Half Moon Bay Kayak Company

Great service ! Our guide, (didn’t catch his name), but was very nice and helpful especially for our first time kayaking. We went on a Monday evening around noon. I do suggest to call it in ! Reserve your time slot. If it’s your first time the guide will teach you the basics on to turning, and paddling.
The rate is reasonable. We did an hour at the groupon rate. ($ 35/​hr) for the first hour. And do let them know and they’ll give you the groupon rate. (Groupon takes a good chunk from smaller businesses) so support your local business ! Unfortunately we didn’t see any wild life but we did have a good time !
*Tip!: consider wearing a wind proof jacket as it may get windy the further out you go.
Have fun !

This was a must try for my first visit to Half Moon Bay. Got lucky and found an online deal. Lots of sea lions on the day we went. Friendly and helpful staff made the experience a ¹⁰⁄₁₀.

Scored on Groupon, an hour kayaking for 2 for $ 28, which is a steal of a deal for a fun, unique and special outing. This was my first time kayaking and I can be a huge pussy when it comes to trying new things, especially the first time. I was very pleased to see HMB Kayaking Co, made kayaking super simple and fun. The staff was helpful, the equipment was in great shape, and the water there is perfect for a short and easy kayak outing. We saw adorably fat sea lions, cool birds, and really enjoyed taking in the beautiful view. Great fun for everyone, regardless of age.
Pro Tip: Bring a light jacket, bring herbal refreshments, go early to avoid any traffic or HMB weekend crowds.

We found a groupon for this place and decided to go with it; totally worth it!
When we walked up to the shack, the people were friendly with introducing themselves. Once we paid, threw our life vests on and walked out to the kayaks, we were ready to go! The gal walked us through on where we could kayak safely and how to go about doing it properly, which was nice. We took the kayaks out of the pier and out onto the ocean, which I must admit, was pretty epic. We also ended up kayaking out to an abandoned building just a bit north of the piers where you start which was really cool! They had crabs climbing up and down the poles and the building itself was cool for picture taking and gawking at!
Huge tip! Boats have right of way, keep an eye out for them and if you see one coming, move out of the way! LOL
Overall; for the price, we had loads of fun, and had a nice workout while out there! Check out groupon folks! Happy Paddling!

After wanting to try SUP for so long I finally made it out to HMBK this past weekend. I went early on a Saturday and got in around 9:45. After a short conversation with the cashier I was given the run down on where to stand on the board, paddling technique, basic safety, where I was allowed to paddle, and how close I could get to the seals. I was on the water and up by 10:00 and spent the next hour paddling out towards the north shore past the docks. The paddling area itself was plenty large for me on my first outing and it was very comfortable standing up the board and also getting back down. I have to say the wind was in my face for the first 45 minutes and it turned the session into a great workout. The way back was pretty quick with the tail wind and I was able to navigate through the dock pretty easily.
When I was done I simply walked up the beach, put the board away and cashed out for the hour. They also have cubbies for your belongings so I picked up my cell and keys before leaving.
Overall it was a lot fun and the staff was friendly. I think the price was fair and it was easy to walk up and be on the water in less than 15 minutes.

Awesome! We went yesterday for long weekend and made reservations last week. Mentioned groupon price, just pay them directly vs purchasing the groupon (they take too much from businesses).
We arrived right on time and got suited up, which is provided with your rental. Everyone was friendly and helpful for the two newbies (including myself) and we were ready to roll!
We were out on the water for a couple hours and paid $ 25 each (groupon price) totally cheap! Thank you and will definitely use these guys again.

The owner of Half Moon Bay Kayaking made my birthday extra great! I decided the night before that I wanted to go kayaking for my birthday and he got us in the next morning at 9 am! When we arrived everything was set up for us and the process was easy to go through. They provided wetsuits (for the chilly morning) life jackets and all the equipment. The prices were so extremely reasonable and totally worth it! The bay of course was beautiful! We saw pelicans, sea lions and other wild life. The area to kayak in it just big enough to enjoy for an hour or so and there are lots of cool places to explore! I’ll definitely be back this summer!

Another excellent adventure at Half Moon Bay Kayak Company. They provided sunblock, a kids paddle for my son, and a waterproof case for my phone that I could still take pictures through. The kayak was stable and clean. The people were kind and knowledgeable. I recommend them to anyone for a family day adventure!

