FLICKR/VIRGINIA STATE PARKS
Expect Post-Dispatch Lake to look like this.
Paddleboats? So last year! This year, in partnership with Big Muddy Adventures, Forest Park's Boathouse (6101 Government Drive) will also be offering stand-up paddle, canoes and kayaks.
And hey, if you're into tradition, you can still get a paddleboat. They're a classic for a reason. But after a pop-up paddleboard option last year proved popular, Big Muddy will be working with the city and the Boathouse's new vendor, Sugarfire Smoke House, to bring these new options.
“After the success of our pop-up paddleboard rental last summer, we are so excited to be able to partner with Sugarfire to bring these great paddle activities to the best urban park in the country ” Roo Yawitz, general manager of the newly formed Boathouse Paddle Co., said in a prepared statement.
(Now, some may note that at least one new option is actually old — back in the '90s, an RFT staffer swears, the Boathouse did in fact host canoes. Stand-up paddle, which first became popular among surfers in the last decade, is obviously a newer option for the Midwest.)
Among the options Boathouse Paddle Co. plans to announce in next month include stand-up paddle yoga, kayak classes, guided tours and moonlight paddles.
And that's in addition, of course, to Sugarfire's brand-new menu at the Boathouse. Because what could be better after a day of paddling than a massive pile of ribs and all the fixin's? (Just don't try to indulge first; you might regret that.)
The company says paddleboats, canoes and XL paddleboards will rent for $20 for the first hour, while kayaks and regular paddleboards will be $15 an hour, the company says. Additional hours for all boats will be $15.
The four options will be available daily from 11 a.m. to sunset. Group reservations will be accepted for ten or more boats; all other rentals are first-come, first-served.
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