NOTE: They are open for canoe, kayak, SUP or pedal boat rentals on Saturdays from 10 AM to 7 PM and on Sundays from 12 to 7 PM. Click HERE for their current calendar of classes and Friday night moonlight paddles. |
Need a fun new adventure not too far from home? Check out Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club in Gainesville. My girls had been asking for a few weeks to go kayaking. Having done river kayaking before, this time, we tried out the open water on Lake Lanier.
Housed in the '96 Olympic rowing facilities, Lanier Canoe and Kayak was easy to find, clean and up-to-date. We found the staff was very friendly and accommodating. Dave was great and helped us in selecting what to try for our family of four. We ended up with a tandem kayak (for my husband and 7 year old), a single kayak (for our 10-year-old) and a SUP - Stand up Paddle Board (for me). We really enjoyed having the combination, allowing all of us to try each one. Dave even brought down several different kayaks and paddle boards to choose from. Some are more stable and others are a little more tipsy, but faster. It was great having the opportunity to try each out. They have rental options for either one or two hours and they have club memberships. We were even offered the option of applying our one-hour rentals to the membership fee if we wanted. Kind of like a try before you buy!
You can tell that Lanier Canoe and Kayak is really kid-friendly. My husband and I liked that they took the time to show the girls the proper way to enter, exit, paddle, and hold the oar. This area of the lake is really quiet and we saw very few boats, making the water decently calm and easy to paddle board and kayak on. No wake areas are clearly defined and we felt very comfortable out on the water. After exploring the lake for our hour, we headed back to the dock where the girls repeatedly jumped in and out of the water!
We finished off our day with a picnic at the adjacent Clarks Bridge Park. There are picnic tables, a beach area for swimming and a boat ramp. Don't forget to bring your swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, a picnic, and a change of clothes. Well maintained bathroom facilities are upstairs and there is a lock box in the rental area for personal items, such as keys and wallets.
Having all survived our adventure, we will be back. If my girls have a choice it will be for their summer day camp! They have a wide range of programs for children 7 and up. Check out their website for hours, fees, directions, and events. They even host a moonlit paddle once a month!
3105 Clarks Bridge Road on Lake Lanier
The mission of the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club is to serve as a catalyst and as a legacy program of the ’96 Summer Centennial Olympic Games and to promote health, education and fitness for all ages and abilities through quality flatwater canoe and kayak programs while continuing the Olympic spirit by promoting excellence in our competitive teams. The Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club will seek opportunities to host events that will have an economic and social impact on the community.