It was fun! We used two single kayaks.
Next time, we will bring our dogs (:

HMBK Company made my first kayaking experience one to remember!
Service: They were open a few minutes before their 9am opening & were able to take care of us immediately. The young woman that attended us was extremely easygoing, helpful & meticulous. I appreciated her thoroughness since it was our first time. She pulled out our kayaks, got us prepped & gave us brief instructions on what to do, what to expect & also her personal tips. I really liked that she lent me a windbreaker jacket so my fleece wouldn’t get wet, it kept me super warm on a chilly day.
Price: We used a groupon that was $ 35/​hour for a tandem kayak (highly recommend). It also included a waterproof bag for our phones & all the safety gear needed. I ended up buying another hour at regular price due to how much fun we were having.
Parking: If you arrive early enough, there is a mid-​sized lot and parking is free of charge! It’s about a one minute walk to the little HMBK hut.
Tips: Wear flip-​flops or water shoes, you can’t wear your shoes on the boat & you’ll have to walk on rocks for a few feet to get down to the bay. Leave your pants at home, you’ll get wet trying to get onto/​off of the kayak. Or just wear something that dries easily. Also, don’t fret if you’re terrible at first… just find synchrony with your partner & enjoy the beautiful bay. Do purchase the groupon and save a few bucks!
Overall: Great first experience due to the professional & friendly service and the very reasonable pricing HMBK Company has to offer. I’ll definitely be back to try SUP.

I’ve been here on 4 different occasions for Kayaking and SUP.
Staff is always friendly.
Never had any problems.
They were even nice enough to squeeze us in even though we were 15 minutes past their cut-​off time for rentals since it was later in the afternoon.
Wetsuits and Lifejackets are provided with rentals.
Items in good condition.

Kayaking, another new experience for me, and something that I would love to do again! We got the groupon for $ 35, giving us one hour in a double (two seater) kayak to explore the bay. There was a $ 10 promo code for first timers on groupon which made it only $ 25! What a deal!
We parked in the parking lot across from the little shack they were located in. First of all, I made the mistake of wearing boots and leggings. I didn’t know I was going to have to take off my shoes/​socks and have to get in the water (water was like mid-​calf) to hop into the kayak. So please remember to * WEAR SOME FLIP FLOPS AND SHORTS *. Luckily, I was wearing workout leggings so I could easily roll them up. Be prepared to walk barefoot on rocks. doesn’t feel to good on the soles of your feet =/​They have wooden shelves to leave your shoes/​socks and a place to store valuables you’re afraid to drop in the water during the whole experience. They also give you a waterproof bag to place your phone in just in case you wanna take it on your kayak to take pictures! Pretty neat. Oh. feel free to grab any of their wetsuits and gear if you wanna avoid getting wet. You’re provided with a life jacket too.
Your hour starts right when you are given instructions on how to use your oar and how to safely get into the kayak. The lady gave us a brief overview of the area, instructions, and some places to avoid to prevent yourself from capsizing. It was really quick, which gave us more time to spend in the water, woo!
You MUST kayak in unison or else you might go all over the place and flip over. My boyfriend was in dragon boat in high school so at least I felt safe knowing that one of us had a little experience. There he was shouting out «left, right, left right» to have us in sync, haha. Most of the times I just sat back and relaxed and did nothing… true life of a princess, what can I say? But when I did wanna join in and help him, I think I was doing it wrong because I kept wetting myself. The currents got stronger as you got closer to the stone walls. You could exit out where there are boats, but you had to go through the trouble of avoiding all of them. We just stayed inside where it was safe.
Getting back to the shore was easy. The sand/​dirt that sticks on your foot on the way out isn’t anything to worry about because they have a washing station available to you. Just hose down your feet and you’re all clean. It’s like you never stepped in the sand!
Keep in mind that if you exceed your hour, you’re gonna have to pay extra. So make sure to check the clock constantly and be prepared for an arm workout!
The weather was perfect with some sun and a cool breeze. Kayaking was a great experience! Can’t wait to try it at other places!

