South Bridge Boat House
South Bridge Boat House
4
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles33 reviews
Excellent
20
Very good
6
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
2

siwan2018
Concord, MA5 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
A bit expensive for a dirty old broken boat. Prices were higher than listed on their website. website said $17 hour for a weekday. We were charged $20. Greeted by a grouch who angrily told us to park differently than we had parked in the mostly empty lot. Not a great way to start a rental on a lovely day. Young man working there was very pleasant and helpful. Grouchy guy not so much.
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ann c
Stow, MA19 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2015 • Friends
The boat house claims to open at 10am on weekdays. We arrived at 10:45 to find no one there and the place closed up. We were a party of old friends meeting up for a fun morning of canoeing on the river. There were two other couples who had arrived after making reservations and were not too happy (I don't blame them). At about 11:10, a guy started walking around asking who everyone's cars were and directing us to re-park the cars really close together. Apparently, this was the owner. (Note to gruff owner, stripe your parking lot so people know what is expected. Second note to owner - APOLOGIZE to all the people who depended on you being there during your published hours and whom you kept waiting and wondering what to do next.)

Finally a young worker arrived and we were able to rent our canoes. No apologies, no smile, no kindness from the owner.

We had a blast canoeing. The equipment was in fine shape, though the life jackets were pretty grungy. Fortunately, you're not required to actually wear them.

This is a case of this company having a monopoly on kayak and canoe rentals and not needing to even pretend to care about customer service. My advice is to find any other way to enjoy the river that does not involve the South Bridge Boat House. Rent elsewhere if you can, or buy your own or borrow a friend's. There are plenty of places to put your boat in along the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers. Give this guy a little competition and perhaps he'll wise up and be a pleasant person to his paying customers.
Written August 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sudburypaddler
2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
This could be one of the best tourist attractions in Concord. On a recent trip there I was sworn at by "David" for being "Stupid" for asking what size paddle i needed. We were in disbelief, to day the least!!!
Once out on the river the wild life, and the scenery is breathtaking. It took us about an hour and half to go down to the Old North Bridge and back. Upon our return, that same crazy man that told me i was stupid was pounding the side of the building and swearing.



but the present owners choose to run it
Written December 19, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alicia B
Hingham, MA9 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2015
My experience with the owner of Concord River Cruises, Martha Rohan of Martha's Catering was appalling. I can honestly say that I have never been treated as poorly as I was treated when I arrived at the boat house. There is no signage to direct you. I arrived with a bus load of senior citizens. The place is very shabby and run down. I went around the back and saw two people on a boat and I asked if this was the Concord River Cruise. The two on the boat started talking to each other and stated that they "couldn't stand tourists who think we have to drop everything just because they ask a question." Much to my surprise, these were the owners. With 17 senior citizens waiting on the bus, I had little choice but to let the trip play out. Things on the boat didn't get much better. In between the limited narrative, the owner Martha expressed her disdain with the local police and the construction site near the boat house. I contacted the owner after the event was over. Her response to my complaint was to deflect and place blame on me, the customer. One of the biggest regrets for the day was that I was paying by company check. The check was already made out and included a tip!!! Overall, while the river itself is lovely, the owners of this business do not understand customer service and certainly did not earn a tip
Written November 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bcam2577
Concord, MA3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2015 • Family
Tried to make a reservation for 5 of us to go one MARTHAS RIVER CRUISES or better known as Concord River Cruises. The woman was rude from the start, but trying not to let it affect our fun we made the reservation 2 weeks in advance advising that my wife had a gluten allergy so we would be brining 1 sandwich ourselves. The woman, Martha who own the establishment said the difference in price was $5.00 if we brought 1 of our own sandwiches from $30.00 to $25.00.

