Let the tide carry you to Downtown on an unforgettable self-guided journey through the heart of Napa Valley.
Choose your adventure:
✅ 2 Hours – A scenic paddle through vineyard-lined shores and lush wetlands.
✅ Half Day – Explore the renaissance of Downtown Napa and its waterfront charm.
✅ Full Day – Travel deep into Napa’s northern reach, beyond the Oxbow into the serene urban forest
Because Ride The River makes the Napa River easy, beautiful, and memorable:
🚣♂️ Effortless Exploration – Timed with the tides and wind for a smooth, paddle.
🛶 Premium Kayaks – Choose sleek Wilderness Systems touring kayaks or spacious Crescent tandems with elevated framed seats.
🏄♂️ Epic Paddle Board Fleet – The Napa River is ideal for downwind paddling. Choose from a collection of 20+ premium paddle boards, including high-performance 14’ Naish Downwind boards designed to glide effortlessly with the wind and current.
🎧 Immersive Audio Guide – A light-touch, geolocated audio guide is available to quietly enhance your journey
🥂 Scenic Stops & Dining – Dock at Main Street for a world-class meal or picnic beneath the redwoods at Kennedy Park.
📍 Embark: Carneros Wine Region @
6 Cuttings Wharf Rd, Napa, CA
📍 2-Hour/Half-Day Disembark:
Napa Yacht Club
100 Riverside Drive, Napa, CA
📍 Full-Day Disembark: Trancas Crossing Park @ 600 Trancas St.
🚗 Plenty of parking available at all locations!
🗓 Availability: One or two launch times per day. Transportation readily available via UBER. We handle all the equipment from start to finish!
🌊 Experience the full transition from salt marsh to freshwater forest in a way you never have before!
Explore the Napa River at your own pace with a guided audio experience written by local winemakers and voiced by “Robo (Burt) Reynolds.” Enjoy navigation support, local stories, history, nature, culture, and hidden details along the way.
Our Guided, Water To Vine Tour delves into the influence of the San Pablo Bay breeze on wine flavors, the volcanic peaks, the uplifted ocean floor, and the ancient sturgeon that have navigated these waters since the age of dinosaurs. Jack London once pursued oyster pirates here during his time on the fish patrol, and Coppola completed one of his films on this very site.
Your team deserves a one-of-a-kind outing they'll never forget. And you deserve an easy way to plan it. All the info you need to get started is right here.
Wear comfortable synthetic clothes as they dry faster from paddle splashes. It may get a little chilly after sunset, check weather prior to departure. Very little wind in Fall & Winter, Summer wind between 2-6pm. We recommend flip flops, water shoes or strap sandals. Running shoes or hiking boots OK. No high heels.
Drinking water, birding/sport binoculars, lanyard & dry bag. We provide dry bags and cellphone lanyard upon request. And a red head lamp for trips finishing after sunset.
Refund available for reservations cancelled up to 7-days prior to your tour date; $20/cancellation fee applies. In the event of adverse weather conditions, we will issue a rain check and reschedule the tour for a later date. Although we've always refunded customers do to weather-related cancellations upon request, refunds are not guaranteed.
Tandem kayak or SUP, paddle, life jacket, pre-paddle orientation, guide, dry bag
Prior kayaking experience isn't mandatory, but a reasonable level of physical fitness is recommended. For families with kids the adults must have prior kayaking experience. Whale boat tour is available for families with small kids
3.25 miles, 1.5 hours route through Fagan Preserve. Equipment is yours for up to 3 hours allowing time to explore the Napa River below Brazos Bridge
Limited to one car per group. Room for up to 4 cars total. We will assist you upon departure.
Let your guide do the work! Relax aboard a hand-crafted wooden kanaka boat modeled after those carrying early settlers to Napa Valley from arriving ships in the San Francisco Bay. Perfect for couples, friends, and families.
Treat your group to a wine tasting, cheese and charcuterie, or a fully-catered spread. Complete the experience with transportation to and from your hotel or meeting facility. You provide the wish list and we'll do the rest!
• Private riverfront cottage & grounds
• Charcuterie & wine tasting on-site
• Guided tour of Fagan Preserve
• Central to hiking, biking & wineries
• Local oysters! (Nov - April)
• Custom catering options