Texas Rowing Center

very chill and calm. the staff is nice and helpful, I was visiting from Houston we had used an Air BNB and my group had decided to go kayaking. Unfortunately I had lost my keys which would have resulted in a major fine (at least $ 350+) luckily Jane the manager was super helpful and found our keys.

We decided to go here because their hours were more extensive than other places. Their kayaks are in good condition, reasonably priced, good location, the whole process was fast and simple. We went back the next day at 6:30 and were told they were closed for the day, even though their hours are listed as closing at 8. Some guy told us he would give us a free rental coupon for tomorrow, which was pointless because it was our last day in town. We told him this and he said he would let us go out for 30 minutes to which I asked if we would still have to pay for the whole hour. He proceeded to start talking to someone else and just walked away leaving me standing there like an idiot, rude. Makes me consider not going back, how are you going to just walk away from a customer? Rude.

DO NOT ENROLL your child in rowing classes here unless you want your child to be a part of a organization where the coaches quit on the kids. General Manager Alvin Cantu does not even follow the policy and procedures that are typed out in the Junior Rowing Handbook and will (according to other witnesses) make an example out of your child, unless they go to St. Stephens or Westlake. :-)
Thank you for absolutely NOTHING Texas Rowing Center.

Went with my cousin so she could attempt to rent a SUP and try it out. I have a board and paddled down to the dock while she went to rent one. She was pretty much looked down on because her 2 year old was being impatient about getting on the water. No one could give her straight answers. She left feeling as if she wasn’t hip (ster) enough for this establishment and gave up on attempting to rent a board. I ended up letting her try my board (she loved it). We will be trying out another rental business that is open to FAMILIES.

Great place for juniors to row competitively or for high schoolers to take Off Campus PE. Fantastic vibe, good people. Highly recommend.

What an adventure! I went for a mid Monday SUP ride with my little four legged Daisy, and we loved it! Easy to find, but Parking might be tough on the weekends. Sign a waiver, pay $ 15 upfront and leave your ID with them, grab a life jacket, then off you go to the water! They had a few doggy life jackets for your furry friends to use. There are picnic benches on the dock, and plenty of space to leave your shoes and shirts.
Bring sunscreen and water!

This place was awesome! Easy and smooth transition from start to finish. The paddle boards are so awesome and easy to get on/​off and stand up on. So many of the people (who rented from Rowing Dock) were asking me if it was my personal one because it was a really nice board and they kept falling off of theirs. Lol! $ 20 per hour to paddle board, $ 40 all day. Prices are a little steep, but totally worth the experience! Will be back! We went around one ish and it was about a ten minute transition from paying, to getting on the boards. They are lenient with you being a few minutes over, anything close to thirty minutes they’ll charge! Go here!

I signed up for beginning Sculling and Kayaking. I’ve taken two classes and don’t want to return. Here is why:
1. Incredibly disorganized. People drop in and out of the classes. They claim it is for convenience, but don’t seem to be concerned about quality of instruction. My first class had fifteen people. So as soon as I sat down on the dock rowing machine (after watching 10 other people row) I was told to get up. I had to insist that I wanted to practice at least 2 or 3 rows. I snuck in 5 strokes.
2. Poor quality and poor time management. Again, during the first class we were also supposed to practice getting in and out of the scull. I am 10 or 12 in line, and I got in but no chance to practice like my classmates.
3. 2^nd class: We are supposed to start where we left off with the last class. But the instructor is too busy telling she tired from her pre-​law classes at UT, being the captain of her rowing team, and working two crap jobs. One of which is instructing us. I have a bum knee, so it took some time for me to get in the scull. I did have some help from another staff member. I look around and my class has left me. I practice rowing at the dock. The new person teaching me states «You don’t know how to row.» Well duh… this is my second class and I had 10 minutes of actual practice in the first class and 45 mins of watching other people.
4. Lesson is: what they teach you could learn on youtube and save yourself $ 350.
5. Poor safety measures. My instructor left me at the dock. I don’t think she knew where I was at the whole time. For all she knows, I could still be out on the lake.
6. Poor organization… oh I’ve already mentioned that. But here’s a tip. When you sign up for the beginning class you get a 6 month unlimited membership for rowing/​kayaking. They don’t track it with any type of system. So you just tell them you have a membership and you’re good to go for free.

I have done SUP here and the Latino Serenade.
SUP rentals are competitively priced. Getting your SUP from this location means that you have a great stretch of the river to explore.
The Latino Serenade is pretty cool. It’s held once a month on Fridays. You want to buy your ticket ahead of time. If you’re going in pairs get a two-​person kayak. A double kayak is $ 25. Make sure you reserve yours ahead of time online. Bring your own snacks and beverages. Also, in the summer a hat is handy as the water is really reflective and makes the Texas heat even more oppressive. This is good for families and people even bring their pups out. You can get up and dance on the barge with your partner. It’s a fun time!!!

I was worried stand up paddle boarding would take a lot of exertion but it really doesn’t! I was surprised how easy it was, and it got easier after I realized the logo on the paddles should be facing forward (that helps a lot). You can paddleboard sitting down, on your knees, or standing up. I usually don’t end up using the whole 2 hours — I’m usually done in about an hour and a half. My feet are the part of my body most fatigued after a session but you can mitigate this by paddling on your knees for a bit.
You will go to the rowing center first and sign your waiver and then pay or give them your voucher. You can leave a couple items like your car keys in a small plastic bin in the office. You can leave your cover up and shorts or sandals on the benches by where you get on the board. They have life jackets available — you can wear it or loop it through the ankle strap that tethers the board to you.
During these hot summer months I like to bring a Gatorade or water in a low, wide bottle which I can keep in front of me on the board (there is a circle logo on the board and that seems to be the best place to put it). Just make sure you throw it out in the trashcan after your session (NOT in the water — don’t litter!).
Parking is available for free along the street although if it is a weekend you might have to park a quarter mile from the location. If you have mobility– limited participants you might want to drop them off at the rowing center.
I was using the travelzoo voucher.

