Paddleboarding Adventures

Stand-up paddleboarding is the easiest way to get a family onto the water on its own power. There is no technique to learn before you start moving, a kid can ride on the front of a parent’s board from about age three, and most children can paddle a board of their own by eight or nine. The catch is wind - a paddleboard is a sail with a person standing on it, and a breezy day turns a pleasant hour into a workout.

What to look for in a paddleboarding spot

No-wake or motor-free water. Boat wakes are the main thing that knocks beginners off. Mirror Lake in Lake Placid bans gas motors entirely, which makes it about the calmest water on this list. Lake Pflugerville and Oak Point Park are small enough that nothing gets rough.

Somewhere sheltered from wind, not just from waves. A long open lake can be glassy at 8am and unmanageable by noon. Small lakes and urban reservoirs are more forgiving than big ones.

A gentle entry. You want to be able to wade out and climb on in waist-deep water, not launch off a dock.

Rentals on site. Lady Bird Lake in Austin and White Rock Lake in Dallas both have them, which saves hauling a board across the state to find out your kid does not like it.

Paddling with a young child

• Start on your knees. Everyone does, kids and adults. Standing up is not the goal on day one.
• Put the kid at the front, sitting cross-legged. Their weight up there actually improves the trim of the board with an adult at the back.
• Life jackets for everyone. The US Coast Guard classifies a paddleboard as a vessel, so a PFD is required outside a designated swim area, and Texas requires kids under 13 to wear one.
• Use a leash on open water and not on a river. A leash keeps the board with you if you fall - but on moving water it is a snag hazard.
• Go out into the wind and come home with it. Tired kids and a headwind on the return leg is the classic mistake.

Best time

Early morning, almost everywhere. Wind builds through the day on every one of these lakes, and glassy water is both easier and much prettier. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons in Texas; summer works if you go early. In New York the season is short - roughly May through September - and in Hawaii it is year-round.

What to bring

Life jackets, a leash, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses with a strap, water, and a dry bag for anything electronic. Wear clothes you do not mind swimming in, because you will end up in the water at some point and that is fine.