Coming up to the date we called and conformed, as the owner Martha asked us to, that we would have 5 people and 4 sandwiches. She freaked out and said she has to pay $200.00 to use the boat, that its not a restaurant where there is a 100 tables and they can absorb the cost and that they make money off of the food and went on and on. We said that we would pay the $30.00 and still bring our food as my wife is a celiac and cannot eat wheat. And as this woman continued her rude and horrific behavior my wife reminder her that if it wasn’t convenient for her to have us we didn’t have to use her business and she said that’s fine she’s has A LONG list of people waiting who don’t have "these problems".

Just a terrible, terrible individual who blatantly discriminated against us because my wife cant eat wheat. EVEN AFTER WE OFFERED TO PAY THE EXTRA $5.00 AND BRING OUR OWN SANDWICH!!! AVAOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST, THE OWNER IS EXTREMLY UNSTABLE!!!!!!!!!
So for 5 people at $30.00 each she treated us horribly and said she had a long waiting list over $5.00 we said we would pay anyway. IF this doesn’t make sense, your right, it didn’t to use either…..person it just terrible----didn’t thin I want them handling my food or driving a boat with my family on it!!! YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!
Written August 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deborah L
North Andover, MA289 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2014 • Couples
Be advised that the rental rates shown on the website, posted at the establishment, and verbally communicated to me were all different. Also, the website says they accept Visa and Mastercard but at the establishment they say they only accept cash and direct patrons to an ATM.

Between the prices being higher than posted and it suddenly being a cash-only business, it sounds to me as though the staff is skimming cash off the patrons. Buyer beware!

I can think of a better way to spend $100. In fact, we have been on much better kayaking trips for less money in several places. This place must get all its 5-star reviews from people who have never been kayaking anywhere else or do not realize they are getting ripped off.
Written September 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mooshface
California27 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2012 • Family
I bring my two California kids, 9 and 14, to Boston every summer for a few weeks to visit family and enjoy all the pleasures of a summer in New England. Canoeing on the Concord river is one of my favorite memories of growing up in this area so I decided to go one better and rent some kayaks for a paddle to the North Bridge. We showed up at noon on a Friday and there was a large group in front of us. One guy was working the entire operation that day but he managed to get us all in our kayaks and canoes with amazing efficiency and we were on our way. FYI - We paid $53 for three kayaks for about 2 hours. It was an incredibly peaceful and lovely ride all the way down to the bridge. We saw blue herons, robins, turtles and tons of friendly dragonflies. I was in a double kayak with my 9 year old son who was basically just a hood ornament but the current was gentle enough that it didn't prove too strenuous for me to paddle us the whole time. :-) If your idea of a perfect a day is an easy paddle down a picture perfect river with perhaps a stop at the Bridge for a picnic before continuing on with your day, then definitely make the South Bridge Boat House a must see in your travels. If you do stop at the Bridge, you can walk up the hill to the Museum where there are restrooms, a gift shop and some fabulous Revolutionary War exhibits. It's a beautiful stroll through a meadow and the museum itself has some lovely gardens that are open to the public.
Written July 21, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Panther0977
65 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2016 • Couples
Renting the canoes, stopping for a swim,seeing all the beautiful views. So much fun . Great to get back to nature.
I would recommend coming here, friends families or couples. The employees who Work here are nice and helpful.?
Written April 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Perspectech
Kennebunkport, ME391 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2017 • Family
rent a canoe, explore & enjoy the scenic assabet, sudbury and concord rivers. drive up and park right on rt 62 in concord. spend the rest of the day exploring the history, culture and fine restaurants of concord ma.
Written March 11, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

nationalparkPa
PA442 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2017 • Family
There were 5 in our canoe. Attendants were very helpful getting us all geared up and situated in our canoe. They even supplied extra pillows for the old folks. We all enjoyed the peaceful ride to the North Bridge. We saw lots of turtles sunning on logs, a heron and a duck and lots of huge homes. We made it to the North Bridge and back in 1 hour and 20 minutes. We all got a turn at rowing. Fun day!
Written September 13, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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South Bridge Boat House - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)