Before New England’s autumn got too crispy cold, Colin and I met up with our friends, Shan Shan and Richard to rent kayaks and get our paddle on. Boat rentals are super easy in a city like Boston. We have at least three different companies operating out of this town, and you can choose from a wide assortment of embarkation points along the Charles River.
Once we slipped into the water, peace enveloped us. Between the cobalt of the sky and the sapphire of the river, the glories of Boston encircled us: The Esplanade! The golden dome of the State House! The “Pepper Pot Bridge!” The Citgo Sign! And of course, the #1 sexiest structure in Boston, The Hancock Building! Yum.
At a certain point, my pregnant self got tired, so we tied our kayaks together (not sure if this is sanctioned by the kayak rental company or not, but oh well) and forced Richard and Colin to do the paddling. Bwahaha. Then we all went onto dry land and ate a giant heap of Thai food for dinner. Isn’t part of the fun of outdoor expercise the sensation of going inside afterwards to eat?
So what about you? Have you ever tried city kayaking? What has YOUR experience been, and what tips, questions, or insights do you have about the splendid world of water tourism?
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ethanbrown says
i have experience of cities near to the ocean are really wonderful and awesome in my life…i had great time with my family.. i really appreciate for your beautiful work and also sharing your outstanding pics…
Adam says
Amazing images. That must have been fun! I have gone windsurfing in Sanibel Island, California. Paddling upstream is so hard!
Ashley says
Kayaking along the Charles always remains a highlight every summer I do this. Yeah can’t stay in Boston without traveling along the Charles in style- gorgeous views of Bahston with the tepid wind caressing your face.
amelie88 says
I agree on Boston being a great place to live! My family got introduced to Boston three years ago when my mom got a job there (in fact she works right by the JH tower and whenever I pass by it when I’m there, I always think of your posts and how you think it’s such a “sexy” building!). She usually commutes back and forth on Amtrak every weekend to NY but we love using her apartment to come visit on the occasional weekend and explore Boston. Never thought of kayaking along the Charles (I’ve done it on the Hudson River up by West Point and it was beautiful up there) but I will have to look into it for next summer!
Akbar says
Awesome! rarely we get to such things.
Aktar says
Awesome pictures and great post to describe a wonderful city.
Deanna says
This reminds me of my dad! He has always wanted to get a boat, and after years of looking, he found one on Ebay for a good price. He is one of those “outdoor” guys. The day he got it, when I got home, he immediately wanted to go. So my dad, my sister and I set off to the Charles River. In a different part than you, though, because we have a rowboat. The water was beautiful, with the sun reflecting off of it. We ate crackers, saw a deer on the shore, and my sister rowed us in circles, trying to figure out how to steer. Then we took the boat back to the car. I wish we had parked closer, as the boat was heavy. Anyone who has not gone boating in the Charles River should really go. I had a great time. (Except for the bugs! Ouch!) It really was beautiful.
Loren says
Hey Lillie, I love this place! The people are friendly. Very good service. Excellent kayaks and Sups. Enjoy a beautiful view of Boston from a nice clean River. We stayed in Beacon Hill, so it was a quick walk across the Longfellow Bridge to Kendall Square. We loved the friendliness of the staff and especially the 3 hour Harbour Kayak tour and our guide, Ed. It was fun to not only kayak, but to hear the harbour history, go through the locks (seriously, how fun is it to be able to say you did this in a kayak?!!), be up close to a war ship and enjoy the outdoors! I would highly recommend this trip!
Alex | Partial Parallax says
Kayaking is a lot of fun and it’s easy to see why you favour river cities more! Looks like a fantastic way to get a new perspective on Boston, looks like it’s something worth doing.
Andy says
I definitely agree! I think kayaking can be a great way to explore anything. It is fun, exercise, and gives you a chance to see a different perspective.
Hogga says
Love kayaking!
Elanna says
You are making me homesick for Boston :)
Isabel S. says
Awesome pictures. That must have been fun! I have gone kayaking in Sanibel Island, Florida. Going upstream is so hard!
Shaelin R. says
This looks so much fun! :)
Every August when I go to my aunt’s Cape house, kayaking is what I mainly look forward to. It’s probably one of my favorite things to do, but city kayaking in the Fall must have its differences! The pictures are beautiful, I’d love to have the view of Boston all around me while being in such a relaxing place.
Gabi (The Nomadic Family) says
I really love the way of your work. Really appreciate it.
Mary @ Green Global Travel says
I absolutely love any excuse to get out of the water and exploring a the waterways of a gorgeous city on a stunningly beautiful day could not sound more tempting! ps: I love river cities!
Cheryl Howard says
This looks like a lot of fun! I just did a canoe ride to Toronto Islands recently and it was a whole lot of fun. :)
Stephanie - The Travel Chica says
Very cool that you can tour the city via kayak.
Laura @Travelocafe says
I have never been kayaking. This looks really great.
Marina K. Villatoro says
How fun. If my baby wasn’t 3, I would be sooo into doing this! But we tried Kayaking with him once and he’s just too young.
Sooo love Boston!!! Especially in the water and on a sunny day.
wanderingeducators says
what fun! i’ll kayak just about anywhere. :)
Cat of Sunshine and Siestas says
Boston would be so lovely for kayaking! I’ve actually never lived anywhere without a river (Rockford, Illinois; Wheaton, Illinois; Iowa City, Iowa and now Seville, Spain) and don’t think I ever could. Seville has really great resources for paddleboating, kayaking and sailing down the Guadalquivir, and it’s one of the only places that gets cool in the river. Plus, this is the way that all of the riches from the New World arrived to the Spanish Empire, making Seville a city with loads of treasure and architectural gems. You get it. I’ll stop.
Bethaney - Flashpacker Family says
What a great way to explore a city!
Miranda says
Cities near the ocean tend to be my favorites as well. I’ve gone kayaking in Vancouver, it’s a great way to explore the city.
Now I want to try kayaking in Boston!
Lillie says
Oooh, Vancouver is high on my wish list of places to travel, due to its watery greatness!