5 Ways to Get Out on the Water If You Don’t Have a Boat

Grab a paddle and get a workout and a tan while exploring Long Island’s curvy shoreline. Stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), kayaks and canoes are an affordable way to get on the water without much experience needed. East Hampton’s Paddle Diva offers SUP classes, group tours and rentals. Amagansett Beach & Bicycle has half-day and full-day kayak rentals, and in Riverhead, Long Island Canoe Kayak Rentals has a number of tours in the mellow Peconic River.

OK, maybe you’re a SUP pro, you’ve water-skied and you know your way around a boat. In that case, make this the summer you give surfing a try. In Wainscott,, Main Beach Surf and Sport offers private, group and even family and kids’ surf lessons. Or head to Hamptons Gym Corp, where the outdoor division offers windsurfing lessons from world champion Jesper Vesterstrom.

Gather your squad, join a licensed captain out of Montauk and hit the water for a day of fishing for cod, bluefish, fluke, porgies, sea bass and more. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for other marine wildlife, including dolphins and seals.

This can be the summer you make your childhood dream of being the Little Mermaid come true. Hampton Dive Center in Riverhead offers scuba for all levels, from classes where you can earn your certification to equipment sales and guided outings.

The anchor drops, you dive off the boat into the cool water and you feel like a millionaire—if only for a day. In Sag Harbor and Montauk, Heron offers private sailing charters for half-day, full-day and sunset sails for up to 38 guests. Snack on dishes from a custom menu, sip on a signature cocktail and have the best day ever.