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Kayaking is an ever-growing sport, with people splashing through rapids and hugging the coastline’s shores. Beginner kayakers can’t simply don some gear and take their inaugural ride down the rapids, however. And they should definitely learn how to man their craft before heading out, which can be done through guided tours and safety lessons. Check out these five spots for beginner kayakers in Massachusetts. Then, secure your life vest and give this amazing sport a try!
Plum Island in Newburyport is the perfect place for kayaking, and its gentle shores are excellent for beginner kayakers. Plum Island Kayak offers beginner tours for those concerned about heading into the water without some basic training. They have both group and private tours, as well as kayak rentals.
When you enter the Sudbury River in Concord, you’ll enter flat, calm waters where you can lazily kayak in close proximity to some Massachusetts wildlife. You’ll paddle through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The water is excellent for beginners here, as you can paddle in either direction.
Affording beginner kayakers mostly flat water, the Ipswich River is a great place for beginners to get their feet wet—no pun intended. With locations in all the aforementioned cities to launch a kayak, the river is frequented by many kayakers during the warm weather months and well into fall, too. Paddle past scenic wildlife areas and farms at your own pace.
Beginner kayakers will paddle down a tree-lined river that eventually widens and affords views of lush vegetation and several islands. Known for relatively calm water, it’s an excellent place to learn to man a kayak comfortably, before heading into more active waterways.
Cape Ann is home to the Essex River Basin, where the waters are perfect for beginner kayakers wanting to develop their sea legs. Essex River Basin Adventures offers both private and group kayak tours, as well as lessons for beginners. For those who haven’t yet invested in a kayak, they have a full range of rentals available.
