Your guide to water activities in Connecticut

Riders of all skill levels can experience the sensation of riding a Lift eFoil at Leading Edge Water Sports as they glide above the water at up to 25 miles per hour. This type of boarding is powered beneath the water’s surface by a silent electric motor and controlled with a Bluetooth hand controller.

The season to try out Lift eFoils is from the end of April-May through October, and while there are no appointments displayed online just yet, pricing for lessons starts at $325 for one person, $450 for two, $550 for three and $175 per person for group lessons. 

The former stone quarry is now the home of fair-weather fun ranging from zip lines and a 100-foot water slide to swimming, cliff jumping and wake boarding. Day and season passes for Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park are available for purchase for the 2022 season.

For swimming access, visitors can either purchase a $39 daily pass or a season pass for $156 to access all swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. Adventure passes — which include water slides, cliff jumping and scuba diving — are available for $49 for a day pass and $196 for a season pass. To test out the park’s wakeboarding feature and still have access to all of the attractions in the adventure pass, visitors can purchase a daily pass for $59 or a season pass for $236. 

Setting sail on Long Island sound to catch a sunset or enjoy the afternoon sun is just on the horizon at SoundWaters sailing. To participate in either option, there must be a minimum of eight passengers on the boat, and all passengers must be at least 5 years old. 

Sunset sails take place Wednesdays through Sundays and cost $45 per person to attend. Afternoon sails launch on Saturdays and Sundays only and cost $35 per adult and $20 for each child ages 5-12. SoundWaters also offers youth programs to learn how to sail, as well as summer programs and kayak and paddle board rentals. 

Kayaking, sailing and paddle boarding are all summer fun options at Longshore Sailing School this season. A variety of watercraft are available to rent, ranging from catamarans to kayaks and paddle boards; prices start at $20/hour for a kids’ boat and go up to $70 for a catamaran rental. For season passes, Westport residents can pay $330 for weekday and weekend paddling while non-Westport residents can spend $350 for the same access. 

Longshore Sailing School also has a variety of sailing lessons available for both kids and adults, as well as private lessons.

Lake Compounce will be open this season, and with a new water park ride — the Venus Vortex — at the ready along with its other water slide and pools, there are water activities available for guests of every age. 

Season passes for 2022 range in price from $79.99 for a basic access level to $169.99 for platinum access, and regular admission purchased online and usable for any day will cost adults $56.99, while kids under 52 inches tall will cost $46.99. Senior tickets purchased online are $46.99, and children under age 3 are free. 

For kids (and parents) who may prefer land-based water activities, The Dinosaur Place in Oakville offers a zero-depth water playground that features water cannons, dumping buckets and over 30 dinosaur-themed attractions. There is also a separate water play area for infants and toddlers. 

Splash pads opened on May 20, and admission for Monday through Thursday will cost adults $22.99, while kids’ admission will cost $25.99 and toddlers’ admission will cost $22.99. Admission for seniors costs $21.99. For access from Friday through Sunday (or during holidays and school breaks), adult and toddler admission costs $26.99, while kids’ admission is $29.99 and senior admission is $25.99.

There is more to Quassy Amusement Park than its rides and rollercoasters. Visitors can access the park’s several water slides, raft rides and splash pads with either season pass access or daily ticketed entry.

Season passes are $89.99 per person. Weekday and weekend passes are also available with specific passes to access SplashAway Bay only. 

Canoe and kayak trips in the Farmington River, or canoing trips at West Hill or Winchester Lake are available at Main Stream Canoes and Kayaks. Trips range in length and duration depending on the trip selected. 

Single or tandem kayaks, as well as paddle boards, bicycles and scooters are available to rent at Scoot and Paddle, which has locations in Milford and Derby. Those seeking to enjoy the water this season can rent kayaks or paddle boards by the hour or by the month. Monthly passes for kayaks and paddle boards range from $175 for an individual to $400 for a family. Season passes range in price from $300 for an individual to $500 for a family. 

For a mix of land and sea action, CT Bike Tours offers he Shoreline Bike and Boat tour starts with a bike ride from the Guilford Green to Stony Creek in Branford, where riders will board a boat for a tour of the Thimble Islands. Once the boat ride concludes, passengers can bike back to Guilford. 

The tours take place Memorial Day through Columbus Day, and cost $190 per couple or $105 per person. 

Non-motorized boating and kayaking are in store at any of the locations along Connecticut’s coastline that are part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. Locations include Salt Meadow in Westbrook, Outer Island in Branford, Milford Point in Milford, Great Meadows in Stratford, Sheffield Island in Norwalk, Chimon Island in Norwalk, Calf Island in Greenwich.

Tubing season will open with Farmington River Tubing beginning Memorial Day weekend, and scheduling will soon be available.