visit lake charles podcast

50 episodes

Louisiana’s Playground is a podcast about all there is to experience in Lake Charles. Join hosts Brady Renard and Jillian Corder as they share fresh perspectives from locals, businesses, and area experts about the best-kept secrets of Southwest Louisiana. This podcast will give you all the tools you need to build your own personal Lake Charles itinerary. Louisiana’s Playground explores what it means to be bold and outspoken, yet laid back and homey. Tune in bi-weekly for a taste of all Southwest Louisiana has to offer; from authentic Louisiana dishes, luxurious resorts and spas, perfect party locations for adult and group trips, and endless ways to play all day. Live it up in Lake Charles and listen at http://visitlakecharles.org/podcast.

Louisiana's Playground Visit Lake Charles

• Society & Culture
• 4.9 • 16 Ratings
• APR 24, 2024

Get Cultured with the Arts Council

Guest Cameron Fultz, the Executive Director of the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss the Arts Council's role in making all of Southwest Louisiana a more enriching place to experience!

• APR 10, 2024

Lake Charles is a southern city on the rise

Guest Kimberly Dellafosse, the Assistant City Manager for the City of Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss Lake Charles’ inclusion on Southern Living’s 2024 Best Cities On The Rise list.

• MAR 27, 2024

Home sweet Home Fest

Guest Lauren Olsen, the president of the This is Home Fest board, joins host Brady and guest host Kathryn Shea on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss Home Fest’s 4th annual celebration! The trio dives into the inspiration for the festival, what to expect and what could be next for one of Lake Charles’ premier music experiences.

• MAR 20, 2024

SPECIAL EPISODE: Music Festivals in Lake Charles

In Southwest Louisiana, we know how to throw a party! The next few months see plenty of FREE music festivals rocking Lake Charles' lakefront and downtown. Join Brady and Jillian on a special edition of Louisiana's Playground for a rundown of must-attend events filled with music, food, and fun for the whole family!

• FEB 28, 2024

Play like a kid at Lake Area Adventures

Guest Tim Robles, the co-owner/general manager for Lake Area Adventures, a locally owned family event center in Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss the many offerings LAA has for the family to take part in. From climbing walls and the airpark, to the restaurant, aquatic center and gamers lounge, there is something for everyone at Lake Area Adventures!

• FEB 14, 2024

Discover your inner nerd at CYPHACON

Guest Garrett Manuel, the co-owner and event coordinator for CYPHACON, Southwest Louisiana’s Premier Pop Culture Convention, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss CYPHACON’s many offerings as the event enters its 14th year. It’s a weekend filled with celebrities, musicians, vendors, video and board gaming, 120 hours of unique programming, fan groups, cosplay contest, charity auction, pub crawl and so much more!

Customer Reviews

Good look into our areas positive features.

First off, the podcast is professionally done. From the music intro to outlined segments to a good rapport between the hosts, it all comes off well. Also, the speakers are well chosen. Keep the diversity of topics up. It can be more than tourism promotion.

Top Podcasts In Society & Culture

You might also like.

No Time for Homemade? Where to find the best Thanksgiving Day Desserts

Chicken Salad ChickAmerica’s (and now Lake Charles’) Favorite Place for Chicken Salad

Visit lake charles launches podcast to inspire visitation  .

Visit Lake Charles launched a destination podcast in late September to create a new avenue for potential visitors to learn about hidden gems, culinary arts, and things to be discovered in Southwest Louisiana with the goal of inspiring visitation and community engagement.  

Louisiana’s Playground is co-hosted by Brady Renard and Anna Strider of Visit Lake Charles. In each episode, Renard and Strider uncover the deeper stories and interesting finds that are not always top-of-mind for visitors to reveal more aspects of the community. The first episode sets the stage for Louisiana’s Playground with Kyle Edmiston, president/CEO of Visit Lake Charles, as the featured guest. Louisiana’s Playground is the first podcast produced by a destination marketing organization in the state of Louisiana.

