Questions

Everything you might want to know.

If your question is not here, call 562.546.2493 or email hello@lbwaterbikes.com. A real person answers.


Booking a ride

How long is a ride?

One hour is our standard ride, and it is the right one for the bay route and a stop on the sand. We also run a two hour ride, which is what you want for the Naples canals, or for fishing, or for anyone who would rather take their time than watch the clock. Christmas Lights rides, December 1 to January 5, run 75 minutes.

Check in 30 minutes before your departure time. Arriving late cuts into your time on the water, not ours.

How much does it cost?

A 1-hour ride is from $29 per rider, usually $35, and up to $40 for the busiest departures, depending on the day and the departure time. A 2-hour ride is $50 per rider, and Christmas Lights rides (December 1 to January 5) are $35 per rider with hot cocoa included. The quietest weekday middays in the off-season are the cheapest, and summer weekend evenings are the priciest. The booking calendar always shows the real price for the slot you pick before you pay.

Children ages 4 to 9 can ride along as a passenger with an adult on day rides only, for $10, as long as the combined weight stays under 250 pounds.

Buying ahead brings it down: a 10-ride pack works out to $28 a ride.

Do I need a reservation?

Strongly encouraged. We sell out often, so walking up is a gamble. Booking ahead also means our crew can reach you if anything changes.

What kinds of rides do you run?

Day rides, sunset rides and LED-glow rides after dark, one hour each, plus our two hour ride. After dark every hydrobike is LED-lit. From December 1 to January 5 we also run Christmas Lights rides, 75 minutes long, through the Naples canals, with hot cocoa included.

For the 1-hour rides, price depends on the day and the departure time rather than on which kind of ride you pick. Sunset and glow rides sell out first in summer.

What are the Christmas Lights rides?

Every December the homes along the Naples canals light up for the Christmas lights contest, and you can see them from the water. Christmas Lights rides are 75 minutes, $35 per rider, and hot cocoa is included every time. Every hydrobike is LED-lit.

Every rider pedals their own hydrobike, so everyone needs to reach the pedals, usually around age 10. There are no ride-along child passengers on these rides. Our crew chase boat is out on the water: it shows riders the entrance to the Naples canals and makes sure everyone gets back safely, and you pedal at your own pace.

They run December 1 to January 5. There are no Christmas Lights rides on December 12, 2026 (the Naples boat parade night), Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. Dress warm.

When are you open?

We are open year round, generally Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 9pm (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Days and departure times change with the season, and we will close for weather.

The booking calendar is the real answer. Check availability before you head down, or call 562.546.2493 and we will tell you what is running.

Where are you and where do I check in?

Check in at our dock, in front of Ballast Point Brewery on Alamitos Bay. GPS it to 110 N Marina Dr, Long Beach, CA 90803.

The whole fleet lives right there, so the dock is the only place you need to go. We no longer have a separate storefront.

Is parking free?

Yes, at Alamitos Bay Landing and along Marina Drive. Avoid the red-curbed boater parking.

Valet runs $10 on some weekends. Rideshare and public transit both work, including the AquaLink.

Who can ride

Is there an age requirement?

We say 10 and up, because by 10 almost every kid can reach the pedals. But the real test is leg length, not birthdays. Plenty of 8 and 9 year olds ride their own hydrobike fine, and we have had 10 and 11 year olds, and the occasional adult, who could not reach.

If you can reach, you can ride. See the leg length question below.

Children under 4 cannot ride at all, not even as a passenger. They are too young to follow instructions out on the water. From 4 to 9, a child who cannot reach the pedals can ride along on an adult’s bike on day rides only, as long as the adult and child together weigh 250 lb or less. Sunset, glow, 2-hour and Christmas Lights rides have no ride-along passengers, so every rider on those needs to reach the pedals.

Is there a height or leg length requirement?

Leg length is the one that matters, and it is the only real requirement for riding your own hydrobike. Height has nothing to do with it.

Measure from your sit bone to the bottom of your heel with your leg fully extended. You need about 28 inches to reach the pedals.

Worth measuring at home before you book. It saves everybody a difficult conversation at the dock.

Is there a weight limit?

Yes. 250 pounds total per hydrobike, which covers the rider, any child riding along and whatever you bring with you.

Do minors need an adult with them?

Yes. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older.

Do I need any experience?

None. If you can ride a bike you can ride a hydrobike. There is a learning curve, but it is a short one, usually about a minute of getting used to how the steering feels. After that it is just pedaling. It is a mild workout: easy for some people, more work for others, and always fun.

Do I have to wear a life jacket?

Yes. Life jackets are required, we provide them, and ours are Coast Guard certified.

Can I bring alcohol?

No. Alcohol is not allowed on our rides. It is against the law to operate a watercraft under the influence. Save the drinks for after your ride.

