Jack's Boathouse

When I collapsed onto my paddleboard for fear of infertility from junk-to-Potomac contact, I inspired my quote of the day from Sahar: "I'm laughing so hard I could pee... but that would improve the water quality."

Yeah, "you must have experience to paddle" SO did not apply on my vessel. An hour of this particular activity will do you right. The eyecandy is better on the dock than it is afloat: duck families, a dog outswimming you near shore, a hardy fish, and tanners on boats. Reasonably friendly staff. Be prepared to park your car in dubious places nearby, at risk of hitting cyclist and pedestrian traffic from the trail. I'll be back to kayak.

The first thing you have to do to enjoy Jack's is to get over the irrational fear that the Potomac River is somehow super polluted and toxic to humans. While out kayaking the nasty waters of the Potomac did indeed come in contact with my skin and surprisingly nothing happened, I didn't grow a tail or a creepy third nipple. I didn't break out in hives and start to convulse, in fact absolutely nothing at all happened as far as I know other than I got wet.

Jack's is a fun adventure and a nice way to spend an evening. I went on a Friday night twilight date tour (for the singles and lonely out there you can still go on the tour without a date). As a part of the package you get a kayak, single or double and a 90 minute tour of a couple of islands on the Potomac River. The tour isn't really much of a tour as the kayaks end up being pretty spaced out and the tour guides are more there to show you where to go, keep you out of danger and not to point out any landmarks but it is still fun and they let you move at your own pace.

The staff was very friendly and accommodating, they do all appear to be young high school or college age kids but they still were very professional and helpful. Jack is also a nice guy and gives you a little speech prior to going out on the tour.

Please note you have to do your own paddling so you will be tired after. The only people who don't have to do their own paddling are woman who sit in the front of a two person kayak, then their male friends will end up doing all the paddling for them.

Still it's a lot of fun and you get a chance to see the monuments and the sun setting over Northern Virginia which is quite a lovely sight. Definitely worth a trip under that creepy bridge.

The majestic Potomac.
It's nicknamed "the Nation's River"
All of Washington, D.C., also lies within the watershed
But what lives within it's murky polluted waters?

So this is probably the wrong way to start a review but do you guys remember when that guy caught that 8-foot-1 300 lb bull shark in the Potomac in 2010 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/02/AR2010090203794.html)? Actually I think there were two caught within that week.

dun, dun dun, dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun...

Isn't that so cool?

Oh wait, did I scare you a little? Are you going to freak out at dark swimming moving masses under your kayak? Keep wondering if that was a floating log that you hit, or if it really was the world's most aggressive shark head butting your floating vessel.

Don't worry, the odds of a bullshark in the Potomac's tidal areas is rare. But seriously what is the likelihood they would be this far up the river....

FACT: The Bull Shark is best known for his remarkable ability to thrive in both fresh and salt water and can travel far up the rivers. In Lake Nicaragua, they can jump through the rapids of the San Juan River almost like salmon.

dun, dun dun, dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun...

Anyways let's change the topic, if you can't make it to the beach but still want to be on a body of water on a hot day, Jack's Boathouse is the way to go. It's the boathouse at the end of the Capital Crescent Trail and at the end of water street in Georgetown. Parking is somewhat difficult given the sheer number of bikers that are around. (Jack's does have a lot it's tiny). On a sunny day their docks are filled with sunbathers, people chilling while using the free gas grills, and apparently on this last Sunday's adventures, it was filled with nuns.

I find that their kayak rental rates are affordable, their paddle boarding rates however ($25 hr) are not (therefore I give it a one star reduction). I was slightly peeved to pay $25 for the pleasure of riding a massive 14ft board (that cost them about $800) on flat water looking like I was sweeping the river. There is a reason why SUP riders are called the "janitors of the sea".

They say you cannot paddle board without experience, however, I think most of paddle boarding is so intuitive there is no need for lesson. Also paddle boarders are not allowed past the Memorial Bridge downriver (past this you'll be entering into a higher wake zone with boat traffic).

If you want a more nature focused tour, go up the river towards Chain Bridge, towards Three Sisters Island, which are three rocky islands in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., west of the Key Bridge. They represent the farthest point navigable by larger boats. If you paddle past three sisters on the right there's a tree swing and rope ladder over the water, in a little tiny inlet. Head downstream towards the Kennedy Center and you'll get a nice tour of the monuments. You'll also have to contend with a lot more recreational boaters. I spent most of my time on Sunday chasing boats begging them to send me some wake to ride on.

