Mission Bay Aquatic Center

MBAC was great for beginner SUP. The water was calm and it was easy to get started, the shallow depths at shore made a great place to get your bearings and feel comfortable, and it was easy to venture further out once you were ready. We had a great time and plan to go back on a future trip!

We had a wonderful two day class (Keel 1) learning to sail a J-24 sailboat.⛵️ Sabine, Chris, and Andrew taught us. A lot of takeaways for us to apply when sailing our MacGregor 26x. Highly recommend to be safe on the seas. It was fun and enriching. The instructors were knowledgeable, professional, and personable! #noregrets

A great place to rent! We normally get small sailboats (16ish ft RS Quest) and hobie cats but there's also paddle boards, kayaks, and surfboards. MBAC also offers classes for both kids and adults which I highly recommend. They have a parking lot right that's a decent size but it can fill up especially during summer so consider going early.

Mission Bay aquatic center makes learning to sail easy. The employees are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Highly recommend.

The place is clean, they have good equipment, and the staff are friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the kayaking and the starfish and sea bird watching

Had a great experience wake boarding. I would suggest a private for 2 hours if you’re in a group between 2-5 people. We paid $360 for two hours and the boat was new and all the equipment was in great too. They also offer different water sports making it a one stop shop for all your water sports!

Andrew and Aiden are some of my favorite instructors. The staff are great here. Sailing classes are fun and best to take in the off season when there are less people and kids. I feel the membership is absolutely worth it for the free clinics. I plan to continue my membership and take more classes!

By far the most incredible summer sports camp our kids have ever done! The camp counselors are amazing and very encouraging. The programs are tightly run with endless fun and ample time to rest and take a lunch break. The kids are super excited to wake up and go wakeboarding or surfing every morning….how can I get them to do this on school days? I’ve been coming here since I was a student at SDSU taking actual courses for credit😆. Then rented a boat for some fun with friends waterskiing and wakeboarding a few years back. Thank you Mission Bay Aquatic Center for making water safety and fun a priority! We will keep on registering for more!

Amazing experience! We moved my son to SDSU and my 9 year old and 17 year old went with me to Mission Bay and we rented paddle boards. The staff was so helpful and when it was a little too windy and we were pushed astray, they quickly came and loaded us up in a little boat and took us back to shore. Highly recommend.

Super chill people! We rented a kayak for an hr. The people were nice and helpful. There are lockers there for your personal belongings

had a paddleboard lesson with Nico. He was great! Very welcoming and a fantastic teacher. Will return. :)

Took a Keelboat Sailing course here and had a wonderful experience. Our instructor (Andrew) was calm, knowledgeable, and kept the class fun and engaged the whole time. It was a wonderful experience if you're just starting out in learning to sail, the terms, safety, etc. Positive experience all around.

If you like water sports, this is really the place to check out! They've got amazing classes and membership is so affordable. It's a true gem in the San DIego community. I love the variety of boats available and the staff and instructors are top notch. I particularly like that you can pretty easily get on a RS Quest, Laser, Sabot, or Hobbie on any given day as a member. I can't say enough about this wonderful place! Thank you!!!

I got stood up on a date here last summer. It was my first visit and I was excited for some morning paddle boarding. After waiting and waiting for my date only to text me 15min after we were supposed to meet I decided to just have my adventure solo. I've been paddle boarding a few times before and the bay was fairly calm so I had confidence in my ability to safely paddle around solo. They have everything you need including life jackets and lockers. They give you some basic guidance on where to go and where to avoid and send you off! They seemed to have a lifeguard or two keeping an eye out, but I'm not totally confident that someone from the center would have noticed if I had gotten myself in some trouble. But SOMEONE nearby would have- there are tons of other watersports and boaters around. For the most part I paddled around undisturbed minus a jerk boat or two that got a little closer than I would have preferred. I suggest bringing a fanny pack and something to protect your phone in case you get in the water intentionally or unintentionally. The pricing is reasonable and I've been finding myself considering a membership this summer! Bring a date (and show up lol), go solo, or come with friends- it's a great time!

Everyone at MBAC is incredibly knowledgeable and uber friendly. They make water sports seamless and a true blast to enjoy. The best spot for water sport fun in all of San Diego!!

Took Keelboat Sailing 1 with Andrew, wonderful experience, feel well prepared! Andrew is knowledgeable and and excellent communicator/teacher. The staff was friendly and the whole experience was great. Very kind.

