Fletchers Paddle Shack
Staged at the shoreline
Single and tandem kayaks plus paddleboards, staged at the shoreline so you walk up and launch. Life vests come with the rental. Call ahead on busy weekends.
Kayak rentals on Lake Lanier come from a handful of outfitters in Gainesville, Cumming, Flowery Branch and Buford. Prices change by season, so call for current rates. Every outfitter below includes a Coast Guard-approved life vest. Park day-use fees are separate from the rental.
By town: Cumming · Buford & Lanier Islands · Gainesville & Flowery Branch
Kayak rental outfitters on Lake Lanier
Festive Water Paddlesports
Tue–Sat · delivers to parks
Kayak and paddleboard shop off GA-369 near GA-400. Rentals include paddle, vest and a quick lesson, and for a fee they drop your gear at Long Hollow, Two Mile Creek or Vann's Tavern. The place to buy a fishing kayak.
Burton Outdoor Adventures
Weekends & holidays at Mary Alice Park
One- and two-seat kayaks, paddleboards, floating chairs and electric boats. Also sets up on the sand at Mary Alice Park in Cumming on weekends and holidays, and teaches e-foil.
Northeast Georgia Paddle Company
Delivers to rentals & campgrounds
Delivery-based kayak and paddleboard rentals around Cumming. They bring the boats to your lake rental, campground or launch, so there's no roof rack and no hauling.
Don Carter State Park
Mostly summer weekends
Lake Lanier's only state park, on the quiet north end. The beach concession rents kayaks, paddleboards and aquacycles, mostly on summer weekends, and the park has its own boat ramps and a sand swim beach. State park parking fee applies.
Lake Lanier Olympic Park Rentals
$30 per person for 2 hours, $15 each extra hourWeekends, May–Sept
Canoes, kayaks and paddleboards from the docks at the 1996 Olympic venue, run with the Lanier Canoe & Kayak Club. Weekends May through September: Fridays 4 to 8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sundays 2 to 6 p.m. Off-season rentals by email request (info@lckc.org).
Run a rental business on Lake Lanier?
Basic listings are free. A featured spot puts you at the top of the page that matches what you rent, with call and click tracking and a monthly report.
List or feature your businessRent or bring your own?
Renting makes sense for a first trip or a family outing: no roof rack, nothing to buy, and some outfitters stage boats at the water. If you're going out more than a few times a summer, a basic sit-on-top kayak pays for itself. Festive Water Paddlesports sells kayaks and will help you choose.
What to ask when you book
- Is the kayak staged at the water, or do I pick it up and haul it?
- Is the park day-use fee extra? It usually is: current park fees.
- Can I bring my dog? Several outfitters allow it and have dog vests.
- What if a storm rolls in? Summer thunderstorms build fast in the afternoon.
Bringing your own boat? See where to launch, or start at Mary Alice Park or Lake Lanier Olympic Park.