South Bridge Boat House
We are a family owned business located in Concord Ma. After meeting and living in Concord our owners Shirley and the late George Rohan decided to buy the South Bridge Boat House. Since 1946 the Rohan’s have been renting canoes and kayaks on the Sudbury river.
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Reviews
Joe Lonsdale September 27, 2024
Charming and friendly staff, quality boats and a beautiful stretch of river to explore... Highly recommended!
Glenn Jones September 12, 2024
Outstanding kayak experience. Friendly, helpful staff. And the river was lovely. We went to North Bridge and back in about 60 minutes. Was perfect.
Meg Lovell September 8, 2024
Outrageously good customer services from EVERY SINGLE STAFF MEMBER PRESENT TODAY! (sorry, I had to yell that... but these good humans deserve the shout out!) I couldn't recommend this place enough. Great location, great facilities, great people and access to some of the most scenic parts of the Concord River!
Heather Smidt August 24, 2024
We had a lovely experience here! The young man who helped us into our kayaks was friendly and professional. When we walked up, he made sure we knew they were a cash only establishment so we weren’t surprised at the end. The rates were slightly more than some companies but not significantly more and they are the only ones we are aware of on this river.
The young man was great at giving us the direction we would go to get to the old north bridge. He also explained our upstream options.
I would absolutely go back and recommend someone renting a canoe or kayak here!
Jaime Stathis June 2, 2024
Fabulous facility! My friend and I rented kayaks and paddled up and down the river for 3.5 hours and had the best time! The staff is friendly, helpful, fun and professional. I'll be back!
Sabrina Alonso June 2, 2024
My husband and I came here for the first time and what a beautiful experience. I was a little nervous based on the negative reviews however I believe reviews aren’t always accurate because is different for everyone. There was 2 gentleman and a lady working they were kind. We will definitely return
Derek Yerardi April 18, 2024
I have visited this spot on and off over many years. The family (owners) made some recent managerial changes and the place is now being reinvented. There is a lot of history at this place, so its value to the community cannot be ignored. The new paint makes the building look great, and it seems Briana, the new manager, has some big plans. The location is mint, so I truly hope to see it come back to life.
Kevin Schmidt September 18, 2023
I have hosted two company team events as well as brought my family here. The staff is very friendly and is a great atmosphere. The moment you walk around the side of the building you feel like you can disconnect from the world. From the South Bridge Boathouse it is an easy trip down the river to the Old North Bridge in Lexington where you can find a place to beach your craft and have a picnic while taking in a piece of history. The trip back is a bit more work as you head back upstream but even first time paddlers will be successful in the journey. If you want to break from the stresses of life, I recommend renting a boat from the South Bridge Boathouse.
Connor McCormack September 3, 2023
Great experience! Highly recommend! Had a great day on the water with friends…amazing group of staff helped get us situated before going out. I’ll be back next week!
Sean Karman August 18, 2023
Amazing river!! Absolutely stunning. The Staff were very helpful to a first timer like myself. Got the hang of it very fast and the journey was a 10/10. Will be back every season.
Siddharth Shah August 6, 2023
Great place for kayaking. Not very crowded and perfect spot for family kayaking. River is quiet and you can see lot of birds and turtles along the river bank. Worth visit if you are kayaking lover.
Themrfabio24 August 5, 2023
This was such a fun time with the wife. The staff is very friendly/helpful and makes it easy even for the most timid/inexperienced of people. Will be returning.
James Conway July 29, 2023
Went to visit my old college roommate in Concord. He took me kayaking at the SBB. It was awesome! What a great day out on the Concord River. The blue herons, the scenery, and the lazy flow of the river were a perfect getaway from life and its stresses. I’ll definitely be back.
John L. July 18, 2023
Perfect spot for some weekend activity! Friendly staff and great location! Cameron did an excellent job in getting my party ready for some enjoyable...
jamie bairos July 3, 2023
Cool place. There is no other kayake rentals in Central mass that I know of? I own a kayake but not 2. Good way to take a newbie kayaking
jamie bairos June 28, 2023
Cool place. There is NO other kayake rentals in Central mass
David T May 11, 2023
One of the best places to kayak in the Boston area. Friendly, helpful staff; gorgeous river; easy parking.
Briana Karman Callahan October 9, 2022
Love this beautiful spot! The new 3rd generation owner is amazing! She is so kind, professional, and hardworking. The customer service is top notch and the views on the river are stunning. Can’t recommend this place enough!
Briana K. October 9, 2022
Love this beautiful spot! The new 3rd generation owner is amazing! She is so kind, professional, and hardworking. The customer service is top notch and the...
