River’s Edge Kayak & Canoe Trips

The best! Brought a group of 17 adults here for a half day trip yesterday. From my first call to Lollie and her team to arrange and confirm logistics to the time we stepped off our kayaks, the experience was top-​notch! Super thorough and professional, with a relaxed, local vibe. These people not only know how to run an outdoor adventure business, they do it with an effortless yet engaged style. Lollie told me she would take good care of us & they did not disappoint. They offer dry bags, a changing room, small store for snacks and sundries, all manned by happy & helpful employees. I highly recommend a trip down the Russian River with River’s Edge Kayak and Canoe Trips for anyone: seniors, families, couples, tribe of friends or work offsite. Thank you to Lollie and everyone at River’s Edge. You helped us have a fun and relaxing offsite!

My husband and I, along with our dog, did the Rio canoe trip. Everyone at River’s Edge was so friendly and helpful. Being able to walk straight from the canoe drop off to the car at the end of the float was awesome. We have done a similar trip with another company in town and much preferred the style at River’s Edge. Make sure you take their advice and stop to relax along the way. It’s a beautiful route and a great way to spend the day. I can’t recommend River’s Edge enough!

Everyone working here was so friendly, helpful and on top of their game. We enjoyed the Alex float in a canoe. The info given in the prep was great, the launch was easy and they were so helpful with getting everything tied down before we took off. Also, they are super dog friendly! The Alex float was an amazing paddle with tons of nature and very few people with lots of wildlife. I look forward to paddling with them again!

My friends and I did the Alex 11 or 16 miles Self Guided trip. Even if you are a beginner, I would recommend going on this trip. It does not require that much navigation skills, more so muscle endurance. The currents are not that strong because it is a level 1 – 2 river flow so you will have to do a low of rowing. If you finish 11 miles within a certain time frame, you can choose to go onto the 16 miles section or not. All of the equipment here are well taken care of and in great shape. Even if you cannot swim, there are life jackets and some parts of the river are shallow. The Russian river is a beautiful river and very much connected with nature. I recommend renting kayaks because they are lighter and easier to navigate than the canoes. The canoes are a pain to get back upright if they flip. I think you are at a higher chance of flipping with a canoe because it is hard to maneuver and you end up crashing. Also in my opinion, 1 man kayaks are better than 2 people kayaks. It is just easier to move on your own and you do not have to worry about your partner in the back sleeping and doing nothing. While 1 or 2 beers are ok, I recommend not getting too drunk on this rafting trip. They say that the river swallows everything. That is 100% true. My drunk partner in the back of my kayak lost his sunglasses, hat, shoes, phone, necklace and the integrity of his shirt. The only thing that he did not lose was his smile. At one point, he slept on the kayak while I rowed a good 8 miles before he woke up. A tip if you are rowing your unconscious drunk friend, make sure you secure the kayak with them on it properly if you stop for a food break. Sadly, my knot somehow got loose and my friend drifted away down the river. Luckily, he drifted into a bed of roses and stayed there until I swam up to him. It was a very beautiful moment and made me think of the song «If I Die Young» by The Band Perry. I considered leaving him there to rest and joining my other friend’s canoe. I recommend bringing a waterproof bag/​box for your stuff and water shoes. They are not that expensive and you will be thankful for them on this trip. This rafting trip is a great way to get a good upper body workout, hang out with friends, enjoy nature, bask in the sun and bury any drunk deadweight friends in a bed of roses… Just kidding on the last part ;)
P. S. they give free ice cream at the end. If that doesn’t motivate you to finish, I don’t know what will

We love this place, their business and the people who work there. Went 2 weekends ago with my wife and children (ages 13 and 11) and had so much fun that we went back this past weekend and also brought my mom and step dad (ages 71 and 75). They have everything you need including coolers you may borrow, zip lock bags for your phone, and if you pick up some litter along the river even a free ice cream when you get back.
Even with the low water there are still plenty of swimming holes and the water is clear. We had to drag the kayaks a short distance through shallow water a couple times, but that’s not hard. I really like the fact that you take the bus up to begin your trip, and then float/​paddle down to where your car is. I highly recommend this place and all of us agree we want to go again as soon as possible.