How many people fit on one hydrobike?

One. Every hydrobike in our fleet seats a single rider.

A child who cannot reach the pedals yet can ride along on an adult’s bike on day rides, ages 4 to 9, as long as the two of you come in under the 250 pound limit.

Can I ride if I have an injury or a mobility issue?

Plenty of people with physical and cognitive differences have ridden with us, and we take it case by case. Call 562.546.2493 and tell us about it before you book so we can talk it through.

We are not medical people, though, so anything to do with your own condition is a question for your doctor first.

Can I bring my dog?

No. For the safety of our crew, pets are not allowed.

On the day

Will I get wet?

Most people stay dry, but wear shoes you would not mind getting a few drops of saltwater on. At full extension your feet sit about six inches above the water.

What should I wear and bring?

Dress for the weather. Worth bringing:

  • Sunscreen
  • A hat
  • Water
  • Sandals with a heel strap, or shoes you do not mind getting a little saltwater on

Every hydrobike has two cup holders and a storage cubby for your things.

Can I bring a cooler or a picnic?

A very small one, yes. There is not much room on a hydrobike.

If it is a small cooler or a picnic basket with grip on the bottom, it can sit on the side deck where a child would ride. Anything bigger is not going to work.

Is there a restroom?

Yes, in the Alamitos Bay Landing shopping center just up from the dock. It stays locked, so ask the crew and we will get you the key.

Can I fish from a hydrobike?

Yes, and the 2-hour ride is the one to book for it. Two hours is enough to get out past the bridge, work the Naples canals and get back without rushing.

Bring your own rod, tackle and license. We are a rental, not a charter, so there is no guide, bait or gear.

How far can I go?

There is a route map on our home page. The sandy beach along Alamitos Peninsula runs beside most of the route, on the way out and again on the way back, so the beach is not a single destination you have to reach. Stop ten minutes in, or keep going and find a quieter stretch. Either way it fits comfortably inside a one hour ride.

The Naples Island canals are the bigger trip, roughly two miles round trip, so they go with our two hour ride. That gives you time to take it slow and enjoy it. It is beautiful, and it is a real workout for some people, so keep in mind that you are the engine.

Stay inside the bay. No going out to the ocean or into the harbor.

Tickets, packs and gifts

What is the difference between a ride pack and a gift card?
  • Ride pack is paper tickets you buy up front, 3, 5 or 10 at a time, down to $28 a ride. They never expire.
  • Gift card is for somebody else. Any amount, or a set 1-hour or 2-hour ride.

Ride packs and gift cards both work for Christmas Lights rides too.

Do ride pack tickets expire?

Never. They work on any available departure, including sunset and glow rides.

We mail them for about $6, or you can pick them up free at will call.

Does a ticket hold my spot?

No. A ticket covers the cost of the ride, but you still need to book a departure. Book online or call 562.546.2493, then hand the ticket to the crew at the dock.

How do gift cards work?

They arrive by email, usually within a few minutes. You can send one for any dollar amount, or for a set 1-hour or 2-hour ride.

The recipient redeems it inside our online booking when they pick their date, or they can call us and we will do it for them.

Have a gift card from before October 2026? Enter it in the Promo Code box at checkout.

Do you do group, corporate or reseller rates?

Yes. We take up to 20 guests per departure, and back to back departures for larger groups.

For tour operators, hotels and companies buying blocks of rides to resell or hand out, we run a partner program: Partner Packs of 30 or 50 rides at up to 35% off. See lbwaterbikes.com/partners or call 562.546.2493 and we will set it up. Partner Pack rides on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are booked by phone.

Can we book a private departure?

Yes. To have a departure to yourselves, book the whole fleet for that time. For a smaller group that still wants a private departure, call us at 562.546.2493; it usually means booking at least 15 hydrobikes.

Changes, weather and cancellations

Can I cancel?

Yes, with at least 48 hours notice. When you book, we hold that time in our schedule for you, so cancellations inside 48 hours are not refundable.

Booked through Airbnb, Viator or GetYourGuide? Those bookings follow that site’s cancellation policy, so check your confirmation from them.

Email hello@lbwaterbikes.com or call 562.546.2493.

Can I reschedule?

Yes, also with at least 48 hours notice. Same contacts: hello@lbwaterbikes.com or 562.546.2493.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Now and then we close for wind, rain or fog. If you booked ahead, our crew contacts you and we sort out a new time.

This is the best argument for booking rather than walking up.

Do you offer refunds?

Bookings cancelled more than 48 hours ahead, yes. Inside 48 hours, no.

Ride pack tickets are not refundable, though they never expire so there is no rush to use them.

Still stuck? Call 562.546.2493 or email hello@lbwaterbikes.com.