Photo credit: @bear_creek
When the first warm days of the season begin to arrive, everyone is always overjoyed! After a long, bleak winter closed up in the house, it’s good to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine you’ve been missing. By the time mid-to-late June rolls around, though, the novelty starts to wear off and certain days can just be completely too hot to function. You might be tempted to spend these days huddled next to the air conditioner with a glass of lemonade, but that’s far from the only way to keep cool, especially in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Americana Region! If you live in or around the Berks County area, this summer is the perfect time to head over to Blue Marsh Lake in Leesport for some of your favorite water activities. Here are a few that we love!
Kayaking
Photo credit: @adventurermindset
Kayaking is a favorite warm-weather pastime in this area, and many people have their own kayaks for just this purpose! However, if you don’t, you can still join in the fun. There are plenty of local kayak rental spots nearby where you can get equipment for a day. Make sure you pack a change of dry clothes, since even though you’re in a small boat, you can still plan on getting wet, and don’t forget to wear a lifejacket out on the water!
Paddleboarding
Photo credit: @aquaompaddle
Calm lakes like Blue Marsh are perfect spots for paddleboarding, so if kayaking isn’t quite your speed, this might be! Most of the local kayak rental places offer paddleboard equipment as well, making it easy to get started for the day if you don’t have your own. Make sure you take a look at what kind of leash (the cord that goes around your ankle) you rent or bring with your board. There are different kinds for different water conditions. If you have water shoes or a pair of sneakers that you don’t mind getting wet, make sure to bring them as well. They can help a lot with traction.
Boating
Photo credit: @jevonzimmerman02
Blue Marsh Lake might’ve been built for flood control, but with three different boating launches, it is the perfect place to take your craft out for a spin this summer. The boat launches are called Sheidy, State Hill, and Dry Brooks, with Sheidy being the smallest and State HIll being the biggest. All three are very popular, so on weekends and holidays you should plan to get there early when the site opens at eight in the morning, because the boat launches tend to fill up quickly!
Swimming
Photo credit: @laly2839
If you’re not interested in renting paddleboards or taking your boats to the lake, you can still cool off at Blue Marsh this summer with a quick dip in the Dry Brooks swimming area. There are pavilions and picnic tables nearby, so you can easily bring some sandwiches and turn the outing into a picnic. If you have small children, make sure you keep on alert, because there are no lifeguards at the Blue Marsh swimming area.
With all of these fun water activities to keep you busy, you won’t have to spend another day this summer trying to hide from the heat. Grab your sunscreen and your loved ones and head down to Blue Marsh Lake in Leesport for some cool and relaxing fun!