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Bde Maka Ska is the largest lake in Minneapolis. It joins the Lake of the Isles through a long channel and is the biggest lake of five that make up the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes. Surrounded by city park land and circled by bike and walking trails, it is popular for many outdoor activities like canoeing, fishing, wind surging, swimming, sailing, and of course, biking.

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Summer Guide 2024: Pontoons, Kayaks, Paddleboards, and Fancy Swan Pedal Boats

Live that boat life without buying a boat.

June 13, 2024

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It’s not just bike season, it’s boat season too. Think you’re not a boat person? Well, maybe you haven’t found the right type of boat yet. There are pontoons, which are kinda like a living room that you drive around a lake. There are fishing boats, where your adventure (hopefully) ends in dinner. There are kayaks and canoes for people who want an arm workout, and paddleboats for those who never skip leg days. There are night boats, like the neon-lit swan boats for rent. Or paddleboards, which is kinda like that skateboard of the lakes.

There’s a little bit of everything here, so explore and find something you like.

Baker Park Reserve

Canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, rowboats, and paddleboard rentals on 917 acres of water. 2309 Baker Park Rd., Maple Plain, 763-694-7860; threeriversparks.org/page/watercraft-rentals.

Bde Maka Ska

Canoes, solo and double kayak boats, and stand-up paddleboards via Wheel Fun Rentals. 3000 E. Bde Maka Ska Pkwy., Minneapolis; 612-823-5765; wheelfunrentals.com/mn/minneapolis/bde-maka-ska.

Lake Como

Choose from two-person swan-shaped paddleboats (they light up at night!), kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards via Wheel Fun Rentals. 1360 N. Lexington Pkwy., St. Paul; 651-487-8046; wheelfunrentals.com/mn/st-paul/lake-como.

Lake Harriet

Canoes, solo and double kayak boats, paddleboats (not the swan ones though), and stand-up paddleboards via Wheel Fun Rentals. 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy., Minneapolis; 612-922-9226; wheelfunrentals.com/mn/minneapolis/lake-harriet.

Lake Nokomis

Rent one of those paddleboats that seats five and looks like a swan, or be boring and go for a kayak, canoe, or a standup paddleboard via Wheel Fun Rentals. 5022 W. Nokomis Pkwy., Minneapolis; 612-729-1127; wheelfunrentals.com/mn/minneapolis/lake-nokomis.