seadoorental.ca

We visited this business twice this summer, the first time to rent a houseboat, and the second time to rent jet skis. The business is known as Big Rideau Lake Boat Rentals, but they have two websites: www.seadoorental.ca and www.bigrideaulakeboatrentals.com . Note that there is a typo in the seadoorental.ca website that says "2 Hours $1004 Hours $1756 Hours $2293", but should say "2 hours $100, 4 hours $175, 6 hours $229" . My wife and I each rented a jet ski for two hours, and had a really great time. These boats go very fast (if you want them to), and are very easy to operate. Big Rideau Lake is a great place to operate them because it is big enough that you don't have to bother other people when you're whipping around. Yet the boats are fast enough that in two hours you can easily get up to Murphy's Point Provinical Park or even Rideau Ferry for a quick bite before heading back. And there is a great restaurant with a waterfront patio right beside the boat rental, so you can have a drink after the ride.We also rented a 42-foot houseboat from these guys for a week this summer, along with another couple, and had a fantastic time. The boat was excellently equiped and very comfortable for two couples to have plenty of room and enough privacy (there is also a third bed, that pulls out from the dining table, but we didn't use it). I highly recommend this to anyone who wants something different from a simple cottage rental. The boat is easy to handle, and there is plenty to see and do right on Big Rideau Lake to fill a week. But my advice is to spend part of the week on Big Rideau and then lock through at Narrows Lock (locking pass was included, and locking is much easier than people think, as long as you have at least two other crew and you don't attempt it on a very windy day; mid-week is best as traffic is slow), so that you can also visit Westport (great shopping, dining, live music, beach, harbour with free wifi, etc) and Newborro (must visit Kilborn's, and also enjoy great dining at Stirling Lodge). These are both great places to spend the night as well. You can also explore much farther in both directions along the Rideau if you wish (~200km total), but the best way to do this is without too much hurry, so you can enjoy the sights, and so that you are able to stay put if bad weather blows in, without having to stick to a tight itinerary.