UW Waterfront Activities Center

Rented a canoe for 1.5 hour for $ 20. A little pricy for non students but still would go back. Highly recommended!

Great place to rent canoes and rowboats on a nice day. Even better if you or someone you know is a UW student, staff, etc. Have fun!

If you know someone who attends UW, make sure you tell them to bring you here! We went canoeing and it was so much fun! And, it’s very cheap. The worker said «$ 5» and I thought it was $ 5 each person, but NO, it was $ 5 for the canoe (there were three of us, therefore, it was only about $ 1.67 for each person). The worker provided a map of where we could go and can’t go. You do get to see some wild life, and the serene scenery made the entire ride very calming.

I LOVE the UW Waterfront Activities Center. It’s a great way to get a fun, outdoor workout in the summer. Their rates for canoeing are unbeatable here in Seattle. You can canoe near the Washington Arboretum, further out into Lake Washington, or see the Husky Stadium from a different perspective. It’s also great for bird-​watching out here!
As of 10/​15, here were their rates per hour during the weekend and on weekends.
UW Students $ 6.00/hour $ 8.00/hour
UW Faculty/​Staff $ 8.00/hour $ 10.00/hour
UW Alumni Association $ 9.50/hour $ 11.50/hour
General Public $ 10.00/hour $ 12.00/hour

$ 10/​hr for a canoe rental (public peeps) — UM YES! Discounted for students, staff, etc.
Visiting Seattle and found this thing to do. Thought it’d be cool! Great way to experience Seattle in a different light.
PARKING: Drive up to the lot right next to the Activities Center, right behind the Husky Stadium. There are signs pointing you in the right direction. Parked in the lot and bought parking on the weekdays. Price wasn’t that bad on the weekdays. Free on Sundays and after 12pm on Saturdays.
CANOE RENTAL: Walk right up to the window like you know what you’re doing! They will ask for an license to hold and waivers to be signed. They’ll hand you life jackets (you don’t have to wear them if you know how to swim, or you could wear them anyways), a map of where you can/can’t go, and paddles. «Point!» There are the canoes, have at it!
It was neat to paddle around the bay. Paddling through the lily pads is harder than it looks. Also paddling against the current is such a workout! Fun nonetheless! Good luck steering that canoe ;)
Would def recommend for anyone visiting Seattle if you’re looking for something to do! Usually no line on the weekdays, I believe. We came on a Wednesday and walked right up — plenty of canoes available. Sounds like it can get packed on the weekends.

$ 10 — $ 12 an hour for canoeing can’t be beat! A canoe can fit 3 people. Row boat can fit 4 people I think, so it’s even cheaper if you bring some friends. it’s a couple dollars cheaper for enrolled students. Free parking all day on Sundays and after noon on Saturdays. Although you should probably check if there’s an event going on that day.
The lake is pretty calm, but there’s a good amount of boat traffic on sunny days. Also there’s construction going on by 520, some areas are restricted :/

Was a fun activity to enjoy with the kids.
Parking is free after (noon) on The weekends.
Rentals are first come first serve; So expect a wait.
General Public $ 10. Hr -$ 12. Hr
They provide life jackets but you can bring your own & they check to see if it’s USG approved.

I heard about this place from my hair dresser and I thought we should check it out while my mom was in town. I think this will move to the top of the list for things to do with visitors!
It is really easy to find, parking is easy (and free on Sundays and after 12pm on Saturday), and lots of fun!
You get a canoe rental, life jackets and paddles for $ 12 an hour. We were gone an hour and a half and they charged us for the half hour. Sweet!
We paddled over to the arboretum and got out and walked around a bit. Lots of nature but also Urban! We might try sailing with the yacht club next time!

Reasonably priced canoe rentals, fun activity to do on a sunny day. They allow you to bring beer or wine. And you’re able to go a good distance put in the water. Something you can do even if you’re on a budget. Great date idea.

It’s $ 10/​hr on the weekday and $ 12/​hr on the weekend for the general public. Price includes paddle and life vest. I rented a canoe and there were three people total.
I would suggest making sure everything u bring on the canoe, you are ok with getting wet if your canoe happens to tip over. I stayed away from the motor boat traffic going through the Montlake cut so my canoe didn’t tip over. There is still plenty of lily pads and ducks to see on the left side of the bay.
The weather was in the upper 80’s on the day that I went so I would suggest wearing sunscreen, bring a hat, water bottle, and some sunglasses.
There hours right now are 10:00am– 7:30pm on weekday and 9:00am — 7:30pm on the weekend. I went around 2:00pm on a weekday and the line was really long but moved pretty fast. Would suggest going really early in the morning or around 6:30−7 pm.

We couldn’t quite explore everywhere because of sea fair but it was beautiful on the water! I would definitely come again.

Since there is construction occurring in the parking lot to the south of the stadium, parking is extremely scarce on a busy day.
Noon on a 95 degree Saturday, it was crowded. There was about a 15 – 20 minute line to rent canoes, but once we received our voucher, the process to retrieve our boat was quick.
Right as we were rowing away, we heard over the intercom that they were out of boats for the time being. So it is possible for them to run out, even though it looks like they have five boats for every person in Seattle.
Tip: going south of the center will take you through the motorboat traffic going through the Montlake Cut. This will give off a bigger wake, so if you have three people in a two person canoe, you will tip.
Returning the boat was super easy and fairly quick.

