First Family ATV Rental? Here's What Actually Happens

Before You Book: Pick a Size for Each Rider

Each ATV size is its own booking — Small (ages 4+, up to 100 lbs), Medium (ages 10+, up to 160 lbs), Big (ages 14+, up to 250 lbs), or XL (ages 21+, up to 450 lbs) — so pick a size for each rider when you book. Age alone doesn't settle it: weight limits are firm, so a 9-year-old over 100 lbs is past the Small's limit but not yet old enough for the Medium, while a lighter 11-year-old can still choose the Small. If you're unsure, call or text (210) 560-1116 before booking. If you want to plan ahead anyway, our full ATV size guide breaks down the age, weight limit, and model for all four sizes. What you should decide before you book: how many riders are in your group, and which times work for everyone.

What Happens at Check-In

You'll confirm your reservation (the FareHarbor waiver signed when you booked covers each rider; there's no second waiver on arrival), and then staff walk your group over to size helmets — one per rider, fitted individually, not handed out by guesswork. This is also when a first-time parent gets the most useful five minutes of the whole visit: staff will look at each kid, ask about experience level, and confirm the booked size fits. If your child is right on the edge between two sizes, say so — that's a completely normal question with young riders.

The Safety Briefing for First-Timers

Every rider gets a briefing before heading out, and it's built assuming zero prior experience — nobody is expected to already know how an ATV works. For the youngest riders on the Small ATV, that briefing includes exactly why it has a safety throttle limiter: it caps top speed regardless of how hard a small hand squeezes the gas, so a nervous first pull on the throttle doesn't turn into a fast start. Staff cover the controls, what to do if a rider wants to stop mid-trail, and the one rule every rider hears regardless of age: rental ATVs stay out of the mud pits and water crossings, which are reserved for riders who bring their own vehicle on a Day Pass.

On the Trail as a Family

Because every rider — including kids — is on their own ATV rather than riding along as a passenger, your family naturally spreads out a little more than it would in a single UTV. That's normal and it's part of what makes ATVs different: each kid is actually driving, not just along for the ride. Your session runs for the full time you booked with no lap limits, on the park's designated rental trails, so there's no rush to "get your turn" the way there can be at a short go-kart loop. Parents on the Big ATV (a Can-Am DS 250) or XL ATV (a Polaris Sportsman 570) can ride right alongside a teenager who's just moved up from a smaller size.

Weather matters more here than it would indoors — this is 45 acres of open Texas dirt, not a covered building, and we're open 7 days a week from 10AM. Bring water for the whole family year-round and sunscreen in summer; a light jacket earns its keep on a winter morning since the trail is open-air the whole ride. If weather looks questionable on your booked day, call ahead — staff can tell you the actual trail conditions rather than you guessing from a forecast.

When One of Your Kids Isn't Ready for Their Own ATV

Not every kid in a family is at the Small ATV's minimum age or comfort level on the same visit, and that shouldn't mean splitting the trip. A younger sibling can ride along as a passenger in a UTV instead — passengers have no minimum age as long as the UTV's driver is 18 or older with a valid government-issued photo ID or driver's license, so a parent driving a UTV can bring a toddler along while older kids each drive their own ATV nearby. Drivers aged 16–17 can drive a standard UTV when a parent or guardian is present, watching, and signs for them; the premium RZR Turbo R 4, Ranger Northstar XP4, Maverick X3 X RS, Talon 1000X-4 and Teryx KRX 1000 need a driver 21+. It's a genuinely practical way to keep a mixed-age family together on one visit instead of leaving someone at home.

After Your Ride

There's no formal checkout beyond returning the vehicle and helmet — most families either head out or stick around if they've booked a covered pavilion for a birthday or group event. Cancel by call or text at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund or credit; inside 24 hours a refund isn't guaranteed, so check everyone's plans the day before. First-timers tend to ask about coming back within the same visit for a different size once a kid sees an older sibling on a bigger quad — that's fine to ask staff about on the spot, subject to availability.

Ready to book your family's first visit? See real-time availability for all four ATV sizes, or call (210) 560-1116 if you want help matching riders to sizes before you arrive. Planning a birthday party instead of a regular visit? See our group events page for pavilion and multi-rider group options. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's ATV Safety Information Center is a good general resource if you want more background on youth ATV safety before your visit.