my daughter and I were visiting from California and searched for a calm, beautiful kayak ride, finally discovering I Paddle New York. We enjoyed a gorgeous two hour ride in a tandem kayak together on a still Monday morning, the only ones on the river for a couple hours! We stopped for a stroll on the nature preserve and some rope swinging. Our adventure was was lovely, still, and nourishing. thanks for a wonderful day! read more

Great time and Gaile was super nice to work with. I would definitely do this again!!!

We can't give enough stars to Gail Porter and I Paddle NY. She's the kindest person who wants everyone to have the best experience kayaking. The first time I went out with her I was disabled. Gail was not deterred and I could not believe how she managed to get me in and out of a kayak. This trip my daughter and grandson went in a tandem and I went solo! Again, Gail is the ultimate pro and has a great sense of humor. She has everything covered. We had a beautiful time out at the village of Saugerties beach cove which is a hidden gem. This is a must part of your upstate visit. read more

We rented kayaks for my sister in law's bachelorette party. Gail was amazing and such a sweetheart! She gave the bride to be a veil for the trip, and we were given squirt guns which was very much welcome with the heat wave we had. I highly recommend I Paddle New York! read more

Gail with 'I Paddle New York' is the best! I've rarely had such a great kayaking experience. She makes it so easy! The Esopus Creek is so beautiful and peaceful. I would do this every day if I could. Try it! You will love it. read more

It is a serene, nice view during the paddling because it is kayaking in a river. But when I saw the website, it showed a picture of the Saugerties lighthouse as the background of the website page, alluding to the thought that the kayaking would be on the Hudson River. There was little to no parking and just a women in a ipaddleNY shirt that indicated where the business was-a dock to push the kayaks into the creek. I would not go back considering how many other better, cheaper kayaking options there are read more

Esopus Creek is pretty gentle and forgiving, perfect for beginners looking for a nice day out! Gail is also great and friendly, and gave us a few paddling tips before we set out. Highly recommend for anyone in the area! read more

Loved every minute of it! Would definitely recommend booking for two hours since you'll want to stay out longer once you're out on the water. ‍ read more

I Paddle New York - I wish yelp allowed videos so that you can also hear the peace and sounds of nature that I experienced as I kayaked. ‍ - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

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We rented a tandem canoe today and it was amazing! Equipment was delivered early and in great condition. Location on the Esopus Creek provides an excellent backdrop. Highly recommended! read more

I Paddle New York - Beautifully calm water - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

I went kayaking here with my friend and we had such a wonderful time! We had a time slot for 3:00pm but arrived 15 minutes early as instructed. Gail found us in the parking lot and got us strapped up and in the kayaks immediately so we got to start paddling early! It was very safe and super fun. The lake area was wide though there were some kelp/plants in the middle but it was big enough that we never ran out of places to paddle for our hour! We even saw some deer! We went back after an hour but Gail let us paddle some more. She was so kind and helpful and generous and fun to talk to. She even gave us recommendations for where to get ice cream in Saugerties! Great excursion if you're in the Catskills, great customer service, super fun times. read more

I Paddle New York - Kayaking on the lake - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

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Could've been better. You should probably be ready for the owner's strong personality. I think there are ways to read her as "nice" and "fun," yes, but she was also snarky, glib, and dismissive. I would have a very hard time describing her as "helpful," as I was mostly made to feel dumb asking her questions. Kayaking is what it is: it went fine. The water and weather were great, and everything was safe and relatively easy. The owner kind of overshadowed the experience with what seemed then and now like bizarre behavior. Maybe she was having a bad day. Maybe just be ready for the sharp, caustic attitude, and then be pleasantly surprised when/if you get something different from this. read more

One of my favorite ways to spend time! I highly recommend renting one of these kayaks and taking them down the Esopus. It's incredibly fun, relaxing, beautiful, and peaceful. read more

Very relaxing tandem kayak experience. Saw a bald eagle while paddling. Very organized. Public bathrooms near the playground.

My family and I had a great time kayaking. Gail was very nice, she explained where you can pull off to swim along the national preserve. Which we did after about an hour of padding. The kayak was in good condition, well used which was to be expected but no issues at all with them. Seats were nice and in excellent condition no tears or anything. Price was very reasonable for 1 single and 1 double kayak for 2 hours. I highly recommend this place. Well worth it. We'll be back again. Thanks Gail. read more

I Paddle New York - Enjoying the calming view down the river - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

Such an easy and efficient way to rent a kayak. The keeper of kayaks, Gail, is fun and friendly. She gets you in your kayak and on your way quick with a bit of guidance. There is no water sports store here. It is a trailer of kayaks that are brought to the launching site. Also, FYI, if you want to paddle to the Hudson River (we did not), you cannot from here. There is a waterfall that blocks that way. The Esopus River is wide, easy flowing and beautiful. read more

We had an amazing time kayaking with Gail. She was very warm and friendly. She gave us a brief history of the area and described a few of the sites that we came upon while kayaking. We would definitely go back for another one of her tours and/or kayak rental. read more

