Boat Rentals & Boating Excursions in BC

Okanagan Boat Rentals is Kelowna's most established rental operation, located right on the Okanagan Lake waterfront near the William R. Bennett Bridge. They offer a full fleet of pontoon boats, bowriders, wakeboard boats, and personal watercraft for half-day, full-day, and multi-day rentals. No boating licence required for most rentals — a brief orientation is provided. Perfect for families, groups, and anyone who wants to explore Okanagan Lake at their own pace.

1310 Water St, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9P3

Sicamous is the houseboat capital of Canada, and Shuswap Houseboat Vacations is one of the premier operators on the lake. Their fleet of luxury houseboats sleeps 8–16 people and comes fully equipped with kitchens, BBQs, waterslides, and sun decks. A week on Shuswap Lake aboard one of these floating cottages is a quintessential BC summer experience — anchoring in quiet bays, swimming off the back deck, and exploring 1,000 kilometres of shoreline.

1000 Riverside Ave, Sicamous, BC V0E 2V0

Three Buoys is one of Sicamous's most respected houseboat operators, with a fleet of meticulously maintained luxury houseboats ranging from 42 to 65 feet. Each boat is fully self-contained with full kitchen, BBQ, waterslide, and sun deck. Three Buoys also rents pontoon boats and ski boats for day use. Their team provides a thorough orientation before departure, and 24-hour support is available on the water.

1155 Riverside Ave, Sicamous, BC V0E 2V0

Twin Anchors is one of the largest houseboat rental fleets on Shuswap Lake, offering boats that sleep 6 to 22 people. Their top-of-the-line models feature multiple bedrooms, full kitchens, entertainment systems, waterslides, and hot tubs. Twin Anchors has been operating on the Shuswap for over 40 years and is known for exceptional customer service and well-maintained vessels.

1000 Finlayson St, Sicamous, BC V0E 2V0

Penticton sits between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake, and Penticton Boat Rentals takes advantage of both. Rent a pontoon boat for a lazy day on Okanagan Lake, a bowrider for tubing and watersports on Skaha, or a jet ski for some solo fun. The company is located right on the Okanagan Lake beach, making it easy to get on the water quickly.

45 Lakeshore Dr W, Penticton, BC V2A 1B6

Osoyoos Lake is BC's warmest lake, and Osoyoos Boat Rentals makes it easy to enjoy it. The company rents pontoon boats, speedboats, jet skis, kayaks, and paddleboards from their waterfront location in the heart of Osoyoos. The lake's warm, clear water and desert backdrop make it one of the most scenic boating destinations in the province.

8907 Main St, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0

Kalamalka Lake — nicknamed the 'Lake of Many Colours' for its stunning turquoise hues — is one of BC's most beautiful lakes, and this Vernon-based operator makes it accessible by boat. Rent a pontoon for a family day, a bowrider for watersports, or a kayak to explore the lake's dramatic shoreline and hidden coves at a slower pace.

6200 Kalamalka Lake Rd, Vernon, BC V1H 1L6

Adams Lake is one of the most pristine and least-crowded lakes in the Thompson region, and Adams Lake Marina offers boat rentals for those who want to explore its 65-kilometre length. The lake is famous for its crystal-clear water, excellent rainbow trout fishing, and the nearby Adams River — home to the world's largest sockeye salmon run every four years.

Adams Lake Rd, Chase, BC V0E 1M0

Kamloops sits at the confluence of the North and South Thompson Rivers, and this operator provides access to both the rivers and nearby Kamloops Lake. Rent a motorboat for fishing on Kamloops Lake — one of BC's best rainbow trout fisheries — or a jet ski for some Thompson River fun. The company also offers guided fishing trips on the lake.

1025 River St, Kamloops, BC V2C 2B4

Prince of Whales is Victoria's most celebrated whale watching operator, running tours from the Inner Harbour since 1988. Their fleet includes both covered tour vessels for comfort and open Zodiac inflatables for a more exhilarating experience. The waters around Victoria are home to resident and transient orca pods, humpback whales, minke whales, Dall's porpoise, and harbour seals. Tours run year-round, with peak orca sightings from May through October.

812 Wharf St, Victoria, BC V8W 1T3

Springtide Whale Watching runs naturalist-guided whale watching and eco tours from Victoria's Inner Harbour. Their knowledgeable guides provide detailed commentary on the marine ecosystem, whale behaviour, and the Salish Sea environment. Tours regularly encounter orca, humpback, and minke whales, as well as bald eagles, sea lions, and harbour porpoise. Springtide is known for small group sizes and a commitment to responsible wildlife viewing.

1119 Wharf St, Victoria, BC V8W 1T7

Eagle Wing Tours is a carbon-neutral whale watching operator running tours from Victoria's Inner Harbour. They were one of the first whale watching companies in BC to achieve carbon-neutral certification and are committed to responsible marine wildlife viewing. Tours encounter orca, humpback, and minke whales, as well as harbour seals, sea lions, and bald eagles. Eagle Wing offers both Zodiac and covered vessel options.

