Takeovers Atv Rentals — Attraction in Goulds

At first, I thought this place was a little shady because of the bad reviews. Honestly, it low-key IS. But, overall it was a good experience. Here are a few of my complaints though: they rescheduled my original booking for a different time (which is annoying because I had other plans lined up that day but I agreed to the rescheduling because it was a birthday present and it was better to take a rescheduled time than a rescheduled day). Second, the people who pick you up from the shuttle point were not on time. Which I expected because other reviews warned about this. They were about 20 minutes late or so. This place lacks a bit of organization and professionalism. And third, there was a guy there taking pictures and videos, and you have to be careful because they do charge you for those photos/videos!!! So, if you don't want them or are not interested, make sure you tell the guy off the bat. The guy who took the pictures and videos was super kind and honest. He mentioned that they do charge for them. BUT our tour guide, at the end of the ride, asked if we had our phones so he could send us the videos and photos. And when I asked about being charged for them, he literally fell silent and walked away from us. Then proceeded to go to another couple and lie to them and say the pictures and videos were free. So, be careful of that. That's some shady behavior, seriously... Could have had a better tour guide tbh, that guy seemed so unconcerned. We would ask him questions and he would literally not respond or just straight up ignore you. All of the workers spoke Spanish, but I doubt there's a language barrier. The guy was just rude tbh but the other workers were pretty nice. BE AWARE AND MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT THEY CHARGE YOUR CARD FOR. ASK QUESTIONS AND REASSURE YOURSELF AND ASK FOR PAYMENT CONFIRMATIONS TO BE SENT TO YOU VIA TEXT OR EMAIL. GET THE RECEIPTS, SERIOUSLY. Check your card transactions!! Because they definitely try to charge you extra for stuff you didn't sign up for or receive. AND make sure that security deposit for the ATVs fall off of your card, granted you didn't damage anything. I would not go here again (ATVs are not for me) 😅 unless my partner wanted to. I do recommend this place though, just be cautious because like I said: it's a little shady!! I was only able to get pictures of the shuttle area where they...

2/5 ⭐️

While I ultimately still enjoyed myself—largely thanks to the company I was with—the overall experience left a lot to be desired, primarily due to the condition of the equipment and the lack of responsive customer service.

The trouble started right at the beginning. Our ATV had a flat tire before we even set off. Rather than replacing it with a functioning unit, the staff simply inflated the tire and sent us on our way. Predictably, the tire began losing air again within the first 15 minutes, leaving us completely stranded in the middle of a large farm area. What made the situation more concerning was that the group leader continued on without noticing that we were missing.

We were eventually approached by a staff member from a different group about 10 minutes later who assured us that someone would return with a replacement ATV. We waited alone for approximately 15 minutes before a backup unit finally arrived, allowing us to rejoin the group. However, by that point, we had already missed a significant portion of the tour.

Even after rejoining, the issues didn’t stop there. A couple of other ATVs in our group stalled, and one began emitting smoke, raising further concerns about the overall condition and maintenance of the vehicles. Throughout the experience, not a single staff member acknowledged the inconvenience we experienced, nor did anyone offer an apology or any kind of reassurance or compensation. Mind you, multiple staff members had multiple opportunities to do so, but simply chose not to.

This could have been a great adventure—and parts of it were—but it’s clear that improvements are needed in both equipment maintenance and guest support. I’d recommend trying this activity if you're with a fun group and know what to expect, but be prepared for possible hiccups and bring your patience.

Note: This experience occurred about 3 hours prior to the time of...

⭐ 1-Star Review: Disappointed and Concerned for Safety

Our experience at Takeover’s ATV was nothing like the glowing 5-star reviews we had read beforehand. From the start, we were greeted by a rude shuttle driver who insisted we sign waivers, even though we had already completed the exact same waivers online. He sternly told us that unless someone in a van had us sign them in person, they didn’t count.

The facility was extremely dirty—we expected a rugged environment, but the port-a-potties were beyond filthy. There was no proper training or orientation for beginners, and the entire operation felt disorganized and unsafe.

The first tour guide we had was decent, but the second was inattentive and constantly on his phone. Toward the end of the ride, a member of our group flipped an ATV. The guide was so far ahead that we had to chase him down to get help. Once he turned back, he was completely unconcerned for the visibly injured and shaken rider.

Back at the base, no first aid or assistance was offered—we had to ask for a first aid kit and water to clean the wounds and also had to request directions to the nearest hospital. Shockingly, we were told the tour could continue, but the injured person would have to wait behind alone. We declined and immediately went to the ER.

According to the hospital staff, they regularly treat injuries from this ATV location. Our friend had to undergo X-rays, a tetanus shot, and three rounds of medication. Thankfully, the damages were only $250, but this experience was nowhere near safe or professional.

Takeovers ATV needs serious improvements in customer service, safety, cleanliness, and emergency protocols. This was a far cry from the 5-star experience advertised. We did have a thrill, but it wasn’t worth the money or the safety of our...