MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Kayak Company has been getting people on the water and investing in the health of Milwaukee’s rivers for 14 years, and founder Beth Handle says the results are showing.
“I definitely care about the rivers. We have three rivers that you can paddle here: the Milwaukee, the Menominee and the Kinnickinnic River, and it’s a lot of fun. It gets people outside, and we really do care about the rivers here and maintaining them and keeping them clean,” Handle said.
Handle , who was on the water before launching the company, says the Milwaukee River is in better shape than ever.
“I feel like the Milwaukee River is the cleanest it’s ever been. We’ve been here for 14 seasons so far, and then I’ve been on the river for maybe six or seven years before. And yeah, I mean it’s noticeably cleaner," Handle said. "We get so many people kayaking and enjoying the rivers. They’re happy to be here."
WATCH: Milwaukee Kayak Company lets you explore the city's rivers
One of the company’s most popular offerings is its Rise and Shine Paddle, an early morning kayak experience that runs twice a week.
“We have a Rise and Shine Paddle Friday morning at 6:30 a.m., so we have people coming out for that. We do those twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays,” Handle said.
“It’s beautiful. It is super quiet. Sometimes the rowing club will be out here, but it’s really nice and quiet," Handle said. "Hang out in the harbor, and yeah, it’s just a great way to start the weekend, actually."
Milwaukee Kayak Company’s main location is in the Harbor District and is open daily. Weekday hours begin at 10 a.m., with weekend hours starting at 9 a.m. The company also operates locations at Twisted Fisherman and Schlitz Park on weekends.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
