Petaluma River History Paddle

The Petaluma River is the reason there’s a city here—and this paddle brings that story to life.
Come down to the docks at The Floathouse Petaluma for a two-hour, gentle guided kayak tour exploring the river that once served as Petaluma’s historic saltwater highway. Long before roads and railways, this tidal waterway powered the growth of the city, Sonoma County farms, and businesses supplying San Francisco, the hundreds of thousands who sought their fortunes in California during the Gold Rush, and markets around the world.
This tour was designed by your guide, a former history teacher and actor, who brings both deep knowledge and a storyteller’s eye to the experience. Enhanced by costumed actors on shore, history unfolds through the voices of real Petalumans—from young egg workers and messengers to entrepreneurs and colorful characters who lived and worked along the waterfront.
Visitors and locals alike are often surprised by how much they learn—and many return to bring friends for a second experience. You’ll paddle in stable sit-on-top kayaks through downtown Petaluma while gaining a deeper appreciation for the ingenuity, hard work, and daily lives that shaped the city we know today.
$75 per person, all-inclusive
All equipment and instruction provided
No paddling experience necessary
Come paddle through history—and see Petaluma from the water that made it possible.