Ocean & Bay Kayaking · SUP

Eight hundred and forty miles of coastline plus a dozen distinct freshwater environments, paddled by sea kayak, sit-on-top and stand-up board. On salt water, Tomales Bay glows with bioluminescence on summer nights, Elkhorn Slough puts sea otters an arm's length from the boat, Monterey Bay is humpback territory in season, and the La Jolla sea caves and Channel Islands hold the most spectacular cave paddling on the coast. Big River Estuary in Mendocino rents handcrafted redwood outriggers on undeveloped water, and Humboldt, Morro and Mission Bays offer sheltered beginner paddling. In the mountains, Emerald Bay and Sand Harbor deliver Tahoe's famous granite clarity, while Donner, Fallen Leaf, the Sardine Lakes, Tenaya, Pinecrest and the June Lake Loop stack alpine water above 6,000 feet. Filter by tier, SUP-friendliness, guided tours and all-ages access.