I Paddle New York - View of the Saugerties lighthouse! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

Perfect experience both times this summer. Good equipment, ideal setting and a friendly skillful proprietress who knows equipment and people. Even the unreasonable ones, that every business has to deal with it. But 90% of the time people just are happy to be there and follow long established safety protocols, esp to protect their children. We find kayaking in the espopus with this this outfit a true highlight of any weekend around Saugerties and woodstock. read more

We had a fantastic time! Gail was very helpful and got us on our way extremely quickly. She did a great job with new life preservers as well as cleaning The Kayaks. Highly recommend! read more

The spot is good for kids and beginners, it's very small and boring, with lots of algie growing.. The rental equipment is ok, but the worse is a personal service. The lady was very rude and unfriendly. Would not recommend. read more

My boyfriend and I booked a tandem kayak for two hours. The two workers were super helpful in showing us how to paddle in that it was our first time (the tutorial was super quick but they would definitely explain something if you didn't understand). They took amazing precautions to sanitize everything and everyone was wearing masks which was super comforting. We will 10/10 be doing this again :) the staff also had very welcoming and enjoyable personalities which made the whole process very personable. read more

I Paddle New York - Kayak - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

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Had a great paddle up Esopus Creek with the family. I was a little nervous about doing an unguided paddle, but it was the perfect intro paddle for beginners. read more

I Paddle New York - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

I do not kayak regularly, so keep this in mind while reading - nice views, quality kayaks and paddles. efficient staff. Good prices for a popular area. Positive experience for an inexperienced kayaker. Water was calm with a slight current. Used the tandem kayak with my sister and we both had a nice time. Good for family bonding and quiet time. Nice houses and mountains to look at. Great fall spot. read more

Water was beautiful, and the worker who set us up and gave us our equipment was friendly and professional.

Great trip down the Esopus, Gail was wonderful it was my first time and I plan on going again and again.

Gail is incredibly accommodating and very responsive, she truly wants her customers to have the best experience possible. We had a great time renting Paddle boards and exploring Esopus creek. The water was perfectly calm and the weather was perfect. All of her equipment was great quality and in perfect condition (and freshly sanitized!). Would highly recommend I Paddle New York and we will be renting from her again soon! read more

Gail at I Paddle is just great and so is the whole kayaking experience. She is friendly and knowledgeable and makes you feel confident about first-time kayaking. She fits you in your lifejacket, gives excellent instructions and equipment is also tip-top. We are going to return again. Jo read more

Loved it! Gail is so awesome and funny. She was easy to reach via phone call and text. She dropped off the kayaks and we got to paddle around at our own pace and it was really nice and relaxing. Views were great too. Would highly recommend. read more

This was a GREAT experience, not only did the owner go out of her way to accommodate us but she made sure we had an awesome adventure. This is the perfect outdoor activity for anyone looking to try something new; lovely scenery, clean waters & nestled in the village of Saugerties that has a lot to do! Can't wait to do this again, we highly recommend it to anyone who wants a fun time! read more

I Paddle New York - This was a fun, affordable experience & the owner was very accommodating! She modified her hrs. for us & made sure we had a great adventure! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Saugerties, New York

My boyfriend and I had such a great time kayaking! We booked a tandem which we got into very fast and easily. Gail was very funny and made the experience so enjoyable. We kayaked for about an hour which allows you to venture around a good amount of the creek. Would definitely recommend! read more

Gail is wonderful! We've been back for several sunset paddles and it's always a joy! We love I Paddle and Gail! read more

Spent the afternoon with friends on the Esopus. The kyacks were in excellent shape as were the life jackets. After some instruction we were off. I am so appreciative of Gail's dedication to her business and to her customers. She laughed with us and was a good sport when we just couldn't follow her instructions.e you Gail. She's renting Kayaks till the end of September. read more

We went on a sunset kayak tour tonight. We had a blast. The tour guide was informative and also patient. I have been kayaking before so I knew what to do. A few in our group were novices and our guide was both knowledgeable and patient. She knew a lot of history about the areas we were in. Along the way we saw some turtles and a few herons. Each of us was given a bottle of water before the adventure began and we also received a healthy snack of watermelon and a granola bar at the half way point. It was a fun adventure and I'd like to do this again! read more

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This was a wonderful experience! We were searching for something adventurous and fun to do for a bachelorette party, and this was perfect! I began e-mailing with Gail about 2 months before our weekend away, and she was incredibly accommodating and responsive. Our experience on the water was gorgeous, and Gail was pleasant and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this experience! :) read more

Gail was simply fabulous. On time, upbeat, accommodating and encouraging(to our kayaking newbie). The kayaks are clean and look brand new. The only place we will kayak. read more

Gail was amazing, and made this and awesome last minute experience. We will definitely be back.

Had a great time tonight kayaking! Great scenery, knowledgable tour guide, awesome sunset! She even packed us snacks and snapped some great sunset photos of us! And good upper body workout :) read more