12 Erie St, Victoria, BC V8V 1P3

Orca Spirit Adventures operates large covered tour vessels and Zodiac inflatables from Victoria's Inner Harbour. Their 60-passenger covered vessels are ideal for families and those who prefer a more comfortable, sheltered experience. Onboard naturalists provide expert commentary throughout the tour. Orca Spirit has a whale sighting guarantee — if you don't see whales, you get a free return trip.

950 Wharf St, Victoria, BC V8W 1T3

Stubbs Island Whale Watching operates from the legendary Telegraph Cove boardwalk on northern Vancouver Island — one of the best places in the world to see orca. The company has been running whale watching tours since 1980 and is one of BC's most respected operators. The waters around Johnstone Strait are home to the world's largest concentration of orca, and tours regularly encounter large pods of resident killer whales, as well as humpback whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins.

1 Boardwalk, Telegraph Cove, BC V0N 3J0

Campbell River is the 'Salmon Capital of the World' and a premier whale watching destination. This operator runs both whale watching tours in Johnstone Strait and salmon fishing charters in the Discovery Passage. Tours regularly encounter orca, humpback whales, and Pacific white-sided dolphins, while fishing charters target chinook, coho, and pink salmon. Campbell River is one of the few places in BC where you can do both on the same day.

1340 Island Hwy, Campbell River, BC V9W 2E3

The Gulf Islands are one of the world's great sailing destinations — a sheltered archipelago of 200+ islands with calm anchorages, charming villages, and stunning scenery. Gulf Islands Sailing Charters offers bareboat charters for experienced sailors and skippered charters for those who want a captain on board. Sail between Salt Spring, Galiano, Mayne, Pender, and Saturna Islands, stopping at local restaurants, artisan studios, and secluded beaches.

2320 Harbour Rd, Sidney, BC V8L 2P6

Nanaimo's protected harbour and proximity to the Gulf Islands make it an ideal base for boating. This operator rents motorboats and fishing boats for day trips to nearby islands, as well as kayaks and paddleboards for exploring the harbour and Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park. Guided fishing charters targeting salmon and halibut are also available.

1 Port Dr, Nanaimo, BC V9R 6H9

Tofino's remote beaches, hot springs, and wildlife viewing areas are only accessible by boat, and Tofino Water Taxi provides the connections. Tours include hot springs cove excursions (a 2-hour boat ride to natural hot springs in Maquinna Marine Provincial Park), bear watching tours in Clayoquot Sound, and water taxi service to remote beaches like Vargas Island and Meares Island. One of the most unique boating experiences in BC.

Main Dock, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0

Remote Passages has been running marine excursions in Clayoquot Sound since 1985, making them one of Tofino's most experienced operators. Tours include whale watching (grey whales in spring, humpbacks in summer), bear watching, hot springs cove, and Meares Island rainforest tours. Their knowledgeable guides provide expert commentary on the Clayoquot Sound ecosystem, First Nations history, and marine wildlife.

51 Wharf St, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0

Ucluelet is one of BC's premier sport fishing destinations, and this operator runs salmon and halibut fishing charters in Barkley Sound and the open Pacific. Ucluelet is also an excellent whale watching location — grey whales pass through in spring and humpbacks are present through summer. The company offers both fishing charters and wildlife viewing tours from their Ucluelet harbour base.

1682 Peninsula Rd, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0

Squamish sits at the head of Howe Sound — a dramatic fjord flanked by granite peaks and old-growth forest. Squamish Water Sports rents motorboats, kayaks, and paddleboards for exploring the sound, and is also a hub for windsurfing and kiteboarding (Squamish is one of the best windsurfing spots in North America). The views of the Stawamus Chief and surrounding mountains from the water are extraordinary.

38154 Cleveland Ave, Squamish, BC V8B 0A1

The Sunshine Coast is one of BC's most scenic and least-crowded boating destinations — a 180-kilometre stretch of coastline accessible only by ferry from Horseshoe Bay. Sunshine Coast Boat Rentals operates from Sechelt, offering motorboats and fishing boats for exploring the coast, kayaks for paddling through sheltered inlets, and guided fishing charters targeting salmon and rockfish.

5765 Wharf Rd, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0

Deep Cove is the gateway to Indian Arm — a stunning 25-kilometre fjord that extends north from Burrard Inlet into the mountains behind North Vancouver. Indian Arm Boat Rentals offers motorboats, kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards for exploring the fjord. The arm is home to Granite Falls, a spectacular waterfall accessible only by boat or kayak, and the waters are calm and sheltered — ideal for beginners.

4350 Gallant Ave, Deep Cove, BC V7G 1L2

Granville Island Boat Rentals offers electric boats and runabouts for exploring False Creek and Burrard Inlet — one of the most scenic urban boating experiences in Canada. Cruise past the Vancouver skyline, under the Burrard Bridge, and around the seawall. No boating experience required for the electric boats. Kayaks and paddleboards are also available for those who prefer human-powered exploration.

