In the summer, a wide variety of boats, from canoes and paddleboats to personal watercraft and pontoon boats, can be rented at Four Corners Marina on Percy Priest Lake, 4027 Lavergne Couchville Pike, Antioch (tel. 615/641-9523). This grocery store sells bait, tackle, and fishing licenses year-round. The gorgeous lake, only a few miles east of downtown, is surrounded by a series of parks, trees, and natural beauty rather than commercial and residential development.
At Kingston Springs, about 20 miles (32km) west of Nashville off I-40, you can rent canoes from Tip-a-Canoe, 1279 U.S. 70, at Harpeth River Bridge (tel. 800/550-5810 or 615/254-0836; www.tip-a-canoe.com), or bring your own. The Harpeth River, a designated State Scenic River, includes a 7-mile loop that allows canoers the freedom of going it alone without having to be picked up. This section, called "The Narrows of the Harpeth," begins and ends in roughly the same area. Canoe trips of varying lengths, from a couple of hours up to 5 days, can be arranged. Rates start at $18 per canoe, which includes the shuttle upriver to your chosen put-in point. Trips lasting 2 days cost $50, while 5-day trips cost $125. The river is mostly Class I water with some Class II and a few spots where you'll have to carry the canoe.