Torn apart from purchasing the Half Moon Bay Kayak Groupon or the San Rafael Groupon but glad i made the right choice at Kayaking at the beautiful Half Moon Bay! Groupon was $ 35 for a double (two seater) kayak for one hour in which i had a $ 10 off first time groupon user promo code to make it an AWESOME deal of $ 25!
Parked across the Kayak shack in the small parking lot which was pretty filled up! Walked up to the shack right on time for a 2pm reservation and was immediately helped! They have places to put your shoes and socks so you don’t have to bring on the kayak and get them wet. (Bring flip/​flops or sandals is highly recommended if you don’t want to step on sand and rocks)
They also provide free lockers to keep your valuables such as car keys, wallets, etc… On top of that they have sealable bags to keep your phones as you probably would want to take pictures with. These resealable bags seem waterproof and are touch screen friendly as well which is NEAT!
Prior to boarding the Kayak, the lady gave us some brief instructions on how to paddle and which places to stay off. Your hour starts when you pull the kayak into the water which is cool so you get those extra minutes taken to do sign waivers and listening for instructions!
As we got onto the boat it seemed difficult to paddle but as we got use to it. it wasn’t that bad at all. We took rounds around the docked boats but never exited the harbor just in case we get trapped out in the ocean. that would be bad! There were slight currents but not too bad just because we stayed inside the harbor. In the water you can sometimes see sea lions and other marine animals! There was actually not that many kayakers on a saturday before valentines. maybe because we booked the latest appointment at 2pm. They close early just because of safety precautions with the currents! I would recommend a light jacket (better if water resistant/​proof to a certain degree) but for the most part you shouldn’t get too wet if you are paddling correctly. Docking the ship was pretty easy. just the opposite of boarding it. Went back to the shack and got our belongs back and signed off! There’s also a neat foot washing station there where you can rinse off your feet from sand and dirt and BAM… Kayaking completed!
Bottomline: Very beautiful place to Kayak along with friendly staff. Affordable price via Groupon for a lovely experience! 5 Starz!

Had a groupon for this kayak rental. The staff was very friendly. The kind lady quickly explained the map and the equipment and we were able to get started without any hassle. I didn’t see that they had shoes for rent so you may want to bring your own waterproof shoes. I went barefoot but in December weather they can get chilly quickly and your feet my sting a little as you walk along the beach area from the kayak shop to the water. The rock walls around the harbor break big waves so it was a fairly calm are we were allowed to kayak in. There wasn’t too much marine life visible but there were plenty of birds fishing.
It was cheap and the staff was very nice and good at explaining. There isn’t that much to see around the area except an old dock.

This place! Yes
Bring a hat, ziplock bag for phone and a windbreaker. They have rain pants.
Oh yeah. They’re also super cool!

Kayaking is a lot of fun. Kayaking in Half Moon Bay? Even more so.
The Half Moon Bay Kayak Company has got a bunch of single and double kayaks for rent, along with some SUP. They’re definitely well stocked here, and the equipment’s in good condition. The lagoon area gives you plenty of room to maneuver, plus there’s plenty of sea life to check out (seals, fishes, what have you).
I used a TravelZoo coupon and only had to pay $ 25 for an hour, so I highly recommend doing that. They also charge if you go over, so find a way to keep track of time.

What a perfect day to celebrate my birthday by going for a kayak ride. Groupon had a killer deal, $ 35 for 2 people. Otherwise it would cost us $ 50. The staff are really nice and helpful at explaining things. Two of my other friends went for their first time ever and survived!!! Yay! We did have some wind, which created choppy waters. Made it a tad bit more exciting and challenging as we were trying to and paddle against the waves. We had a couple harbor seals swim super close to us. They are so cute!!! Made my day watching them pop up to say hello.
Reason for minus 1 star is because they are super strict on your 1 hour out at sea. Expect to be charged for going over. It is uncertain from when they start your hour? It is $ 5 for every 12 mins. you go over. That bummed me out a little bit. We were going to tip the staff, but instead had to use the money to pay for the time we’d gone over, and it was by 5 mins. Hmmmm

BUY A GROUPON! With a groupon, our total was $ 35 for two people for one hour :) a great deal, imo. Try making a reservation, though I’ve never had luck with that because nobody ever answers the phone.
Even if you don’t know how to swim or have never kayaked before, the waters are so calm that the entire experience felt reaally safe. The guy basically told us that the only way we would flip over is if we purposely tried to peek underneath the boat. And if you get tired, you can sit back and just let the water float you along: P
I just wish the scenery were nicer. We paddled around the docks and the boats, but there wasn’t really much else to sea (ha ha ha).

We had such a fun time stand up paddle boarding and kayaking! Although cloudy and chilly, HMB Kayak Company provided us with warm full length wet suits. They supplied all the gear we needed including a dry pack to keep your belongings dry.
Our party of 6 had groupons for 1 hour of rental.
It was really nice that our hour didn’t begin until we actually were given our boards. It was all our first time so it took a while to get geared up and situated.
After brief instructions, we were left to it! There is a decent sized cove to explore. We ended up getting stuck on the outer cove. Winds picked up and let’s just say it was an extra workout to get back to shore.
All in all we had such a fun time! I can’t wait to go again.
Service was great, all the staff were friendly.

Great gear for quite a good price. Also the HMB Marina area is quite safe to SUP — there’s a lot of space even with the boats moored there, and once out of the marina there’s quite a bit to explore.
The guys who worked here were great about setting us up with our gear (SUPs and paddles, PFDs) and we were out very quickly. They even had wetsuits available for those who wanted them, at no additional cost.