“The creation of Louisiana’s Playground will generate new avenues to engage visitors and locals in the unique and diverse stories of our community as well as allow Visit Lake Charles to be on the forefront of driving our destination’s story in dynamic ways,” said Timothy Bush, chief marketing officer at Visit Lake Charles.

According to Buzzsprout, more than one third of Americans listen to podcasts regularly, roughly 104 million people, with 80 million Americans or 26% listening to a podcast on a weekly basis. Infinite Dial highlights that U.S. weekly podcast listeners average eight podcasts per week.

“Capitalizing on the mainstream podcast storytelling network allows us to continue to be thought leaders in bringing to light the authentic experiences that Southwest Louisiana has to offer,” said Strider. “We are meeting the potential visitor where they are with exciting and inclusive stories about all things Lake Charles.”

The episodes will cover a wide array of subjects, anything from events to athletics, new developments, the outdoors, arts and culture, music, and attractions. Each episode will have a nod to the food culture of Southwest Louisiana with a special “Envie Eats” tribute to locally owned restaurants.

“Our goal is to generate awareness of what classic and up-and-coming experiences are offered here through fun and authentic storytelling,” said Brady Renard.

The podcast airs every other Wednesday.

Listeners can tune in to the podcast and subscribe to receive notifications of new episodes as they are produced. Log on to VisitLakeCharles.org/Podcast or search “Louisiana’s Playground” everywhere podcasts are found including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

For more SWLA fun and excitement, grab a copy of the Visit Lake Charles’ Fall/Winter 2022 Digital Inspiration Guide. It’s full of tips on the best activities, entertainment, and restaurants to make your SWLA experience a success. Pick up a copy at the lakefront visitors center, 1205 N Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles. Request a copy of the publication by mail at www.VisitLakeCharles.org. Or view it online at www.visitlakecharles.org/plan-your-visit/visitor-guide/digital-guide/

To learn more about things to do, see, eat, and experience in Louisiana’s Playground, log onto VisitLakeCharles.org or follow #VisitLakeCharles on social media  

Related posts

The 2024 Crawfish Season: In a Bit of a Pinch 

Fusion Flavors from Around the Globe 

Rum Revival 

• PODCASTERS DATABASE
• SUBMIT YOUR PODCAST

News Reader

Brand Monitoring

Blogger Outreach or Influencer Marketing

Combined Newsletters

Embeddable RSS Widgets

RSS Combiner beta

Select Page

• Get 100k Podcasts with email contacts. Export Full Database
• Request Podcasters Contacts
• Export Contact List

10 Best Lake Charles Podcasts (City in Louisiana)

• Louisiana's Playground
• Christ Community Church of Lake Charles
• Faith Bible Church of Lake Charles - Sermons
• FUMCLC Media
• Life United Lake Charles

Lake Charles Podcasters

• Lake Charles Podcasts Newsletter

Lake Charles Podcasts

Here are 10 Best Lake Charles Podcasts worth listening to in 2024

1. The River

2. Louisiana's Playground

3. Christ Community Church of Lake Charles

4. Faith Bible Church of Lake Charles - Sermons

5. FUMCLC Media

6. Life United Lake Charles

Media Contact Database

Why list and promote your podcast on feedspot.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

15 Things To Do In Lake Charles, Louisiana

Explore Southwest Louisiana—you'll be glad you did.

See the Sights

Experience arts and culture.

• Roll the Dice and Hit the Hay at a Casino Resort
• Eat and Drink the Louisiana Way

Explore in Nature

DenisTangneyJr /Getty Images

From the glaze of shiny new casino resorts to the rippling surfaces of ancient rivers and lakes, there's plenty to explore in Southwest Louisiana. Don't miss Lake Charles, a place with a lot to entertain you on a weekend trip. Golf pristine links or sip local brews, take an eco-tour or lounge along a lakeside beach–you'll find some surprises among the expected fare here. In addition to museums, casino resorts, and local restaurants, the city of Lake Charles is also a destination for festivals. It has named itself the Festival Capital of Louisiana, and it has a strong case. According to Visit Louisiana, “More than 75 festivals are on the calendar annually. Most notable among them are Mardi Gras, the Louisiana Pirate Festival , the Black Heritage Festival , the Cajun Music & Food Festival and the Louisiana Fur & Wildlife Festival (where attendees can see unique events including the trap-setting and oyster-shucking competitions).” Begin your explorations here, and you never know where they might lead.

