This page is dedicated to my goal of paddling in every state. And some Canadian provinces and other countries, too. My first time in a kayak was in 2015, on the Caney River in Tennessee. I loved the quiet, the feel of the water, how close I was to wildlife on the shore. I was soon hooked. Now I seek out kayaks and stand up paddle boards at every opportunity, joining group tours or renting them with friends.

As I start this project, it’s a little daunting because I have so many states to go! But I hope to fill them in over the next few years.

Alabama

Alaska

Kayaking in Alaska was one of my most exciting paddling experiences so far. Partly because it was so beautiful, but also because I was on a small-ship wilderness cruise with UnCruise Adventures that went into remote areas. Our 7-day cruise departed from Juneau and took us around Southeastern Alaska.

Most days, we saw nobody except the other folks on the boat. We launched the kayaks off the back of the ship directly into very cold, very deep water. Paddling among glaciers, knowing that a whale or even a grizzly bear might swim by at any second added extra thrills. Plus, I was with my lovely cousin Julia, so it was a special cousin bonding experience.

Arizona

Arkansas

California

I’m originally from California and visit frequently. Seemed like every time I visited, I vowed to myself I would get out on a SUP or kayak. But somehow I always got caught up in family and other stuff and had never managed to paddle there. Finally, in July 2019, I rented a paddle board from the SUP Connection in Liberty Station, formerly San Diego’s famous naval training center. There’s a little finger channel of water that runs along Liberty Station, a protected pocket off the San Diego Bay. The water was nice and calm, perfect for an outing with one of my San Diego friends. Usually we go on walks together while I visit, but instead we had a chatty paddle.

On my next visit, I rented a kayak and ventured into the water between Spanish Landing and Harbor Island. There’s a little more boat traffic there, but still pretty mellow. Daredevils can go out into the wilder water of the bay. Good people watching here, and a high likelihood of seeing dogs on SUPs, which is one of the cutest sights I know.

La Jolla is another popular San Diego area kayak spot. I signed up for a tour with La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks on an August day. I could not believe the scene! There must have been 50 kayaks on the water, bobbing around the sea caves inside the La Jolla State Marine Reserve. Plus snorkelers and open water swimmers. It was a madhouse! But still very fun. The most challenging part is getting through the surf without flipping. Watching from the shore, it seemed like half the kayaks got caught parallel to waves and went right over.

The draw here is the chance to see leopard sharks and explore sea caves. Our guides took us in two caves. In addition to leopard sharks, we saw lots of sea lions and even a green sea turtle, who poked its head up right in front of my kayak.

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Canoe guide Mike Cole told me that he and his friends grew up paddling more than hiking, as Florida is too hot and flat to be an ideal hiking locale. His lifelong paddling experience reassures me as he steers us through an alligator-filled stretch of the Hillsborough River 20 minutes outside Tampa in Thonotosassa, Florida.

This was an awesome trip where we saw about 50 alligators from mini to pretty freaking big, snakes, turtles and some swamp-loving birds I’d never even heard of. It’s fabulous that you can see all this in an afternoon from Tampa. Canoe Escape will guide you, or let you rent your own canoe and wish you luck with the gators.

You can also see downtown Tampa from the water. I got a one-on-one paddleboard lesson from Aida Perez, manager of Urban Kai. We set out from the Armature Works building on Tampa’s Riverwalk, and made our way under bridges and passing the University of Tampa to get a view of the downtown skyline.

Urban Kai also offers an eco tour through mangroves near Saint Petersburg. Aida said that’s a good place to look for dolphins and manatees.

Georgia

If you get in a kayak at ten on an August morning in Georgia, you have to expect to pretty much be stew by noon. Yep, I was a hot and disgusting mess, but it was so worth it.

I’d signed on to a two-hour tour with the 4-H Tidelands Nature Center on Jekyll Island, one of the Golden Isles on the Georgia coast halfway between Savannah and Jacksonville. Our guide, Corinne Zelie, is a program specialist at the nature center. Which means she does pretty much everything from admin tasks to taking people like me out in kayaks.

Our group was tiny, just Corinne, a couple visiting from North Carolina, their adult son who lives in Atlanta, and me. We paddled around in a salt marsh while Corinne pointed out the wildlife. It was low tide and the birds were hungry. We watched roseate spoonbills clack their bills in the muck, feeling for shrimp. Lots of herons and egrets were out, too. We cruised over oyster beds and saw a zillion shells.

Corinne took us to a water outlet pipe that always attracts manatees. We saw a couple of manatee noses pop up for a breath of air, and a manatee back. The water was murky, so we couldn’t see most of the manatee.

