Your Best Summer Experience Isn’t By Car, It’s on a Stand-up Paddleboard in Virginia

Have you ever been on a stand-up paddleboard? If you haven't, let me tell you — it's a lot of fun! While it does require a bit of balance and core strength to prevent you from falling in the water when you stand up, it's a great workout on the water. If you've been nervous about trying it, haven't yet had the opportunity, or have gone in the past and want to try it again, make this summer the time to go stand-up paddleboarding with Burnham Guides Paddling Adventure in Onancock, Virginia. This is one summer experience you won't soon forget!

Also referred to as SUP, stand-up paddleboarding started gaining widespread popularity in the early 2000s. Since then, I can barely visit a body of water without seeing someone out on a paddleboard. For years, I was intrigued by the idea until I finally had the opportunity to try it myself on an international trip. I loved it, though it helped that I didn't fall in! Our guide was great at explaining how to stay on the board and get back on in case we fell into the water. I didn't have another opportunity to try it again until a recent trip to California. There's something so freeing about the sport, not to mention that it's a great workout.

For those of you who want to try SUP but don't know how it works, the best thing to do is take a lesson. Located in the small town of Onancock, Virginia, Burnham Guides Paddling Adventure takes groups out on Onancock Creek for a paddleboard lesson. Believe me, a lesson will help you gain confidence as you learn the skills involved with this incredibly fun watersport.

Book your lesson at a specific date and time listed on Airbnb Experiences. When it's time for your lesson, you'll meet your guides at the designated meeting spot, and you'll be fitted for a lifejacket. The lesson actually starts on the dock, where you'll be taught how to stand up on the board, paddle with the oar, and other techniques.

Once everyone is ready, you'll head out onto the water for more instructions with your guide. The only way to feel comfortable with stand-up paddleboarding is by doing it. So get out there, try to stand up on the board, and have fun as you paddle the water past historic Onancock homes on the calm waters of the sheltered cove of Onancock Creek. Believe me, once you try SUP, you'll want to do it again!

Are you ready for an on-the-water adventure, stand-up paddleboarding with Burnham Guides Paddling Adventure? You can book your SUP lesson in Onancock, Virginia, through Airbnb Experiences.

What else would you like to do this summer in Virginia? Would you like to go camping, stay at a resort, find a local swimming hole, or spend time at a national or state park? You'll find plenty of ideas in our Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun in Virginia.