The lagoon runs past thousands of homes in Foster City. It shows up in listing photos, in the view from back decks, in the walk people take after dinner. What it doesn't show up in is most residents' actual summer plans — because the gap between living next to the water and knowing how to get on it turns out to be wider than it looks from the shore.
There is a boathouse at Leo Ryan Park. It has been there for years. It rents kayaks, standup paddleboards, pedal boats, and windsurfing equipment at $10 per person per half-hour, cash only, starting in the late morning. Most people drive past the VIBE Teen Center on Shell Boulevard and never stop. That is the story this post is about.
The Boathouse at Leo Ryan Park
California Windsurfing operates out of the Boat Shed at the south end of Leo Ryan Park, directly behind the VIBE Teen Center at 650 Shell Blvd. The setup is low-key and intentionally so: walk up, sign the rental agreement, pay cash, get on the water.
| Craft | Rate | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Single kayak | $10 / half-hour per person | 30 minutes |
| Double kayak | $10 / half-hour per person | 30 minutes |
| Standup paddleboard | $10 / half-hour per person | 30 minutes |
| Pedal boat | $10 / half-hour per person | 30 minutes |
| Windsurfer | Lesson-based | By appointment |
Hours run Tuesday through Friday from 12:30 to 5:00 pm, and Saturday through Sunday from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm. The last rental goes out at 4:30 — that half-hour window matters if you're planning to arrive at the end of the afternoon. The operation is closed on Mondays.
Cash only is not a quirk to work around. It is how the rates stay where they are. Bring cash. There is no ATM at the park.
Beginners are the target audience. The lagoon qualifies because the water is calm, enclosed, and shallow enough that confidence builds quickly. Introduction to Kayaking lessons for ages 12 and up are available by appointment for anyone who wants a dry-land orientation before they push off.
What the Lagoon Actually Asks of You
The Foster City lagoon meanders five miles through the city's neighborhoods. In the summer, the water level is deliberately raised to accommodate recreational use. Average depth is approximately six feet, which keeps conditions manageable for paddle craft while still allowing small motorized boats.
A few things to know before you launch:
- No gas or diesel engines. The lagoon is electric-only for motorized watercraft. California Windsurfing and Edgewater Marine both operate within this rule.
- Bridge clearances vary. Foster City Bridge, Shell Bridge, and Bicentennial Bridge all clear at 22 feet at center. Rainbow Bridge clears at 15 feet. If you're in anything with any height — a mast, a canopy, a tall frame — Rainbow Bridge is the constraint.
- Two public boat ramps. Boat Park at Bounty Drive and Leo Ryan Park at 670 Shell Blvd. Small boats can launch from any point along the lagoon edge.
- Swimming is allowed throughout. Swimmers are expected to stay visible to boaters. The boathouse at Leo Ryan Park loans out swim buoys at no charge for short-term use — a detail most people don't know until they show up.
The bridge clearance difference between Rainbow and the other three crossings is the kind of specific that separates a good day on the water from a frustrating one. Twenty-two feet feels like plenty until you're under a 15-foot span.
When You're Bringing a Group
California Windsurfing works well for one to four people. If the plan involves more than that, the operation that fits the scenario is Edgewater Marine, which rents Duffy electric boats on the lagoon. Their boats accommodate up to 10 passengers on the Duffy 21 and up to 12 on the Duffy 22.
Duffy boats are slow by design. They run on electric motors, move at a quiet cruise, and require no experience to operate. The format suits groups that want to be on the water together rather than spread across separate kayaks — families with young kids, people bringing out-of-town guests, anyone for whom the conversation matters as much as the activity. Guests are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks.
The two operators serve different use cases and there is no overlap between them. California Windsurfing is individual craft, self-propelled, focused on skill and movement. Edgewater Marine is group rental, motor-assisted, focused on being somewhere together. Knowing which one you need before you show up saves the trip.
The Rest of the Park on the Same Day
Leo Ryan Park covers 20 acres along the lagoon, including a gazebo on the water, a full amphitheater, and open lawn areas. The park is also where Kiddos ChuChu runs its seasonal trackless train ride along the west end of the park, across from the Metro Shopping Center on E. Hillsdale Blvd. For the 2026 season, Kiddos ChuChu returned May 2 and runs through October 31. For households with young kids, the combination of a morning at the boathouse and an afternoon train ride covers most of the day without leaving the park.
Off the Grid runs food trucks at Leo Ryan Park on Wednesday evenings — that programming has its own arc, covered in an earlier post. The point here is simpler: a Wednesday that starts at the boathouse at 12:30 and ends at the food truck loop at 5:00 is a complete evening without a car move.
What Changes Next
At a recent City Council session, Foster City staff presented a parks assessment that found the city's supply of reservable picnic areas and dog parks was lower than comparable municipalities. Among the improvements being discussed for Leo Ryan Park: additional pickleball courts and upgraded docking areas. Those conversations are early-stage. Construction timelines haven't been set.
The version of the park you're using this summer — California Windsurfing at the boathouse, the Kiddos ChuChu train, the existing boat ramps and swim area — is the current configuration. The docking upgrades would change access patterns at the lagoon's edge in ways that aren't yet defined. If you've been meaning to spend a day on the water and treating it as a thing you'll do eventually, this summer's version of Leo Ryan Park is the one to start with.
Questions about life in Foster City, or thinking about what a property here might look like for your next chapter? Julie Flouty has worked this neighborhood long enough to know the difference between the version of Foster City that shows up in a listing description and the one you actually live in. Reach out when you're ready to talk.
