Kennebunkport, Maine is one of the most charming towns in New England and one of my favorite places to visit. So when my friend asked if I wanted to try stand up paddle boarding (SUP) along the Kennebunk River, straight through the Dock Square area, of course I said yes!
We rented boards from Coastal Maine Kayak and Bike, located right on the river in the same plaza as Federal Jack’s and next to the bridge connecting Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. After being fit for lifejackets and provided paddles and a dry-bag for phones, keys, etc., we were on our way!
Be sure to check the tide chart to see when the tides are shifting. When reserving your time, ask the staff when they recommend coming. We scheduled it so that the first hour of our rental, the tide was going in and we would paddle upriver, then the second two hours the tide was going out so we could just float back to the dock. When the tide is high, there’s just enough space to squeeze under the bridge on the way down the river.
SUP was easy to learn and would be fun for people of all comfort levels on the water. You can paddle on your knees or stand all the way up – whichever feels best to you. After a minute or two of finding your balance, it’s smooth sailing. The Kennebunk River was very calm and after paddling under the bridge, away from the marinas, there were very few motor boats to worry about.
I loved that with SUP we could just pull up to a dock and relax or jump in the water and easily climb back up on the board. There are lots of spots along the river to stop to take a break. The boards were steady enough that we really wouldn’t have even gotten wet if we hadn’t decided to jump in on our own.
We had such a great time stand up paddle boarding and I absolutely recommend renting from Coastal Maine Kayak and Bike. Spending a day on the Kennebunk River, soaking in the views of town and coasting by all the beautiful boats, was an amazing new way to see one of my favorite places.
Is there an activity in New England you love and think we should try next? Comment below – we love trying something new!