Kayaking has been going on for hundreds of years. When I was growing up, kayaking wasn't as popular as it is now. I have done a lot of canoeing in my life, but I have only tried kayaking once. It was not beautiful. I also thought that kayaking and canoeing are very similar...it turns out I'm wrong. I have heard others think the same.

In case you were confused like I was, here's what good ole Wikipedia has to say:

Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits facing forward, legs in front, using a double-bladed paddle to pull front-to-back on one side and then the other in rotation. Most kayaks have closed decks, although sit-on-top and inflatable kayaks are growing in popularity as well.

That sounds easy right? I need to give kayaking a solid chance. I tried kayaking last summer in Southwest Missouri and I didn't fare well. Part of the problem might have been that I was using a kid's kayak. I'll blame it on that. Note to self, an adult kayak would be a better fit for me. I also need to work on my balance. I capsized immediately.

I know plenty of people that kayak, and they all love it. A couple of friends of mine jumped into kayaking for a new hobby to do outdoors during the pandemic. They are now hooked and kayak a lot. They say that it's a great way to get outdoors, relax and take in some nature.

That sounds fun to me, and the next time I go, I'll be sure to give it my best shot. That being said, I don't own a kayak, so I'll have to rent one. I thought I'd share my research with you in case you want to do the same.

10 Great Kayak Rental Locations in Mid-Michigan

Here are some places in the Lansing area where you can rent kayaks.

Where do you rent your kayak when you hit the water? Drop me a message and I'll be sure to add them.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

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