It's no secret that we are major boat lovers. During most months out of the year, if we have a free moment, you can find us somewhere cruising on the water. From the lake to the ocean; from weeknight dinner cruises to weekend staycations - we enjoy it all.
We both own boats, and live near several large bodies of water, so we get the opportunity to enjoy boating often. However, even when our travels take us to places we can't bring our own boats, we love it so much as a family that we seek out opportunities to where we can include boating as an activity (This "Go Boating Today" tool is one of our favorite ways to find boat rentals, clubs, activities and more in any zip code.). We've even rented a house boat and taken week long family vacations on a boat. If that's not a show of commitment for our love of boating, we don't know what is.
Boating offers the chance to take part in a variety of activities and experiences that there is a little something for everyone to enjoy in each outing. When we sit down with our families to plan out our summers, boating always tops the list of must do activities. Here's a peek at why boating tops our summer to do list...
WHY BOATING TOPS OUR SUMMER TO DO LIST!
We get to sit back and RELAX. Being on the water is just plain relaxing. There's just something about it. According to a recent Discover Boating survey 82% of Americans say that being around water is relaxing and we couldn't agree more.
From cruising around to floating quietly in a cove, there is this instant calm that just comes from being on the water. Even though it is summer we still have work, sports camps, weekend tournaments, and never ending to-do lists to contend with. Life's chaos doesn't slow down one bit, but the moment we get on the boat we tend to let all that go for a few hours.
We still get in our exercise. Yes, doing any activity with small children will seem like a workout, but that's not what we're talking about. We love that our boats give us the opportunity to take part in a variety of water sports that help keep us active as well as having tons of fun. We enjoy water skiing, wake boarding, and popping into a cove to pull out our paddle board. Not to mention the countless hours we log swimming. We burn tons of calories the moment we get on the boat, and we can't think of a more fun way to stay in shape.
There are no iPad chargers on the boat. Okay, so that might be a small lie, but our kids don't know any better. Boating offers so many activities that you never uttered are the dreaded words of parents around the world, "I'm SO bored.". Plus the internet is spotty in most places on the open water anyway so boating is the perfect time to "unplug", put away the electronics, and just be present with those around you.
We get to expose our children to new experiences. Our kids are lucky in a lot of ways. Mainly because they won us in the parenting lottery, but aside from that because they have been given the opportunity to experience a lot of non-mainstream activities in their young lives. Yes, the do a lot of typical sports, but boating has opened them up to various other experiences and activities as well.
The same water sports we enjoy as adults, we've taught to our children. They can wakeboard with the best of them, and have done so since they were old enough to stand.
Fishing is a favorite activity amongst several of the kids and they now know more than either of us combined about fishing.
Boating in itself is an experience. From getting exposed to how to drive it, to where it can take you and what it's capabilities are - there are tons of great youth boating programs available to teach kids a little more in depth about boating.
We expose ourselves to new experiences. Kids aren't the only ones who learn a thing or two while boating. Mommies do too. From deep sea fishing for the first time to diving for lobsters - boating continually offers something new for all of us to experience.
Boat naps are the best naps. Need we say more?! But seriously, it never fails that one or all of our Mini Magnolias will take a little siesta at some point, and that's just plain enjoyable for everyone involved.
There's no party like a boat party. Boats make for such a fun way to be social. Sure you can host a dinner party or schedule a playdate to hang out with your friends and family, but with boating there is a whole other level of fun. We love how easy it is to entertain a variety of personalities in one single outing. Whether you're two or 102 there is a little something to entertain everyone all in one floating venue.
It feels like a mini-vacation. You're relaxed. You're having fun. You're getting to explore new beaches, a constant change in scenery, and take part in new experiences. You can't hear the ping of your phone with 4,529 new work emails (nor can you respond). Each boating outing literally feels like a little mini-vacation. And if you are lucky enough to be boating in a place where those new trendy little boating bars that are popping up then you can grab yourself a fruity drink with an umbrella and cheers to the vacation life my friend.
Making Memories. So many of our own childhood memories involve boating. We cherish those sweet summer days of our youth filled with fishing with our grandparents, learning to get up on skis for the first time with our friends, and sailing the Intracoastal in front of our family's home. We are so lucky that we live in a place that we can make similar memories now with our own children.
We made a quick little video to share with you a little peek at what our boating days look like!
Read more at Magnolia Mamas HERE.