Boating in Boston at Hopkinton State Park

General information

The story of Boating in Boston actually starts in 2002, in our small New England hometown of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. That’s where a charismatic man named Barry began the boating vision by opening Outdoor Recreation of Hopkinton, a kayak rental concession in Hopkinton State Park.

The word started getting around and the business grew and grew, bringing forth a community of water lovers. And soon Barry was introducing sailing and summer camps and boating season passes to the park.

In 2005, the Department of Conservation and Recreation approached Outdoor Recreation to get something going at Spot Pond in Stoneham, Mass. Soon enough, Outdoor Recreation’s boat rentals became a thriving business that continues today.

In 2009, Barry sold his business to a group of friends, all who met within the boating community and shared a tremendous passion for the water. Together, they kept Outdoor Recreation’s vision alive and continued opening boathouses around their New England homes. They changed the company name to Boston Outdoor Recreation, Inc., also known as Boating in Boston and Boating in DC.

After four years of continued success, the group set sail in search of new waters. In 2013, friends in Washington, D.C., reached out and we jumped at the opportunity to operate the Key Bridge Boathouse for the National Park Service, keeping the spirit of John “Jack” Baxter alive by continuing his vision of public boat access on the Potomac River.

In 2016, Guest Services, Inc. acquired Boston Outdoor Recreation, Inc. to bring its successful team to more waterfronts across the East Coast.

Currently, Boating in Boston and Boating in DC operate boathouses in the greater Boston and Washington, D.C., areas. It has been an incredible experience thus far, and it’s a great feeling for all of us to watch our team grow and be passionate about what we do.