I loved the experience and everyone was great except for the brunette at the check in desk with a pointy nose. She had a terrible attitude and was so unfriendly even with simple questions. If you work customer service, you should learn how to treat customers.

Went wakeboarding today to celebrate my friend. Best experience ever! Definitely will come back! Max our captain was awesome!!! 5 star service and cool kid made the whole experience extra awesome!

Great place to take a class or rent equipment. I've taken surfing and also kayaking as electives through SDSU. Both classes were great! Instructors were so friendly and so helpful! I've also rented equipment hourly from them. Staff is so helpful, the process is so easy, and prices are reasonable.

gr8 fun

Easy rental, great price, easy bay access, free lockers to store stuff. Downside, parking can be tough.

Typically I start reviews with the good points, but because the bad/ugly is so dominant for Mission Bay Aquatic Center, I'll start with that. This would be a four or five star review were it not for the parking situation, which is epically bad. This is no hyperbole... it is so bad that my friend and I stopped meeting here, because the parking just never worked out. The main problem is that while MBAC opens at 9am, on any nice weekend day (you know, the kinds of days in which you want to rental a kayak/paddle board), the parking lot usually fills by 8:30-8:45. With nothing but extremely difficult street parking on Mission Blvd otherwise, you essentially HAVE to arrive well before opening to reliably park anywhere within reasonable walking distance. This makes MBAC sadly incredibly inconvenient unless you are willing to make it an early start. If you can somehow survive the parking madness, MBAC is a really great spot to rent kayaks, standup paddleboards, sailboats, and other aquatic devices. Their prices are fair and staff nice, if occasionally less than attentive. The kayaks I have rented have all been in good condition, and at $28 for a double for 2.5 hours, it makes for a nice, affordable activity on the bay. Unfortunately, they don't allow you to take their kayaks under bridges, so you can't venture beyond the western half of Mission Bay, but there's enough room to keep from feeling too confined. If you can solve the parking puzzle, I highly recommend renting from here.

The process was really easy and convenient to rent stand up paddle boards online and they had a lot of availability! The location was perfect and it was a really enjoyable experience. The price is reasonable as well. I would definitely come back!

It was easier to rent kayaks and paddleboards than to find parking on a Saturday in late July. The five of us came here on a Saturday afternoon and rent two paddleboards, a double and a single kayak. I rented the paddle board for $21 with Yelp check and 2.5 hours of fun. After completing the paper work and giving them your ID, we went out to pick up the rentals and stored our belongings in the free locker (larger lockers by the waters). None of us were first timers so we just got quick instructions about how far in the waters we could venture out to and a few tips. Remember, the farther you go out, the harder it'll be to come back in if you're going against the current. Luckily I swapped with a friend that was kayaking and I easily paddled out on the SUP and leisurely paddled back in with the kayak. My poor friend struggled paddling back in on the SUP and had a hard time fighting against the current. It's a great arm workout though. Also, don't forget to lather on the sunscreen. I didn't put on enough, and got a terrible sun burn on the front side of my legs from sitting in the kayak. =/ We didn't think we'd utilize the entire 2.5 hours, but after several kayak flips and falls of the paddle board, we definitely got our money worth of fun. Shout out to the nice people in the waters that were so helpful to help my friends that flipped over in their kayak. Parking if you're lucky in their lot shared that is free for other beachgoers or on the street.

Awesome place to rent paddle boards! Purchase tickets online for faster service. + $28 for 2.5 hours + Restrooms available + Free lockers + Pressure hose to wash your feet + Inflatable belt life jacket option -- Parking lot is small, find street parking

Great place for hanging out at Mission Bay. You can rent paddle boards, small boats, ... here for very modest prices. The service is fast and friendly. Next to the center there is a great "park" with BBQ / fireplace for people to hangout. The beach may be better elsewhere in mission bay but for those with mixed needs, sunbathing, paddle boarding, ... it is fantastic setup.

Top shelf treatment from start to finish. Great boards, great paddles, and everything you need for a fun and enjoyable experience on the bay. We rented 8 paddle boards and the prices were reasonable and we had a blast!

Max was the man!! He was kind, gave the best tips for first time wakeboarders, and he made us feel safe the entire time. Definitely got our money's worth. We will 10000% be coming back to this location, and we'll be requesting our favorite instructor and captain, Max :)

We learned to sail with MBAC and it's been such a great experience that we also joined their sailing membership. We took the Basic sailing class first - learning the basics in a small sabot (one-person boat with a single sail). Once we practiced and felt comfortable in a sabot, we were eager to profess to something more comfortable so we did the Hobie sailing class. MBAC also offers more advanced sailing classes on other boats. You can rent paddleboards and kayaks from this location too - all in decent condition.

