Paddle boating is one of the most popular and fun activities that both kids and adults can enjoy during summer breaks or vacations, as using a paddle boat is quite easy and doesn’t require much experience or instructions to learn how to maneuver. However, despite the activity’s popularity, not many people actually where they can use and rent a paddle boat. To help you know where to find paddle boats, we are here to give you a guide on the different places where you may often see the watercraft. Also included in this guide are several popular paddle boat sites in the United States.
Beach
The most common place where you can see paddle boats is the beach, as beaches would usually have more people, both locals and tourists, than any other bodies of water on the planet. Paddle boats are fun to move around the beach since it would usually present the best sites to see, and the body of water is also bigger, so there would be more space for kids and adults to paddle around. In addition, paddle boats are more common on beaches than any other locations, so it is guaranteed that most of the beaches you visit in the US have paddle boats.
The best beach where people can do paddle boating in the US has to be Long Beach in California, and there are many boating establishments there that offer paddle boat rental services for tourists and locals. In Long Beach, there is a specific location that paddle boaters usually visit, and that area is called the Naples canals, wherein people can paddle to six restaurants that offer different dishes.
Lake
Another popular place where you can see paddle boats is the lake, where the water is much calmer, allowing the paddle boat to be much easier to control. Lakes generally don’t have as many sites like beaches, but if you want a much more peaceful place for paddle boating, then lakes are probably the most locations to paddle with friends or family members.
There are three great lakes in the United States where you can paddle boat, and these locations are the Great Salt Lake in Utah, Lake Tahoe between Nevada and California, and Lake Powell between Utah and Arizona. The Great Salt Lake is considered the biggest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere, which means that there is plenty of space for paddle boating in these locations compared to other lakes. In addition, most experienced paddle boaters in the Great Salt Lake would recommend people to paddle boat during the sunset in order for them to see the amazing colors of the sky that reflects on the lake’s waters. The added benefit is the ability to use the Utah shuttle to avoid the hassle of traffic after a long day!
Lake Tahoe is mostly known for its skiing and snowboarding spots during the winter, but it is also a good boating site during spring and summer. Furthermore, you can also do some snorkeling there if the water is warm enough so you can also see the marine life thriving in the lake. As for Lake Powell, the sandstone bridge is a sight to behold for tourists, especially if it is seen up close through paddle boating. Also, the sandstone canyons surrounding the lake are also Instagram-worthy because of their natural beauty.
River
Rivers are also good places to go paddle boating, although they are not as popular as lakes or beaches. There are certain rivers that are not suitable for paddle boating, like the ones that have rapid waters, and rivers that are suitable for the activity are quite rare in the United States, which makes it not as popular as the two bodies of water mentioned above. However, rivers that are great for paddle boating would usually have long stretches that will allow you to see more beautiful sights than beaches. But, since rivers would have continuously flowing water, a two person paddle boat would often be difficult to control there, so it is best if you practice your paddle boating skills on lakes and beaches first before doing it on rivers.
Some of the best rivers for paddle boating in the US include the Beartrap Canyon Madison River in Montana, the Gunnison River in Colorado, and the North Platte River in Wyoming. These three rivers also allow fishing, so you can combine this activity with boating to make the trip more fun and memorable. However, make sure that you are equipped with proper safety gear like life vests before taking on a river trip to these locations.
So, those are just some of the best places where you can see paddle boats in the US. Besides the US, there are also other great boating locations around the world that you should visit if you are planning to travel abroad. Do some research on these locations about their rules and regulations so that you will know what to bring and what not to do while paddle boating.