Local(ish) canoeing?

[glass-moment.livejournal.com]

Anybody have recommendations of a good place to (rent a) canoe around here? I assume there are multiple options along the Charles, but are there others? Good or bad experiences, thoughts on where is prettiest? I have access to a car, so can get to places a little ways out.

Thanks!

Comments

[ron_newman]

South Bridge Boat House in Concord, a short walk from the train station.

[frotz.livejournal.com]

It is indeed a bit of a drive (perhaps an hour), but a nice stretch of river indeed:

http://www.nashobapaddler.com/pages/welcome.html

[ron_newman]

Here's an old post, from 2009, on this subject.

[glass-moment.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I tried looking through the tags but I must have missed "local sports".

[antimony.livejournal.com]

I will add to that earlier post that Foote Brothers does rentals on the Ipswich without needing to be a member of anything. I haven't rented a boat from them but I've used them for shuttle service (I have my own canoe) upriver and they're nice people

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

http://paddleboston.com/main.php

I enjoy kayaking in the newton/auborndale section of the charles river where they rent. They also rent closer to boston, but I haven't been. They have tons of boats including a bunch of different sized canoes, but I've never rented one from them.

Their location at Cochituate S.P. is pretty great too. And there's a current groupon for a season pass that covers all their locations.

[jere7my.livejournal.com]

I'll second the Auburndale recommendation. There are a lot of inlets and crannies with shallow-water vegetation, if you like to do the kind of canoeing that involves poking around for wildlife. And the last time we went someone had set up a sort of impromptu Disney Jungle Cruise on their shoreline, with life-size statues of alligators and iguanas and buffalo. Very startling, and very cool!

We've also rented from their Allston location, but the water is dirtier and the sense of solitude is nonexistent. Also fun, but not really our thing.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

I second this.

[mentalhygiene.livejournal.com]

Second - the whole section of the river between about Prospect Street in Waltham and Newton Lower Falls is great - lots of wildlife, birds, turtles and the like. Other than the highway overpasses near the Newton Marriott, it's pretty quiet.

[patricia frisoli (from livejournal.com)]

There's currently a Groupon (http://www.groupon.com/deals/charles-river-canoe-and-kayak)going for half off a year long pass with the Charles River Canoe & Kayak Co. They have a boarding location by MIT, as well as other areas.

[freddybrett.livejournal.com]

I have not done this, but I have visited their location/operation - and it looked good.

http://www.spotpondboating.com/

It's close by and the water looked very deep blue and an island in the middle of the pond to visit.

I think there is a membership situation. I want to do this. Perhaps I am not the first to post this.
"Join us at Spot Pond today, about half a mile beyond the Stone Zoo on the right hand side."
GoogleMap link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=4+Woodland%2C+Ave+Stoneham+MA+02180+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[obie119.livejournal.com]

Another new option - Spy Pond in Arlington will have canoe and kayak rental this year. It's the second year of the program.
https://www.arlingtonrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=27952&CategoryID=0