We hesitated to go in the late August — 08÷23÷15 for the River could be too shallow, but were encouraged to go when called and advised the stream was sufficient enough. It was true!!! The river was deep enough to get out of the kayak only twice on this 5-​mile route.
The route is long enough to enjoy the scenery banks and short enough to get tired!!!
The water is clean, there is a lot of fish in it!
It’s ideal for first timers and parents with kids!
DO NOT FORGET TO APPLY A LOT OF SUNSCREEN!
Great place to go!

Previous reviews are spot on! This has become an annual activity for our group. Just enjoyed our 2^nd Rio trip with 3 other families with tweens/​teens!!! Fun to stop and jump off rocks and swing off of ropes during the ride. River’s Edge has an effortless system… simple, no fuss. The staff is crazy friendly and helpful.

Beautiful place with awesome staff. Had a really good time this past weekend with friends. The staff was really nice and we just loved the place and will be coming back soon with friends. Missed my go pro cam cos there is a lot to shoot. See you guys soon !!

Had a fantastic time today with husband kayaking !! The Russian rivers low because of drought flow but it was rejuvenating to be out in nature. We laughed so many times getting stuck in sand bars and I rolled over twice but it was refreshing with it being 85 out. Seriously appreciated the explanation by Dale about what to look for. Really helped keep us out of the trees. ;). We will be getting our dose of nature again really soon. Thanks guys had a fantastic River ride!!!

I’ve been renting kayaks through River’s Edge for several years now and always enjoy their professionalism, organization and positive attitude. I suppose it takes experiencing the best of River’s Edge and worst of their competitor to realize just how special and unique these traits are in the river trip business.
Why rent from them?
1. Efficiency: They drop you off up the river so when you’re finished with your trip & come out of the water, you’re where you started. No waiting for a bus to take you back to your car.
2. Cleanliness: The facility and the gear you rent are clean and in good order.
3. Positive Attitude: The staff is attentive, trustworthy and has a «can do» spirit about them.
4. Professional: Lolly and her team are very organized and have a system for various circumstances that may arise in your trip. You can book online, or if you call, you speak to someone knowledgeable and feel confident you’re reservation will go through.
5. Proximity: Downtown Healdsburg is just 5 min away where you can get amazing food and wine.
The Best of River’s Edge: When a couple of my friends were unexpectedly held up for our group launch time due to terrible traffic on 101, Lolly and her team were wonderfully accommodating in making our experience on the river still happen, regardless. (Note: They have a system for a reason, please respect their launch times)
The Worst of their Competitor: When I joined a large group of 40 for a canoe river trip, renting through a competitor, I called this company to reserve a kayak. (I don’t enjoy canoeing). This company assured me I could rent 2 «sit on top» kayaks. When I arrived, their was sheer chaos while they tried to manage logistics of payment, waiver signing, life jackets, and instructions for the group. This took about an hr to sort through bc the staff tried to also serve other groups simultaneously and kept getting confused and agitated with one another. I went down to the river to finally get our kayaks and launch, and the wrong kind were there. When I asked one of the staff members if they could get us what we had reserved, the response was «Well, we can’t guarantee that». I said, but I was told it was guaranteed. Then his response was «Well, if you were here on time at 11:30, then you could have gotten those kayaks.» To which I responded, «I was here at 11:15, I’m with the _​_​_​group you just checked in». Only then was he willing to go up to a shed to find and bring down the kayaks I had reserved and rented. I’m omitting other details like his terrible attitude to his co-​workers and sheer unprofessionalism. Plus, their gear is filthy and the life vests smell terrible. And, they are not dog friendly.
Bottom line. Don’t waste your time, go to River’s Edge.

