June 20, 2022

California – Lake Tahoe Boat Rental with Action Watersports


When visiting Lake Tahoe, I always saw fancy boats zipping across the crystal clear waters. The people in the boat looked like they were having the time of their lives, but it wasn’t until my family and I rented a boat to understand how freeing it was. On a private boat rental, we got 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains, freedom to explore coves (within reason), and an exhilarating time bouncing on the waves. It was a blast. We initially rented a boat in 2015, and my father handled all of the logistics. Since we were coming back in 2022, I wanted to experience the logistics myself and write about the experience to demystify the process of renting a full-on boat on Lake Tahoe for all of us who:

(1) May be a little intimidated by the prospect,

(2) Have never thought about it before,

(3) Or have always wanted to boat around Lake Tahoe but are not a boat-owner

Luckily, Action Watersports, agreed. Let me tell ya, the boat rental companies make it easier (and safer) than you think. However, there are a few considerations and things to know about. In this post, I first speak generally about choosing and booking a boat with things to keep in mind. Then, I describe my experience with Action Watersports, from arriving at the office to returning to the dock. With a good understanding of the steps, you can feel more confident booking a boat and getting out on the water.

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Why Rent a Boat on Lake Tahoe?

The real question is, why not rent a boat on Lake Tahoe? Freedom to take a self-guided tour around the lake, circle around the tea-house in Emerald Bay, or avoid the crowds altogether. It’s your choice. You can choose to go fast or slow, bring snacks or a meal, where you explore, music or no music, what you see, etc. That was the most tantalizing part – to make the experience entirely your own while not having to own a boat. I’m in no financial position to own or maintain a boat, but loved getting out on the water during my annual Lake Tahoe trip. Yes, the cost is a factor, but if you can get the family or a few couples together, you can have a full boat for the day for roughly the same cost as going on a boat tour.

How to Rent a Boat with Action Watersports

In a way, it’s too easy to rent a boat. You can simply head over to the Action Watersports website and book one right then and there. But if you’re like me and get completely overwhelmed by the variety, let me help you narrow it down. From there, you can contact the office to have an informed chat. Consider the following:

  • How many people will you have on the boat? Counting both adults and children.
  • What day(s) are you open to renting the boat?
  • What time of day are you looking to rent? (It’s calmest in the early mornings)
  • Which dock location is most convenient? Action Watersports has 4 boat locations – Lakeside Marina, Camp Richardson, Timber Cove, and Round Hill Pines.
  • Are you looking for a speed boat or pontoon boat?
  • Do you want a tow package (i.e., wakeboarding, tubing, waterskiing)?
  • How long are you going to rent the boat for? Most have a minimum of 2 hours, with typical time frames being 4 or 8 hours.

If you can answer these questions but still have trouble deciding, give the office a call! They know their watercraft exceptionally well and can get you the best option for your goals.

At a Glance:

  • Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars; I’ve rented a boat before and would do it again!
  • Intensity: Swimsuit, cover-ups, sunnies, sunscreen, sandals
  • Location: Action Watersports has multiple marinas you can rent from; we rented from the Lakeside Marina.
  • Our Exact Boat: 20ft. Regal OBX, which holds up to 9 passengers
  • Cost: $732.00, not including gas— this boat rental was given to me in exchange for this blog post, be sure to read my “Full Transparency” section for how I think it impacted my experience
  • Restrooms: There are bathrooms at the dock/office
  • Timing: Hourly, 4-hour, or 8-hour rental (we did 4-hour)

Highlights:

  • Freedom to move around the middle of Lake Tahoe with mountain views in every direction
  • Exploring Emerald Bay and boating around the tea house (last time, we actually swam to the island and climbed into the building)
  • Entire boat to yourself – spread out, bring snacks, dance to your own music, it’s yours… for the rental period.
  • You don’t have to own a boat to enjoy boating on Lake Tahoe.