Always easy check-​ins. The staff makes everything easy so that you can be on your way to a fun kayaking adventure. Love the water and nature.

Good price, nice staff, and the equipment was well taken care of. The girl that helped us check in was fun and joked around with us. We were there for 4^th of July weekend so it was pretty busy but it was a lot of fun.

Good location, quick (even in getting you through a long line on a Saturday morning,) fun. My only complaint is the pricing– one hour is $ 20, and a full day is $ 40. We only paddled for about 2 hours so it kind of sucked to pay for a «full day». A $ 10/​hr rate would be nicer for short visits.

This place can get pretty packed, in the afternoon. But definitely try to make it down to the train bridge down stream and you’ll get to see some pretty cool graffiti

I like Texas rowing center for a few key reasons. First off, their location is great. It’s easy to exit mopac and two turns later, you’re looking for street parking. It’s also great location on the river, nestled between The Rowing dock and Zilker boat rentals.
Prices are comparable to Zilker, but have SUP (stand puddle boards) which Zilker does not. It’s easy on and off at the dock, and the staff is super friendly. They will hold your keys, phone, credit cards ect in a small box. Prices are for an hour rental, but they give you about 15 min grace period.
I like hanging around Ladybird by the hike and bike trail. It’s inspiring me to move and smile. Their equipment is also very nice. Absolutely no complaints. I enjoy Zilker rentals if I am only kayaking, but would recommend Texas Rowing Center over The Rowing Dock for SUP.

I got a rowing membership earlier this year and took the intro classes. I’ve always wanted to learn how to row on a scull boat and I’m still getting the hang of it, but it is such good exercise, and a really peaceful way to concentrate. I’m finding the brain benefits as much as the body. (Added bonus: the animals on the lake don’t seem to mind your going by in one of these boats; the turtles don’t bail off their logs, and the birds often don’t so much as flinch.
I just wish there was someone appointed to stay in the rental area at all times, or that there was at least more of an effort to take turns. It can take quite a while to get anyone’s attention. And I don’t even want to say this because I love the place so much: They’ll hold onto any valuables you bring, (fantastic! and often necessary), but with the the lack of present staff and the very casual way valuables are set aside within reach of the public means your things are in no way secured. That’s the only issue with the place that really stresses me out when I’m on the water.

I love coming to the Texas Rowing Center! In my opinion, it has the best location of all the other outdoor water rental places. Easy to find parking if you park around Austin High School and the available lot nearby.
A lot of people complain about the service, but I have never had a problem with them. Just keep in mind that you can’t expect much from teenagers trying to make some summer money.

My husband and I typically rent from this place for some water fun on town lake. Keep it mind, it is a popular area and rental center, so you might want to call ahead to see what’s available on the date/​time you plan to visit. The staff are really friendly and nice!
We usually rent Single Kayaks that are $ 10/​hour during the week and $ 15/​hour during the weekend and holidays. They will hold your personal belongings for you and provide your oar, life vest, and kayak.
Make sure to wear water shoes and/​or bathing suits, you get more wet than you think. You can ride towards the bridges on the left or head into a more quiet area on the right. If you go before sunset, you can ride to the south congress bridge and watch the bats fly out at sunset, it’s a great view!

Paddle boarding looks fun and IS fun.
Try it — you do not have to be a gymnast to get the hang of this. Which is good because the lack of instruction leaves you to your own devices and you’re pretty much on your own once you get your board.
The customer service is about par for the course for this type of business. Being staffed with college kids — what do you expect. (No offense.)
We waited in line for about 30 minutes to get our board. It was a Saturday afternoon, so we were fine with the wait. But I feel like they would have had less of a back up if they had more employees working on the dock.
Did I mention there was no instruction? I get that it’s a pretty simple sport, but some tips would go a really long way — just a thought.
They do not require you to wear a life vest, but they do require you to keep one «on board». They also tether you to the board with an ankle strap, which is good since my son fell off his board and the life vest disappeared. Fortunately all was well with him, but they certainly need to check the equipment and make sure it floats.
The prices are pretty much comparable to other SUP businesses. We stayed out past our time, and they didn’t say a word. Another reviewer mentioned they allow a 30 minute grace period, but your time begins the minute you pay — not when you enter the water. Which is super lame.
All in all, we had a blast. The staff needs to put out a little more effort to be friendlier.
Deducting 3 stars because:
1. Lack of instruction/​tips
2. Bored and unattentive employees
3. NO WHERE TO CHANGE CLOTHES AND NO RESTROOMS — ONLY 2 DISGUSTING PORTA POTTIES.

Huge fan of Texas Rowing Center. I’ve had a few encounters with them.
1. We did a canoe excursion with my 10^th & 11^th graders. We took canoes over to Barton Springs, got to swim and snorkel and canoe back. My students absolutely loved it and had never experienced anything like it.
2. Recently decided I wanted to kayak while the sun was rising. I made a club called the No Bummer Summer club (
) and kayak and sunrise were on there. Decided to knock out two birds with one stone. We got there just before 6am and were able to catch the end of the sunrise.
Expect to get wet. Bring some water to drink. A waterproof camera or case for your iPhone to take great photos!
Minus 1 star? There were a lot of people around in Texas Rowing Center outfits. But the one person that could help us didn’t know we were there until 6:30. So we missed a good portion of the sunrise. Not his fault, but would have been nice to be acknowledged when they opened at 6am. There were several other groups waiting too, not just us.