Zaurie Zimmerman October 6, 2022
Wonderful, long-time family-owned place to rent a kayak or canoe. Knowledgeable owners, helpful friendly staff and great equipment. On a gorgeous river with lovely and historic scenery both upriver and downriver. Best rental place to enjoy a paddle until sunset.
Tristan Cunha September 4, 2022
This is a great place to rent a canoe or kayak, they're probably twice as good as most boat rental places. They're super friendly and there's lots of employees to help get you set up. And the river is beautiful.
Just remember that it's cash only.
Cindy Yu August 30, 2022
Great spot for renting a canoe or kayak. It is cash only. We rented a canoe for $20/hr and did the longer trek from the boathouse to Fairhaven Bay. It took about 2.5 hours on a sunny day with a bit of a headwind. Saw plenty of herons and birds along the way.
Nir Bar August 7, 2022
We had a wonderful time. The river is beautiful, and the owners are so helpful and nice. Will definitely come back
Mark Scerra July 19, 2022
Although a local person, the boathouse seemed more for tourists and I'm happy to say i was mistaken. I had a kayaking friend in town and we rented twice, first day we started upstream, and second day downstream. On each occasion, the young staff were helpful and friendly, and willing to offer thoughts on which way to venture. Starting upstream allows for a less crowded paddle, more peaceful scenery and an easier return. Enjoy the paddle!
Lisa Chakalos Maibor July 17, 2022
This is a great place to rent kayaks. Our daughter was home for a visit. We have 2 kayaks and needed a 3rd. Staff was was very helpful. Even helped my husband unload our kayaks off the car. Just a lovely spot to paddle. Check it out!
Diana R. July 12, 2022
Cash only!! (Only reason it's not a 5!) Plan ahead....
Solid service by Bri, and the young men who launch you and help you back in. Thanks for such an...
Andrew Halloran June 29, 2022
We took our 5 and 6 year old kids out on the river and this place had just what we needed for our Kayak/Canoes. Great views of Concord, bridges, historical sites, and wildlife. Staff was friendly and explained the different options. Everything was provided and they didn't charge us a full hour, only partial, when we went over by 15 minutes.
Thank you!!!
Joao Bruno Trindade June 21, 2022
Really great
Steve Lemay May 12, 2022
Extremely nice people me an my fiancé went on a beautiful canoe ride and did some fishing the boathouse only takes cash though so make sure to bring some paper money!
Tong Y. August 29, 2021
The wife and I wanted to get some canoeing in and enjoy the outdoors and this was a great place to do it! It wasn't too far from Boston and tucked into a...
Steven Y. August 17, 2021
Great afternoon yesterday - CJ was extremely helpful and patient on the dock; my daughter was very anxious about getting in and out of the canoe, and he took the time to make her feel comfortable. Rates are very reasonable - $20/hour for 2-person canoe, cash only - and they do partial hours too, which works out well if you have small kids who can't last a full 2 or 3 hours. River views are beautiful, too. We saw lots of turtles, herons, a muskrat and other wildlife. Highly recommend.
Vanessa Deckard August 9, 2021
My husband and I come here on the regular! It’s the perfect relaxing weekend activity. Pack you a lunch and set off towards the north bridge for some beautiful views and take in the wildlife! The kayaks and canoes are well kept and they make the process quick and simple so you get right on the water. Cash only!
Alicia P. July 15, 2021
I love this place! I come here a few times a month and it's always the best experience. From the guys who work there *August is a fav* they are always...
Jake Riker July 11, 2021
I must say that this is the best customer service I have had in a long time. I was instantly greeted, wrote my name down on a slip, and was on the water in less the 3 minutes. Also the prices are great, and the history behind the building is even cooler. I heard Henry David Thoreau built the cabin, go and ask an amazing worker!
Dan Brosgol July 9, 2021
Spectacular and easy--- took my daughter out on a perfect summer afternoon and got in a kayak in less than 3 minutes. Cash-only but very easy and great service. $20/hr for canoe or two-person kayak, $15 for single. Will definitely be back again.
Jill Stewart July 6, 2021
Go here to go canoeing because the staff are the best and their equipment is better than the rest!
AnaSofia June 20, 2021
We had a blast! We took our toddler daughter and had to pause halfway for mom and tiny person to get out, but dad got to enjoy the rest of the scenery. It was a great little summer adventure. The young men that work there were super thoughtful, gave great recommendations and kept checking up on my daughter and I while we waited for dad. We’ll be back this summer!
William G. June 17, 2021
I really enjoyed Canoeing here, the concord river is huge so we canoed for 3+ hours but only covered a fraction of the river. The boat house has double...