Kayak the Calcasieu River

Enlist the help of Lake Area Adventures , which is based in Lake Charles, to launch a paddling trip along the Calcasieu River Basin. Guided kayaking trips are one of the best ways to explore the picturesque nooks and crannies of the connected waterways that sprawl across southern Louisiana. Lake Area Adventures also has other attractions–among them, an air park, aquatics center, and rentals for traversing the area by water.

Splash in Lake Charles

You’ll find a few beaches in this corner of Southwest Louisiana. The most popular of the city’s beachfront stretches is located off of Exit 29. According to Visit Lake Charles, “The only white-sand inland beach in Louisiana is North Beach, also located along the shores of the lake, right next door to the tourist bureau at 1205 N. Lakeshore Drive.” Other beaches can be found at the Golden Nugget and L’Auberge casino resorts. 

Take in the Architectural Charm of the Charpentier Historic District

Wander downtown Lake Charles, and you’ll no doubt happen upon the Charpentier Historic District, a concentration of homes dating to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The district spans 40 walkable and driveable blocks filled with architectural interest. 

Marvel at the Centuries-Old Sallier Oak Tree

Located at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, one of the city’s most notable residents is the Sallier Oak, an enormous tree with wide-reaching branches that has lived more than 375 years. According to the museum, “The historic oak is registered with the Live Oak Society of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, and it represents the ability for our community to weather disasters while continuing to grow with optimism.”  

Jess McGlothlin Media / Aurora Photos /Getty Images

Experience the Vibrancy of Tradition at the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu

If you think you can only find a memorable Mardi Gras in New Orleans, think again. This is one of Southwest Louisiana’s best-loved traditions too, and you can find celebrations in and around Lake Charles. The Mardi Gras Museum commemorates those celebrations and shares with visitors deep dives into the history of the festival and its vibrant costumes and traditions. 

See Local Art at the 1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center 

Located in a beautiful, historic building, the 1911 Historic City Hall Arts and Culture Center is a must-visit spot in Lake Charles. According to Visit Lake Charles, “After extensive restoration, the 1911 Historic City Hall opened its doors as the City of Lake Charles' public art gallery and cultural facility in 2004. Since that time, Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center has showcased numerous traveling exhibitions from around the world, as well as regional and local artists.” 

Learn Something New at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum

This visual arts center has been open since the 1960s and is also the site of the famed Sallier Oak. According to the museum, it offers “a minimum of 36 weeks of cultural/visual arts programming of its own design and coordinates with other cultural and community organizations to support their programs/projects” with educational programming as well as exhibits featuring artifacts and memorabilia of local interest.

Bryan Hainer /Getty Images

Roll the Dice and Hit the Hay at a Casino Resort 

Try your hand at the golden nugget lake charles hotel and casino.

This area is a destination for casinos, and the slots are always spinning at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel and Casino, which is located on the water and boasts eateries like Saltgrass Steak House and Landry’s Seafood House as well as the Blue Martini Lounge. Don’t miss the H2O Pool + Bar, which they bill as “the largest, splashiest pool complex on the Gulf Coast.” 

Hit the Links at the L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles

After a bit of gambling in the casino, try your hand at the golf course. L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles features the Contraband Bayou Golf Club, which has tee times every day of the week. Along with a pool, lazy river, and dining options spanning a variety of styles and cuisines, you’ll want for nothing during a visit to this lakeside casino resort.  

Eat and Drink the Louisiana Way 

Try a local brew at crying eagle brewing company.

After your adventures, settle into a seat at Crying Eagle Brewing Company to taste a local Louisiana brew. Popular beers here include the Louisiana Lager, Don’t Blush Berliner Weisse, Things Unsettled Hazy IPA, Honey Wheat, and Fruited Sour with strawberry, pink guava, and honey. The taproom and bistro have drinks as well as food–pretzel sticks, boudin, burgers, pizzas, and LA Lager beer sausage round out the menu. 