Lowlights:

  • Renting an entire boat is definitely a splurge activity, so expect it to be pricey! But depending on your group size, it may be similar pricing per person to going on a tour.
  • You might love it so much that you’ll want to rent a boat every time you return to Lake Tahoe.
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Important Considerations – Driver and Gas

In addition to the questions above, there are a few more things that I want you to know before booking, including the driver and gas. As far as I understand, Action Watersports does not offer the ability to rent a captain, which means that someone in your party will need to be the driver. The diver should have some prior boating experience, but if you need a refresher, you can visit Boatus.org to take a safety course or get a boating license at www.californiaboatercard.com. The driver will have a few additional steps during the check-in process where they sign off that they have experience and agree to specific safety requirements. That said, Action Watersports makes it easy by pulling in and out of the marina for you and giving clear directions for where to go/what to do.

The other important thing to remember is that you will need to pay for gas at the end of your rental period. Luckily, you only pay for what you use. The price per gallon is higher than what you might spend on the street because the pumps are actually in the harbors! We were visiting when gas prices were sky-rocketing and paid about $88 for 3 hours of boating with 6 adults and 2 children on board. Expect to pay a minimum of $6 or $7/per gallon.

Where to Take the Boat

You cannot go boating on Lake Tahoe without visiting Emerald Bay… unless you’ve visited Emerald Bay before! But it’s a little different seeing it out on the water. Take your time to and from Emerald Bay because that’s part of the fun. From Lakeside Marina, I think it took us a good 10 mins to cross the lake. It can get busy in the bay, but I think it is worth the experience of circling around the tea house and taking in the closer mountains above! Then head north or south around the entrance to Emerald Bay features unique coves and gorgeous scenery.

Otherwise, being out on the lake on a clear day is delightful. Take in the 360-degree views from the water. In late June, there was snow on the mountains to the southwest. From a distance, try to spot Mt. Tallac, the casinos, Castle Rock, the Heavenly Gondola, take a guess where Sand Harbor might be, and any other landmarks. The whole lake is gorgeous.

The area I hope to explore next is the coves of the eastern shores. However, there are many rocky spots, and Action Watersports requires you to stay a mile off-shore. There were also dark clouds to the north on the morning we visited, so that didn’t seem like a friendly option. Maybe next time!

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Out on the Water: Lake Tahoe Boat Rental

For this experience, we opted to rent out from the Lakeside Marina, just past Nevada’s state line. On the day we visited, it was a bit cloudy and chilly, so there was practically no one around except for the Action Watersports staff. This made for a remarkably peaceful experience, but the office staff told me this was the calm before the storm regarding the upcoming busy summer season. You’ll see the boats immediately as you enter the gates, and the office is at the end of a grassy lawn. The office is where all the fun begins, so head there first and admire the different watercraft on the way.

Check-in Process

Action Watersports asks that you arrive 45 mins before your scheduled start time, and I now understand why. Each person must sign a waiver and be present at two orientations to get on the water. The first orientation focuses on behavior and general boating rules in front of the office. The second orientation took place once we were on the boat and focused a little more specifically on our boat, but there was some overlap. If you have a big group, some cat wrangling may be involved as you try to get everyone together. The Action Watersports Team made it as seamless and easy as possible to cover this critical information, but it took a little while.

Some additional notes:

  • For the waiver everyone signs, I was able to arrive a little bit before my family and fill out everyone’s name. This made it easy for each person to come in and sign next to their names.
  • Your boat’s driver (whoever the designated person is) will need to review additional materials and sign an acknowledgment sheet.
  • If you have kids/anyone under 18, an adult must sign for them. They will also have to wear life jackets while on the boat. Luckily these didn’t bother my nieces at all.
  • There is a bathroom at the dock, which I HIGHLY recommend using right before going out on the water because it’s tricky to access one once you’re out there.
  • You will receive a paper to hold onto and return at the end of your session. I was very nervous that I would lose the form or get it wet, but we put it in a little glove-compartment-like drawer. The staff member saw where we stored our paper and was able to retrieve it at the end of our rental period.

Leaving the Dock

Once done signing the documents and doing the first orientation, the Action Watersports staff suited my nieces with life jackets and helped put our bags and cooler onboard while we all used the restroom. Our boat was pulled up to the main ramp, and our second orientation took place once on board. This included having the staff show us where things were located on the boat – storage, seating, driver-specific information, what the buoys mean, how to get back, where to play music, and other essential odds and ends. If you have any other questions about the boat, this is your moment to ask!

