With warmer weather finally arriving in Muskoka (go, spring!), the lakes are opening up and it’s time to start thinking about getting in and out on the water.

There are plenty of ways to do that―swimming, of course (though you might want to hold on that for just a little bit longer…brrrrr), canoeing, kayaking, boating, waterskiing, wakeboarding and just lazing around on the dock or the beach.

But there are some unique ways to enjoy the water, too, both as a participant and as a spectator. Here are a few suggestions to check out this year:

If you’ve never taken a tour of local lakes by boat, you can visit almost all of Muskoka’s largest lakes in style even if you don’t own a boat yourself. Most people are familiar with the iconic Muskoka Steamships―the RMS Segwun and the Winonah II―both of which will set sail for the season in May at the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst. If you stop in to check them out, be sure to head to the nearby Discovery Centre to see the new Watershed Wonders exhibit, opening in July, that includes interactive displays and a virtual aquarium. Also in Muskoka Lakes, Sunset Cruises out of Port Carling and the Lady Muskoka in Bracebridge offer a variety of tours. Over on Lake of Bays, you can take a cruise on the SS Bigwin. And watch for the new Algonquin II tour boat in Huntsville, launching mid-June, following in the path of the steamer Algonquin that plied local waters from 1905 to 1952.

If you love the quiet of an early morning paddle in your canoe or kayak, get a different perspective on the water from a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). They’ve been gaining in popularity and can be rented from local outfitters if you don’t have your own. You can even try SUP Yoga through some of the local yoga studios. (It’s not as difficult as it sounds!)

If you want to challenge your paddling skills, check out the Big East River X in Huntsville on May 26. With a 9-km family/recreational course and a 40-km marathon paddling course, the event offers canoeists, kayakers and SUPers the opportunity to test their mettle over longer distances. But if that’s not enough of a challenge for you, the 24 Hours of River X in June and the Muskoka River X in September are marathon events that attract paddlers from around the world. Spectators are welcome, too.

Finally, have you ever wished you could fly? You can come close on a flyboard. Propelled by a high-pressure stream of water, a flyboard lets you soar up to 50 feet above the lake. And once you’ve got that mastered, you can even do flips and other tricks. SWS Watersports can teach you how. They also host weekly ski shows across Muskoka that are free to watch.

Muskoka’s lakes are its gems. Here’s hoping you have abundant opportunity to enjoy them this summer!