Have Dinner at Chart House

After putting your way along the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino golf course, stop into Chart House for a meal. It’s located right on the green, giving you verdant views of the links along with a menu of crowd-pleasing appetizers and entrees like coconut shrimp, filet mignon, tender brick chicken, and braised beef short ribs. 

Dine Downtown at Pujo St. Cafe

Locals love Pujo St. Cafe for lunch and dinner because of its pup-friendly patio, comfort food, and creative cocktails. On the menu, you’ll find fresh Gulf Coast seafood, po’boys, and seasonal desserts. A perennial downtown favorite, Pujo St. Cafe has been feeding the Lake Charles area for 25 years. 

Take a Break at Sam Houston Jones State Park

As Southwest Louisiana’s sole state park, Sam Houston Jones State Park is an ideal spot to take a breather and enjoy the outdoors. In addition to being a prime place for hiking–five trails criss-cross the park–and birding, you can also take to the waters of the Calcasieu River for boating and fishing or stay on land and zip around the disc golf course. Accommodations include cabins, a lodge, campsites, and convenient hookups for RVs. 

Drive the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road 

Let Lake Charles be the jumping-off point for more adventure. Embark on a drive along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road for a wider exploration of southwest Louisiana. This is an excellent thoroughfare for birdwatching. According to Explore Louisiana, “Beginning in Lake Charles and neighboring Sulphur, drivers are taken south through the swamplands where alligators blend in seamlessly with the scenery , and wading shorebirds rest between migratory flights. The region sits at the confluence of two flyways—the routes birds take between North and South America seasonally—which means that visitors can see a phenomenal display of feathered friends along the trail.” 

Get To Know the Area with an Eco-Tour

Adventure and education come together on Grosse Savanne Eco Tours, which is based nearby in Bell City and regularly takes explorers out into the southwest Louisiana landscape to glimpse wildlife, see birds, and experience a variety of habitats. According to Grosse Savanne Eco Tours, “Grosse Savanne’s vast property of over 50,000 acres is nearly split in half by the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, a nationally acclaimed ‘Louisiana Outback’ wildlife and photography trail. Grosse Savanne Eco-tours has unlimited access to a multitude of various ecotypes including both fresh and salt water marshes, cypress swamps, native coastal prairies, pine forest plantations, and agricultural lands.” See it for yourself by booking a tour. Then keep exploring–you never know what you’ll find in this corner of the Bayou State. 

Related Articles

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Visit lake charles podcasts.

51 Louisiana's Playground

Visit lake charles, 1 42: get cultured with the arts council 32:49, 1 41: lake charles is a southern city on the rise 35:23, 1 40: home sweet home fest 30:04, 1 special episode: music festivals in lake charles 15:27, 1 38: play like a kid at lake area adventures 45:13, 1 37: discover your inner nerd at cyphacon 40:41, 1 special episode: 2024 mardi gras events schedule 25:59, 1 36: celebrate mardi gras with the men of omega psi phi 30:38, 1 35: krewe-zing into mardi gras season 35:22, 1 special episode: 2024 chuck eats restaurant week 33:17, 1 34: get a taste of latino culture at area 337 42:06, 1 33: explore sportsman's paradise with swla royalty 24:54, 1 32: get a taste of resort life at l'auberge 40:14, 1 31: celebrate the christmas season under the oaks 31:48, 1 30: always a good bet: horse racing at delta downs 39:39, 1 29: southwest louisiana is a golfing destination 39:05, 1 28: take in the performing arts at the rosa hart theatre 29:04, 1 27: catch an event at the burton complex 36:05, 1 26: festival development with smoke & barrel 38:31, 1 25: be a sports betting caesar at horseshoe casino 28:28, 1 24: louisiana tourism with the lt. governor 31:18, 1 special episode: fall festivals and events in lake charles 20:42, 1 23: experience the louisiana food and wine festival 35:08, 1 22: entertainment is a feeling at golden nugget 32:39, 1 21: hooked on swla charter fishing 29:33, 1 20: queen of louisiana seafood 36:03, 1 19: lake charles’ historic charpentier district 47:57, 1 18: zydeco music roots in swla 31:07, 1 louisiana's playground podcast trailer 1:19, 1 special episode: summer festivals and events in lake charles 19:28, 1 17: investing in lake charles with mayor hunter 47:23, 1 16: fly local with lake charles regional airport 35:12, 1 15: southwest louisiana's only state park 38:15, 1 14: railroad history of dequincy 31:24, 1 special episode: spring festivals and events in lake charles 15:28, 1 13: the youth sports capital of louisiana 47:28, 1 12: louisiana seafood matters 39:01, 1 11: cash & carry farmer's market 29:17, 1 special episode: 2023 mardi gras events schedule 12:59, 1 10: celebrate mardi gras 33:27, 1 9: celebrating black artists 32:11, 1 special episode: chuck eats week 12:06, 1 8: just imagine swla 40:39, 1 7: louisiana's fur and wildlife industry 32:08, 1 6: the mural man 24:33, 1 5: gumbo: a louisiana tradition 32:00, 1 4: creole nature trail all-american road 30:04, 1 3: mcneese state university: college sports in lake charles 26:51, 1 2: 100 years of the cal-cam fair 21:55, 1 1: why lake charles 42:57, quick reference guide.