Once we finished checking off the information, one of the Action Watersports Staff drove our boat out of the tight little marina for us. Yep, you don’t have to worry about getting out or docking the boat, which I feel would be one of the most likely places into something else or ding the boat. Instead, the staff drives your boat out, followed by another staffer in a motorized inflatable raft. The reverse happens when you’re ready to come back in. They will likely see you out on the water, or you can give them a call, and two staff members will come out, and one will board to drive your boat back in.

Emerald Bay in the Morning

But, of course, we had to explore a Lake Tahoe icon by boat – Emerald Bay. The bay is beautiful to see by car by stopping at the viewpoint, from the hillsides on the Maggie’s Peak hike, or from the shoreline from the Rubicon Trail. And it’s even more fun to circle the only island in Lake Tahoe without fighting for a parking spot. Boat traffic increases as the morning progresses, so I recommend heading here first!

To get to Emerald Bay from Lakeside Marina, we crossed the width of Lake Tahoe. And it was during this crossing that I was reminded how BIG Lake Tahoe truly is because it took us 10 minutes at high speeds to get across. It was an excellent warm-up stretch for our driver (my dad) and for everyone to get bundled up in towels to buffer from the high winds. The boat is exhilarating at high speeds, especially at the front of the boat, but be prepared for the full force of the winds! Also, the lake’s southwest side has a beautiful backdrop of snow-covered mountains. What a view for our first few moments on the lake.

At a distance, it’s kind of hard to see the entrance to Emerald Bay. As you get closer, seeing the opening between two peninsulas becomes easier. The entrance is actually relatively shallow, so it’s critical to go through the buoys that demarcate where the deeper water is located. Upon entering the Bay, we were shocked to see that there were only one or two boats at 10:00 am. I think this was due to a cloudy morning, and we took advantage of the calm waters to warm up and have a snack.

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Slowing Down and Simply Enjoying the Lake

While you can zoom around Lake Tahoe for the entire hour, 4-hour, or 8-hour rental, I find it’s also nice to simply float and enjoy being surrounded by the beauty of Lake Tahoe. We opted to slow to a stop in Emerald Bay while there was a surprisingly little amount of boat traffic. With the boat engine off and a more-or-less level surface, you can move around the boat and talk to one another. It was also time for a second breakfast as we were all ready for snacks!

We weren’t the only ones ready for snacks as a small flock of geese started making a bee-line for our boat and eventually had us surrounded. The birds absolutely delighted my nieces, who loved being able to move around the boat and taunt the birds with handfuls of cheese-its, veggie straws, and trail mix. No birds got treats from us! Eventually, other watercraft boats arrived, and the birds moved on. With more boats, we decided to make our way around Fannette Island. Make sure to look for Lower Eagle Falls above the treetops on the shoreline and the Tea House on top of Fannette Island.

Returning to Harbor

After leaving Emerald Bay, we headed in a southeast direction toward the south shore of Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately, the clouds were not getting any better, and my nieces were getting sleepy, so we decided to return to the Lakeside Marina. We enjoyed the bumps in the waves and the views on the way back. When we got back to the buoys in front of the Marina, we waited for someone for the Action Watersports Staff to come get us. Just as I called the office to let them know we were ready to come back in, we saw the inflatable motor boat coming toward us. One of the staff members expertly guided us into the harbor and asked about our experience.

Once back on dry land, we utilized the bathrooms as the staff helped us unload. They reviewed the boat for damages and filled up the tank at the pump on the dock. Once filled, we paid for the gas in the office, where the staff asked about our experience. I was dazed but happy to have the full boat experience.

Family Memories

Looking back through the photos and videos to see my nieces smiling or snacking in their little life jackets is priceless. They LOVED the experience, especially when the geese surrounded our boat in Emerald Bay. They would hurry to the back of the boat for a snack and then to the front to watch the geese to say hello. About to turn ages 3 and 5, and I think it was good timing for them to fully enjoy the boating experience. Even without swimming, they had a great time. And so did the rest of us. My parents have been coming to Lake Tahoe for decades (well before the area was a summer destination), and my father was happy to be the driver and show us around the lake. The boat rental added to the special moments we’ve had as a family at and on Lake Tahoe.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Chilly morning in the Early Season

We took our boat rental on June 20, 2022, which turned out to be a chilly morning with even colder water. Tahoe’s busy season starts to pick up at the end of June, so I wanted to list out some of the interesting things I found about going earlier in the season:

Benefits of our timing/weather:

  • Emerald Bay was empty!! When we first arrived, only two other boats were in the bay. We got to relax and have a snack with a view of the teahouse.
  • Views of snow-covered mountains while boating.
  • Quiet and peaceful at the Action Watersports office.
  • Fewer people were boating on the day we went.

