North Carolina Favorite: Kayaking Lake Brandt with REI

This post is sponsored by REI but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

One of my favorite parts of the weekend is to spend time with David experiencing something new. We try to get outdoors as much as possible and we both really enjoy being out on the water.

Recently, David and I were invited by REI to attend one of their guided outdoor experiences in the area. We picked a Saturday morning outing at Lake Brandt in Greensboro. While I am generally knowledgable about places in North Carolina, I had never heard of Lake Brandt. Both David and I loved our morning out on the water and could not have asked for better weather. After a long week at work, it was the best way to start off our weekend.

Upon our arrival, our process of getting outfitted was quick, easy, and organized thanks to the communication REI provided the day before including directions and what we should bring to be prepared. Our preparation was easy, we just needed to wear closed toe shoes, water resistant clothing, water, and sunscreen. Our guide, Mary, helped us adjust our kayaks and made sure we had comfortable boats for our morning. She also provided dry bags for our keys and phones, and had fresh fruit for us about halfway through our tour, which was definitely above and beyond what we expected from our experience! Then, once we got out on the water, she provided more information on how to paddle. I have been kayaking before, but I realized I was paddling all wrong and had a much more leisurely time than I have in the past.

Our REI outing included incredible views and we also enjoyed mingling with the other guests in our small group. We were all fascinated with the birds we encountered on our quiet morning kayak, which was David’s favorite part. Even better, we all gracefully got in and out of our kayaks, which was one of my fears for myself.

I’ll be in Greensboro for meetings and conferences this year, and I am really glad I found Lake Brandt. Mary provided great insight on trails around the lake that I’ll be taking advantage of in the afternoons. David and I both loved experiencing a new part of North Carolina, and learning a little bit more about our state.

If you are looking for an outdoor experience, I highly recommend signing up for an REI guided experience. We both are interested in doing one of the moonlight kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding tours in the Raleigh area.

We really enjoyed the opportunity to get outdoors, and I really love that REI is connecting people with nature in their communities. Our guide was extremely knowledgable about Lake Brandt and surrounding trails and parks, but also was informed about opportunities with REI near Raleigh and our parks and lakes in Wake County.