Your browser is not supported for this experience. We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.

PlayList eNewsletter Sign up for biweekly updates on upcoming events, what's new & where to dine.

Inspiration guide request your copy for untold stories, fun round-ups, and what's new in swla..

Episode 42: Get Cultured with the Arts Council

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Cameron Fultz, the Executive Director of the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss the Arts…

Episode 41: Lake Charles is a southern city on the rise

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Kimberly Dellafosse, the Assistant City Manager for the City of Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss Lake Charles’ inclusion on…

Episode 40: Home sweet Home Fest

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Lauren Olsen, the president of the This is Home Fest board, joins host Brady and guest host Kathryn Shea on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss Home Fest’s 4th annual…

Episode 38: Play like a kid at Lake Area Adventures

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Tim Robles, the co-owner/general manager for Lake Area Adventures, a locally owned family event center in Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground…

Episode 37: Discover your inner nerd at CYPHACON

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Garrett Manuel, the co-owner and event coordinator for CYPHACON, Southwest Louisiana’s Premier Pop Culture Convention, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground…

Episode 36: Celebrate Mardi Gras with the men of Omega Psi Phi

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Leo Colquitt, a member of the Krewe of Omega, a Mardi Gras Krewe in Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss the Mardi Gras experience…

Episode 35: Krewe-zing into Mardi Gras season

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Gena Millslagle, the Captain of Krewe du Sauvage, a Mardi Gras Krewe in Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss the Mardi Gras…

Episode 34: Get a taste of Latino culture at Area 337

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Gus Garden, the owner of Area 337, a Latino restaurant in Lake Charles, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss his restaurant's re-opening…

Episode 33: Explore Sportsman's Paradise with SWLA Royalty

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Jordyn Kelley, the reigning Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival Queen, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss her experience as a festival queen in…

Episode 32: Get a taste of resort life at L'Auberge

ABOUT THE EPISODE Guest Kevin McCarthy, the Executive Chef at L’Auberge Casino Resort, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to discuss L’Auberge’s numerous culinary offerings. The…

• How to Listen
• Brian Kilmeade Show
• FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla
• Guy Benson Show
• Premium Podcast Account Access
• FOX News Talk All-In-One Podcast
• FOX Across America Premium Podcast
• Brian Kilmeade Show Premium Podcast
• MEGAcast All-In-One Podcast
• FOX & Friends
• Outnumbered
• The Daily Briefing With Dana Perino
• Your World with Neil Cavuto
• Special Report with Bret Baier
• The Ingraham Angle
• Mornings With Maria
• Varney and Company
• Fox News Podcasts
• Fox Business
• Fox Deportes
• Fox TV Stations
• Fox News Commentary
• Station Finder
• Become an Affiliate

Eli Lake on the Group ‘Students for Justice for Palestine’: “When you Mimic the Slogans of Terrorist Groups… You’re Pro-Terrorist”

Eli Lake, Reporter for The Free Press, contributing editor at Commentary, and host of the “Re-Education podcast”, joined the Guy Benson Show today to talk about the latest on antisemitism on college campuses across the country. Many claim to be pro-Palestinian while simultaneously chanting anti-Jewish phrases, and Guy and Eli discuss why these protestors should be treated the same as the Charlottesville protestors. Eli and Guy break this down, and you can listen to the full interview below.