Most exciting for me was my first time kayaking with dolphins and sharks! Okay, little sharks. I said, “Corinne, how big was that shark, about four feet long?”

She said, “Uh, maybe two.”

Nah, I’m going with four.

Hawaii

Idaho

When we go on family vacations –my husband, Keeshond Rudy and I—our activities revolve around dog-friendly activities. And since Rudy’s not much of a swimmer, that mostly means hiking. Rudy is extremely fluffy with shortish legs, so it’s easy for him to get waterlogged. He’s never going to be a SUP dog.

I like hiking, but not as much as my husband. I’m always itching to get on the water. So on a 2018 trip to Idaho, we solved this quandary by renting one kayak and taking turns paddling and hanging out with Rudy on the beach.

Redfish Lake could not have been prettier. And we went on a nice, calm day—just the way I like it. I saw tons of fish. You can rent all sorts of watercraft at the Redfish Lake Lodge Marina, from a single kayak  for $10 an hour to a 7-person SUP for $35 per hour.

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

This was in 2016, and was only my second ever kayak journey. I was with three or four super-experienced paddlers, and a guy from LA who was as clueless as me. I was already a bit intimidated by being with pros like
Alex Howbert of Detroit River Sports , who led this outing on the Detroit River, accompanied by SUP entrepreneur Matt Lennert.

Pretty soon I realized that on my previous kayak outing, I’d been going straight down a river. So I hadn’t experimented with steering. But in Detroit, we wound through a series of canals. I kept running into people’s docks and then yelling, “How do I go backwards?” Then running into another dock and promptly forgetting what they’d just told me. About the fourth time I got myself lodged against someone’s dock, a pit bull ran out and starting barking his head off. He looked about ready to launch himself into my kayak. I tried to reason with him — “I’m sorry to dis you dog, I just don’t know how to steer,” etc– while the guy from LA laughed at me. I was very lucky the dog decided he didn’t want to end up in the water. A narrow escape from a Detroit-tough pitbull.

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Paddling in the Seeley-Swan Valley is an absolute dream if you like clear water, mountain views and not a lot of people around. Highway 83 has lakes at least every couple of miles, and I got to paddle board in three of them.

Holland Lake was the most touristy, with a lodge, nice swimming area and canoe, kayak and SUP rentals. Van Lake was too small for people to put their fast boats in. It was just a couple of people fishing from rowboats and me. And bald eagles! One of which swiped a fish right off someone’s line. Our most remote stop was Clearwater. After dragging the inflatable SUP about .7 miles down a dirt trail, I had my first experience ever of being the only watercraft on an entire lake!

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

In New York, I got a super urban experience paddling the Erie Canal at Buffalo with Jason Mendola, owner of Elevator Alley Kayak.

We saw ginormous grain silos up close, plus a snazzy vintage fire boat and Buffalo’s riverside resurgence. This was one of my favorite urban kayak experiences ever, because you don’t know understand big those silos are until you’re in the water beside one. Jason was a knowledgeable and fun guide, filling me in on Buffalo shipping history.

Then I visited Niagara Falls, where I paddled the Niagara River well below the falls. Libby Broderick, owner of Niagara Outfitters, showed me a lovely stretch of the river.

She explained how there’s a crazy number like 13 currents plus some eddies, so paddlers here should already be comfortable in a kayak. The river was only about a third of a mile across, with the US on one side and Canada on the other. People come for the falls—which, granted, are spectacular—but there’s lots more to do in Niagara County. And Libby is ready to show off the county’s natural beauty through kayak, SUP and e-bike rentals and tours.

North Carolina

While visiting Asheville, I got to paddle two rivers: the Nantahala in a ducky, and the French Broad in a regular kayak. First, the ducky. I went on a guided group trip with the excellent Nantahala Outdoor Center. This outfitter started on the Nantahala, but has expanded to several rivers in the region.

Since I’m no whitewater pro, the guides were extremely helpful. Especially when we went over Nantahala Falls. I closely followed my guide Shane and am happy to say I didn’t flip! The duckies are also quite forgiving. I ran into several trees and giant rocks I thought sure would send me for a swim, but the ducky took a beating and kept going with me inside.

My French Broad excursion was a self-guided trip. I rented a kayak from French Broad Outfitters. They shuttled me—and three other folks who signed up for the same time slot—six miles upriver to a put-in spot. Then we just followed the river down through the Biltmore Estate grounds. The river had a good flow, so paddling was easy. Very green and pretty.

