Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Paddle Boston: Cambridge at Kendall Sq.

    4.3 (144 reviews)
    Open 8:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Paddle Boston: Cambridge at Kendall Sq. Photos

    You might also consider

    More like Paddle Boston: Cambridge at Kendall Sq.

    Recommended Reviews - Paddle Boston: Cambridge at Kendall Sq.

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Eileen D.

    Rented two double kayaks ($49/kayak) for the morning/afternoon time slot. Originally booked for 12pm and realized 11 hour before that the time slot no longer worked and emailed them in a panic. By the time I woke up at 9 am they responded and helped me move my time to 1 pm! Online waiver makes the process super fast. Didn't ask us for ID but I brought anyways just in case. The $49 is for 3 hours of kayaking, which seems really well priced since it's for a double kayak! :D They also have a deal with Za where you can go for a discount after kayaking. Unfortunately we went in a Sunday so Za wasn't open, but it seems like you can make a really nice trip out of it.

    Charles River view
    Matt S.

    Had a great time kayaking in the Charles River! The rate was $45 for a double kayak for 1.5 hours. This amount of time was great since it's pretty tiring after a while. Bring some drinks and small snacks. They allow bags in the kayak and give out water proof covers if needed. The city view of the buildings and bridges is gorgeous. I suggest booking in advanced or you'll be waiting in line for a couple hours. Made me want to go kayaking more!

    Richa T.

    Pros: + Friendly Staff + Lines, but moves pretty quickly + Reasonably priced - $20 per hour for a double kayak + Plenty of options - kayaking, canoeing, and standup paddle + Photographic scenery Cons: - Limited assistance once you get on the lake. - You will get soaked. Make sure you grab a dry bag

    Ayatt A.

    My family and I used to canoe on the charles river every summer when I was a kid and i've been dying to take my boyfriend since he moved to Boston 4 years ago. We finally visited this past saturday to celebrate our anniversary and we had so much fun. This is such a great activity that's affordable and different. We rented a double kayak and took it out towards the kenmore area and back. The views of Boston were incredible. It was 100 degrees outside that day so I think it deterred a lot of people from doing outdoor activities, but the weather on the water was perfect. It costs $22 per hour for a double kayak, and $1 if you need a dry bag for your belongings. An awesome couple of hours on the water ran us $36. I highly recommend Charles River Canoe & Kayak.

    Maggie W.

    So. Much. Fun. My best friend and I had the best time catching up and paddling through Cambridge. Along with the gorgeous city scape, it was also fun to see other boats and even Duck Tours pass through! I think this is a really fun activity for friends, dates, or even a family outing!

    it was so enjoyable. went during a time where there was a nice breeze and the sun was out. highly recommend and not bad price

    Alex E.

    I had a wonderful experience here! The staff was very friendly, boats were in great condition, and the prices were very affordable. The manager, Shawn, was very kind and I would definitely come back here next time I'm in Boston. My girlfriend and I were searching for a fun, cheap, outdoors activity while on our vacation - if that's what you're looking for, look no further than Charles River Canoe & Kayak! Nothing better than a lovely morning on the water :)

    Emilia C.

    Kayaking, canoeing and standup paddle boarding on the Charles River is my favorite summer activity in Cambridge. It is something that tourists and locals can all get behind. All of the different sites on the river (Boston, Cambridge, Waltham) have their unique charm, but I prefer the location next to Harvard Square. I love sharing the river with the rowers (although I don't believe the feelings are mutual!). The historic bridges, university buildings, and willow trees are lovely. Charles River Canoe & Kayak offer a special deal for students that is very reasonable (approximately $100 for the whole season). With the pass, you can bring a friend in your double kayak or two friends in your canoe for no charge. They also offer dry bags so you can safely paddle with your electronics and valuables. The staff is always super friendly and I have never had to wait for more than a few minutes for my canoe. Also, I appreciate how knowledgable the staff is about the winds and currents on the river. They will never send out boats when the weather is unsafe. If you are in Boston, you can't leave before spending some time on the Charles!

    Alice L.

    Went with a group of college buddies and had such a blast! Wanted to go full-speed but we ended up just singing Disney tunes at the top of our lungs all the way down the river instead. Gotta make sure you wear comfortable clothing- my jeans were way too warm for a summer day like this so would recommend waterproof clothing or at least lighter clothing that will dry more easily. The life jackets were comfortable and did not allow for any extra or unnecessary movement. Gotta do this justice if you're going to be on the Charles- next step is to get on that rowing machine and erg your way onto the river!

    Beautiful view on the Charles!
    Kara S.