Once you're sore and tired, it's time to call it day and go home and wash up with bleach (the water is as polluted as everyone says it is). As a side note: I won't worry about rushing to the dock I doubt the staff at Jacks actually tracks the time you spend on the water since you dock and just leave your board there with no check out.

And as for the whole shark thing, it's not very likely you would ever meet one here, and as long as I'm in the water, this will be the only shark you'll see:
https://s3-media2.ak.yelpcdn.com/photo/UnysqDRNAa5K2BCjJInbrA/l.jpg

Awesome place to rent a kayak to dip out onto the Potomac! It gets a little packed and there is somewhat of a line. Then you have to wait for someone to help load ya up (or down into the water I guess). My lifejacket was a lil moist, too (mmm), so go early if you want first dibs.

I prettttyyy sure they don't really monitor how long you're out there, though, so it was pretty sweet that we got to kayak so much for that same price.

Awesome day for it! If you have a spare hour and want a new perspective on DC, rent a kayak. Today I paddled up the Potomac and really got an appreciation for the fall colors. So pretty! There were loons, ducks, king fishers, herons and dragonflies along the way. It made me feel so happy to live in an area that's pretty rich with stuff to do. People were out in force today, riding bicycles and taking boats out.

Feel free to pack a lunch and park your boat on a rock or somewhere on the river bank. Enjoy the day! The people at Jack's Boat House are really friendly and well equipped to send you out on the water well prepared. Give it a shot! You'll be happy you did.

To be clear; kayaking on the Potomac = 5 stars
Jack's Boat House = 3 stars

My husband and I bought the Groupon for Jack's a few months ago. We've always talked about kayaking and were so excited with the coupon. But we noticed on the Groupon it said "Must make a reservation." So we call Jack's, and the voice mail says something like, "We will not answer the phone and probably won't call you back," so we unsure how to make a reservation.

This past weekend, we knew it wouldn't be as hot and wanted to use our Groupon. This time when we called the message said, "Despite what Groupon advertised, we do not accept reservations."

We walked to Jack's, it was kinda difficult finding it under Key Bridge. But eventually we did. Simple process-sign waiver form, show Groupon, put on a life vest, and they pair you up with a kayak and ore.

We had a great time, after all you can go whatever you want.

On our way back, as our kayak approached the dock, my husband (because I never have the guts) asked one of the employees if he would mind taking our picture in the boat. The employee actually said no, he wouldn't! I guess he saw the disappointment on my face and gave a half-assed offering but I said forget it and dropped the issue.

The place is run by young people, feels unorganized. No surprise if someone went missing-there's no "check-out" system.

~If you drive-there's metered parking right there on Water Street, real easy.~

We went to Jack's Friday night for their Twilight Kayak Tour (for which we had a Groupon). Jack's has quite a reputation in DC and seems to be the only name in town for kayaking, paddle-boarding, and allover water activity. They also offer deals quite often!

We got to Jack's at 6PM to sign in for the tour and get our life jackets. Jack's does have parking, but it's limited. When we arrived, there was none, so we parked in some metered spaces just down the street with no issues. Jack's also has portapotties, lockers for rent, and water/soft drinks and chips for purchase. Jack's was pretty popular on Friday night (probably because the Groupon was expiring), so our tour was slightly delayed. However, the staff was very friendly and capable even with the huge crowd. Jack's also has plenty of chairs to sit in and the views on the water are pretty nice!

I was surprised at the amount of people on the tour (probably about 80?), but again, this was probably due to the expiring Groupon. Once we were on our way in the water, it didn't really matter. We were given a brief instructional and safety talk, and then the staff helped us get into our kayaks. The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly the whole time - it was my first time kayaking, but they ensured that everyone knew the best way to kayak and what to do if you ever needed anything along the way. For the tour, you can choose from single kayaks, double kayaks, or canoes. We chose a double.

Once we were out on the water, the tour leader led us along the safest kayaking path to get to the other side of Theodore Roosevelt Island (where we could take pictures of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background). Along the way, we passed the newly redone Georgetown Waterfront, the Watergate buildings, and the Kennedy Center. We also stopped for pictures a few times along the way (because it was pretty and....we were tired). On the way back, we went along the other side of Theodore Roosevelt Island (closer to VA) where boats are not allowed and it's more serene. There was also an option to kayak past Jack's further towards the Chain Bridge for an extra half hour (to the approximately hour-long kayak tour), but we were pretty tired (and kinda wet) so we headed back to Jack's at that point.

