Introducing CJP’s Summer Fun Guide, your weekly resource for accessible and exciting activities in the Boston area!

There’s no better way to spend a summer day than canoeing or kayaking on Boston’s beloved (dirty) waters, and there are a variety of adapted and accessible options for people of all abilities offered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

On Thursdays Boating in Boston ((508) 435-3965) offers small group tours of the serene lake at Hopkinton State Park, where instructors teach basic kayaking strokes and then take adventurers out for an hour long paddle. Single kayaks are available, as well as double kayaks for participants with helpers.

Waypoint Adventures ((781) 454-5297) is offering four days of sessions of adaptive kayaking in July—the program has experience with a variety of abilities and age groups, working with individuals with spinal cord injuries, low vision, and those on the autism spectrum. They offer modified kayaks with supported seats mimicking power chairs, pontoons that keep kayaks from tipping, and adapted paddles for those with hand weakness. Their two-hour tours will take you down the most scenic areas of the Charles, where you can paddle while you make way for ducklings!

All Out Adventures ((413) 584-2052) offers a variety of kayaking tours in the Boston area, as well as in Western Massachusetts. Tour guides are well-versed in both the nature and culture of the area—while kayaking on Walden Pond they might offer interesting facts about Thoreau, or point out the local flora and fauna at Douglas State Forest. Sue Tracy, Program Director, says that kayakers with mobility issues often speak of the “ease and joy” they feel when moving freely through the water. With so many options for the summer, getting out on the water and enjoying nature will be easy and fun!

For a full schedule of events, waivers and costs, visit the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s universal access site at http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/accessibility/accessible-events.html.

Questions or suggestions for our Summer Fun Guide? Email emaliec@cjp.org.

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