One billion stars for this place. Canoes are $ 12/​hour for non-​students (per canoe, not per person). You get instructions, paddles, live vests, and a map, and are free to explore the lily and wildlife filled inlets or even venture out into open water. A must do in Seattle if the weather is cooperating. Magical.
Lockers are $.25. Cold drinks are $.75. They’re not out to suck every dollar from you they can like a private business would, in other words.

My friends took me here when I was visiting for a nice afternoon kayaking on Lake Washington after their wedding. It was a nice day and although there were a lot of people, the operation ran smoothly and they had a lot of boats for everyone. Pretty cheap way to get out on the water, get some exercise, and enjoy the sites on a nice afternoon. Nothing was really marked but we worked our way under the freeway passes directly across from the center, where there were a lot of lily pads, fallen branches/​trees (some of which posed a challenge to cross in the relatively shallow water), and narrow channels through the tall grass. Great way to bond while having fun in nature! Employees were nice and efficient.

This place gets crowded! We came here at 2pm on a Saturday and the lines for everything were ridiculously long. So we went to Pikes Place and had an early Happy Hour dinner, and then came back at 7pm, about 1.5 hours before closing. When we went there, there were maybe only 3 other boats being rented. It was a sunny day so it was still beautiful outside, and we didn’t have to deal with crowds! The price was cheap for 4 of us to split a rowboat too so it was a fun little adventure!
The water is kind of yucky when you look into it, so be careful when moving around in the boat! Our friend almost fell in the water when getting in it from the dock, so also put your mobile devices/​wallet in the lockers they provide or in your car.
Last tip, parking is free certain days/​times so plan for that too.

Great rentals… fair prices… beautiful location. You would never think that beneath and off the 520 bridge, you would find such beautiful scenery and wildlife. Go!!!
Avoid lines on sunny days by going super early or later. Otherwise, you can wait for an hour plus.

I am officially in love with the UW Waterfront Activities Center. I must admit that I felt a bit disloyal going there, since after all, I am a proud Seattle U Redhawk, but I got over myself and had a blast. If you’re living in Seattle and haven’t yet paid a visit to Lake Washington during the summer, GO now before Fall Quarter begins and we all head back to books and pens instead of oars and canoes.
My boyfriend and I went to the waterfront this Sunday, and it was perfect. The lines were not crazy long, and it was nice and hot out. PLUS there is free parking on Sundays. Score. We shakily got into our boat and set out onto the lake. Aside from a few waves created by bigger boats sailing by us, it was pretty smooth.
As long as I don’t capsize, I’m good. The views were spectacular, and everywhere we went, there were lily pads floating around. They were gorgeous! The ducks were adorable too. I had hoped to see ducklings but I think this time of year is a little late for that. We were out on the water for about an hour and a half, and we were only charged $ 15 total! (It’s $ 11 an hour for the general public.) They charge by boat, not by person, so if you have a boat of three people in it and you go for two hours, that’s only about $ 7 per person! Great deal, great day.

Amazing access to UW’s gorgeous waterfront! Just $ 7/​hr. per canoe ($ 11 non-​student), super reasonable. A few highlights while on the water: floating lily gardens, a pair of charming bridges, ducklings, pretty docks… and a stunning view of Husky stadium from Lake Washington. Interested yet? For those who are in for a challenge, row to the 520 ;)
See you out on the lake!

This place gets 5 stars all day long. This is one of my favorite outdoor activities in the city. Although they do not rent kayaks, they’re canoe rentals are less than ½ of what you’d pay to rent a kayak at other places around the cut and on Lake Union (I’ve tried them all). I suggest packing a picnic lunch and parking your canoe on Foster island for lunch. My daughter insists that you bring at least 1 loaf of bread to feed to the baby ducks and goslings :-) TIP: Get there early on weekends (prior to 11 a.m.), otherwise, you’ll have to take a number and wait for boats as they’re returned.

With our one month of summer now imminent, I am looking forward to some canoeing on the lake!
There’s a large parking lot for use, but it fills up quickly on the weekends – which is when I tend to go – and the hours vary on the season, so be sure to check the schedule. When possible, try to get there early, especially if you’re somewhat of a clod like I am in a canoe.
There are a lot of staff there to help you get checked in and situated. They outfit you with a life jacket, the canoe and oars (but bring water and sunblock on those blistering 70 degree Seattle days) they point you to your canoe, and you’re off!
A special note, they don’t mind that I bring my dog canoeing with me ^_​^ She has her own lifejacket and after about a half an hour of us getting into a smooth rowing groove, she is fine to stand and people-​watch. Thankfully, she has never fallen in, because I am not sure how I would lug a 78 pound dog back into the canoe. I guess I could just tie a rope to the lifejacket and row her back in lol (I know she would love it, but I’m knocking on wood over here.)
There isn’t a route, so go at your own pace and wander around the lake and take in the views. There are a lot of kayakers who are *much* faster than us, so be careful in the narrow areas. There’s a lot of lily pads too, so be prepared to get tied up in your underwear for a bit.
All in all, a fun thing to do for $ 11/​hr on the weekends! UW students get a discount too!