During the tour, the sun set, which made for a really fun experience and unique way to look at DC and VA. I'm really happy we did the Twilight Tour and I do think it's a good deal if you have a Groupon or similar deal ($20 with the Groupon, $45 otherwise). Next time we'd probably just rent kayaks on our own. The tour was a little too rushed and less relaxing than we anticipated; however, the staff at Jack's was very friendly and it is a fun and different activity option. If they continue to offer deals, I'll definitely go back for regular kayaking and maybe even paddle-boarding sometime!

The reviews are spot-on. Awesome service, easy parking (albeit small *private* parking), easy-going staff, and great waters + scenery. Perfect for a mid-morning, afternoon, or pre-sunset ride via canoe, kayak, or paddleboard.

Came here Saturday of Labor Day weekend to try out SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboarding), a new sport transported from awesome Hawaii onto the mainland, for the first time. Plenty of parking spaces along K or Waterfront Street (even ones right across from the actual boathouse). Come early enough (before 12pm) and you'll have less trouble than those arriving in the afternoon. The boathouse's private parking only fits 5 or so cars so your best bet is to find street parking. If all else fails, there are private garages a few blocks down ~$10 for the entire day.

Paddleboarding is easy to learn/balance and a perfect workout for your core, rotator muscles and back. You just need to stand up, balance enough to not fall and use a long paddle to maneuver the large foam board. Others in our group did a double kayak which is perfect for first-time paddlers/kayakers. The stronger paddler sits in back. The folks give a small intro on what to do (~1min) to newcomers but otherwise you're left to figure out the rest on your own. What's the worst that can happen? You'll get a little wet. Nothing wrong with that. And if you find yourself going in circles on the paddleboard, beware that you most likely are on it backwards & try turning yourself around.

One hour (plus the 20min cushion time they give you) is more than enough time (if you're fast) to skirt around the island on your left and see the Lincoln Memorial + Washington Memorial. It's an awesome sight to sit on the water and take photos. Only issue is that the time to paddle back around is 1 hr 15min if you're fast. You have to take into account that the way back is filled with small wakes due to the boats passing by.

Some of us arrived back a bit over the 1hr, 20min mark and no one flagged us for being late. They were way cool and just grabbed the boards letting us know we're all good to go.

Overall, definitely worth the $25/hr SUP & $14/hr/person kayaking. They've got 3 porta-potties and one cloth tent changing room plus $2 locker rentals. No outside showers, though you can just jump into the Potomac at the deck to do a quick wash with some slightly polluted water. Bring a towel and change with the towel over your head near your car if the line for the changing room gets too long. Then leave your car and head away from the water for an afternoon/evening out in Georgetown.

This is a great establishment to have right under the Key Bridge.

My boyfriend and I got the sudden urge to go kayaking. Well, more like I did, and I took him to do this as an early birthday present. Kim V. actually gave me the fabulous suggestion which I took her up on.

We rolled into the place around 11am on Sunday morning. It was overcast and feeling really nice outside. The place is extremely quaint with loads of options for boating activities minus actual engine boats. Think more like kayaks, canoes, and what ever you call those surfboard looking things that people were standing on and paddling from.

As mentioned we went for kayaking. It was $14 a person which is not bad for one hour. You can get in a two person kayak or have two separate ones. We opted to have two separate ones. They provide the life jackets, and of course the boating gear. They don't really keep time of how long you are out there, but I think it is just a kind courtesy to follow the rules of what you pay for... guilty of staying out a little over an hour....

Use the bathroom before you come out here or subject yourself to the nasty portapotties.

We had a wonderful time out on the Potomac River and this is definitely a different way of seeing DC from the river view on your own pace.

I don't really care for the Island-chill vibe of Jack's-- it doesn't fill me with a great deal of confidence about their operation. But they rent fine boats (and paddleboards), and the location is nice-- farther up the river than Thompson Boat Center, but not so hard to get to as Fletcher's.

If you want to get paddleboards on a busy day, though, be sure to get there early. 9:45 a.m. did not cut it.