Having all of our rental, tour, and retail items integrated into a single sales app has significantly streamlined our walk-up sales process. It’s made transactions faster, and allowed our staff to provide a smoother, more professional experience for customers. It has definitely brought more efficiency and simplicity to our day-to-day operations.

Melissa Anderson
General Manager

Urban Kayaks is one of Chicago’s top outdoor experiences, offering kayak rentals and guided tours along the iconic Riverwalk and Monroe Harbor. At the start of their busy summer season, they adopted FareHarbor Dock to help their team keep up with high in-person demand for bookings, serve guests faster, and streamline sales from check-in to checkout.

Urban Kayaks 

Founded in 2011, Urban Kayaks has become a go-to destination for outdoor adventure in downtown Chicago. What started as a small riverside rental stand has grown into one of the city’s most iconic paddling experiences. With two prime locations, one along the busy Chicago Riverwalk and the other at Monroe Harbor on Lake Michigan, Urban Kayaks offers guests a unique way to explore the city from the water.

Known for its guided tours like the Historic Chicago Tour, Twilight Paddle, and Fireworks Tour, Urban Kayaks provides unforgettable experiences for locals and tourists alike. The company has earned a strong reputation for its knowledgeable staff, smooth guest check-in process, and commitment to making the Chicago waterfront accessible, active, and fun.

Challenge: A fast-paced front desk and limited time to serve

The team at Urban Kayaks sees consistent walk-up traffic at both locations. Guests arrive throughout the day to rent kayaks or join their popular guided experiences.  

As last-minute bookings,  many guests need essential gear like dry bags or sunglasses before heading out on the water. Occasionally, even individuals  who are not renting or joining a tour often stop by to purchase essentials like sunscreen and water. 

Previously, handling both bookings and merchandise required multiple  steps, slowing down the guest experience and complicating operations during peak hours.

Solution: A flexible, all-in-one point of sale 

To simplify operations and serve guests more efficiently, Urban Kayaks implemented FareHarbor Dock at both of their locations. With Staff mode, employees can manage rentals, tours, retail items, and FareHarbor Waivers all in one centralized place. 

This eliminates the need for separate tools or paperwork and helps staff move quickly during peak traffic. Guests can check in, sign waivers, and purchase everything they need in one smooth interaction.

The system was quick to learn and easy to use, helping seasonal staff get started with minimal training. Dock’s unified checkout experience makes it easy to upsell essentials like dry bags, sunscreen, and water to any guest, even those not booking a rental or tour. The simplified workflow reduces errors, speeds up service, and supports a more consistent guest experience across both locations.

The Results

FareHarbor Dock transformed the in-person sales experience at Urban Kayaks. With Staff mode in place at both locations, the team manages bookings, retail, and waivers in one seamless flow, serving walk-up guests more efficiently and improving the overall check-in experience.

Most notably, Urban Kayaks sold over 1,100 products within one month. Essentials like sunglasses, dry bags, and sunscreen became easier to upsell, even to customers who were not renting or touring.

Enhance and streamline your in-person sales with FareHarbor Dock today!