SUP 'n' Sip

SUP in Lodi and Wine Tasting

Crowned Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 Wine Region of the Year? Lodi is hot on the vine trail. But wine isn’t the only thing flowing here: The Mokelumne River is a nature-lover’s oasis that pairs perfectly with some beginner-friendly stand-up paddling (still waters enable easy SUP gliding). Rent from Headwaters Kayak Shop—their newly upgraded fleet will keep you happy on your feet, and they’ll set you up with details and directions. You’ll launch from Lodi Lake Boathouse and paddle left out of Lodi Lake before merging sharply right onto the river’s slinking waterway. Thick reeds and lily pads fill this winding riparian marsh with solitude.

Afterwards, it’s time to get a different fill. Lodi’s 85 wineries are concentrated within a walkable downtown radius. Indulge in delectable wood-fired pizza and almond sparkling wine at The Dancing Fox (free wine bar tasting with lunch!), or venture 15 minutes outside of town to hidden gem Heritage Oak. This family-owned property has a shaded patio, wooden picnic tables beneath a towering fig tree, and a 15-minute trail through vineyards and woodland to the property’s private beach—and rope swing!—along the Mokelumne River. Bring your own picnic, or reserve a basket; for $20 Heritage rents backpacks packed with a light meal for two (including a table cloth and cheese cutting board). Bottom’s SUP!

Headwaters Kayak Shop is located within Lodi Lake Park at 1101 W. Turner Rd. in Lodi. $5 city parking fee for non-residents. Dogs allowed in park, but not on Lodi Lake Nature Trail. Kayaks, canoes, and SUPs available for rent on an hourly, half-day, and full-day basis. Lodi winery map and further information regarding tasting room hours found here. Before hiking at Heritage Oak, sign in at the tasting room. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. 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

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View