Good complete instruction, great communication, gear in fine shape, and reasonable rates!

I'm a SD local and this is where I recommend to rent paddle boards and kayaks. Staff is very knowledgeable, Very friendly and helpful. Staff really makes the experience. Prices are the best as well in my opinion. I've done wake boarding as an SDSU alumni and the instructors made sure I was able to get up on the board. They have wet suits and all that you can think of if you want to be on the water.

I don't leave a lot of reviews but I felt compelled to leave this one. We rented kayaks which was simple, they had life vests for us which was great, and the lockers were helpful too. But the reason I HAD to leave this review, is the care they provided when my son cut his foot (on a shell, nothing to do with their facility). I hoped they'd have a band aid on hand but they came out with a full first aid kit and performed layers of treatment on him with the kindest of care. We will always come back here for any rentals and refer them to anyone who asks. Than you again! Sharon

SAIL LESSONS, WATER RENTALS, ETC. I am lucky to live in San Diego! I've SUP'd several times before but first time launching out from Mission Bay Aquatic Center. Mornings are best, the waters are calm, and no large waves. - $26 for 2hrs (yelp check-in, get $5 off) - Quick lesson for those who never SUP'd before - Optional to use the small waist flotation instead of the vest lifejackets It's low impact on the body but nice that you are using your abs to power through the waters with the paddle. Everybody on the water is super friendly. Joey and I even paddled out to the middle of the bay, sat on our boards, and talked. It was nice to be able to paddle out in the middle of the bay and chop it up. So simple yet so fun. Until the next review...

Want to cool off and do something fun with your kids, family, or friends? This is your place. It is not too crowded and plenty of parking is available. You can rent kayaks, paddle boards, jet ski, sail boats, and much more right on the bay. Definitely a great and fun experience.

I've always loved the Mission Bay aquatic Center. Our family has been going there for years. Especially when we don't want to be on high alert, since the ocean and the waves can be a little much with your kids. Our secret is to go on Groupon and find their coupons, then go and enjoy!!!

My friends and I came out to SD for my birthday and we had to do this. I've always wanted to go paddle boarding, so did my bestfriend. Unfortunately we came on one of the hottest weekends of the summer. Everything went fairly smooth. I had purchased the tickets via groupon, which made it a little cheaper. You also have to call ahead to schedule the appointment. Our Air Bnb wasn't that far away, about 15 minutes. We definitely shouldve ubered. the parking was crazy. Thats what we get for coming on a weekend at the end of summer vacation. The workers that helped us get our gear were very sweet. They gave us amazing pointers. As we finally got out to the bay, and got on our boards there were strong currents. So we definitely got a good arm work out. The worker outside with the boards wasn't really helpful at all, looked annoyed majority of the time. But he wasnt our source of fun. It was a great experience! It was extremely hard to actually stand up though. I'd do it again if the current wasnt so strong.

Had a fun time renting a kayak. Prices were pretty reasonable for a 2.5 hour rental. Check in was a giant pain in the butt though. Do it on your home computer before you go. They make you reserve, pay, and fill out waivers online. And they ask you a million random questions. It's like filling out medical forms at a doctor's office. Dude, I just want a kayak. Swipe my card and please just give me a kayak.

Paddling boarding brings me so much peace. Today, I had a long day. I showed up to the aquatic center about 30 minutes before they closed, which I don't advise you to do, and they were extremely friendly and accommodating about letting me get a few minutes on a board before they closed shop! Rarely do you get that kind of welcoming, understanding attitude from staff before they close. It was all smiles and they even asked me how my experience was after I was done. You have to keep in mind that they had to hose down all of the equipment that I used after I was done. Andrew was very friendly and professional and you can tell that the rest of the staff is as well. I don't really leave too many reviews but this one I had to note. I have a membership with them and now I know that I'll never be cancelling it! Don't get me wrong, there are some days that I'm disappointed because I get turned away due to windy weather conditions but that's completely out of their control and they are looking out for everyone's safety. With that being said, just be mindful about the weather that day and enjoy the water on a beautiful sunny day! 10/10, highly recommended!