    Kayaking on the Charles is such a great summer activity for visitors and locals alike. I love going at least once a summer, you just can't beat the views of the city from the Kendall Square dock. This company has other locations including a dock in Allston which I would also recommend! It's pretty peaceful and serene farther up, surrounded by the trees and nature. You can even do a one way rental from Allston to Kendall Square. Highly recommend this activity! Pro-tip, don't bring too many valuables. You can rent a dry bag for $1 but it's not worth the risk. Oh! And wear lots of sunscreen, the sun is pretty strong out there on the water.

    See all

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Richa T.
    633
    1756
    2543

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Every staff member was efficient and helpful! Great equipment! Smooth! Would highly recommend and will be back on our next trip!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of James G.
    83
    27
    22

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Maggie W.
    266
    17
    16

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex E.
    389
    7
    7

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Lines move really quick. Reasonably priced rentals and friendly service. Do yourself a favor and get a dry bag.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tom T.
    0
    59
    21

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yuka Y.
    549
    427
    1720

    13 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Mark J.

    Mark J.

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Karissa L.
    186
    63
    105

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John D.
    7
    63
    13

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mac W.
    161
    21
    60

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John D.
    261
    197
    208

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Edward W.
    74
    33
    70

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Paddle Boston: Cambridge at Kendall Sq.

    Review Highlights - Paddle Boston: Cambridge at Kendall Sq.

    . Patiently, he explained which side of the kayak to paddle on and in which direction if we wanted to reverse

    Mentioned in 54 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Paddle Boston

    Paddle Boston

    4.5
    (89 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    I booked a kayak here and travelled to the Kendall Square location. I should have gone the other…read moredirection - the most difficult part was near the Kendal Square location, and I was paddling against the wind and current most of the way. Other than that, it was a great trip! It's a nice mix of peaceful trees and city views. I also paddled through a sailing team practice, which was cool. The boats were in great shape. The life jackets were showing their age, but I guess that's what you get with rentals. They estimated 1.5 - 2 hours for this trip, and it took me about an hour.

    It is always a blast kayaking on the Charles River! This was our first time kayaking from the…read moreAllston/Brighton location;in the past, we would go to the Newton one. Fast forward now, PaddleBoston has 7 locations! These locations include: Waltham, Allston/Brighton, Somerville, Medford, Newton, Cambridge, & Stoneham. I highly recommend kayaking from Allston/Brighton! Very clear path, that is not as buggy as kayaking in Newton (from my friend and I's memory). We kayaked from here all the way down to past Harvard Sq. area. Did not take long at all. We were able to kayak back in 17 minutes. Their rates are reasonable, as well. This was our first time doing single kayaks rather than double. We did the up to 90 min single kayaks, $32/each. In my opinion, 90 min is more than enough time but doing the one way to Kenmore Square also seems like great fun that we'll definitely have to give a try next time. Cannot recommend kayaking enough though. It's very peaceful & honestly a nice activity to do with family and friends. Warning: you will get a KILLER arm workout out of this. 10/10

    Photos
    Paddle Boston
    Paddle Boston
    Made it to Longfellow bridge from the launch spot!

    See all

    Made it to Longfellow bridge from the launch spot!
    Paddle Boston - Condon Shell

    Paddle Boston - Condon Shell

    4.5
    (8 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    Always super easy to understand and be notified of any changes based on weather. You can always…read morebook ahead of time for the boats you want to rent. If you're going many times, look into getting a season pass

    I went to the location in Medford to kayak. While I was there I accidentally left my watch in a…read morewaterproof bag, which my mom gave to me with her initials engraved in it, it was priceless and extremely important to me. I called them 4 TIMES in the span of a week, even getting someone else to call them to ask about it, The first time being only an hour after i left. Every single time they said they had no updates and they DIDNT EVEN TRY to look for it. They even forgot my name, number and every time without fail they asked me what my watch looked like again but they never even searched or sent me a follow up email. If they had looked when I called the first time, they would have IMMEDIATELY found it because it' was at the top of the waterproof bag section. This watch means so much to me and I now have left the country so there is no opportunity for me to get it ever again. I really hope they can improve their customer service because this is extremely disappointing and hopefully others can see this and not leave anything there because you will NEVER get it back. I will never be using this company again and i suggest nobody to book anything with them for their lack of respect and care for any of their customers.

    Photos
    Paddle Boston - Condon Shell
    We have lifejackets for all ages.
    We have lifejackets for all ages.
    Paddle Boston - Condon Shell

    See all

    Paddle Boston: Cambridge at Kendall Sq. - rafting - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...