Drawbacks of our timing/weather:

  • It was less of a classic summertime experience.
  • Water temps were even lower (not that we were eager to jump in the water with cold weather).
  • The wind picked up as it got later in the day, which meant choppier water. We opted not to go north along the Nevada shoreline.

What To Bring With You – Boat Rental

With plenty of storage on the boat, bring everything you might need for a day on the lake – swimsuits, sunscreen, towels, plus extras. Most importantly, bring a cooler for water and snacks. The staff was more than willing to help load the gear onto the boat, so don’t worry about the weight!

What to Wear:

  • Swimsuit – I’ve been getting my swimsuits from Cupshe over the last few years and am so impressed with the quality for the cost. Here’s the exact suit I’m wearing, which made me feel like a ballerina!
  • The shorts I wore on top of my swimsuit are from Old Navy. I was pleasantly surprised by the comfy high-waisted shorts options offered in summer 2022 – hopefully, they will offer similar in 2023!
  • Extra jacket for cold mornings – you’ll see I’m wearing my white Patagonia nano-puff hoody in some of the photos, which is packable and helps with the wind. The wind will get you, so you may just bring a windbreaker like the Patagonia Houdini.
  • Sandals – I didn’t keep my shoes on very long and opted to go barefoot. However, before then I wore my Chaco Z Clouds.
  • Hat – I tried to bring a sunhat but never wore it because of the wind! If you bring a hat, ensure it stays securely on your head. My brother-in-law wore a beanie, which seemed like the smartest choice for our chilly morning.
  • Sunglasses for the glare
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Other Things to do at Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a loved and familiar destination for my family and me. Here are other activities that I’ve done and written about in the area over the years:

Full Transparency

As you might have been able to tell, the boat rental was given to me in exchange for writing this blog post. I wanted to speak briefly about how that might have impacted my experience. While researching boat companies, I was impressed with the number of marinas and boat varieties that Action Watersports had available. The variety is fantastic but can be overwhelming, so I reached out to see if they would be willing to explore the idea of a newbie renting a boat with a company that’s been in the game for a long time.

In terms of my experience, I believe that you would have a nearly identical experience if you were to rent a boat with Action Watersports. The office staff was friendly and knowledgeable, the boat staff was patient and helpful, the boat was spotless, and the Lake Tahoe scenery was spectacular. Once you’re on the boat, it’s really up to you to use the time. My nieces had a blast, and we made lovely memories on the water. Perhaps the only difference is that if I rented the boat, I might have changed the morning to be on a warm sunny morning. But then again, we probably wouldn’t have Emerald Bay to ourselves on a sunny morning.

(If you end up giving Action Watersports a call due to this blog post, please let them know I sent you. Much appreciated!)

Overall Thoughts: Renting a Boat on Lake Tahoe with Action Watersports

As mentioned in the family memories section above, this boat rental was special to share with my family. As outdoorsy people, I knew they would enjoy it, but seeing my nieces on the boat was freaking adorable. Re-watching the videos, my partner said, “You’re going to have to play these videos at their weddings.” Hard to beat those genuine smiles and giggles.

My family rented a boat back in 2015, so I knew a bit of what to expect, but it was still interesting to be the contact person with my name on everything. It was a little more pressure to gather everyone for our orientations, but otherwise, it was seamless as the office staff patiently walked me through the steps. My mother was particularly impressed by the dock staff, who helped us load/unload and get the girls in life jackets. They were so kind and helpful! Honestly, Action Watersports made it too easy to rent a boat… and we’ll likely do it again.

Now that you’ve read this blog post, are you more likely to rent a boat on Lake Tahoe?? Personally, I feel more confident renting a boat anywhere now because the steps are probably the same, but maybe I need to have some boat-driving experience. Haha! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Happy Travels,

Hanna

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Filed Under: California, Nevada, Water Activities

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