Van D.
Yelp
I was looking through my dusty LA bookmarks for date ideas for an LA adventure and found Echo Park Swan Boats - Wheel Fun Rentals. To be honest I don't remember bookmarking it but yay. I texted my prospective swan boating companion to see if he would be open to going with me, and he was down, so we planned a whole day in LA around this Swan Boat outing.
In preparing for the outing, I recommend comfortable shoes that you can safely pedal in for an hour, SPF, a light jacket since the water can get a little breezy.
Due to capacity limitations, reservations are required. I booked online. These swans fit up to 5 people and they charge per person per hour: $12/adult, $7/child. Since it was a Monday I felt confident I can book it closer to the time we were ready to head over, so we wouldn't have to rush our lunch outing. I can see how that might not work on the weekend when they are probably busier.
So parking is limited in the area, which is strange for a park, but we were lucky to have found some street parking. Their website also recommends lyfting or ubering over if you are close enough to the area.
The business was easy to find. Look for a bunch of swans. There were sufficient signs and things leading to the check-in area. I pulled up the confirmation email and they also asked for an ID to check, before handing us some Coast Guard certified life jackets. These are required! And you must put them on before walking down to boat the swans.
So these Swans are actually pretty big. Since it was just the 2 of us, I used the back space to store my purse. Next time I might pack a cooler with snacks and drinks. There was also a nice shaded cover for the passengers in the back for sunny days. My legs are barely long enough to reach the pedals comfortably, so this might be challenging for children. I saw a feel kids on the edge of their seats trying to pedal. What a struggle.
As for the mechanics, it was a bit squeaky for me. They need some WD-40 on these pedals. And the steering handle was a little sensitive. I can totally handle the steering, but if someone is willing and available I rather let them handle it. As he puts it, he has to be good for something, his words not mine.
We were really lucky with the weather since there was some sun with a light breeze. The middle of the lake had a water fountain shooting out, that was pretty to look at and provided some mist. I loved the ducks, turtles, and birds. It was a nice get away with some nature in the middle of the big city. If I'm being honest I totally had more fun than my date did. He basically just got dragged along to appease me. He said would only come back if I wanted to come back. What a trooper.
So expectations versus reality, the photos portray that this should be a romantic experience, however it was like a nonstop hour of pedaling. We were pretty gross and sweaty. It's like going to a spin class with your boo, but with good ambiance. My date is so fortunate I actually participated and pedaled with him. We looked over at other swan boats and there were swan boats where only one person was pedaling for the entire crew. Struggles!
After the fact, my Yelp friend Sue L. mentioned that this was meant to be leisure experience and it would steer better if we weren't pedaling so hard. That would have been nice for the STAFF to tell me how to best operate the swan boat.
Also, they had have some fun find and seek, eye spy, and trivia games on a QR code you can scan on the swan's neck. We did not partake since I was already preoccupied taking selfies and being present with nature. I would probably check that out if I was coming back for a subsequent visit.
I would be interested in coming back to see their Illuminated Night Rides where the swans light up in the lake. We won't have to pedal so hard next time.
Highly recommended for dates, family outings or friend hang outs.