I don't know what it is, but there's something relaxing about being out on the water. I mean, it's also nice chilling on the beach, but being out on the actual water is a completely different vibe! I absolutely LOVE Mission Bay Aquatic Center! The staff is friendly, and there's a large parking lot (which still tends to get full pretty quick). The prices for the water sports rentals are extremely reasonable---it's $26 to rent a double kayak for 2.5 hours (this might be the best deal in town!! The only rules are that you keep your lifejacket on at all times and don't go under any of the bridges. The water also gets choppy when you're out in the middle of the bay. If you get stranded or need help when you're out on the water, you can call the phone number listed on the back of your paddle, and someone will come out to assist you. There's complimentary lockers and a locker room. There's discounts for UCSD and SDSU students with a valid ID. I definitely recommend coming here for a great time on Mission Bay!

The four of us visited this place on 9/11, hrs he day of my birthday to rent single kayaks for 4 hours. We wanted to kayak to Paradise Point Barefoot bar, get lunch, a BD drink and comeback. My kayak was given to me for free bc of my birthday. The equipment was clean and well maintained and the service was stellar. Everyone was wearing masks and expecting the same from renters. This place has other boats for rent which I may consider doing next time. Good place, fun day.

Best prices for water play rentals. Staff was super friendly. Student discounts that were awesome!!! I would highly recommend Tommy for surfboard lessons. Can't wait to come back at use them again!! Perfect location. Parking kid of sucked??

Had a blast paddle boarding and kayaking. Check-in for $5 off and with a student Id an addtional $5 off. We had so much fun and it was worth $21 for 2.5 hrs.

Mission Bay Aquatic Staff was awsome, friendly and super helpful! My family and I wanted to try paddle boarding and kayaking. They were so helpful and nice for first timers like us!! We had a great time out in the marina paddle boarding and kayaking! We will definitely return again!! They have all kinds of water goodies from paddle boards, to sailing boats, one or two person kayaks. Thanks again for making our vacation memorable!!

What a great experience. We have taken the basic sailing, advanced sailing, and scheduled for the Hobbie Cat course. Highly recommended. The staff is very informative and friendly.

Great rates for rentals. Customer service shit show. Check-in was so slow. I was second in line, and it still took 15 minutes to get served. After painfully slow check-in, I was directed outside to get my kayak from the representative under the umbrella. Surprise, surprise: No one was there. Ten minutes later, the representative asked me if I knew how to set up a kayak. Set one up? I owned a kayak for years, but I was absolutely confused by this question. Turns out, he wanted to know if I knew how to snap my own seat into place, and I was expected to pull my kayak off a big stack of them. Thanks, guys! An hour and a half later, all my friends were out of time, so we returned our kayaks, rinsed off, and went home. An hour later, I received a call to ask if I'd returned the kayak... I'll go with another company next time.

Normally I dont put bad comment on yelp but this one was the worst experience ever ! , We booked for wakeboard group lesson this weekend. At the beginning of class , We were not given any proper pre-information about how it should be. I was the first one on the line who wanted to try it first and the boat driver dragged me extreamly fast and strong, and this caused finger, hand and shoulder injury so bad. Cant use my shoulder properly now. I stronly do not recommend any of you to go and booked this classes, if you are begginer or so.

First time out here today. The workers were extremely patient and friendly. With all the chaos happening in the world right now, having an escape is very much needed and appreciated. Thank you to the deck master and the lady helping me behind the counter. I am now a member and look forward to future experiences here.

Parking lot seems to be packed all the time so be prepared spend a bit of time waiting for a spot. Check-in was easy and we decided to paddle board which was a 2-hr session. We paddled about to and from different shores. There were a lot of traffic in the water the day we went because there was some small competition going on but sall good cause it was more of an obstacle.

This spot is jointly owned by the student associations of SDSU and UCSD. It is staffed by college students plus a few "lifers" and it has a real family feel among the staff. Everyone is well trained and friendly. I've been here probably twenty times over the last couple of years and although the building and equipment is not all sparkling new it is all well-maintained and safe. I took several sailing courses here. All were well taught and gave me lots of hands-on time at the tiller and all the other positions on the boat. I love the J/24 they teach on--such a forgiving and agile boat. MBAC sailing courses gave me a great foundation of knowledge, and now I race sailboats on several crews around the SD area. Learning to sail is fun and rewarding. Give it a try!

