are descent. We usually fit 5 of our family members on the boats with lots of extra space.

we. had. a great day today and we are so thankful for the opportunity to share our experiences with the community in this area

I need to update my review because I went and rented a kayak today and it was very easy! They're very lenient on the time and have plenty of rental so you're not waiting on somebody else to come back. They have a Groupon and I highly suggest using it! Keep these guys in business and stay local

The best! Beautiful lagoon with clean water. A perfect place to spend a few hours. Non-motorized water recreation is around the perimeter of the lake, while the center of lake is reserved for motorized boats, jet skis, etc. If you have kids, we didn't, but there is a little public beach area where kiddos can play with the sand and water. I did stand up paddling boarding there. The rental of the board was quick and easy. They even gave us a little lesson before jumping on the board. Clear instructions were given with an explanation of the lay of the land and how long it takes us to get where. We were advised to do a 2 hour rental so we can paddle out to a private lake area, where you can relax and have a picnic. We didn't have that much time, but we did get to see the private area and it's definitely worth the rental fee. If I had the time, I would have chosen that. Overall, excellent location, rental experience and would highly recommend. Photos are taken from a time when I did sup yoga at the same lagoon. Just to give everyone an idea of how it looks.

Carlsbad Lagoon is the perfect training area for first time kayakers and paddleboarders. With Groupon in-hand we booked three watercraft for 2 hours. Check-in was simple as was getting our toys ready to go. We had two hours of rental time but when we came back for the day we had only used 1.5 hours...We were too tired to go back out. Overall this is a family-friendly lagoon with many fun experiences to be had. Next time we'll be taking the kids out on the WaveRunners.. Tips - First time paddleboarders will have a tough time standing up because of the WaveRunners' wake. Best bet is to kneel and paddle until you're far enough away from the waves. - Don't get the Aqua Bike. It's too slow and people didn't seem to be enjoying it. - They have lockers for rent ($5). However they're outside the office and the locks are pretty cheap. I wouldn't put anything of value in them. - You can buy and use your groupon the same day. - You can swap out a watercraft with a different one if you're not enjoying yourself. - Public restrooms. - Watch for jumping fish. If you're lucky, one might jump a few feet away from you.

The two stars are only for the staff, who was friendly, helpful and professional. Our first time here, rented the swan. The prices are astronomical. $62 for one hour is ridiculous, when you can drive down to Echo Park and do the same thing for $11. I tried to cancel it, but they require 24hr advance notice, which sucks if you do same day rental. The parking is non existent; drove around for half hour and had to park a block away, and the sand and water are gross. Then the bay is marked so you have to stay within a certain area that is for non motorized water crafts; it's crowded! The swan we rented made a clunking noise the whole time, and you don't have much visibility. All in all, it was our first and last time there.

Review from a stand up paddle boarder: They have decent boards and it's well-organized. The bummer was the wave runners. Multiple two-man wave runners speeding in constant clockwise circles made for a lot of wake to battle. Once we made it around the point and away from them, it was really pleasant.

Staff was great! From cashiers to the guys outside. Brought my son and friend. 2 hrs of kayaking. Will be back asap!

We've been visiting the Lagoon over the years to celebrate our sons birthdays. We bring out our family and the kids friends for a great day on the water. The staff is always really friendly and the process is seamless from check-in to being out on the lagoon. I had a chance to interact with Josh, the owner during our last visit and had a chance to thank him for providing a great environment for families to enjoy. We will be back!

Some positives are easy to rent online and easy to park and access the water sports. Some negatives are the staff was not friendly. People coming to rent equipment on a Tuesday are likely on vacation. Don't be a downer and bring down their happy vibe. Also as other reviewers mentioned, the whole beach is taken up by private rental space. It was all empty so it seems silly to waste all that space during non peak hours. Thanks for the response josh, The Covid think makes sense but not sure why you have to rent the space for money if it's just about social distancing? And it was your whole staff from the front desk people to the people getting the equipment ready. They just all generally didn't seem to want to be bothered with paying customers. Maybe everyone was having a bad day?

Today was an absolute amazing day to be on the water. With the exception of two jetskis, my party of four paddleboarders were the only people on the lagoon; Resulting in very few waves to knock us rusty boarders into the water. Fortunately, we stopped first at the wrong location, meeting an awesome local who told us to get a groupon first. It saved all of us $20! Winning!! It was easy to find right off the 5 freeway.