Eli had this to say on the treatment of Students for Justice for Palestine:

“The Students for Justice for Palestine should be treated the same way that the Proud Boys or the Charlottesville organizers were treated. They are bigots. They are haters. They’re anti-Semites. And once there’s some of that social pressure, like I don’t want to be seen with you, then I think that we can maybe begin to turn the ship around. But until then, we’re in a real pickle.”  

You May Be Interested In...

Katie Pavlich on the Danger of the CCP in the US: “China Has Infiltrated Every Single Level of Society”

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) Joins the Guy Benson Show and Talks Nation-Wide Senate Races for 2024

Leo Terrell on Trump’s Strength Amidst His Trials: “Donald Trump is Stronger Than Ever”

Brian Kilmeade on Trump’s Reception at NYC Union Rally: “It Was So Impressive”

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis: “This Is the Last Place That You Think You Would See This Type of Antisemitism”

GUY BENSON SHOW EXCLUSIVE: Anonymous Jewish Columbia Student Shares Campus Experience, Antisemitic Discrimination

• New Privacy Policy
• New Terms of Use
• (What’s New)
• Your Privacy Choices

We set out to kayak the entire Charles River. It was that or pickleball.

Our goal: to paddle as much of the famed river as we could. if only we could figure out where it started..

B efore setting out to paddle the length of the Charles River, you should know that no one really can say where it begins.

Some will tell you that, officially, it’s Echo Lake in Hopkinton. The lake, which is actually a man-made reservoir for the town of Milford, sits 83 miles — as the water flows — from Boston Harbor. If you go there, you will find no signs or markers claiming such fame, only ones sharing the fact that granite was once quarried in the area.

In defiance of this narrative, some maps label tiny streams flowing into the lake as the Charles River. You can step across these headwaters without much of a squish. So, it’s best to let go of the idea of finding and making the “source” of the river your starting point. Local ordinance doesn’t permit boating on Echo Lake. It only gets practical farther downstream.

I know all this because, on a golf course with three high-school buddies in October 2022, we hatched a plan to paddle the entire length of the Charles.

Advertisement

By then middle-aged, we were talking about life and how best to spend our next chapter. Pickleball may have been mentioned, but then my friend Gene Hurley, who has lived most of his life within a stone’s throw of the Charles, shared his long unrealized scheme to paddle it. “The whole thing,” he said. I was intrigued.

Neither of us owned a kayak. Months later, we paddled our banged-up boats into Boston Harbor after an adventure that took us over beaver dams, into unspoiled slices of wilderness, past modest homes and stately manors, through 23 cities and towns — and made our year.

As noted, the Charles River “starts” a little over 80 miles from the harbor. But the paddler’s map published by the Charles River Watershed Association picks things up at the North Bellingham Dam, 65.4 miles from Boston Harbor. We planned to launch our journey somewhere upstream from the dam.

Depending on rainfall, sections of the river upstream can be unnavigable. At times your boat will bottom out. Even when the water level cooperates, there are countless obstacles. The 19 dams on the river are just the start. Fallen trees lurk around seemingly every bend of the Upper Charles and frequently force awkward portages.

With work and personal lives to juggle, we didn’t have a great sense of how long it would take us to complete our expedition, except that it wouldn’t be just a day or two. We planned piecemeal, one leg of the journey at a time. But the goal was clear: to paddle into Boston Harbor by the end of the summer.

With little previous kayaking experience, we decide to test the waters by launching an initial leg on April Fools’ Day at Bellingham’s Box Pond, through which the Charles flows. We’re both thinking the same thing. Two fools in over their heads.

