This place isn't worth your time. My friends and I rented boats ahead of time for the last two hours of the day. When we showed up right on time we were told we would only get one hour with no refund. That alone should have been enough to leave but we had been looking forward to it and took the hour. Getting the boats was an awkward and uncomfortable process. The guy working was watching a show on his phone and very clearly made us aware that we were annoying him. He hardly acknowledged us and carried his show with him while he walked around. Absolute jerk behavior. He passed us off to a nice young woman who got us in the water. Once you're out in your boat things are great as you're not interacting with any staff. With our limited time we only went out about 300 feet and turned around. We were hanging out paddling within 50 feet of the dock for our last 15 minutes when the guy that we initially worked with started CONTINUOUSLY blaring an air horn for the better part of 15 minutes. We paddled in with time to spare. This is the part that made me furious: I was walking to rack my oar when the guy watching his show came up to me and blew his air horn while a foot away from me. I have no idea why he did this but it blew my ears out and caused me to drop the oar I was carrying. He literally looked at me and pretended nothing happened and walked away to keep blaring the horn. Absolutely unhinged behavior - we paid in advance and we're nothing but smiles I have no idea why he treated us this way. I hope management sees this and realizes they have a major problem somewhere in their employees that should be figured out before the new season. You've got some weirdo working there who clearly knows he has no supervision. read more

Cole was incredibly helpful and nice. He made our experience extremely positive! We drove down from NH, and it was well worth it!

Great option for an afternoon sail! However, if you're interested in having someone at the business navigate, this would not be the place for you. Experienced Sailors only. After signing your life away with the waiver and strapping on your vest you are put into a canoe and paddle out to your boat. Once on your boat you assemble the boat: attaching the sail, ties, rudder, etc then get ready for an afternoon on the water. You are required to perform a Figure 8 before taking off. The scenery is relaxing and although it was overcast that day it was still extremely enchanting. Rates are reasonable but the port-a-potties are DISGUSTING. Poop and urine everywhere Nevertheless, it was still a delight. read more

Boating in Boston - Boating Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

Pros: - Friendly staff - Nice pond for a 1-2 hour kayak trip - Proximity to Boston - Water looks clean Cons: - No bathroom - No swimming - Can see buildings & highways in parts - Parking lot can get crowded read more

Boating in Boston - Kayaking around on a partly cloudy day. - Boating Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

My wife and I went to this location late on Sunday, an hour before closing on Labor Day. No problem, we just wanted a quick one hour cruise to send Summer on it's way to wherever it goes most of the year in New England. Or so we thought... I went to Boating in Boston because of a Groupon. In our busy Labor Day weekend we forgot that our Groupon was actually for $60 worth of boating. As you can imagine, even a double kayak is not that much for only an hour. In fact it's $20. And worse, that's $10 less than the amount I paid for the Groupon in the first place. Had I put this all together while we were signing waivers and getting life jackets, I would have just saved the Groupon and paid the $20 at this rental! I could have gotten $30 (the face value) of boating any time I wanted at some later date. Even next Spring. After we were done, I walked back from the car to ask nicely if we might get a $10 credit for next time we drive all the way up to Stoneham for kayaking. The manager on duty refused. She told me that it's not her responsibility to manage my Groupons. She admitted, quite readily, that she saw were were using the $60 Groupon with only an hour left. She admitted she knew that we were throwing away $10. She admitted that she CHOSE to say nothing. I asked her if there was anyone else I could speak to. Maybe her hands were tied. She insisted that her boss wouldn't have given a $10 credit/voucher either. So I guess I chalk it up to poor customer service training. As I was walking away she still had the nerve to ask "But do understand my position on this?" I think not. When we were first checking out our boat this same woman, the manager, told us to make sure we were back by 7 pm (closing) because she was hungry. I thought little of it at the time. I urge you all to take your business somewhere other than Boating in Boston, a B & G Outdoor Recreation Company. You'll have a better experience. Their goal is clearly to get more people in the door, and take more money, NOT to provide a refreshing experience at a reasonable price. read more

Update - this year they no longer have the boathouse in Newton. So they're down to only four locations. Do they mention this on their web site? Of course not. The season pass is no longer worth it. read more

Ok why is this place like twice as expensive as every other kayaking place around boston? Kayaking for two people came to like $60 bucks. Really? Really? And there is one girl working the people checking in AND the people checking out. Then there is one person getting people in the kayaks. It was just too expensive for what it was. If I went kayaking three times a year i might as well buy my own kayak. Ridiculous. And I would have really rather not paid for the twenty minutes it took standing in line after we got out of the kayak. Seriously I love kayaking and we go to a bunch of places in the area but this place just left a negative impression on me. And I forgot to post this review until three months later, but I am still so annoyed I had to post it. I like kayaking in a lake better than river, but I think I'll go back to the other place. read more

Girl at the counter was more concerned about me having a mask outside then being helpful. Didn't explain anything to us well. Then she gave us prices and when we went online the price was almost doubled. I wouldn't go back. One hour is not enough for the $25 or $30 charge.. Don't go here read more

I took my sister out on a canoe this last summer and we had a blast! I think this is one of those little gems in Stoneham that very few people make use of. They have two person and four person paddle boats, big flat bottom boats you could take a group out in and of course some sail boats. Make it a day with a picnic afterward near the old Botum House! read more

Spot pond is probably going to be a normal place for kayaking, compared to the Charles river. I came here for the first time couple days ago and had a great time. The prices are pretty cheap - $11 per person if you get a boat for 2/3 people. Although we don't get the city views like what Charles river offers, I found the surrounding nature and forestry to be way more relaxing and serene. I was never a fan of kayaking, but I sure am now. And for once, I actually won't be scared if my boat flips over and I find myself in spot pond water. Better than the dirty water in the Charles...... but yes, I highly recommend this place. Staff was super nice and patient with us (we had a party of 10). There's also a lot more activities in the area too if you decide to go hiking! Not bad read more

If you're looking for a great summer activity check this place out. They have a nice variety of boats, with awesome customer service. I'll definitely be buying a family season pass for my whole family next year. read more

Spot pond is awesome!! Everyone is very friendly and knowledgeable and all the guests have a great time!