We visited the Russian River for the second year and once again utilized the services of River’s Edge. Always courteous, outgoing, friendly and super helpful. They put my mind at ease and I had the most relaxing, enjoyable time kayaking down the river. We do the 5 mile course which takes as long as you want it to. With our seven year old boy wanting to stop at various beaches and swim, takes us about 4 hours. Pack a lunch and beers in a cooler and enjoy a gorgeous day. Note that they can’t control the river! So for you non-​Californians, know that we are in a severe drought and you do have to get out of your kayak and push it through the shallow areas. We hope that this year we get an El Niño and next year the river is higher.

They take care of the canoes & ride back. Can’t beat it.
Had a blast with my group of friends who demanded we all have fun on a Russian River excursion. So glad I accepted the invite!
We had a group of about 11 people. I think we each had to chip in 10 or 15 bucks.
Spent the day enjoying drinks of all kinds, (you bring your own) & the beautiful Sonoma County summer weather. You can cool off by dumping your fellow canoe’ers in the water. Or by stopping off to jump off rock formations along the way (kinda risky, but awesome)!
Be prepared to lose articles of clothing, flip flops & sunglasses.
Life vests, canoes and paddles were well kept and functional.
Try it out, hassle free and you get a bus ride back to your car, no waiting for others to pick you up @ the end.

Had a great time here! Whatever you do, don’t rent the stupid canoe! It’s extremely difficult to work with and we actually flipped into the water. Hella killed my phone. Other than that, people that worked here were super nice, friendly, and funny. I wish there were more animals to see (we spotted a few birds, some turtles).

2 children, 4 adults, 2 canoes. It was a great sunny day, a lot of fun.
Thank you!

We came here on a Saturday morning for their half-​day trip, renting two sit-​in kayaks. We loved that we were able to use the kayaks and enjoy the river for most of the afternoon, having plenty of time to enjoy the water, a picnic, and a break along the beaches.
We saw lots of different birds, fish, and turtles. The weather was perfect and the river flowing steadily. Staff was too kind! Thank you for a wonderful part of our trip to Healdsburg.

Used them 2x already — we love them so much we are planning this year’s trip, trip #3!
Very basic but everything you need. Really nice staff! A great family outing.
And best part — dog friendly!

A grand ol’ time!
Disclaimer: I am not outdoorsy at all. If I get active outside, it’s 100% for the social aspect. I love my friends and family and will do these things to spend fun time with them.
With that in mind… I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOVED CANOEING HERE! And I’ve never canoed before in my life!
A lovely gentleman friend suggested this place to me as a possible activity I could bring my visiting Japanese family to enjoy. I am so glad I came! It was such an easy place to get to right off of Healdsburg Ave. You park, get driven up a few miles, get a quick tutorial, grab your lifejacket, paddles and off you go down the gentle river!
Knowing that the path of this river doesn’t really take you to any deep waters, the best advice given to us was «if you flip over, just stand up to save yourself from drowning» hah! This was really comforting to hear because 1. I’m rather short and 2. I can’t swim.
We went the Monday after 4^th of July weekend and arrived at opening. We went really early because we knew it was going to be hot that day and wanted to have our canoeing in the morning and be finished just after lunch taking the short trip. We also didn’t want to go when it was crowded since this place gets pretty popular on the weekends. There was only 1 small family with us along the whole river. It was PERFECT. Sunny but cloudy at times so the sun wasn’t beating down on us. The water was clear and cool, there were plenty of places to stop and enjoy.
Pack a picnic! Bring some drinks! Buy the $ 8 water shoes at Sports Authority! They were perfect for the trip! We saw fish, turtles, frogs, and a variety of birds. I would do this again in a heartbeat! I had so much fun. It was so calming and we didn’t need to row that vigorously. We completed the stretch in about 2.5 hours. Arriving at the finish, you walk up the hill and you’re back where you parked! Amazing!
Only sadness was the lack of water in the river in some parts… we had to get out a few times and drag the canoe along since the water was soooo low. The couple places where it could have been dicey and were marked with orange markers weren’t that bad for us 3 in a canoe. We just floated down and didn’t flip. The family behind us did though! Regardless, we need rain! Conserve water, everyone!
$ 90 for a canoe w/​3 people… a priceless experience! Service was awesome. The people who work here are so nice. Definitely do this and don’t forget to bring a hat and sunscreen. Also, I recommend bringing a large plastic bag to put your stuff in just in case. It was easier to just stuff everything in there and not worry about it getting wet.