The Native American name for the Charles River is Quinobequin, meaning meandering. We quickly understand why as we find our way downstream through the lovely, bird-filled Bellingham Meadows, where the narrow switchbacks eventually lead us on a twisting route to our first real test, a dark passageway under Interstate 495.

At certain times, when the water is too high, the tunnel is impassable for paddlers. We quickly size it up and decide to try to squeeze our way through, the top of our heads scraping the ceiling. Eventually, we are ejected back into daylight, smiling with relief and wiping spider webs off our faces. We go a bit farther on this day, scooching our boats over a burgeoning beaver dam before finding our planned ending spot at Maple Street in Bellingham, where we had parked one of our cars before starting.

Our next time out, we are joined by Jim Grant, another member of that initial golf foursome. It is his first time in a kayak and he is on edge. We put in at Bresnahan’s Landing in Medway and cruise downstream through Populatic Pond between Franklin and Norfolk.

Before long, we settle into a rhythm. That doesn’t last long before we get spun around by some shallow, rocky quickwater under bridges at Myrtle Street and Dean Street along the Norfolk-Millis line. We exit the water at a canoe launch by Forest Road in Millis, toasting our fun with some hazy IPAs.

Our confidence buoyed, Gene and I decide to backtrack upstream to find the farthest reasonable point from Boston Harbor to put our boats in and mark the starting line of our grand adventure, and also to fill in the short gap on the route we left between legs 1 and 2. We set off on another gray day from Howard Street in Milford, upstream from Bellingham’s Box Pond, where we first got our feet wet on Day 1.

We pass a small farm and slide under several creepy bridges, then fight our way through an overgrown thicket blocking the entrance to the pond. Having stashed Gene’s truck there, we load the boats up and leapfrog the section we already did with the scary tunnel under I-495 and resume our day’s journey in Bellingham upstream from where the Pearl Street Mill once stood. At that spot the map marks the Caryville Dam, but it was removed a few years ago.

Nevertheless, we run into an obstacle early on: a large iron girder that spans the channel from the days the river ran under the now dismantled mill. With a strong current pushing us into the barrier and high walls on either side, there’s no easy way out. We manage to carefully float our boats under the barrier while we scramble over it. We end at dusk by the Sanford Mill Dam between Medway and Franklin.

When we reconvene in late May, we cover about 10 miles on a glorious day, passing through Medfield and Sherborn. It’s the first time we see other boaters on the river. We take time to check out South End Pond, then slip past King Philip’s Overlook, a scenic bluff above the river, and pull out for a break to explore the old Medfield State Hospital campus on foot before finishing for the day.

A couple of days later, Barney McFarland, the final member of our golfing group, tags along for the fifth leg of our journey. Blue herons, a bow fisherman standing in the wash of the South Natick Dam, and a series of spectacular mansions near the confluence of Wellesley, Needham, and Dover highlight our day.

We are starting to get a little cocky. As if to keep us in check, several weeks later, a seriously ornery swan guarding its cygnet in a narrow stretch of water threatens to swamp my boat, then Gene’s, forcing us into a semi-panicked escape. Once in the clear, we hustle around Cochrane Dam in Needham, go under Route 128 for the first of three times, and into Dedham.

Not far downstream from all the multimillion-dollar real estate we passed on our previous leg, we come upon the only trailer park inside Boston’s city limits. We end our day at the Millennium Park boat launch in West Roxbury to the sound of the Needham Heights commuter rail train rumbling outbound.

Some weeks later, we make our way through more of Needham and Newton, getting out to get around three more dams. On our final portage of the day, we haul our boats on foot a couple blocks down Washington Street in Newton Lower Falls. Struggling with the kayaks, we leave our boats on the sidewalk and pop into a Dunks for a boost. To my disappointment, the woman behind the counter betrays absolutely no reaction to the sight of two life-jacketed guys with kayak paddles. We end the day with a picnic delivered by my elderly mom at Riverside Park in Auburndale, near where she grew up.

