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.

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.

Had an evening event in Boston, so decided to go kayaking earlier in the day. Place was well…read moremanaged and kayaks were in great condition. Spent about three hours on the Charles and enjoyed every minute. Current was mild and scenery was spectacular. Looking forward to doing it again next time I'm in the Boston area. Enjoy!

This was a great way to get the kids some time out to themselves on the Charles. We showed up near…read moresunset (last boat goes in at 7:00) and the kids kayaked until just after 8:00, when all boats must be ashore. The water was higher due to recent rains, but the kids (17 & 15) were able to easily navigate the river on the paddle downstream and again on the paddle upstream. At $20 an hour for a single kayak, this is a pretty good deal, especially if you have teens who want an excursion. Totally worth the time, even with the waiver/safety video you must have to be able to go boating. Go enjoy the Charles at your own pace!

This place is amazing. The scenery is beautiful, it's located in a great area (across the street…read morefrom Nantasket Beach), and the staff is truly wonderful. Very helpful, knowledgeable, and keep everything clean. I go there as much as I can. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

We went here during Phase 3 of COVID as we are trying to keep social distant and entertain our…read moretoddler. I called the day before to confirm we could rent a kayak for 2 adults and take our toddler. I was happy with the social distancing measures they had in place. They had a sign to please wear a mask and keep space. Once you rented your kayak you had to wait to go on the dock until the party in front of you had left. They requested you sign the waiver online so there was no handing out of pens and paper. We lucked out with the weather the day we went because the water was fairly calm. You could head over to worlds end, get out a swim if you wanted and there was a few other places to get out. Overall great experience, we will definitely be back.

Our friend group went kayaking during the long weekend and everything went smoothly…read more They have different kind of rentals and a large number - we did not have rental bookings in advance. Life jackets are provided of course and we have to sign waivers. The river route is so long and scenic and will definitely take hours. The staff are really helpful as well. My only complaint is that they only have fixed full day rental rate. I wish they also have half day rate for people who only wanna spend a short time. - 7.5/10

Spent the day on the river with some friends and had the best time! With more than five rentals you…read morereceive a discount if you call - they made that super easy! Check in was smooth, gear was great and everyone was super friendly. We had a beautiful day!

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.

I never knew this was here! Had a great time and the staff were friendly and accommodating.read more

Nice lake and boats but... We arrived and the rangers at the…read morepark (this is the Cochituate State park site) told us there were high levels of cyanobacteria in the water, and not to get wet and/or to make sure we wash off after. Oh, and there is no hose and the bathrooms had closed at 2 pm. But there is still an $8 parking fee ($30 for out of state!) and the business is renting boats like crazy, with no warnings on the web site or at the boat launch (we had paid in advance).

My wife and I had an absolutely exceptional afternoon kayak outing with Clay. It was an enjoyable…read morepaddle and also great to learn so much about local flora & fauna and to visit the lighthouse and lighthouse keepers on Straitsmouth Island. Thank you Clay!!!

Tara was a very caring guide. She was well informed about the area and made the paddle a great…read moreexperience. There were four of us, my husband and myself along with our 24 year old daughter and 19 year old son. The experience was perfect for all ages and offered something for everyone. I'd recommend asking for her as your guide. You will take home great memories!