Day out on the Canal in London with self drive GoBoats

A couple of weeks ago, we were invited to take a fabulous trip down the Regent’s canal with London GoBoats. It was a perfect family day out in London and a perfect day for it, the weather was just warming up and it was clear and dry – I can only imagine that it would be even better in the Summer months and equally as beautiful in the Autumn with the colour changing leaves. With Go Boat London you can hire self-drive electric boats to sail around Paddington, Little Venice and Regents Canal with up to 8 passengers on board. It is most definitely a unique experience and perfect for viewing London from an alternative angle. I think we’d definitely to pop a boat ride on your ‘family bucket list of things to do in London’ as it’s a unique London day out and a fun day out for kids in London too.

Child Friendly Boat Ride in London

I must admit, we were nervous about taking a 2 year old on an open boat on a canal – particularly one as jumpy and energetic as our 2 year  – Archie! We enlisted help from our friends and neighbours Joe and Fran but we needn’t have worried – there was lots to see and Archie only became a little wriggly towards the very end of our two hour trip and he didn’t fall in! Bonus!

GoBoat is located 10 minute from Paddington and Edgware station and is easier to find (it’s easiest to take the Union Canal exit from Paddington.) Once you arrive, kids are given lifejackets and a sailor’s hat (big hit with our littlest) and you’re given a map and a quick lesson on the river. According to Mr M and our friend Joe – the boats were easy to steer and sail. We only had one minor bump in the busiest part of Camden but we shall say no more about that! A particular highlight for the kids is that you sail past London Zoo and get to peer in at the animals. Apparently the Gorilla enclosure can be seen from the boat, we didn’t see any Gorillas unfortunately but did see some Hyenas. As we visited during Easter – there was a nifty Easter egg hunt where you were awarded some mini eggs for taking photos of the giant eggs you could find on the canals. This was a great idea – it kept our kids entertained and they had fun taking photos of the views too. I was just pleased they didn’t lose our mobile phones in the canal!

Go Boat are currently the only self drive boats on the Regent’s Canal in London and, as it has a big table in the middle of your boat – it’s perfect for experiencing London from the river and enjoying a picnic and a glass of wine! We all thoroughly enjoyed our picnic and I can imagine that the GoBoats would be a fab idea for a picnics with groups of friends as well as family – you can even take dogs on the boats too! Our favourite thing about our trip was seeing another, very different side of London – it was really peaceful and calm on the canal. The GoBoats don’t make any noise which is great both for the environment and so you can still see ducks and geese swim close to you! Little Venice is a real treat to sail through – I loved seeing the colourful houseboats and imagining what life is like living in one. There were some cute cats sunbathing on one we sailed passed – it looked a blissful place to call your home. Camden Lock also looks very different from the river and the graffiti walls by a riverfront gives an entirely different meaning to urban London.

Towards the middle of your boat ride (if you opt for the two hours like we did) you reach a long tunnel. This was a little daunting as it is pitch black inside but the kids loved all the echos you could make and your boat has a little light on which creates pretty shadows. The tunnel was definitely a highlight for the kids!

We all had a great time on our family day out on the canals with GoBoat and would highly recommend a visit.  Prices start from £89 and you can get up to eight people in a boat. We comfortably had eight people on our boat (four were kids) and there was space for more.

Top Tips for a family Day out on the Canals with GoBoat

• If it’s a cold day, bring hats and blankets to snuggle up in.
• Bring a picnic and wine – it’s a must! (There is an alcohol limit on the boat for obvious reasons). There is a Marks and Spencers right by GoBoats if you want to pick up some last minute snacks.
• Visit the toilet first! There is one at Paddington Station.
• I think you need a 2 hour trip minimum if you want to see all the sights. You can book a longer trip if needed. We didn’t make it the entire way on the journey in the time we had.
• Book your child-friendly Go Boat London adventure online on the Go Boat London website.\
• Find out more about London’s canals here
• If your kids like sailing – embark on a maritime career and find out more about jobs as a marine pilot.

*We were gifted a two hour session on a GoBoat for the purpose of this review. All words, photos and opinions are my own.*

We’ve had other water adventures – check out our chilly Family Canoeing Adventure and here’s our Top Ten things to do In South London for more London adventures!