So I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking trying paddle boarding. I think it had something to do…read morewith the fact that my friend and I had wanted to do it when we were down in key west but ran out of time. Suffice it to say, this fool can barely walk in a straight line sober. I had no business attempting to stand up on a floatation device. Anyway. I'm going to claim temporary insanity, but as soon as I saw a Gilt deal for SUP I was on it. It also didn't hurt that Jill is one of my favorite instructors at btone, so I figured it wouldn't be a bad time. It was really windy when we went out and lets just say i've had enough Charles river on me circa Brandeis rowing 2007-09, so i was way too chicken to even stand up on the board for fear of falling into the cesspool of hepatitis. A B C--pick your flavor. Bless my instructor Ingrid's heart, she was so patient with me. Today is the day after and i'd say a good 60% of my body is screaming "whyyyyyyy?!?!?!" if nothing else, at least i got a killer work out...and definitely an awesome view of the city. can't beat that. I suggest bringing a waterproof disposable to snap a couple of shots. some logistics stuff--you may have to reschedule to a location other than the one you were planning on depending on wind conditions. Jill is savvy with an iphone, so communication/planning isn't an issue. If you're meeting on the Charles, you'll be pulling into the riverside boat club parking lot (free) across from Trader Joe's. Just look for the out of place UHaul to the far left of the lot. Remember to bring your Gilt voucher if you have one, and definitely some cash for your instructor.

Jill was an awesome instructor. We had such a great day out on the water. I would highly…read morerecommend her to anyone. We will definitely be back for more stand up paddle board as soon as the water warms up.

This passed summer, my girlfriend wanted me to try canoeing and it was surprisingly fun and…read morerelaxing! The staff was very helpful in finding the right size oar for you as well as the life jacket. Then, they push you off in the canoe and best of luck on your journey!! Joking, but you are pretty much on your own though, but it's so easy to figure out even though it's my first try. I forgot the price, but it barely puts a dent in your wallet for going around the river for a few hours. There's ample parking as well, and if you need a special canoe/kayak, you can request it ahead of time and they'll have it delivered. Also, they had a day where you help bag trash you find along the river and they comp you for today's canoeing. I can't wait to come back again next summer!

Think they own the whole area around the boat house. There are family's with kids and dogs walking…read moreand playing around the boat house, they drive their cars where ever they want and park them on the grass when there is plenty of space for them to park in the parking lot.

This was one of the best trips I've been on. A friend of mine who had taken another trip with SUP…read moreYO invited me to go with her. There were 12 of us and everyone got along. I don't know if the type of vacation (hiking and camping) helped to self select the people but by the end of the week we had gotten really close as a group. SUP YO also picked amazing guides. They were fun, funny, knowledgeable, and basically one of the gang with guide authority. The owner of the company came with us on this trip. She was fun, did everything we did, never put on any airs, and I felt like she was "one of us.". All of the food, hotel, etc was taken care of. We even celebrated a birthday for one one of the hikers in the group! I am looking for more trips to go on with SUP YO and a group of us are planning to go in another trip or a weekend hike together again!!

From the owner: SUP YO exists to connect like-minded souls through outdoor adventure. With transformative…read morepaddleboard yoga, hikes, retreats, and outdoor escapes, we inspire others to step outside of their comfort zones, challenge themselves in mind, body, and spirit, and discover their truest selves.

Great staff and experience! We took out tandem kayaks, all in great condition and had a blast!read more

Had an amazing 2 hour paddle. Helpful staff and a relaxed, "low key" vibe. Would repeat.read more

5 novices ( over 50) went out for a great SUP experience yesterday. All workers lovely! Only…read morerecommendation would be some sort of mats near rocks for better footing. Awesome they bring boards down for you!

I have to start out by saying that I'm a kayak novice. But with that said, I think any level…read morekayaker (is that even a word?) would love the water access that Esther's offers. The service was seamless, the college kids very sweet and helpful as were the people who were enjoying their boats and/or striking out from the marina. No, 'Hey, this is a no wake zone' jokes shouted down at me. Pierce Island is across from Esther's so you can def make a really lovely day of it!

This place isn't worth your time. My friends and I rented boats ahead of time for the last two…read morehours of the day. When we showed up right on time we were told we would only get one hour with no refund. That alone should have been enough to leave but we had been looking forward to it and took the hour. Getting the boats was an awkward and uncomfortable process. The guy working was watching a show on his phone and very clearly made us aware that we were annoying him. He hardly acknowledged us and carried his show with him while he walked around. Absolute jerk behavior. He passed us off to a nice young woman who got us in the water. Once you're out in your boat things are great as you're not interacting with any staff. With our limited time we only went out about 300 feet and turned around. We were hanging out paddling within 50 feet of the dock for our last 15 minutes when the guy that we initially worked with started CONTINUOUSLY blaring an air horn for the better part of 15 minutes. We paddled in with time to spare. This is the part that made me furious: I was walking to rack my oar when the guy watching his show came up to me and blew his air horn while a foot away from me. I have no idea why he did this but it blew my ears out and caused me to drop the oar I was carrying. He literally looked at me and pretended nothing happened and walked away to keep blaring the horn. Absolutely unhinged behavior - we paid in advance and we're nothing but smiles I have no idea why he treated us this way. I hope management sees this and realizes they have a major problem somewhere in their employees that should be figured out before the new season. You've got some weirdo working there who clearly knows he has no supervision.

Cole was incredibly helpful and nice. He made our experience extremely positive! We drove down from…read moreNH, and it was well worth it!

I booked a kayak at the Kendall Square location and landed here. I should have gone the other…read moredirection - the most difficult part was near this 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. I docked a star from this location, because the workers didn't really seem to know what was going on when I returned the boat. I needed to let them know I came from the other location and the responses were "that's cool" and "okay" and "I don't know what to do with that". Turns out you have to check out in a trailer at the end of the dock and tell them, but no one seemed to know. Still a great trip!

TL;DR - Paddle Boston at Kendall Square is my go-to for kayaking on the Charles. The staff is…read morealways friendly, prices are fair, and the views of Boston and Cambridge are unbeatable. Their season passes and Fourth of July rentals make the experience even better--highly recommend! _______________________________ I love being outdoors, especially on the water, and Paddle Boston has become one of my favorite spots in the city. I discovered them shortly after moving to Boston and working in Cambridge, and it has been a go-to ever since. Their kayak rentals are fairly priced and offer an amazing way to enjoy the Charles River with unbeatable views of both the Boston and Cambridge skylines. The staff is always friendly, helpful, and welcoming. Their kayaks are perfect for the calm waters of the Charles, not overly advanced but not basic either, just right for a relaxing paddle. I also love that they offer season passes for frequent paddlers and special rentals for the Fourth of July Boston Pops Fireworks, which is truly the best way to experience the show. While I typically take the T to get there, parking nearby on Main Street has never been an issue. If you are looking for a fun and easy outdoor activity in the city, I highly recommend Paddle Boston at Kendall Square.