SUP, Kayaks, Water & Aqua Parks in Surrey
Looking for the best water days out in Surrey or SW London? With the Thames right on our doorstep, there is plenty to do and explore at each point of the river.
For all the water fun you could ever need, check out these featured attractions.
1. Turk Launches
★★★★1/2 Town End Pier, 68 High St, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1HN | BOOK HERE | 020 8546 2434
If paddleboarding sounds too energetic, how about a paddle steamer? Turks, a 310-year-old family-run riverboat business that operates between Hampton Court, Richmond, and Kingston, offers trips on its paddle steamers, from £8.50 for adults. There are no services on Mondays, except for bank holidays. It runs several special events including a two-hour gin-tasting cruise hosted by Hampton Court Gin on March 17th, setting off from Kingston. The tickets cost £24.50 and it’s for over 18s only.
2. Ditton Cruisers
★★★★★ The Boatyard, Taggs, 44 Summer Rd, Thames Ditton KT7 0QQ | BOOK HERE | 020 8398 2119
From Taggs Boatyard in Thames Ditton, you can hire boats and explore historic sites along the Thames, with prices starting from £36 an hour. There is a range of boats carrying between 6 and 12 people which can be hired for the full day for £154.
The season starts again on March 1 and you can start booking online now.
3. GoBoats
★★★★★ Kingston upon Thames KT1 1QN | BOOK HERE | 020 3887 6955
These electric boats are suitable for groups of up to eight people, and the price for hire begins at £89 an hour.
Bring a picnic and explore the riverside between Teddington and Molesey. Opening from April.
4. Surrey Outdoor Learning & Development
★★★★★ Dorking RH5 6DQ | BOOK HERE | 01372 378901
With centres at sites near Richmond, Guildford, and Dorking, Surrey Outdoor Learning offers day trips for small groups of family or friends who want to get out and active in the fresh air.
Each site has something special to offer, so check the website and choose between climbing, raft-building and kayaking, and much, much more. You can even brush up on your bushcraft survival skills.
Sessions run three times a day for family activities. The cost for family activities currently starts at £30 per person, with a minimum charge of £120, but a new pricing structure begins in April 2022 – check the website for details. All bookings can be made online.
And don’t forget that the centres also offer holiday activities for children and two-night glamping accommodation. The glamping option is available during the May half-term and summer holidays and includes a host of activities – so if you fancy a bit of archery after breakfast, this could be the staycation for you.
5. Horseshoe Lake Activity Centre
★★★★★ Guildford GU47 8JW | BOOK HERE | 01252 871 808
Multi-activity days include dinghy sailing, dragon boating, kayaking, and raft-building which are designed to combine fun and fitness and “learning through leisure”.
Large and small groups can be accommodated and there is an on-site café, open Wednesday to Sunday, where you can wind down after your time on the lake.
6. Dinton Activity Centre
★★★★★ Wokingham RG10 0SU | BOOK HERE | 0118 934 4424
There are plenty of ways to burn off energy at Dinton from zip wires to raft building to orienteering. And with climbing walls, fishing lakes, and disc golf, you can easily spend a whole day here.
On the water, Dinton Pastures offers family taster sessions in sailing and paddleboarding from just £30 a person (age 8+), in 90-minute slots.
7. Hampton Court Paddlesports
★★★★★ West Molesey KT8 1QY | BOOK HERE | 07730898802
Whether you’re an experienced paddleboarder or kayaker or just starting out, Hampton Court Paddlesports provides all the equipment and training you need with guided trips, lessons, and SUP hire in Surrey.
Based on a lovely calm stretch of the Thames in West Molesey, this is the perfect spot for a day out on the river, exploring the beautiful islands, houseboats, and pubs towards Walton and Sunbury or venturing downstream to see the magnificent Hampton Court Palace from a unique perspective.
Prices start at £20 for hire; £45 for one-to-one lessons, opens from April to October. Buoyancy aids provided; top-quality SUP boards, sit on top or touring kayaks, and canoes available. You can even bring your dog – canine life jackets provided!
8. Back of Beyond UK
★★★★★ Richmond TW10 7AG | BOOK HERE | 0208 0504051
Canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding Thames from Richmond, with a range of courses and trips for all abilities.
Self-guided kayaking and paddleboard adventures both cost £37.50, with the option of sunset trips for £60.
Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult, but if you have smaller children, Back of Beyond suggests you consider the canoeing option instead.
If you want to paddle regularly, you could think about joining their Adventurers or SUP Club - membership includes discount offers on most activities.
9. just SUP UK
★★★★★ Richmond TW20 0AE | BOOK HERE | 079 6873 2698
This Runnymede stand-up paddle-boarding company has a range of paddle-boards available for hire.
12-18 year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. It also offers group lessons from £46.50 per person, or, if paddle-boarding isn’t your thing, there are hire kayaks to hire too from £30 an hour.
Located in the Runnymede Pleasure Grounds, young children can enjoy the playground and a paddling pool, while there is a cafe where you can reward yourself for all your exertions on the water.
10. Thames Sailing Club
★★★★★ Surbiton KT6 4HH | BOOK HERE | 020 8399 2164
The UK’s oldest river sailing club, it offers training courses in, sailing, power-boating, and paddleboarding that can last from a day to as long as five days in order to get you prepared for the water.
Introductory lessons can cost from £50, and membership costs vary depending on which sport you’d like to access, with a baseline cost of £50 per adult. There is also a wide-ranging social calendar of races and events members can participate in.
11. Wild Swimming
★★★★★ Shepperton Open Swim, TW17 9LH | BOOK HERE | 075 3174 5133
If you’re looking for somewhere to experience swimming in the Thames without the undercurrents, try Shepperton Open Swim at Ferris Meadow Lake which offers a safer alternative that still holds the attraction of wild swimming.
A standard charge is £6, which gets cheaper if you book sessions in blocks. You have access to the lake for an hour after taking a swimming competency test, which only takes a few minutes.
You can even take part in their races, whether to compete or to keep track of your speed. Under 16s aren’t permitted unless they are under the supervision of a swim coach.
12. Liquid Leisure
★★★★1/2 Shepperton, TW17 0QQ | BOOK HERE | 01932 761555
What could possibly be more fun than pushing each other off a giant inflatable into a freezing lake? Water fun doesn’t get more exciting than this. Here you’ll find both boat and cable wakeboarding, wake surfing (riding the boat’s wake on a surfboard), and banana rides.
There’s even a sandy beach with deckchairs and a double-decker bus serving drinks and snacks. It costs £15 for a session (including a helmet for under 16s and a life vest), with wetsuits also available for hire for an additional £5. There is a minimum age of six.