1696 Duranleau St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3S4

Harrison Lake is one of the largest lakes in the Lower Mainland — a dramatic body of water surrounded by glacier-capped peaks just 2 hours from Vancouver. Harrison Lake Boat Rentals offers motorboats, pontoon boats, kayaks, and paddleboards from the Harrison Hot Springs waterfront. Combine a morning on the lake with an afternoon soak in the famous hot springs for a perfect day trip.

100 Esplanade Ave, Harrison Hot Springs, BC V0M 1K0

Fraser River Safari runs thrilling jet boat tours through the Fraser Canyon — one of BC's most dramatic river landscapes. The tours travel through the canyon at high speed, passing towering rock walls, First Nations pictographs, and the confluence of the Fraser and Chilliwack Rivers. The Fraser Canyon section of the river is not navigable by conventional boats — the jet boat's shallow draft allows access to areas no other vessel can reach.

44680 Yale Rd W, Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H3

Kootenay Lake is one of BC's largest and most beautiful lakes — a 104-kilometre body of water flanked by the Selkirk and Purcell Mountains. Kootenay Lake Boat Rentals operates from Nelson's waterfront, offering motorboats and pontoon boats for day trips on the lake, as well as kayaks and paddleboards for exploring the shoreline. The lake is famous for its massive Gerrard rainbow trout — the largest strain of rainbow trout in the world.

100 Front St, Nelson, BC V1L 4B6

Lake Windermere in the Columbia Valley is one of BC's warmest and most popular summer lakes, drawing visitors from Alberta and across BC. Windermere Lake Boat Rentals offers a full range of watercraft from their Invermere waterfront location — motorboats, pontoons, jet skis, kayaks, and wakeboards. The lake's warm water and mountain backdrop make it one of the most enjoyable boating destinations in the BC Interior.

1000 Lakeshore Dr, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

The Columbia River through the Kootenays is one of BC's great waterways, and Columbia River Boat Tours offers guided tours of the Arrow Lakes and the Columbia River system. Tours explore the flooded valleys of the Arrow Lakes — a dramatic landscape created when the Hugh Keenleyside Dam was built in the 1960s — and visit historic sites along the river corridor.

400 Columbia Ave, Castlegar, BC V1N 1G6

Haida Gwaii — the 'Galapagos of the North' — is one of the world's most extraordinary marine environments, and Haida Gwaii Adventures offers fishing charters, wildlife tours, and cultural excursions in these remote waters. The archipelago is home to massive chinook salmon, halibut, lingcod, and rockfish, as well as orca, humpback whales, sea lions, and millions of seabirds. Tours are guided by Haida Nation members who share the cultural and ecological significance of these waters.

3220 Wharf St, Queen Charlotte, BC V0T 1S0

The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the last intact temperate rainforests on Earth, and Great Bear Nature Tours offers boat-based wildlife viewing in this extraordinary ecosystem. Tours focus on grizzly bear and spirit bear (Kermode bear) viewing in the river estuaries of the central BC coast, as well as humpback whale watching, sea wolf sightings, and First Nations cultural experiences. This is wilderness boating at its most profound.

Bella Coola, BC V0T 1C0

The Skeena River is one of the world's premier steelhead and salmon rivers, and Skeena River Adventures offers guided fishing trips and river tours on the Skeena and its tributaries. Drift boat and jet boat fishing trips target steelhead, chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon. The river corridor is also spectacular for wildlife viewing — grizzly bears, bald eagles, and moose are regularly seen from the water.

4620 Lakelse Ave, Terrace, BC V8G 1R1

Prince Rupert sits at the mouth of the Skeena River on BC's north coast — one of the richest marine environments in the province. Prince Rupert Whale Watching runs tours targeting humpback whales, orca, Steller sea lions, harbour porpoise, and bald eagles in the waters around the Tsimshian Archipelago. The area is also excellent for grizzly bear viewing in the river estuaries during salmon season.

215 Cow Bay Rd, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1A2

The Stikine River is one of BC's most remote and spectacular waterways — a wild river that cuts through the Stikine Plateau and the Coast Mountains in a series of dramatic canyons. Stikine River Tours runs jet boat excursions through the Grand Canyon of the Stikine — a 90-kilometre canyon with walls rising 300 metres above the river. This is one of the most remote and dramatic boating experiences in North America.

Telegraph Creek, BC V0J 2W0

The Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit is one of the world's great wilderness paddling routes — a 116-kilometre circuit through a chain of lakes and rivers in the Cariboo Mountains. Bowron Lake Outfitters rents canoes, kayaks, and complete gear packages for the circuit, which typically takes 6–10 days to complete. The route passes through pristine wilderness with abundant wildlife including moose, grizzly bears, wolves, and bald eagles.

Wells, BC V0K 2R0

The Chilcotin River and its tributaries offer some of BC's most remote and spectacular river boating. Chilcotin Wilderness Adventures runs guided fishing trips and river tours targeting steelhead and salmon on the Chilcotin, Chilko, and Dean Rivers. The Chilko River is one of BC's most prized steelhead rivers, and the Dean River is legendary among fly fishers worldwide for its summer steelhead run.

Williams Lake, BC V2G 1M3