Now the summer holidays are here I know that I for one have been looking for things to do with the children. If I have to suggest to them that we go on another walk or another bike ride, then I think my children will scream! Ha. It would be fine if it was the normal summer break, but going into the fifth month of doing this kind of thing each day is quite a lot!
So if you are like me and want a couple more ideas of things to do with the kids over the summer, then you need to give GoBoat a try. They have boats in Paddington, London and Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. You can choose what time you go out on the water, and for how long, and which route you take. It is a lot of fun, and at the moment, up to two households can go in a boat (up to eight people in total).
Social Distancing Measures
With the current health situation as it is, there are some things that GoBoat are doing to make sure that you and their staff are healthy and safe. Each boat is sanitised in-between trips, and hand sanitiser is available as you check in. You check in using a tablet, and that is all cleaned in front of you too, which is great to see and offers peace of mind. As it is in the great outdoors, there is no requirement to wear a mask, but obviously you can choose to wear one if you would like to.
As has been mentioned, up to two households are allowed on the boat, as long as they keep their distance on the boat. There was only four of us on our trip, but the boats are really large and we had plenty of space, so keeping your distance, especially as you need to remain seated on the trip, will work really well.
Picnic
The tables are large enough to have a picnic, so it is a great way to spend the time. The boats go slowly, with a maximum of 4mph, so you can easily have a picnic and enjoy a leisurely ride out on the water. The whole experience is so relaxing and it is a great way to spend the day.
One of the only things that I think happens when you have to book things in advance is that you can never depend on the weather. British summers, am I right? Although it was warm and dry when we were on our trip, there are umbrellas that you can use on your trip, as the boats do go out in all weather.
Electric Boats
The boats are electric which I think is great. They are really quiet and peaceful, so you can relax and enjoy yourself. Good thing for the environment too, of course. The boats are simple to operate, even if I didn’t quite get the hang of the opposite left and right to start with! Luckily the husband is much better at all of that kind of thing.
The Route
The route in Kingston is lovely, and it is great to see some parts that I had only ever driven past before. One route is down to Hampton Court Palace and it is to nice to see it in all of its grandeur from the river. There are a few little islands on the route too, some of which have houses on, and it was fun to see the houses, house boats, and other people out on the water. Not to mention that there are swans, ducks, and geese; there is a lot to see and talk about on the way. A good old game of eye spy always works well en route with the children too.
The costs of the boat hire does vary, depending on the day of the week and the length of time that you choose. All in all, I can really recommend the trip, especially if you were to spread the cost with another family, for example. It was a lot of fun and a good way to spend the time over the summer break.
Have you heard of GoBoat before? It would be great to hear what you think.
*the experience was gifted in exchange for review. All words and opinions are my own.
