The end of the summer will be the end of an era for getting out on Madison’s lake in style. Betty Lou Cruises has been taking Madisonians out on the water of Lake Mendota on a motoryacht with food and drink for nearly three decades.
With the brothers who own Mariner’s Inn deciding to retire, they’re also ending the cruises as of Aug. 31. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, host Bianca Martin talks to owner and founder Jack von Rutenberg about the decision to retire the boats, and some favorite memories of being out of the water.
But there are still plenty of other ways to enjoy Madison’s lakes. Here’s a few options for boat rentals of all sizes and shapes. Make sure to check out our map of the places detailed in this article on Overlook Maps!
Rent from a variety of kayaks and paddleboards and see the downtown area from a whole new perspective on Lake Monona. If you’re hungry, you can paddle out to Brittingham’s floating barge in the middle of Monona Bay for “Burgers on the Bay,” including both meat and veggie options and live music!
Madison School & Community Recreation has three pontoon boats ready for rental in the Tenney Park Boat House. They offer narrated guided trips to learn more about the lakes, special kid-oriented trips, and you can even rent a pontoon to go out on the lake to watch a special event.
Since 1939, the Hoofer Sailing Club has promoted sailing on Lake Mendota, launching sailboats, windsurfing, dinghies, even winter kiting. Hoofers members can take lessons on not only sailing but boat operation and maintenance. If you want to become a regular out on the lake, a membership is a must.
Rutabaga Paddlesports rents out canoes, kayaks, and standup paddleboards from Olbrich Park. They have space to house your boat year-round, and come back in the winter to rent snowshoes to trek out onto the lake.
Enjoy some smooth sailing (or paddling, anyway) on the wake-free waters of Lake Wingra, which makes it perfect for newbies. They rent out paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks, but your kids will definitely want you to rent one of the giant swan or duck paddle boats.
Located on the west shore of Lake Mendota, this boat rental is a peaceful way to explore the shoreline in a pontoon boat, paddle board, canoe, or kayak. Paddle down to Spring Harbor Beach Park or all the way up to Governor Nelson State Park.