Same as b4 on my prior reviews, but even better. They now have free keyless lockers. Thanks Stacey for introducing me to the new free lockers to store my stuff while I go experience some adventure is less than 2.5 seconds, just getting in the water kicks in all my sensory mechanisms. Second time Stacey has provided me with excellent customer service/ support... She knows how to help u get the right equipment to have fun on the water. She rocks!

Was so darn fun! Tony really wants to maximize your time on the boat! Super knowledgeable, not only a great personality, but very accommodating. You can tell he wants to be here and his vibes make it so fun and encouraging. He makes you feel safe and comfortable. Entire staff is friendly and easy to work with. Bathroom/rental equipment is clean. The boat is fancier than imagine haha. He played some awesome 80's music too! I would gladly recommend to anyone of all skill levels. As a first time wake-boarder, I struggled a lot, was never expecting to improve so quickly within an hour. You can NOT pass up an opportunity to come out. I never thought 3 hours could pass by so quickly! It is just a testament to how fun this is! Insider tip: arrive on early and don't be the last one.

We had so much fun wake surfing at Mission Bay Aquatic Center! A group of 4 of us went out with Nathan and even though 2 of us had no board-sports experience, with his clear coaching, expert board selection, and professional boat driving, we all stood up on the boards on our first tries! We had an awesome time and definitely want to come back!! Thanks Nathan! ‍

This recreational facility had the basics in aquatic activities covered. Although there was not much to do on land, the water was fun, relaxing, and exciting. The instructors were very thorough with training and lessons, even with kids as young as six. We were limited in where we were allowed to go in the bay, but the views were picture-worthy. My overall experience is worthwhile and educational when you are wanting to learn about being in water and how to navigate.

Came here with friends to celebrate my birthday. We all used the Yelp discount to get $5 off which came out to be $21 for Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP). Most of us were newbies at this sport and we enjoyed every minute of it. Fell twice because I lost my balance. Only downside is PARKING!

Checked in here and got $5 off the Stand Up Paddleboard Rental. It came out to be $21 for two hours of paddle boarding. Great price awesome deal. Mission Bay is a great place to go paddle boarding in San Diego. From Mission Bay you can see parts of Sea World, the yacht club, the families staying at the hotels in the area, and really take in that whole San Diego experience. It's best to paddle board on the weekdays if you can. I went on a Friday and the water was steady for the most part. On the weekends the water does get a little more choppy which makes paddling a lot more difficult. This has nothing to do with the quality of this business, but there were tons of jelly fish in Mission Bay this time of the year. Maybe thousands...Was really cool to see actually. Just don't fall in.... The staff here were all super chill and friendly. They were very relaxed about the two hour window. I came back a little bit after the two hour window and they didn't mind at all. If I were to come again, I would be sure to bring some type of water proof camera and a lock to use in the locker room.

The Mission Bay Aquatic Center was started in 1970 when Glen Brandenburg, an SDSU student at the time, signed up to take a sailing class at the then City run sailing facility. Part of the way through the class, the instructor suddenly stopped showing up to teach and Glen assumed the role as the new instructor. Associated Students of SDSU and UCSD Recreation assumed the lease of the then dilapidated old boathouse in 1975 and the Mission Bay Aquatic Center was born. Since then the Universities have built the facility in to the world reknown program it is today. Now here is the best punch line ever.... drum roll....... Glen Brandenburg is still the MBAC Director. The Center is located in beautiful Mission Bay Park on the south end of Santa Clara Point. It is perfect for the 15,000 people who took classes last year. Nowhere else in the world can you find such a diverse mix of watersports equipment and instruction under one roof! And what a roof: it's a 24,000 square foot redwood facility with over 13 motorized watercraft, 50 sailboats, 100 surfboards, 25 windsurf boards, 90 kayaks, 40 rowing shells and 1 mission: to ensure a safe, enjoyable watersports experience. Friendly staff members greet you in the reception area, check you in, and direct you to your class. Afterward you can wait in the lobby lounge area, complete with fireplace, or head to the changing room and lockers to stow your belongings. Classroom instruction is held in one of our two indoor classrooms, complete with blackboards, projectors and VCR/DVD Televisions. The adjacent grounds provide the perfect complimentary classroom setup where you can enjoy the beautiful Mission Bay scenery while learning what you need to know prior to hitting the water.

Pretty lame this place doesn't allow your dog on their Kayaks. What in the world could a dog do to damage a kayak? I have been renting kayaks and SUPS for years and this was a first. So I walked next door and rented a Kayak from the other spot that had no issues with dogs being in their plastic kayaks. Really lame rule that I can't wrap my head around why.