Echo Park: Swan Boat Rental & Lotus Lake Pedal Experience

4.66

(1043 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“You sure you know how to steer this thing?” That’s what my friend asked as we wobbled into our swan boat at Echo Park Lake. The guy at the dock—Luis, I think—handed us bright orange life vests and grinned like he’d seen it all before. The boats look kind of silly from the shore, but once you’re out there, gliding past those big lotus leaves with downtown LA peeking over the palm trees, it feels pretty peaceful. There was this faint smell of sunscreen and lake water, and honestly, I didn’t expect to laugh so much just trying to pedal in sync.

The sun wasn’t too harsh thanks to the canopy overhead (my pale arms appreciated that), and every so often a duck would paddle by looking mildly offended that we were invading its space. We brought iced coffee and snacks—no one stopped us—and just floated for a while near the fountain. At one point, a little kid in another swan boat waved like he was on parade. I waved back even though I’m not usually that person. Guess it’s hard not to feel a bit lighter out there.

I still think about how quiet it got in the middle of the lake, except for distant traffic hum and some laughter from other boats drifting by. It’s not some wild adventure, but if you want a low-key afternoon with friends or family (or just an excuse to eat pastries on the water), this is one of those LA things that actually lives up to its reputation—even if your steering’s questionable.