Where to Rent a Boat in California: Lakes and Harbors
You can rent boats, pontoons, houseboats, kayaks or paddleboards at dozens of California lakes and harbors, from Shasta Lake to Mission Bay. This list includes only places whose Dockya pages say rentals are offered, grouped by region.
Updated October 8, 2026
California has boat rentals in almost every region, from houseboats on Shasta Lake to electric Duffy boats in Newport Harbor. Every place below has a Dockya page that says boats, kayaks or paddleboards are rented there. Rental fleets, seasons and hours change, so call before you drive.
Before you rent
- Boater Card: operating a rental vessel is one of the exemptions from California's Boater Card requirement, per the Division of Boating and Waterways. You need the card to run your own motorized boat.
- Age: operators set their own rules. Bridge Bay, Bidwell Canyon and Lake Piru require renters to be 21 or older; Cachuma requires 18 with a driver's license, and Pyramid Lake rental drivers must be 18.
- Rental-only lakes: Dixon Lake and Lake Wohlford ban private watercraft, and Lake Gregory allows no private power boats, so renting is the way to get on the water.
Shasta and the far north
- Shasta Lake: houseboats at Bridge Bay year-round (3-day, 2-night minimum) and at other marinas.
- Whiskeytown Lake: fishing boats, pontoons, deck cruisers, kayaks and paddleboards.
- Trinity Lake: houseboats from private marinas.
- Bidwell Canyon Marina, Lake Oroville: houseboats, ski and patio boats, pontoons, kayaks and paddleboards.
- New Bullards Bar: houseboat, ski, patio and fishing boats.
- Eagle Lake: boat and fishing-gear rentals at the marina.
- Lake Sonoma: pontoons, fishing and ski boats, kayaks, paddleboards, canoes and jet skis.
- Also listed: Englebright Lake (houseboats), Collins Lake, Lake Mendocino and Lake Pillsbury.
Sierra foothills and Central Valley
- Folsom Lake: Granite Bay Rentals and other vendors.
- Camanche Reservoir: patio, fishing and paddle boats and kayaks, rented daily.
- New Melones Lake Marina: boats and watersports equipment.
- Don Pedro Lake: houseboats at both marinas.
- Bass Lake Water Sports & Marina: ski, patio and fishing boats, PWC, kayaks and paddleboards.
- Also listed: Lake Amador, Lake Tulloch, Pine Flat Lake, Lake Kaweah and Huntington Lake.
Bay Area and Delta
- Lake Del Valle: motorboats and patio boats; kayaks and paddleboards in season.
- Tower Park Marina: pontoon and fishing boats, kayaks and paddleboards (damage deposit for pontoons).
- Pittsburg Marina: kayaks and SUPs with paddles and life jackets.
- Crown Memorial State Beach: windsurfing, kiteboarding and kayaking rentals and lessons.
Lake Tahoe
- Camp Richardson Marina: powerboats, jet skis, kayaks and SUPs.
- Tahoe Keys Marina: powerboats, tiki boats and waterski boats.
- Tahoe City Marina: power boats, 2-hour minimum.
- Beach concessions: Kings Beach, Commons Beach and Pope Beach.
North and Central Coast
- Woodley Island Marina, Humboldt Bay: kayaks.
- Trinidad Harbor: boat rentals and charters.
- Santa Cruz Wharf: Santa Cruz Boat Rentals.
- Lopez Lake (year-round) and Santa Margarita Lake.
Southern California lakes
- Lake Cachuma: jon boats, pontoons and kayaks; last rental 4 p.m.
- Lake Casitas: fishing boats, kayaks and canoes.
- Lake Piru: V-hull fishing boats and pontoons.
- Pyramid Lake: fishing boats, pontoons, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.
- Silverwood Lake: pontoons, aluminum boats, jet skis, kayaks and pedal boats.
- Big Bear Lake: pontoons, fishing boats, kayaks and SUPs at several marinas and parks.
- Lake Gregory: Duffy boats, electric fishing boats, kayaks and SUPs.
- Lake Perris: fishing and pontoon boats, kayaks, pedal boats and paddleboards.
- Also listed: Lake Elsinore, Diamond Valley Lake, Lake Skinner, Lake Hemet and Puddingstone Lake.
San Diego County lakes
- Dixon Lake: rowboats, motorboats, bass boats and pedal boats. Under the City fee schedule effective September 15, 2024, rowboats were $25 before 1 p.m.
- Lake Wohlford: rowboats, motorboats and bass boats.
- Lake Poway: motorboats and pedal boats, Tuesday through Sunday.
- Also listed: Lake Jennings, Lake Hodges, Lake Murray and Lake Cuyamaca.
Southern California harbors
- King Harbor: rentals at Rocky Point Marina.
- Huntington Harbour: electric Duffy boats, kayaks and paddleboards.
- Newport Beach: Duffy boats, sailboats and kayaks; SUPs and kayaks at Marina Park and Newport Dunes.
- Quivira Basin, Mission Bay: Seaforth Boat Rentals, from 14 ft fishing boats to 56 ft yachts.
- Ventura: kayak, paddleboard and boat rental operators in the harbor.
This guide is general information, not legal advice; rules change, so check the linked pages and posted signs.