by DAVE SCHWAB
You can glide on an electric boardwalk ride throughout Pacific Beach, courtesy of Dan and Marlene Borelli.
The Borellis are co-owners of Boardwalk Electric Rides Pacific Beach/Boardwalk Rides at 4150 Mission Blvd. in the Promenade At Pacific Beach. They promise customers an electric experience renting a seemingly inexhaustible assortment of scooters and bikes.
The couple recently expanded next door where Segway was, more than doubling their space. They also added on to their name reflecting rentals of both electric and non-electric bikes and scooters of all types for all ages. That mix now includes Segways.
“This concept came to us because of the growing popularity of electric,” said Dan Borelli. “We really know how to take care of our customers.”
That’s accomplished, Borelli said, by keeping things fresh. “We tell customers, ‘The next time they come in, we’ll have something different they haven’t seen before.’ ”
Boardwalk Rides offers guided beach and bay tours of Pacific Beach led by homegrown guides. Tours cost $55 an hour, $75 for 90 minutes. “We’ve done quite a few since we started,” Borelli said. “I’m quite sure they’ll be popular in the summer.”
Boardwalk Bikes is having a grand opening celebrating their expanded space sometime this March, offering discounted rentals and raffling off a bike.
Besides being independent, Borelli noted his business is also respectful of the law. “We don’t rent to intoxicated riders, or anyone under age 16,” he said. “We issue helmets with all our equipment. We don’t want to jeopardize safety in our community.”
Boardwalk Bikes’ showroom displays a meticulously maintained fleet of recreational vehicles. It’s all fun.
“I’ve had people tell me it’s like a toy store when they walk in,” Borelli said, pointing out he offers three stand-up and two sit-down styles of scooters. Skateboards are available along with fat-tire electric bikes.
Open seven days a week, electric vehicles rent for as little as $10 the first hour. And located in PB Promenade, there’s no shortage of parking either above or below ground.
Borelli urged people to come in and check his place out.
“We have family-fun activities here at a very reasonable price,” he said.
Boardwalk Electric Rides Pacific Beach/
Boardwalk Rides
Where: Promenade At Pacific Beach 4150 Mission Blvd.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
Info: boardwalkelectricrides.com, 858-345-0203
Read more: San Diego Community News Group – Have an electric experience riding the boardwalk