This post is sponsored by Discover Boating but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Are you tired of watching your summers pass by without having done anything great? Do you want to make sure your kids have some fun stories to tell when they go back to school? How can you accomplish these things without taking a big, expensive vacation? Well, how about going boating? Chances are, you have a lake or river near you, so you don’t even have to go far to have the time of your life! Not sure about boating? Check out Discover Boating and have all of your boating related questions answered. 
One of my favorite aspects of boating is that it is so versatile. This may seem strange considering you get in a boat and go out on the water, so how can that be versatile? Well, let me tell you! Here are just some of the super fun boating options that await you:
- Saltwater Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Sailing
- Water Skiing
- Overnight Cruising
- Inflatable Boats for Scuba Diving and more
- Wakeboarding
- Pontoon/Party Boats
- Personal Watercrafts (jet skis, etc)
- Many more.
There are many types of boats out there, you just need to explore based on what you are looking for.
I’m sure you have heard though that boat ownership is expensive, and yes, it can be. That is not always true though. I know a middle-class family that just spend $90,000 on a boat and whose boat payments are literally on par with their mortgage. That is very expensive and completely unnecessary for boat ownership. I highly suggest that when you make the decision to be a boat owner, you consider your complete budget and not just what the bank says you can afford. I also suggest that if you are new to boat ownership you start small and go with entry level. Did you know that you can finance some entry-level boats for as low as $250 per month? For some people that is a perfectly reasonable amount to spend on this fun hobby and if that is you, I say great! Have fun on your new water ride!
However, if your budget looks a little tighter than that and you aren’t quite sure how you feel about boats anyway, you might consider renting a boat for a day or a weekend. Some people think that renting anything is a waste of money, but that is far from true. Renting a boat is a great idea if you want to add a little bit more excitement to your vacation or if you want to try before you buy! Buying a boat is a really big deal, make sure that you know the type of boat you want, and renting can help you do just that.
We rented a boat once before while on vacation and let me tell you, it was a blast. We rented one for a half-day and we were only out about a hundred dollars (we rented a small fishing boat). We had a really great time, but we also discovered that a small fishing boat wasn’t the exact type of boat we wanted if we were to buy one, so renting was a win-win for us. So, I say if you are ready to spend the day on the lake or river and have the time of your life, find a boat rental place near you and go have some fun!
I would also like to remind you that 4th of July weekend will be here soon, and there is nothing quite like watching fireworks from a boat. It is a completely different experience than being on land watching them. So if you have plans to be near the water on the 4th, this is a great time to rent.
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