10 Fun Activities to Do While Boating

When the weather is perfect for boating, there’s a myriad of fun activities you can do while out boating all day to relieve some stress and escape everyday life.  

Recreational boating is a fun activity in and of itself, but some activities are the perfect complement to make a day of cruising out on the water even more entertaining. So what fun things can you do while out on a boat all day? Here are 10 activities to add some extra fun to your boating trips.

Go Fishing

Put some fishing rods on your boat’s rod holders, turn on your fish finder and go, well … fishing! Whether it’s in fresh water or salt water, fishing is a fun activity that people of all ages can enjoy. 

Fishing is a hobby for some and a lifestyle for others, but it’s a boating activity you don’t need to go too far offshore to enjoy. Find a good spot, drop anchor, and enjoy a day of fishing with friends, family, or all by yourself. Fishing is great for relaxation as well as for sport, and having people to fish with makes it even more fun. Make sure you have two coolers, one for your drinks and one for your catch. Don’t forget to snap those selfies holding your catch of the day if sharing your fishing adventures is your thing. 

Go Wakeboarding/ Water Skiing

Are you into watersports? Then grab some tow ropes and go wakeboarding or water skiing. These are two simple, yet similar ways to get added thrills from a boat ride.  

For wakeboarding, all you need is an actual wakeboard and tow ropes for riders to hold onto while the boat pulls them across the water. Wakeboarding is an incredibly fun way to surf the waves a boat leaves in its wake. It’s also great for doing tricks and getting some exercise.

If you prefer having your feet on two boards, consider the “old school” version of wakeboarding: water skiing. It’s just like wakeboarding in that the rider holds onto a tow rope and rides in the boat’s wake. The difference is the positioning of the legs to start the ride, but either watersport is fun for a day of boating. 

Ride Tow Tubes

If you don’t want to wakeboard or water skii, try tubing instead. Towable tubes are inflatable rafts that come in all shapes, sizes and styles you can sit or lie down on while the boat tows you in its wake. They can hold one person or several, and have built-in handles for gripping while you glide, splash and bounce around the water. Or just use a tube as an inflatable lounge for chilling out. 

Go Paddleboarding 

What’s SUP? Stand-up paddleboarding is what’s SUP, and is an increasingly popular watersport you can do right off a boat. Once your boat is anchored in calm waters, you can drop the paddleboard in the water, step off the platform, grab the paddle and go. 

Paddleboarding is popular as a full-body workout, and even as a platform for doing yoga. It can also be a relaxing experience, as well as a competitive watersport. And paddleboarding is a great way to interact with marine wildlife like curious dolphins and manatees. You can even bring your dog or child on a paddleboard for a ride. The trick to paddleboarding is to learn how to stand up and maintain your balance on the board, but once you master it, it’s a fun way to enhance your boating day.

Go Camping

If watersports aren’t your thing, try a boat camping trip. Load up your camping gear, take your boat out and anchor it offshore from a nearby camping site. A boat camping trip is a fantastic weekend getaway, where you can relax while enjoying the outdoors around a campfire. Just make sure to pack food, water, tents, sleeping bags, and anything else you might need, and bring a dinghy for supply runs to your boat in case you forgot something.  

Dine on Your Boat

Do you prefer grills over bonfires? Then grab the spatulas, fire up the boat grill and have a waterside dinner with a view. Whether it’s a cookout party or a romantic dinner at sunset or under the stars, your boat is a great place to host dinner right on the water.

And if you don’t like to cook, take your boat out to a waterfront district instead and order takeout from a dockside restaurant. Either way, having a meal surrounded by a body of water is another fun activity to enjoy on a boating day. Then when that food and drink coma hits, let the boat rock you to sleep in the fresh evening air. 

Go Wildlife Watching

Grab your binoculars and go wildlife watching. Take the boat out and observe whales, dolphins, birds, or whatever wildlife is in your area. Whale watching is a popular activity for tourists, but even if there are no whales in your area, just observing and interacting with any marine wildlife is a fun way to spend a day out boating. 

Go Snorkeling/Scuba Diving

Want to observe wildlife underneath the boat? Grab a snorkel, a diving mask, some fins and some friends and go snorkeling. It’s a fun and easy boating activity anybody who can swim will enjoy. Snorkeling requires minimal gear and zero training, and can be done right off the swim platform of a boat. 

Bring an underwater camera to capture some of the breathtaking scenery you’ll see beneath the surface. The best part about snorkeling is you don’t need the extensive training and expensive equipment required for scuba diving. However, if you want to go much deeper below the surface and see even more impressive sights, learning how to scuba dive is worth the investment. Snorkeling and scuba diving are both fun boating activities that provide plenty of exercise and memorable experiences.

Go Just Plain Swimming

No scuba or snorkeling gear? No problem! Just jump in as you are. Plain old swimming is a fun activity in and of itself, and a great way to cool down on a hot day. No equipment needed. Just your body and your ability to swim is enough to have some extra fun. A boat is a great diving platform, so jump in and take a swim.

Go To Sandbar Parties

For those who like to party, grab your friends and a floating cooler tray, take your boat out to shallow waters and join other boaters at a sandbar party. Sandbars are elevated sand bottoms in shallow water you can walk on without having to go onshore. They’re also wildly popular party spots for adult boaters. Check your local boating events and you’re likely to find sandbar parties in your area during the boating season. Create a playlist, fire up the speakers and play music right off your boat while you party standing up in the water with fellow boaters. What can be more fun than that?