This post of summer staycation ideas is sponsored by Discover Boating but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Our favorite summer memories are made on the boat. With kids and grandparents, fishing and swimming, boating is our favorite summer staycation.
Boating is the ultimate summer staycation. Getting out on the water with the family just puts everyone in a vacation state of mind. Whether your fishing for your supper, getting adventurous with water sports, or just enjoying a relaxing cruise, boating has a way of making all your troubles disappear.
With the help of all the resources Discover Boating provides for renting boats near you or purchasing your own boat, we have the perfect summer staycation ideas for you and your family to create summer memories out on the water!
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We are fortunate enough to have always grown up with a cabin on the water. This is where you’ll find us all through the year, and especially in the summer. Almost exactly a year ago, I also wrote about being on the boat!
Even when we take a vacation, we also seem to gravitate toward the water. When we are in Florida, we also like to look for a pontoon boat to rent for a day.
Why not do this at home too?
Chances are you have some water near you, and you can find a fantastic boating experience for your family. Discover Boating has a handy tool for you to find boat rentals and charters close to home!
Making Family Memories out on the water
Just today is a prime example of why we love boating as a family.
Putting everyone in close proximity makes for some great memories!
We took the pontoon boat out in the morning with myself, two kids, and Grandma and Grandpa. We brought along fishing gear and snacks and made our way to our favorite fishing spot – just out from the dock.
The few hours we were out there were some of the best moments we’ve had so far this summer!
The fishing was ok, but it’s not even about that…
The best part is just having everyone together on the boat.
Grandpa worked to get everyone in the best fishing spot and gave pointers here and there…
Grandma slightly butchered Little Guy’s hair with a homemade haircut right there on the boat…
I was told, “this kid is still learning” by my own son who is not impressed with my fishing skills…
Little Lady never stopped dancing around and singing the entire three hours…
…and we had an amazing time!
Also Read: Family Boating: Create lasting memories
Later, we went back out on the boat and found a shallow, sandy area to swim.
Grandma and Grandpa relaxed on the boat. I was coaxed into the water because I was told I had to be the teacher for swim lessons. Our Little Guy, after showing off his jumping the previous day, stayed content in the shallow water just splashing around. Little Lady kept up with the swim lesson theme and waited for instruction.
You just can’t beat it!
Boating is the perfect summer staycation idea!
There is something about being on the water that instantly gives you that vacation feeling.
It’s both exciting and fun and rejuvenating and peaceful.
Getting the family together for some fishing or swimming is exciting for the kids and amusing for the parents/grandparents. Heading out for a cozy evening ride is so relaxing. And each time is full of talking, laughing, and togetherness.
Boating is the ultimate in summer staycation ideas. Whether you’ve been thinking about buying a boat or just want to find a place to rent, boating can make home feel like a vacation destination!
Also Read: Family Boating: Create lasting memories
Summer Staycation Ideas on the Water
Rent a pontoon boat for the whole family.
We love any time together on the pontoon boat… Morning fishing trips, picnic lunches on the boat, water fun with the kids, or a relaxing sunset cruise… If you don’t have a boat, you can find nearby rentals here.
Take a fishing trip.
Grab a family license for the day, weekend, or year and try your hand at fishing.
This is one of our absolute favorite past times and the kids get so excited to see the fish come in. They also learn a lot from Grandpa and eagerly anticipate the fish fry to follow!
Take a boat out for some water sports.
If you have – or rent – a speedboat or personal water craft, tow the kids (and big kids) around in a tube for some easy play on the water. Tubing was always my favorite as a kid! Or up the difficulty level with skis or a wakeboard.
Charter a fishing boat with a guide
If you don’t fish often, it can be overwhelming to gather all the gear and try to find a good place to fish. You can take all that guess work and preparation out of it by finding a place nearby that provides a guide or at least the gear and the boat. (find nearby charters here)
Try a fun swimming spot
Find a lake with out-of-the-ordinary swimming spots and make it an adventure.