This is a very nice spot for a relaxing kayak. Easy to find, easy parking. There are trails in the forest around the pond, and little islands. With a season pass that includes both Boating in Boston and Cambridge Canoe and Kayak, I have been visiting many places around the greater Boston area. This was by far my favorite. All the staff were very friendly, and it was such a better experience than at the CC&K Kendall location, where it was a hassle every single time I wanted to take out a boat using my season pass. I'll definitely come back here, and will probably buy next year's pass through Boating in Boston rather than CC&K as well. read more

My whole family loves this place! We like love to kayak. This is the perfect spot for a 1-2 hour kayak or canoe outing. It's also a great place to get a quick kayaking fix on a busy day if you live nearby. The staff is friendly and helpful. The pond is clean and has several interesting little island for the kids to explore. The Boating in Boston membership gives you access to this and all their other sites which is a great deal if you kayak a lot. The only drawbacks are the small parking lot (ask the staff for help with this if it's busy) and the potta-potty. My son has attended both the sailing and kayaking camp there for several years and absolutely loves it. read more

This is my first year as a season pass holder, and overall I've had good experiences, with my day in Natick as the exception. I've kayaked at all of the Boating in Boston sites, and except for the Natick site, all of the staff have been friendly and helpful. Today we went to Natcick, and one particular staff was curt, rude, and barked orders like a drill sarge. We were not allowed to disembark and swim at the designated swimming area, and although we were unaware of this, we were admonished rudely for doing so. I was interrupted, and told more than once, "Natick is different from the other sites." Clearly this is so, which is why I will not return there. read more

We've been members of Boating in Boston as long as it's been located at Spot Pond. We went out today for a sail and what a disappointment. We rowed out to the sailboat in a rowboat that no one had bothered to bail. When we started setting up the sails, the jib was missing the jib sheets, and there wasn't anything to attach the foot of the jib to on the boat. We rowed back, got a jib with sheets and found a piece of line to secure the foot of the jib. Come on, B in B, rather than telling people that necessary items may be missing from the boats, how about checking the boats and making sure they're fit to sail! read more

My fiancé and I went to the Stoneham location today. We live so close to the area and never knew this was here until my boss told me about it. It was our first time here and our first time kayaking period!! We rented a double kayak and were on the pond for an hour. Only $20.00 an hr for a double kayak!!! We will def be back!! Had so much fun!!! read more

Far, far too expensive. It's a private profit-making center making use of an otherwise wonderful public resource. Try instead Foote Brothers in Ipswich and you'll see the difference at less than half the cost including river shuttle service. read more

My boyfriend and I have been kayaking a lot over the past few summers. I think we originally found Boating in Boston through Groupon. Ever since, Spot Pond has become one of our go-to locations! The size of the pond is perfect for a relaxing 1-2 hours of kayaking. They always have enough kayaks go around, they take credit cards, and the staff has always been very friendly. We're picky about getting a kayak with a wet seat, and they've always been willing to pull out some dry ones for us. Kayaking is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a beautiful day, and this place is a great spot for it! Renting 2 single kayaks for an hour is only $30. read more

Every summer I kayak at various locations including Spot Pond. Now let me tell you, I am not the most active person, but I do enjoy an occasional row and drift through the water on a hot day. The supervisors and workers are fair, fun, and completely chill. You can tell they deal with a lot of boaters, kayakers, and canoe-ers both new and professional. After entering my information they put a lifejacket on me making sure it was secure, and advised me to not take electronics out on the water. They also provided me with a small plastic bag in case I was bringing my cell phone. There was a nice guy that helped bring up my kayak and assisted me into it as well- then gave me a push away from the dock wishing me good luck and to have fun. Kayaking has been not only a first-choice outside activity for me, but also the most relaxing time for me during these summers and I have nobody but Boating in Boston to thank. Its good to know theres a group of solid workers helping your average, run-of-the-mill person enjoy an outside activity while feeling safe and taken care of. read more

Great time on our first time out on Spot Pond! We rented a rowboat and fished for a few hours. Lots of fish, no crowds, crystal clear water! Boat staff were professional and helpful. Thank you! read more

Hello! I had to write right away as I just came back from my first time kayaking at Spot Pond in Stoneham at Boating in Boston. What a great outfit! The staff was very kind, helpful and courteous. As a first timer, I was a bit apprehensive , but all my fears were gone with the competent and confident instructors assisting me into the kayak and giving me helpful information and tips to make my first experience absolutely wonderful! I recommend this outfit to anyone interested in a fabulous experience, be it for a first try or repeat outings. Thanks for all your help for a great day on the Pond! read more

i love boating here! its so fun. the people are so friendly and nice. they have all diffrent boats to choose from like single and doble kyacks,paddel,boats canoes and more. its really fun read more