My First Time Jet Skiing at Sunnyside Marina: The Ultimate Summer Watersports Activity

When visiting Lake Tahoe over the summer months, I’ve been told countless times that the best way to experience the lake is by getting out onto the water. The most obvious way to do that is by renting a boat on the lake, however that is definitely not the most budget-friendly option. After doing a little more research, I found that a fun and more cost-friendly way to get out on the water was to rent a jet ski. When researching summer watersports activities on the lake, I came across Sunnyside Marina & Watersports. This rental company is conveniently located just two miles outside of Tahoe City and provides the ability to book a jet ski online. So, I decided to book a jet ski online for one hour during one of the days of our vacation in Lake Tahoe.

Pre-Arrival: Getting Ready for Our Jet Ski Adventure

After making my reservation online, I was immediately sent a confirmation email which had information and details regarding our book rental along with instructions on how to find them, items to remember to bring, the restaurant located on-site, and instructions to expedite the check-in process on the day of my rental. I was sent another email to complete my online waivers and rental agreements, which was straightforward and very easy to follow the instructions and complete!

Arrival: The Excitement of Summer Watersports in Lake Tahoe

We arrived for our rental on a Friday in the middle of July a half hour early (per Sunnyside’s recommendation). Wow, was it busy! The restaurant was packed, forklifts were carrying boats to be dropped into the water (very fun to watch!), and people were everywhere enjoying lake life in the middle of the summer! Next came time for check-in which is located at a huge white tent right next to the marina and water. All of the staff were friendly and extremely helpful in getting us checked in. They immediately pulled up our reservation, ensured all of our documents were signed, and helped us pick out life jackets to wear during our jet ski rental. We had many questions being first-timers, and the staff had answers for everything, making us feel very comfortable and equipped to ride the jet ski. After check-in, Sunnyside Watersports communicated that they were pulling our jet ski around and would give us safety and operational instructions before sending us out on the lake.

Check-Out: Preparing for Our Jet Ski Experience

The team at Sunnyside gave us very thorough check-out instructions, going into detail on how to operate the jet ski, safety measures in the event of an issue, and where they recommend we go on the lake being our first time jet skiing and experiencing Lake Tahoe from the water. Tips for safe jet skiing were invaluable as first-timers.

The Rental: Exploring Lake Tahoe on a Jet Ski

The lake was beautiful, and far beyond anything we could research or imagine. It is truly a breathtaking place with the mountain backdrop, crystal clear blue waters, and ripping around on the Sea-Doo jet ski. We visited Sugar Pine Point which came highly recommended by the staff and includes turquoise blue waters like you would see in the Mediterranean! We were even able to jump off the jet ski and do some swimming while we were out there. We also had tons of fun being on “the motorcycle of the water” which was fully capable of getting us around the lake, enjoying the sunshine and summer wind in our face. This was one of the best watersports activities for beginners and families. After our hour was up, which felt like no time at all, we were so sad because we were having so much fun! We could have been out there all day.

The Return: Easy and Hassle-Free

The return was very easy thanks to Sunnyside Watersports’ staff giving us great instructions and directions on where to go and how the return process worked. We easily cruised back into the marina at Sunnyside, and the staff was waiting on the pier to give us additional instructions on how to park. They were so excited to hear about our time spent on the water and glad we had so much fun.

All in All: The Perfect Family-Friendly Watersports Experience

I could not say enough good things about Sunnyside Marina & Watersports and the team they have. The equipment was in great shape, the process is extremely easy, and you feel the family-friendly vibe of the west shore of Lake Tahoe that we had been hearing about. Afterwards, we went up to their lakefront restaurant and enjoyed lunch and drinks. It was the most fun thing we did during our visit to Tahoe and will definitely be back next summer. 10/10 recommend your watersports experience taking place at Sunnyside Marina & Watersports on your visit to Tahoe.

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