When you hear the word Alabama, what do you think of? Jet skiing?? Believe it or not, there are some great spots to Jet ski!!!
What some people(myself included) don’t think about sometimes is the fact that Alabama has some beautiful coast on the Gulf of Mexico. It does not have as much as Florida of course, but the area of Orange Beach is a popular vacation spot for beach lovers.
One of the many activities that beach-goers can enjoy is renting jet skis. But with quite a few options available, who has the best prices for jet ski rentals in Orange Beach?
The best hourly rental rates can be found at Alabama Extreme Watersports. Their prices range from about $90 to $99 an hour, compared to the typical $110 per hour in the Orange Beach area.
Alabama Extreme Watersports might have the best prices for a couple of hours, but that does not necessarily mean that they will be the best company for you. We’ll look at a couple of other companies to see how they compare.
Alabama Extreme Watersports
Alabama Extreme Watersports is located at 5749 Bay La Launch Ave, Orange Beach, AL 36561, pretty close to the border with Florida. The company has a great reputation and even though it is the newest watersport company in the area, they are not falling behind the competition.
Price Breakdown
As noted above, Alabama Extreme Watersports has the lowest prices for 1 and 2-hour rentals. The prices range from $95 to $99 for one hour, and from $170 to $180 for 2 hours of riding. When you do the math, that means you could be riding for as little as $85 an hour!
Another charge that has to be paid by renters is a $10 charge per hour for fuel. Keep in mind that fuel is something you will have to pay for at most rental companies, and the way it is taken care of varies. With this company, you pay $10 an hour on top of the rental price.
There is also a required security deposit of $500 that will be returned barring any damage to the jet skis. If you are worried about potential damage, you can pay a little extra for insurance.
Other Activities Offered
Another popular activity in the Orange Beach area that involves jet skis is what is known as dolphin tours. On these guided tours, an employee accompanies you and your group to look for dolphins. While there is a chance that you may see them on your own, the guides are experienced and familiar with the best sighting spots.
These excursions are about an hour and a half long and cost from about $150 to $170 per jet ski. There is no extra charge for fuel with this type of activity.
The maximum number of jet skis that can go with each group is 8. That means you will have a small, fairly intimate experience and be able to ask questions as you please.
Another plus to this activity is that you can ride out to islands and even up into rivers, whereas if you rent you are required to stay within the bay area.
Rules of Renting
Not just anybody can walk up and say they want to take a jet ski out for a couple of hours. Alabama Extreme Watersports does have rules when it comes to who gets to rent.
The minimum age for renting a jet ski is 19. People ages 16 to 18 are allowed to drive if they are accompanied by their legal parent or guardian on the jet ski, all of which have a maximum seating capacity of 2.
Children under the age of 16 may ride with a parent or guardian, but Alabama Extreme Watersports recommends against any child under 3 year of age riding.
Life jackets must be worn by all riders. Life jackets are provided by the company at no extra charge.
Flora-Bama Marina
As the name implies, the Flora-Bama Marina is located right on the border of Alabama and Florida. Its address is 29603 Perdido Beach Blvd, Orange Beach, AL 36561. They offer a variety of awesome activities that anyone can enjoy.
Price Breakdown
The prices at the Flora-Bama Marina are pretty reasonable, and they get better the longer you want to rent.
The jet skis fit 2 people like those at Extreme Watersports, and they start from $100 to $110 for one hour and go to $350 to $375 for 4-hour rentals. Basically, the longer you rent, the better hourly rate you will get.
However, there is a caveat when it comes to fuel. There is a $10 extra charge for fuel, and then after that, you are responsible for the cost of any extra fuel.
If you plan on renting for a few hours and riding pretty hard, you might have to fill up the tank if you don’t want to paddle back to the marina. But jet skis are typically pretty fuel friendly, so you shouldn’t have to worry much if you don’t plan on riding for the entire day.
Other Activites Offered
You will definitely find the largest variety of activities at the Flora-Bama marina.
They offer kayak rentals, paddle board rentals, pontoon boat rentals, and you can even rent a pontoon boat with a slide on it. Kayaks are the cheapest option, starting at about $25. But the pontoon boats are not a bad price by any means. For just a few hundred dollars you can take one out for 4 hours.
The activities that the Marina might be best known for are the fishing charters offered. They offer fishing trips on a variety of boats to a number of locations, fishing for many different types of fish. This can be a great option if you want to take it easy after a day of fast-paced jet skiing.
There are also a few restaurants at the marina. You don’t get a free meal for renting of course, but the close proximity makes it a convenient place to grab some food after a day of fun.
Rules of Renting
The same rules apply to renting jet skis from the Flora-Bama Marina as Extreme Watersports. Renters must be 19 and drivers must be at least 16. Valid ID must be shown to prove age and eligibility.
Life jackets are also required.
Wahoo Watersports!
Wahoo Watersports is the furthest away from the Florida border out of the companies listed in this article, located at 4576 Walker Key Blvd Orange Beach, AL 36561. They also offer a variety of activities, as well as what is probably the best rate for an all-day rental of jet skis.
Price Breakdown
A one-hour jet ski rental at Wahoo costs from about $106 to $110. The rate is a little higher than the others, but something interesting is that fuel is included in the price.
If you want to rent a jet ski for the whole day, this is the place to go. The price is about $600, and that includes fuel as well. If you can take being on the water for that long this is a great option, as it takes the hourly rate to below $100.
Other Activities Offered
Like Extreme Watersports, Wahoo offers a dolphin tour that is popular and well-liked. the price is between $190 and $200, and the tour runs for about 2 hours. You get to see dolphins as well as visit private islands in the area.
Wahoo Watersports offers great fishing charters. They have options of offshore fishing, inshore fishing, trolling charter fishing, shark fishing, and gill net fishing.
There are also pontoon boats available for rent for either half or whole days.
Rules of Renting
The same rules apply here. Renters must be 19 and drivers must be at least 16, all with valid ID to prove age. Life jackets are also required but provided.
The Best Choice
When it comes down to it, most people are only going to want to rent a jet ski for a couple of hours at the most. In cases like that, your best bet for the best price is going to be with Alabama Extreme Watersports.
If you plan on spending a whole day on the water or maybe purchasing other activities as well, it would be worth it to look into Wahoo or the Flora-Bama Marina.
Whichever company you decide to go with, it is a near guarantee that you will have a thrilling and unforgettable experience!