I have only done white water kayaking. The type of kayak you get depends on the type of water you'll be paddling on. It is a lot of work, upper body strength is needed. If you want to go out on the water and just paddle a little and have a fun day I'd get a row boat. They don't tip very easily, have lots of room for two plus the dog and a cooler. If you don't like paddling you can alway buy a small motor and attach it to the boat.