Emma W June 4, 2021
Dave is an amazing business owner. He is so kind and caring. This is my most favorite place to kayak because of the location, the scenery, the price, and Dave!
Mia Schon May 24, 2021
We had the best time here. It was simple to rent a kayak and there was no wait or huge crowds. You can park right across the street. Beautiful views!
Diana L May 22, 2021
My brother snapped his oar in half (lol) because it had been cracking a bit and they didn’t charge us for the rental due to this. It was really nice of them and they totally didn’t have to do that. Just said “come back again and paddle with us”. These guys totally rule.
Mari Hernandez May 2, 2021
First time going here and it was such an amazing experience. The staff was great and very helpful! Very professional as well! Highly recommend and will come back again!!!
Cam Wilson April 30, 2021
David the owner is a super kind and generous guy. He let my friends and me take out a canine and fish and didn’t charge us because of the wind. He was extremely helpful, and very knowledgeable about the local river and fish population. We had a nice conversation after coming back on the boat. He has lived in concord his whole life, and I feel very comfortable supporting this local small business. They have canoes, kayaks, and other boats available. Great place to spend an afternoon and super easy to find and park. Support this business this summer. Will be back as often as possible.
Dave Ekrem November 11, 2020
Great place to rent a canoe or kayak and paddle or row the Concord River, which is so slow at this point that the current is barely discernible. It's about a half hour down to Old North Bridge. They do not have a public bathroom during the pandemic though.
P Burdette October 22, 2020
Rented kayaks. Staff helped to push us off and pull us back onto shore. River was quiet.
zweli Miller September 17, 2020
So beautiful. And nice people
Mahesh Shanmugam September 6, 2020
Nice stream for kayaking in concord.
Katie P. August 20, 2020
David was great. He provided us with maps of the river, advised us on some hidden gems and shallow areas to watch out for, and was generally speaking just a...
Quent Bruso August 1, 2020
The kids that wait on you here are great! Very courteous and helpful! Lots of boats available for rent. Beautiful scenery around and up the river. The water itself is another matter. You have to be very careful of rocks and things. It's also very "mucky" but this all could be because it seems like the water is very low right now. Not sure if that's a seasonal issue or just because we're fairly dry at the moment (this was our first time on this river).
Tom B July 26, 2020
Perfect place to go for a day out in a canoe, kayak or paddle board. Dave the owner is very knowledgeable and runs a great operation. We paddled to the old north bridge,stopped for a picnic and saw a lot of wildlife along the way. Turtles of all varieties dotted the logs and rocks along the shore line and blue heron were fishing for dinner on every corner. $20 per hour for a two person canoe with $60 max for the entire day. My recommendations if you go are to pack a nice picnic and definitely bring your fishing gear - Fish were jumping everywhere.
Mike M. July 26, 2020
Staff are great! River is beautiful. Highly recommend for any group looking for a peaceful and calm outing.
Carvel Riley June 23, 2020
This was such a calm and beautiful river with cool bridges to go under and views of lovely lake houses. There are some shady spots along the river which is nice and a few areas you can shore at if you really want to. The current is low and drifts your boat right along which makes for a real easy delightful experience. Staff is friendly and helps push you into the water when you're ready to take off. FYI they don't have restroom facilities which was the only bummer. I will definitely be returning
Divyashree R. June 12, 2020
Reasonable prices but cash only. Equipments are fine and easy renting. The old man and the young guy both were helpful. 1.5-2 hrs kayak/ canoe is totally...
Ely Merengueli June 7, 2020
Had a great time with my family. Very relaxing and amazing views. Would definitely recommend this place. Staff is super friendly and prices are affordable.
D C February 4, 2020
This is a lovely little spot to come to and have an 1 1/2 canoe or kayak down river through Concord. It's very pretty and we had the opportunity to take some wonderful pictures.
The boat house has a working bathroom and lots of boats, the staff are young but helpful. There is an easiness to renting (cash only).
They offer a lunch and dinner cruise that could be nice but the menu wasn't of interest.
We would recommend this and do it again!
Hillary Lam August 12, 2019
Beautiful canoeing and kayaking river. Very relaxing and peaceful! $20 for an hour.
Rob G. June 15, 2019
Good prices, equipment is ok, but the best is the excursion to the minute man historic monument and house.
Make sure you pick a good, clear, and warm day...
Meliskaz HA July 11, 2018
It was very peaceful...
You can stop and see some history..Dave was very nice, thoughtful and helpful...Anyone with a prosthesis can come here.
Enjoyed it very much.