Austin was our wakeboard instructor. Wakboarding isn't a cheap sport to practice but it's fun. It was my first time and Austin was pretty go teaching me the basics. It's a workout!! It took a few runs for me to stand but i finally got it. My fiancé is a pro so he had no problems :) I was exhausted by 10 minutes out there it'll definitely give you a work out. It's $155 an hour. Includes equipment, instructor/driver. Guess that's not too bad if you spilt amongst 8 but the fewer the people, the more time you'll get. Free parking, clean restrooms, 2 outdoor showers and friendly staff. Oh the waters a lil cold..high 60s and it's salt water. It got me by surprise since I'm used to Lake tahoe. Anyway super fun experience..they also have a frequent wakboarding program..wake board 5 times and the 6th is free. Don't forget to tip!! ;)

Got a chance to come here during the summer and rent out the large deck for a nice Saturday with myself and a bunch of family members. The rental was $300 and the deck fit about 12 of us with plenty of space. You get two picnic tables, a BBQ (bring your own propane) and 4 chairs. We brought our own easy up for some shade but you can also rent an easy up from here. We made a great day of it with the help from friendly people that worked a the place. We rented kayaks, paddleboards, and a canoe. The canoe was super hard to manage, if you don't have any experience with it maybe skip the canoe. It was a fun day on the water taking my little guy around on the kayak, they provide you with all the safety stuff you will need so no need to bring a life jacket. One thing I will give another heads up on is parking, get in here early as it fills up quick and then you have to park up the hill which is a steep trek. Load up the coolers, load up the bbq if you like, bring some drinks, and bring your water toys. Carlsbad Lagoon is a great place to kill a day. The kids will be exhausted after a day here. CHEERS!!!!!!

I purchased the two hour rental for paddle boards on Groupon. Immediately upon entering the rental office the girls were so sweet and welcoming. Service was quick and instructions were provided before we were sent off to enjoy our day in the lagoon! Would highly recommend this place for a nice active day in the sun. The view is so nice!

how amazing is it that you can get the full benefit of the beach without the beach issues?! No crowds, great vibe, plenty of parking, clean bathrooms, changing rooms, snacks/drinks for purchase, all water equipment available for rent. When we were done, just walk to our spot to lay out and take a break. Will most definitely be back.

Thank you very much to Lucas, Zach, D.J & Raya for patiently teaching me how to paddle board this morning‼‼ I would not have done this (in sweat pants) without your amazing help & encouragement‍ You were all so GREAT I did it In gratitude, Suzie Abels San Marcos, CA

Wow! Such a great time. All the staff were very kind. We rented an Aquacycle. The staff helped us get to the water in no time. Can't wait to be back!

Poor Service Very expensive Small area to Jetski It was an overall bad experience to say the least.

Great customer service, friendly people, cozy lagoon, and fun rentals. Pricey, unfortunately, and the tiny beach has been fenced off for "private party" rentals now, so there is no place to hang out after your time expires and parking is free but limited. It's still worth it if you want a quiet place to kayak/water bike/waterski/jet ski for a few hours.

My daughter and I rented a water cycle yesterday. Was too much fun! We peddled around the lagoon for awhile enjoying nature and getting a decent lower body workout ( those water cycles are harder than they look). The employees were funny, friendly, laid back , and helpful. Unfortunately , due to lies and social conditioning, they are forced to wear masks outdoors in the hot sun to appease the covid idiots that will snitch all over town. Minus one star because the parking sucks. It's mostly dirt and very hilly. I think next time we go, it will be something motorized

The 5 stars goes to an outstanding young man named Matthew. He was so helpful and gracious to my wife and I. We had such a great experience thanks to him. He was so lovely and respectful, the equipment was in decent shape but Matthew made up for it with his attitude and amazing customer service.

We just hosted my daughter's 10th birthday here and it was probably our best birthday party yet! Erik and his team were super helpful in coming up with a good package that was within our budget and kept everyone entertained. We loved having our own private space to set up and my daughter and her friends had such a blast. I had to force them out of the water to eat pizza and cake and then they were back in for more. I would HIGHLY recommend throwing a birthday party here if you have water lovers!!!

It's a nice place for beach outing but it's not a no wake zone (that's with speed limit no more than 5 mph like at the Newport Beach), so when the motorized run by would create so much waves, it makes it hard for those that do the SUP, you don't feel quiet here.