Paddle Boston: Cambridge, Kendall Square — Attraction in Cambridge

I've gone to this place several times with some childhood friends we always have a good time. Today was different.

First let me say: We are all in our twenties and working professionals. Engineers and RN's.

We went out today and I noticed one of the staff members was lurking behind us as we ventured out. That's cool, he's just patrolling the area I thought. Nope. This dude straight up followed us for over an hour. Constantly. 50-100 feet back he stalked us the entire time. Weird.. Finally we decided to paddle really fast, so fast that it became difficult for him to trail us and he FINALLY turned back after following us for 75% of our trip.

Towards the end of the trip we started heading back in and on my way back in the same creep starts cutting around everyone and paddling fast near the launch area. As I'm taking my life jacket off I can hear this guy bragging loudly about how he busted some people smoking in "his river" and how he "confiscated their stuff". Even his coworkers said he was a weirdo. It all started making sense.

He was following us around looking for rules we might be breaking. Lol. Ditch this creep and I'll change the review to 5*. Let people enjoy their day and leave the policing to the coast guard. We don't need golem lurking in the...

I went kayaking with 2 friends after work and we had SUCH a blast! We went to the Cambridge location (a little tricky to find, it's sort of behind EVOO), took a short quiz on water safety (they give you a hand out to read first so you know what you're doing). They set us up easily--life jackets, paddles, etc. And then held the kayak as we got in. We got 1 one person Kayak and 1 two person kayak. We paddled right out into the river, hung out on the river for a bit--it was so nice with the breeze, no bugs and it was not too hot! We bopped around to the esplanade and generally were in fits of giggles for most of the evening b/c it was so much fun. I saw a couple who had their dog on the kayak with them! (It was a frenchie, so a small dog, but still!). At the end, we kayaked around for about an hour, and it was only $37. Pretty awesome. Things to note:

1. you get a little wet, so maybe wear a suit or bring something to change into.
2. you have to bring everything with you, so you can borrow a dry bag, but it's probably not smart to bring your laptop... and to pack light.
3. There's a place to lock your bike if you bike over.
4. there's a garage if you want to drive. After kayaking, we went to EVOO and had a drink and a bite and were dying over the pictures we...

TL;DR - Paddle Boston at Kendall Square is my go-to for kayaking on the Charles. The staff is always 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...