This was phenominal.
I was up here for a weekend trip with my family and we decided on a whim to go kayaking on the Russian River. We were easily accommodated, with the 4 of us being able to kayak for only $ 180 for 5 hours.
We were able to pack our own food, stop along the way. It was stunning. The river was a bit low, but still relaxing.
The half day trip that we went on was perfect for beginners, and the full day trip is definitely not for beginners.
Customer service was fantastic.
This is a great trip to take visitors on, or even yourself.
PS– you even get a little ice cream at the end!

This was a great experience for me and my fiancé. We were looking for some outdoor activities and decided to come out to the Santa Rosa area and do some rafting.
There was a parking area across from there pick location for $ 7.00. It is a pay machine so you can use a credit card. They also allow you to bring alcohol so we brought a 6 pack and Jameson shots.
A bus picks you up and takes you to a beginning spot in the river. Took us about 4 hours but what a peaceful and beautiful ride.
This was memorial day weekend and 90 degree weather and not packed. Worth every dollar!

Super netter trip am Russian River! Nicht die Sonnencreme vergessen und das Wasser zum trinken.

I tapped into my inner nature girl on a trip down the Russian River in these people’s kayaks. I saw their sticker on the back of a van a few years back and they have been on my to-​do list ever since.
The whole process was super easy, we tried making reservations three months in advance and I was told to call back in May (for July), so they are certainly not the French Laundry, you may even be okay, jumping in last minute.
We did the half day trip in the «sit-​in» single kayaks opting for a smooth, leisurely midday cruise at somewhat of our own pace, the two of us set out on our voyage in our own boats and paddles. There was no way I was going to spend two and a half — three hours with my mom, having a discussion about the direction of our paddles!
There were two other groups hauled up the river in the same van as us. Some of them were sharing a canoe, others two-​person kayaks. Things were smooth and simple when we got to our drop off spot. We were thrown our life-​jackets and given a quick run-​through of the do’s and don’ts, our halfway mark and where to drop off the boats at the end.
Three quarters of the trip was engulfed in natural sceneries alongside several long porches, stairwells, pop-​up patios near the water’s edge and rocky gravel beaches. We were surrounded by luscious greenery, lots of lilies, trees, grass, and wildlife. Egrets, turtles, deer and other unknown aviary were spotted by both of us. The last leg of our trip, the river became more like a lake and the sounds involved were construction bleeps and factories nearby, drawing away from a rural paradise and into a somewhat more urban experience.
All throughout this river’s escape, all I could think about was why am I not doing this way more often? It felt great to step out of the routine and get into nature’s elements to work my upper body and obliques, as well as set my mind at a new state of ease…
+TIPS+
~ Bring a lunch/​snacks and water
~ Sunblock is a must. Water’s reflection makes it much easier to get sunburn (unless you’re immune to sun damage?)
~ Expect your upper body to get a great workout
~ Like they mention in the quick introduction, don’t panic if you happen to run into a tree (or the river bank), you will fall in, just lean forward and keep calm.
~ The sooner you get there to check in for your boat pick up, in the morning, the better. Less people on the river and more time to cruise slowly… *half day check in starts at 10:30am.
~ Wear water shoes, at least if you go this year. There are some very shallow parts of the river, if you get stuck, you’ve got to use your feet for leverage. ;)
~