A Complete Guide To Making a Multi-Day Paddle Board Trip

Are you a paddle boarder looking to take your adventure to new destinations? A vacation solely for SUP boarding is the perfect getaway for you! However, making and planning a multi-day paddle board trip is no small task.

Green Water Sport’s complete guide to planning this trip can make this process easier and ensure you do not forget any crucial steps. Let’s get planning!

Have You Been Paddle Boarding Before?

If you’ve never tried paddle boarding in the past, jumping directly into a long trip will be too difficult because you need to learn a few skills first. A beginner might have a tough time keeping their stamina up while paddling on the water for a few days in a row. You should have a base of knowledge before venturing on a long trip.

If you’re at the beginner skill level but still don’t know if you can handle a trip like this, a few other indicators can help determine your decision. If you’re comfortable standing on your board for long distances and have some experience in different bodies of water, then you’re ready for this trip! If you’re still uncomfortable with this, work on these skills before booking a vacation.

Choose Your Destination

Where do you plan on going for this multi-day SUP adventure? Will you be going alone, or will you take a few friends? There are plenty of beautiful places to go in the United States and around the world; your options are truly endless. The destination you choose might depend on your group’s skill level.

For example, if nobody in your SUP vacation group is an expert in this water sport, you should avoid colder destinations, such as Alaska, next to the glaciers, because it can be more dangerous. Choose a location that is beginner-to-intermediate-friendly for your first trip. We’ll list some of our favorite places below, but feel free to select the destination that speaks the most to you.

Lake Tahoe, California
The Bahamas
Key West, Florida
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Anywhere in the Great Lakes

Don’t forget to book flights, lodging, and transportation once you decide on your destination.

Be Wary of the Weather

The destination you choose will have varying weather conditions. The weather significantly impacts how well you can paddle board through the water. A location that receives high gusts of wind may be tricky to navigate with your SUP board because it makes you exert more energy. The location you choose might also experience hurricanes, don’t book a trip during that season either. Weather can make or break your paddle boarding trip, so ensure you’re going at the right time.

Sort Out Your Route To the Water

After finalizing your destination and how you will get there, it’s wise to sort out your route to the water before the trip starts. You need to know where you are to avoid getting lost when you’re in an unfamiliar location. The good news is several maps are available, depending on where you’re going, and the technology on our phones also helps a lot!

Will you be paddling on the same body of water every day, or will you choose a new location each day of your trip? Considering these questions is also important because you will need to know the various routes if you plan on going to more than one body of water. Also, you may need to obtain a permit for your vehicle if you’re at a national park.

Pro-Tip

Share your route and location with someone who isn’t on the trip. This way, they will know your general location and can send emergency services in case of an emergency, or you get lost.

Plan Your Itinerary

How long do you plan to spend time on the water daily? We suggest basing this on the individual in the group who can go the shortest distance. For instance, if you can paddle for 30 miles a day, but your friend can only paddle 20, then you should plan on only doing 20 miles per day. Otherwise, your friend will not be able to keep up, and you never want to leave anyone behind. Consider testing how long each person on your trip can paddle in a day to get a feel for how many miles you might be doing each day of the vacation.

Now that you know how long you will be spending on the water, what do you plan on doing when you’re not balancing on your stand-up paddle board? Are there any restaurants or bars you want to check out? While the trip is for SUP boarding, there are still plenty of other sights to see, depending on your destination. Make the most out of this vacation!

Don’t Forget Your Gear!

When you’re making a multi-day paddle boarding trip, nothing will ruin the vacation more than forgetting to bring all your necessary gear. However, it won’t be the end of the world if you forget something because, hopefully, someone packed extra, or you can purchase or rent what you need.

Here is a short list of the possible SUP gear you might need to help you remember what you need to bring:

SUP board
SUP paddle
SUP leash
Hand pump
PFD (personal flotation device)
Bright clothing
First aid kit
Emergency contact device
Water bottle
Sunscreen
Rope

While this list only shows what you may need for your paddle board, don’t forget any other essentials you need for after, such as a change of clothes, sleeping essentials, hygiene supplies, and more. Staying at a hotel versus a campsite will also determine the type of additional gear you bring. We recommend bringing an inflatable stand-up paddle board if you’re traveling by airplane because you can easily roll them up and store them in your suitcase or camping bag.

A multi-day trip requires a lot of planning, no matter the activities you want to do. If your favorite pastime is paddle boarding, you need to take a trip like this at least once to experience what the world has to offer. Revisit Green Water Sport’s guide whenever you need to plan your next SUP getaway. We promise that whichever destination you choose, you’ll have the adventure of a lifetime!