The lake our cabin is on has a large sandbar just across the lake where you can park the boat and swim in about 2ft of water. Back at home, we live near the St. Croix River and there are plenty of islands you can boat to for swimming. It’s a fun way to make swimming even more exciting.
Take a relaxing sunset cruise
If you’re all about relaxation, a sunset cruise is the ultimate in summer staycation ideas.
There is something about that time of night that is so peaceful! Grab some beverages and a few snacks and just enjoy the colors on the lake and that calm, peaceful feeling.
Discover Boating
Funny story: I actually got the email about working with Discover Boating while we were out on the boat!
Discover Boating is a national campaign on behalf of the US recreational boating industry to help people get on the water and experience the fun of boating. Discoverboating.com is an unbiased online resource packed with easy, interactive features on all things boating.
Boating is our favorite summer past time. You will find us at the cabin at least half the summer and other times all year long. Our pontoon boat is as old as our kids and we had our little guy out on the water at a week old!
If you’re thinking of buying a boat so you can staycation whenever you want, you can find a ton of information about boat options, dealers, boat loans, and boat shows on the Discover Boating website.
You can also find where to rent boats near you if you just want to go out for a day.
Do you and your family have special boating memories?
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Boating is one of those activities that my kids have not been able to experience yet. Unless you count a row boat:) We aren’t super close to any big lakes nor do we have a boat or friends with a boat. I bet it is so fun!
It is such a good time – I hope you get a chance to try it sometime with them! That’s what I found so interesting from the Discover Boating website – they have a spot to fill in your zip code and it will show you the nearest boat rentals or charters. Very handy for vacation destinations too!
I love these ideas so much! We love close to the water so I’ll have to try them out this summer.
Same with us, we live in a river town but rarely go out on the water. We do spend a lot of time on the lake at the cabin, though.
I am definitely getting my kids out on the water this summer! Thanks for the tips!
Absolutely! That’s what summer is all about. Have fun out on the water!
I love the idea of a “stay-cation”! Vacations can be so expensive and tough with little ones – I love the idea of creating memories at home!
So true! I think we always forget about the things we could do close to home.
We live in this gorgeous little town that has a bunch of tourists visit and I always forget that we have so many local things we could be doing.
This is a wonderful idea and I believe my family would love to experience this type of staycation. Very timely as the boys are asking me to go on a fishing trip.
Fishing is one of our favorite things! A fishing trip is so special – I hope you get the chance to take your boys!
Such great ideas!! We love spending time together, especially on the water.
Thanks so much, Tabitha! We do too!
fishing is such a good thing to do in summer or all year round 🙂 out on the bank with family and friends, can’t beat it
We love fishing too. It’s one of our favorite things to do on the boat!
Great post! It really is enjoying going out and fishing. It’s one of my favorite activities to do with my dad when I was younger. And now, I’m bringing back the activity now that I have my own family, the feeling is nostalgic. Anyways, amazing read and thank you for sharing this. Cheers!
Boating is one of our favorite family activities and fishing makes me think of when I was my kiddos’ ages fishing with my dad too. Thanks for stopping by and reading!
Hello! This article is awesome! We love water activities too: fishing, boating, and kayaking. I taught my kids lessons about these activities through videos so they know what to expect as they get out of the water. Meanwhile, my husband taught them how to swim. I love the idea that there is no need to travel far away just to bond and have fun with your family. Thanks for this. Xoxo.
Thank you! That is so great that you prepared your kiddos and take the time to have these experiences with them!
Summer and boating go hand in hand! though not everyone has water in the backyard, whenever I find time to travel, I try to find a place where it can be possible for sometimes 🙂
True. We live in Minnesota and boat in Wisconsin, so there are many lakes and rivers around. However, I noticed that everywhere I’ve been you can find some water relatively close. Thanks for sharing!
Fishing with family in a place that far from home is really a great experience!
Thanks for offering some great summer staycation ideas. My wife and I are hoping to rent a boat next summer for our family. We’d love to do some fishing and boating.
That sounds like so much fun!
This article is awesome!
Thank You!
Well, thank you so much! I’m glad you found it helpful!