Napa River Kayak.mp4

Napa's Wild Side

Explore the gentle Napa River with Napa Valley Paddle

Napa Valley Paddle kayaker and paddle boarder on the Napa Valley river

It’s wine country’s Amazon. Cutting 50 miles through the famous Napa Valley and emptying into San Pablo Bay, the Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. Of course, the best way to really get a sense of a river is to get out on it! And there’s no better place to get yourself set up for a marvelous and gentle do-it-yourself journey than with the experienced locals at Napa Valley Paddle. Since 2012 Drew Dickson has been running the kayak and paddleboard rental company.

Kayaker paddling the Napa River with Napa Valley Paddle

Kayaker paddling under a bridge on the Napa Valley River with Napa Valley Paddle

Paddler on the Napa River passing by downtown Napa and Stone Brewing

He grew up right in the region and is passionate about the river’s incredible resurgence as a thriving ecosystem now sustaining plentiful wildlife. Napa Valley Paddle offers a variety of fantastic trips and makes recommendations based on season, tides, and a few other inside-knowledge tips. Go in a single kayak, a tandem, or on a paddleboard. Whichever vessel you choose, to really get a sense of the Napa River we like the one-way paddle from Kennedy Park to downtown Napa. Bonus: there's now a mobile podcast option for tours, so as you move you'll hear great stories and helpful navigation info.

Kayak paddler on the Napa River via a Napa Valley Paddle adventure

Two people and a dog in a canoe paddling along the Napa River

Drew will get you on the river at the right time with the tides, as you’re in an estuary subject to the Bay’s influence. You’ll be on the river for an hour or two, gliding past egrets, herons, grebes, kingfishers, and mallards. If you’re lucky, you might see a river otter or a beaver. This riparian habitat is important to the vitality of Napa Valley, but it wasn’t always this way. Drew’s father, Dave Dickson, led the charge in the nineties to restore the once derelict river. Polluted run-off from fertilizers and an old tannery, along with development of the riverbank, kept the Napa River from flourishing for several decades. But with dedicated restoration, a lot of the wildlife has come back, including the salmon.

Paddler on the gentle Napa River on a trip arranged by Napa Valley Paddle

Paddling gently up the Napa River you’ll get great views of Atlas Peak and Mount Veeder, and as you glide into downtown you’ll enjoy a unique perspective of Napa’s lively riverside restaurants and shops. We recommend going a bit past the Soscol Avenue bridge into a more wild side of the river where you may feel like you’ve been transported to Kauai with some of the lush foliage. Napa Valley Paddle will pick up your kayaks at an arranged spot.

Kayaker on the Napa Valley River

You can leave from there on their water taxi, the cheekily named WooUber. However, just across the way and overlooking the river you've just paddled is Wilfred's Lounge, where getting ready to rum-ble means kicking back with an absolutely delicious island inspired cocktail. As Napa's first (and only) Tiki bar, Wilfred's blends Napa and Honolulu culture for a creative twist on cocktails and food. We like the Spam sliders paired with the Napa Sour or Blue Hawaii. Whatever you order, whatever your pairings, it all goes down smooth.

Wilfred's Lounge cocktails in Napa overlooking the Napa river, Napa sour

Book your trip with Napa Valley Paddle.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View
  2. Waterfalls and Wine Pours

    Cooler temps, green hills, and the return of our magnificent waterfalls! This family-friendly 2-mile hike at Uvas Canyon County Park in Morgan Hill is a great way to get the most out of a short hike post-rain.

    View
  3. Woman hiker is climbing up the ladder in the Steep Ravine section of the Dipsea Loop Trail on Mount Tam

    Misty on Mount Tam

    Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.

    View
  4. Mile-Long Cataract Club

    In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Peace Labyrinth

    Hidden in LA’s historic West Adams district, the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is a welcome respite from the norms of urban noise.

    View
  2. Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

    Adventure for your earbuds. What's new in the world of the outdoors? Listen to Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss local hikes, beaches, bike rides, camping spots and all kinds of travel and adventure in California and beyond!

    View
  3. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

    View
  4. People gathered around a tree at an LA Park as part of the Tree Tour led by Stephanie Carrie

    LA's Tree Tour

    Los Angeles is famous for its iconic palm trees but did you know that LA is home to one of the most diverse urban forests in the world? With over 1,000 different tree species lining its streets, LA offers a unique urban canopy waiting to be explored. One of the best ways to discover it is by joining a Tree Tour

    View