By: Sharon Smith, Editor at Delaware State Parks

The weather is warming up and what better way to enjoy than by hitting the water! If one of our Delaware State Parks has a pond or an ocean, then keep an eye out for a boating rental near by. We offer 5 locations where you can bring the family for kayaking, canoeing, row boating, sailboating or pedal boating.  Check out below all the great features that each of our boat rental locations has to offer!

1. Cape Henlopen State Park

For those who love to kayak or use a Stand-Up Paddleboard, Cape Henlopen State Park is the place to go. If you are into gorgeous sunsets, historic lighthouses and being up close to schools of bottle-nosed dolphins, then you really need to visit Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes. Cape offers access to the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It also is within walking or biking distance from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal. Quest Kayaks offers rentals at the park. Visitors just need to stop by the fishing pier to reserve their kayak or SUP. For first time boaters, Quest also offers tours. Prices vary depending on whether you rent a single or tandem kayak, but a two-hour single kayak rental starts at $25. For more information, click here.

Seashore view looking out to Cape Henlopen’s Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse.

2. Lums Pond State Park

Just a 15-minute drive from Newark, Lums Pond State Park has everything a boater could want. It is the largest freshwater pond in Delaware and considered one of the best fishing spots in the state. Fishers can expect to catch perch, pickerel and largemouth bass. It couldn’t be any easier to enjoy a day on the water when you visit Lums Pond. There is no need to strap your kayak to the top of your car or hitch a trailer to your car to carry a canoe or rowboat. Lums Pond has everything you need to enjoy a relaxing day on the pond. The park rents pedal boats, rowboats, canoes, and kayaks. Visitors can rent the boats by the day or by the hour. The rental fees range from $7 an hour for a rowboat to $15 an hour for a pedal boat. The fee also includes a floatation device. Once on the water, boaters will see herons, egrets, osprey and cormorants, dragonflies and turtles. Novice boaters can contact the park to participate in guided trips and receive kayak lessons. For more information, click here.

Lums Pond boat rental dock.

3. Killens Pond State Park

Paddle boats offered for rent at Killens Pond.

Visitors don’t need to drive to the beach or the bay to have fun on the water. There is plenty of fun to be found in Central Delaware. Killens Pond, located just minutes away from Dover in Felton, offers calm waters and tree-lined banks for a laidback, peaceful afternoon or morning on the water. You do not need to own your own boat or kayak, just have to come to the park, where you can rent a canoe, pedal boat, single or tandem kayak for an hour. Rentals range from $8 an hour for a canoe to $11 for a tandem kayak.  If you like to fish, the pond is stocked with catfish, largemouth bass and perch. If you get tired of boating, you can always take a break and relax at the nature center that overlooks the peaceful pond. For more information, click here.

4. Trap Pond State Park

Trap Pond State Park in Laurel is known for its bald cypress trees and its natural beauty. The best way to take in Delaware’s first state park is by boat. Visitors have plenty of options to choose from when they visit Trap Pond State Park. They can rent a rowboat, pedal boat, canoe or kayak. Trap Pond also has pontoon boats, where interpreters, take visitors on narrated tours. Visitors won’t want to miss the night sounds pontoon tour, where visitors get to hear the sounds the swamp makes after dark. Visitors can rent a rowboat for an hour for $7 or a single kayak for an hour for $9. The pontoon boats are not available for rent. For more information, click here.

Kayaking adventure through Trap Pond.

5. Fenwick Island State Park

It is hard to be down at the beach or the bay and not be struck with the desire to experience the ocean or bay by boat. Visitors need only stop by Coastal Kayak in Fenwick Island. There, they can rent kayaks, sailboats, and paddleboats. If you like riding the waves or getting up close and personal to the dolphins renting a kayak or a sailboat is the best way to experience Fenwick Island. If you are a novice to kayaking, you do not have to try it alone. Coastal Kayak offers kayak rental tours and instruction. Kayak rentals for an hour are $15; paddleboard rentals for an hour are $20. For more information, click here.

Family getting ready for their kayaking adventure with Coastal Kayak.

For more information about our locations and rentals, visit:
https://www.destateparks.com/Adventures/CanoeKayakPaddle