Kayak the Napa River

The Napa River is one of the largest California Central Coast Range rivers, draining approximately 426 sq. miles on its 50 mile journey beginning just south of the summit of Mt. St. Helena to the San Pablo Bay, passing through many of the landmark towns of Napa Valley including an incredible 6 miles through the heart of the city of Napa itself.

There are numerous spots to put in along the river for a relaxed, solo journey, or you can take a historical and interpretive tour with a local tour organization like Enjoy Napa Valley, who also provides kayak rentals. Along the way you'll experience all kinds of marine and estuary wildlife along with hearing the rich (and hilarious) early history of Napa and surrounding region.

Note that the closer you get to San Pablo Bay the water levels can change dramatically based on the tide, so during low tide it can be easy to strand yourself on a mud bank.