Picture yourself gliding along the Spokane River on a Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), taking a Sea Ray boat out onto Coeur d’Alene Lake for the day, or traversing the river on a jet ski or kayak. Now imagine the ease of using these summer toys minus the burden of financial commitment and maintenance. Fun Unlimited, a regional water recreation rental company, was established to make summer fun in the northwest more accessible for everyone.

Five years ago Keith and Cara Quien traded the nine-to-five life for a “job” they could get excited about. Their love of water sports and life in the Inland Northwest fueled the brainstorming and Fun Unlimited was born. While they specialize in SUP rentals, they offer kayak, jet ski, and boat rentals so locals and travelers can enjoy area waterways the way they’d like to. “It has been our goal from the beginning to make water sports more welcoming to beginners. Paddleboarding is such a great option for entry level users,” says Cara.

They are so passionate about introducing paddleboards to beginners they launched their own line of entry-level boards. The line is called Stillwater, representing its intentional design to be used on the still waters of the lakes and rivers in our region. Stillwater SUPs are wider and more stable and user friendly than other models, making them a great solution for Fun Unlimited customers. “There are many people intimidated by the idea of kayaking and paddleboarding,” says Cara. “They think it’s harder than it really is. The key is to use equipment built for the type of water you want to navigate and for the skill level of the user.” Stillwater currently makes two different sizes of boards and will be producing a children’s SUP this summer, all of which will be available through Fun Unlimited.

The Quiens are passionate about facilitating family memories and summer adventure so they eliminate as much of the tension from the experience as possible. “We don’t just hook you up with your rentals, offer a quick verbal how-to and send you on your way,” says Cara. Every rental receives instruction by knowledgeable users that can calm the nerves and help you have the best experience possible. “We’ll show you which way is up and which way to hold the paddle, and how to remount the equipment when you find yourself in the water.” All of this goes a long way with renters that are new to the idea.

This summer Fun Unlimited will be offering rentals in two locations along the Spokane River. Their main rental operation is located in Post Falls at the Red Lion Templin’s Hotel Marina where they offer their full line of rentals and the option of using rentals straight from the beach or taking them to your own destination for the day.

With the new Downtown River Access in Spokane, Fun Unlimited will be renting SUPs from their new location under the Division Street bridge near the convention center. Both locations offer calm and peaceful water with little to no boat traffic.

Follow them on Facebook for summer calendar announcements. www.FunUnlimited.com.