Among the best ways to enjoy the great outdoors in the US is through paddling. Blessed with a variety of different landscapes (and millions of miles of various bodies of water), the country is an ideal training ground for paddlers of all ages and all levels.
That said, kayaking, canoeing, and basically any activity that requires using a paddle to move a watercraft can mean different things to different people. For some, paddling is a great way to unwind and break free from the monotony of office life. For others, padding is simply a low-impact activity they do to stay fit. For those that don’t belong to the first two groups, paddling is both a sport and a way of life.
Regardless of what group you belong to, getting into kayaking and other paddle sports is best done with other people (not just for the social aspect of it, but for safety reasons as well). As such, we’ve listed down some of the best kayak clubs in the country. Check out our list below!
Founded in 1997 by Olympian Chris Barlow, San Diego Canoe Kayak Team is a non-profit organization dedicated to training paddlers of all ages in the Olympic sport of sprint kayaking and canoeing. Operating out of sunny San Diego, California, students at the SDCKT have the benefit of being able to paddle outdoors, all year round.
With two Olympian coaches, the club offers a safe yet thoroughly professional and competitive environment conducive for developing not just competency in paddling, but also a life-long relationship with paddle sport.
While the club is run by Olympians, it does offer a variety of programs suited for all levels. Programs offered at San Diego Canoe Kayak Team include Youth Paddling (comprised of three courses: Intro to Paddling, Development, and Junior Racing Team), Seniors and Masters (open for adults of all levels, whether they just want to paddle for fitness or paddle competitively), Guest Paddler (designed for friends of SDCKT members as well as visiting international and out of town paddlers who aren’t members of SDCKT), Collegiate (for college students, experienced paddlers, and beginners alike; SDCKT has a scholarship program with Point Loma University as well), Adaptive & Para (for paddlers with physical challenges/disabilities), and Team Building (SDCKT offers a Learn to Paddle Day at the Bay for organizations looking for a team building activity).
Named after the Hawaiian word for strong, Ikaika Hawaii was formed by Olympian Shelley Oates-Wilding. Operating out of the Hawaii Yacht Club in Honolulu, Hawaii, the club gained its 501c3 status in 2013, and has since only continued to provide its members (mainly local youth) a pathway to develop physically and mentally through water activities.
Ikaika Hawaii is dedicated to providing a safe and fun learning experience to its members, and offers a variety of programs and a number of training options.
There are currently three training packages: Gold (unlimited monthly training for $200/month), Silver (3 instructional hours per week for $150/month), and Bronze (2 instructional hours per week for $100/month). Most of the club’s programs are designed for different squads. Squads here include Honu Squad (for junior “waterman” keen on developing skills in water safety and rescue, as well as various watermans sports and activities like kayaking, surfski, outrigger, paddle boarding, and ocean swimming), Wiki Wiki Squad (designed to increase skills in a variety of watercraft), Mako Squad (advanced training in canoeing and kayaking), and “Fit & Fabulous” Squad (for adults who just want to stay fit through a variety of water sports).
The club also has a Rowing Clinic & Squad (14-18 years), a Watermans Academy Holiday Program (for kids to young teens), and an Aspire Coach Leadership Program (12 & up).
Gig Harbor Canoe & Kayak Racing Team
Run by a team of passionate paddle athletes and enthusiasts, the Gig Harbor Canoe & Kayak Racing Team is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and enabling athletes to strive for excellence in life through what they learn in the sport of canoe/kayak racing.
Based in Gig Harbor, Washington, athletes at the Gig Harbor Canoe & Kayak Racing Team make use of two main training grounds: Ancich Waterfront Park, and Skansie Brothers Park. Unlike other kayak clubs, joining the GHCKRT is a big commitment, as practices take place all year round–even in the winter! Nine-time National Champions, the GHCKRT prides itself with having no “part time” program.
While they don’t provide a detailed list of all their training programs on their website, the GHCKRT does have a Youth program as well as a Masters program, both divided into different teams to accommodate different ages and skill levels. The team provides a number of boats and paddles to a new athlete, and when the athlete decides to focus on one sport, the team will help the athlete in purchasing the right paddle. The team requires at least a three-month commitment to participation, and all members of the GHCKRT are required to obtain American Canoe Association membership independently.
RIVERSPORT OKC is more than just a simple kayak club. A project of the RIVERSPORT Foundation, RIVERSPORT OKC focuses on providing people with opportunities to immerse themselves in and more importantly, enjoy the outdoors–regardless if they’re training for the Olympics or if they’re just there to have fun.
Operating out of RIVERSPORT Adventure Parks in OKC, RIVERSPORT offers a variety of outdoor adventures. Guests here can go surfing at the Boathouse District, do some wall-climbing, skiing at their indoor skiing facility, or kayaking at the Oklahoma River or at Lake Hefner. There are also outdoor activities that cater to families, such as the Sky Zip and the Sky Trail, the tallest adventure course of its kind in the world!
Programs offered by RIVERSPORT cater to athletes of all ages. Its official youth rowing and paddling teams compete nationally, and even if they’re not there to compete, guests are provided the same professional coaching as RIVERSPORT’s competing teams. As an official US Olympic & Paralympic Training Site, RIVERSPORT provides state of the art training facilities for whitewater and flatwater canoe/kayak and rowing. Lessons and outdoor adventures at RIVERSPORTS are packaged in passes, and every RIVERSPORT pass you buy goes toward RIVERSPORT’s community youth and outreach programs, as well as to the training of Olympic hopefuls training in OKC.
Operating out of Rockledge Park in Grapevine, Texas, Lonestar Adventure Sports is owned and operated by Peter Demopoulos, an ACA Certified Instructor with an extensive background in Adventure Tourism. As such, while Lonestar specializes in watersports and operates primarily as a kayak and paddleboard rental, they also provide a wide variety of outdoor experiences, such as guided hiking tours, bike rentals, and golf cart rentals.
Kayak rentals here come with all the necessary gear, as well as free beginner-friendly lessons–making it great for guests of all levels and ages. Moreover, if you’re planning on hosting an event or a private part on Grapevine Lake, Lonestar Adventure Sports also provides kayak rentals for your guests.
While Lonestar Adventure Sports is open year-round, the kayak rentals are only available during the summer and fall seasons (around March to November). Moreover, all reservations and rentals may be cancelled depending on weather conditions, so it’s best to check the weather forecast before booking a reservation. That said, one of the best things about Lonestar Adventure Sports is that it’s located in Rockledge Park, where guests can enjoy other outdoor activities, such as nature hikes and family picnics. For more info, head on over to their website, or check out their bio and contact information below.
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