Rent a Boat in Austin

As the capital of Texas, Austin’s culture is a unique combination of lively music, eclectic art, a novel culinary scene, and the site of countless rivers and lakes for fun-filled boating days. With so much to see and do in Austin, preparing an adventure roadmap to make the most of your time in the area is key. To recharge or escape downtown, rent a boat and spend a lazy (or action-packed) afternoon on Lake Travis or Lake Austin. Both of these go-to lakes have taken shape from dammed segments of the Colorado River, and present endless opportunities for watersports, cliff jumping, raft-ups, party cove hangouts, and so much more. 

What To Know

These popular boat rental styles are perfect for all the unique waterways surrounding Austin:

• Pontoon boats are essentially big party barges, large enough to suit families, couples, and groups of friends. Pontoons are perfect vessels for navigating party spots like Devil’s Cove and most of them are also equipped to pull towable tubes.

• Wake boats and ski boats provide an adrenaline rush for renters looking to try wakesurfing, wakeboarding, water skiing, or kneeboarding for the first time. They also tend to have epic sound systems to help you ‘rock’ the boat.

The lakes surrounding Austin are also destinations primed for exploration on personal watercrafts (PWCs).

Safety Requirements:

• Boating License/Education Rules: Texas has a mandatory boat education law that applies to some operators of boats and/or personal watercrafts (PWCs), including a 16-year old minimum age to operate a vessel with horsepower greater than 15 HP (including PWCs).

• Life Jacket Requirements: 13 years and under must wear a PFD.

For more information, visit Texas Parks & Wildlife website. 

Where to dock your boat, or meet your rental:

• Lake Travis Marina

• Paradise Cove Marina

• Safe Harbor Emerald Point

• Riviera Marina

• Highland Lakes Marina

For more information, check out the Boating in Austin, TX Guide.

Weather Conditions

Austin has a humid, subtropical year-round climate that’s enticing to boaters. Cool weather in the winter only sticks around for two months out of the year in December and January, while the rest of the year delivers temperatures in the 70s. Many local boaters will go boating year-round, without ever needing to winterize their boat. Peak boating season on the nearby lakes run from April through October.

Avg. Temperature High: Peaks around 96°F in July and August

Avg. Temperature Low: Around 41-45°F during winter months, from December through February

Avg. Water Temperatures in and around Austin:

• 73°F in the Spring (March, April, May)

• 83°F in the Summer (June, July, August)

• 79°F in Fall (September, October, November)

• 65°F in Winter (December, January, February)