Fun By the Hour

Fun By the Hour
How many times have you trekked to the beach and envied the luxury of a shaded beach chair or wished you had one of those neat little scooters to ride? There’s an abundant choice of leisure time equipment available for easy, and affordable, rental. There are facilities that will provide all the equipment you need for a fun activity and many have staff that will instruct you on how to do it safely. Some will even guide you around and give you a short history or ecology lesson.
From surfing and bicycling to Segways and jet-skis, there is plenty of fun to be had by the hour. Some of these options may seem costly but when you consider the cost of purchasing and maintaining the equipment and and the hassle of storing and transporting it, renting can be the way to go.
e2ride Neighborhood Bike Tours (945-1571, www.e2ride.com) Get to know know the city while getting sunshine, fresh air and a little exercise. This eco-bike tour has neighborhood routes in Springfield, Riverside, San Marco, Mandarin and the Beaches. It’s a ready-to-ride type program, so no need to lug your own bike. They provide bike, helmets, snacks and even sunscreen. Prices are about $45 and up. (If you provide your own gear and snacks, the cost is halved). Your ride guide will point out architectural details, local flora and will let you know about the history of the area.
EcoMotion Tours (11255 Fort George Road, 251-9477, www.ecomotiontours.com) Ride a cross-terrain Segway along sandy paths through a sub-tropical paradise out to the Timucuan Preserve’s coastal wilderness of dunes, salt marshes and islands on Fort George Island. Tuesday to Sunday; 10 am – noon, $85 per person; 2:30- 3:30 pm, $55 per person
Backwater Fishing Adventures (11911 Harmony Drive, 708-8915, www.backwaterfishingadventures.com) Join Captain Dave Borries for a backwater fishing adventure with with light tackle or fly fishing for red fish, sea trout, flounder and tarpon. Bird watching and photo safari also available.
Kayak Amelia (13030 Heckscher Drive, 251-0016, www.kayakamelia.com) Join Kayak/Nature Tours where you will develop the skills to make you comfortable on the water and explore the waterways, critters and beautiful islands of the First Coast. Fee $60 and includes all gear and a snack. Tours are offered from Dutton Island, GTMNERR, Guana Lake and more. You can also create your own adventure and rent a canoe or kayak. Rental costs range from $32-$62. Kayak Amelia also offers Bike Eco-tours. Explore the uplands hammock of Talbot Islands & Ft. Clinch State Parks. Bike tours are scheduled for Mondays from 10 am- noon, $45/person.
Atlantic Watersports (2327 Beach Boulevard, Jacksonville Beach, 270-0200, www.atlantic-watersports.com) Splash around on jet skis, bowriders, pontoon boats and fishing boats at Beach Marine, on the northeast side of the Intracoastal bridge. Rates: All vessels rent for the same price: 1 hour @ $79, 2 hours @ $139, 4 hours @ $229, 8 hours @ $349
Kitai Powersports (228 3rd Street N, Jacksonville Beach, 372-0171, Kitaipowersportsinc@yahoo.com) If you’re looking for a fun frolic on a motorized scooter this is the place to visit. They carry a large variety of easy to ride get-arounds from 50cc up to 150cc
Jax Beach Surf Shop (221 1st Street N, Jacksonville Beach, 247-SURF, www.JaxBeachSurfShop.com) Conveniently located next to the Sea Walk Pavilion this place is a real surf shop that also carries stylin’ apparel, hats, sunglasses and offers rentals of bikes, skimboards, surfboards (even wetsuits), umbrellas, beach chairs and surfing lessons.
RENT BEACH STUFF (1-877-997-8833, 305-6472, www.rentbeachstuff.com) Whether you’re in from out of town or just visiting from across the ditch, these guys offer a wide variety of rentals and services: beach cruiser bikes, tandem bikes, trailers, child seats, helmets, surfboards- long/short, skim boards, boogie boards, kayaks- single/tandem, metal detectors, fishing poles, umbrellas, canopies, beach chairs, lounge chairs, snorkel sets, beach towels, beach blankets, baby playpens, BBQ grills, coolers, beach carts and volleyball sets.