New EKAL Activity Center Offers Fun Ways to Experience Lake Winnipesaukee

Scott Crowder stands outside the new EKAL Activity Center

Visitors to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire have always found a variety of ways to enjoy the water in the summertime. From swimming and waterskiing to sailing and speed boating, there is something for everyone here. One of the best ways to get on the water and explore is with a canoe or kayak, and now it’s even easier for guests and residents of Meredith to hop in and paddle, as a new activity center has opened on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee.

The new EKAL Activity Center in Meredith is part retail shop and part learning center, providing visitors with rentals of kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards (SUP), and old-fashioned pedal boats, as well as lessons in how to best use the equipment. The center also offers guided tours of the lake on any of these watercrafts. Ekal opened last weekend to beautiful weather and people eager to begin a fun summer on the lake!

Scott Crowder, the founder of Ekal and organizer of the New England Pond Hockey Classic, said he was inspired by the activity on the lake last weekend. “I walked out to the bay to see a bunch of colored boats and people having fun,” he said. “It was pretty neat.”

Ekal Activity Center is located in the old Christmas Loft building, right next to Church Landing. The activity center occupies part of the lower level of the building, along with the expanding Town Docks Restaurant, which is adding a new bar and more outdoor seating with the new space. “When you walk on the boardwalk you’re going to see the backside of the Christmas Loft has been completely transformed,” says Scott. “Now there are more places for people to experience the lake, more places for people to have a cold drink and watch the boats coming in.”

The activity center is open to the public, so hotel guests as well as day visitors and year-round residents can get in on the fun. Says Scott of the new space, “The ultimate vision for the Ekal Activity Center is to have a surf-shop-type atmosphere—a laid-back, fun atmosphere . . . it’s great having a waterfront space to launch people out onto the lake.”

Scott thinks renting kayaks, canoes, and especially stand-up paddle boards, will be popular. “A lot of people come up here and they might not have a boat and they might not want to rent a motor boat because they need an actual NH boater’s license,” he explains. “The lake can be pretty daunting. Also, a lot people when they’re going on vacation don’t really want to deal with the process of transporting their own equipment. Everything’s right here. We put the boat in the water for them and they hop in and they just have to worry about having fun.”

For more information or to make reservations for a rental or a guided tour, please visit Ekal Activity Center’s website or call 866-719-0162. See you on the lake!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team