On our penultimate leg, Gene and I put in on a gorgeous Saturday in early September and paddle 9 miles through Waltham, Watertown, and into Allston.

We have three more portages around dams in a tricky section of the river, including at Moody Street in Waltham, where we take out at a kayak rental dock. Despite our accumulated experience, it remains nearly impossible to make a graceful exit from the boat. Sitting low in the water, you need to lift your butt high enough to bridge the narrow gap between boat and salvation. There is a terrifying instant where you are suspended in no man’s land and anything is possible.

On this day, Gene is reminded of that fact. I have clumsily scrambled from the boat onto the safety of the wooden dock and he is starting his own attempt when his boat slides sharply out from under him. The young dock attendant pounces instantly to arrest his descent. Gene goes in up to his waist, but working together, we are able to save him from sinking farther.

He is largely dried out by the time we wrap up, pulling off within sight of Harvard Stadium, where a silver pillar marks the finish line of the Head of the Charles Regatta course. Boston Harbor wasn’t too far now.

Our final day brings us to the broad, picture-postcard section of the Charles River that we all know so well. This is also where the traffic on the river picks up considerably. Boathouses dot the shoreline and rowing teams and clubs pull oars up and down the river. We stay close to the riverbank, out of their way. Approaching the Longfellow Bridge, the duck boats appear.

Planning to end the day in the harbor, we have watched the boating forecast closely; our river kayaks aren’t ideal for ocean waters and we want the flattest seas we can get. Finding the channel adjacent to the Museum of Science and squeezing past another duck boat, we slip under the Zakim Bridge and pause outside the Charles River Dam locks.

Two long blasts, followed by two short blasts on the air horn I had bought online alert the lockmaster to our presence, and, after a minute or two, the doors crank open and we enter. The walls of the narrow lock loom skyward, and when a tour boat carrying sightseers pulls in behind us, our plastic boats feel flimsy and outclassed. We grab the ropes hanging along the sides to keep us from getting knocked around as the water is pumped in to bring us to sea level.

As we exit into the saltwater, a voice over the loudspeaker booms, “Have fun, but watch out for the giant squid!”

We hang a left toward Charlestown and check out Old Ironsides before quickly and carefully crossing the channel back over toward Long Wharf.

After starting back in April and winding our way over countless downed trees, under dozens of bridges across more than 70 miles over nine days, Gene and I complete our quest, pulling our boats out for the final time at Fort Point Pier with a champagne toast and some back-slapping, near the lot where we’d parked one of our cars.

Not long after we entered the harbor that day, a man on shore shouted a question to us: “Where’d you put in?”

“Milford,” I told him. He looked as if he must’ve misheard me.

Gerry Brown is a deputy editor at ESPN, and an alumnus of Boston Latin Academy and Northeastern University. Send comments to [email protected] .

Tips for Paddling the Charles

Paddling the length of the Charles River is possible, but careful research and preparation are required.

• The pocket-sized Charles River Canoe and Kayak Guide is indispensable. It has detailed maps and information, including the locations of dams and potential places to begin and end your day on the river.
• Think carefully before paddling the upper stretches of the river; the biggest risks are getting over, under, or around fallen trees in very muddy, slippery, and relatively remote locations. You will get wet and can slip and fall easily.
• Safety is a key consideration. “You should be aware of time of the year and the water temperature,” says Bryce Morris, owner/partner at Paddle Boston, which rents boats from the spring into fall in numerous locations along the river. “We are looking for water temps to be 60 degrees in general, while balancing a few other variables like the air temperature, wind, and time of day.” Always be aware of boat traffic.
• If something does go wrong on the river, have a cellphone handy, ideally in a dry case on your body.
• Massachusetts mandates that you wear a life jacket from September 15 to May 15. Morris recommends wearing it at all times. He also advises to watch for thunderstorms, especially on summer afternoons when they can blow in quickly. In the case of a storm, get to shore, secure your boat, and find shelter.
• Other necessary supplies include water and food, a whistle to call for help, a foldable handsaw for cutting through smaller branches, a headlamp in case you find yourself on the river after dark, and an air horn.