The water was a bit bumpy with logs, but nothing I got stuck on.  This is a very accessible activity in Asheville. You can drive or Uber to the outfitter. Afterwards, I walked back downtown (about an hour, pretty hot).

North Dakota

Ohio

One minute you’re in downtown Akron, then a few minutes later you’re alone in nature! At least this was my experience renting a kayak from Burning River Adventures. I met them at their portable kayak stand in Waterworks Park in the town of Cuyahoga Falls. A worker loaded up my kayak, shuttled me five miles up the river, pushed me off, and bon voyage. I had the river to myself for the next two hours. Well, except for wildlife. I saw one human on the banks about an hour down the Cuyahoga River, but no one else on the water.

In mid-September, it was ridiculously shallow. I had to wiggle off many a rock and use my hands and paddle to get over small rapids. Otherwise, very relaxing. I floated a lot of it, taking my time watching the ducks and Canada geese cruise by, and herons stalking their lunch. Lots of trees and turtles.

Oklahoma

You can paddle in downtown Oklahoma City, thanks to work done restoring the Oklahoma River. Buy a day pass at the giant multi-sport complex Riversport OKC and you can kayak on the river, raft on a simulated white water course, surf a fake wave and ski a faux mountain, among other activities. It’s amazing what Riversport has brought to flat, landlocked Oklahoma.

A year later, I got the chance to paddle at Gathering Place in Tulsa. This amazing urban park offers 30-minute free kayak rental! You can tool around Peggy’s Pond and look for turtles.

Oregon

Oregon is where I live, so it’s where I’ve paddled the most. The Willamette is my home river, and is close enough to walk to from my house. Several outfitters rent kayaks and SUPs on the Willamette. I’ve taken guided tours with Portland Kayak Company from downtown Portland. Once I took their sunset tour, and once their full moon paddle.

Both times we paddled around Ross Island, which is in the Willamette. That was my first time kayaking in the dark, and was kind of exciting. Sea monsters seem so much more real after sundown, and it wouldn’t be so hard for one to swim up the Willamette…

Down in Oregon City, eNRG Kayaking takes folks on a nice tour of Willamette Falls. Down there you can see some cool industrial relics, like the remains of the old Blue Heron Paper Mill. It was while I was on this tour that I realized sea lions have spread into the Willamette. Quite startling when one torpedoed right under my kayak. They may look comical barking on pilings, but those things are no joke in the water!

Next Adventure and Yoga to You used to partner for excellent SUP yoga classes in Sellwood Park. I loved going on weekend mornings. This year Yoga to You moved up to Scappoose, which I’m sure is lovely, but too far for me to be eager to drive.

Alder Creek Kayak, Canoe, Raft and SUP in Jantzen Beach, on the north end of Portland, gives a very useful intro to kayaking class where everyone takes turn falling out of their kayaks and then rescuing each other. We also played kayak tag and learned to kayak over logs. I also took a beginning SUP class with them at their Lake Oswego location.

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

I was thrilled to finally add South Carolina to my list of paddling destinations. Everyone I talked to agreed that Jocassee Lake in Devil’s Fork State Park is the state’s most beautiful lake. A couple of outfitters rent kayaks. I got a two-hour rental from Jocassee Lake Tours. Eclectic Sun also rents SUPS, kayaks and canoes.

What’s special about Lake Jocassee? It’s big, full of clear Appalachian mountain water, has tons of little coves to explore, and an interesting history. South Carolina doesn’t have any natural lakes. Jocassee was created in 1973 by damming the Keowee River. If you scuba dive, you can visit the ghost town underneath. There’s even a cemetery down there!

South Dakota

Tennessee

My first time in a kayak was on Tennessee’s beautiful Caney River on a foggy morning. Janis Martin, owner of Caney Fork Outdoors, accompanied me. A dam upstream controls water flow. It was pretty low that morning and I got stuck on some rocks. Janis was nice about helping launch me off them and back into the flow.

Texas

Texas’ Hill Country features seven Highland lakes that stair step their way down to Lake Travis near Austin. They were built for flood control starting in the 1930s, but Texans soon recognized their recreational possibilities.

I joined a guided, ranger-led tour at Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, Texas. It’s much smaller than Lake Buchanan, the next lake over. Inks Lake is small and easy to navigate in a kayak. And my guide filled us in on geology, such as learning about valley spring gneiss, a type of rock named for the German word for sparkly. The low cost was another advantage of the guided tour. When I went in summer 2017, the tour only cost five dollars, including the kayak! Which was less expensive than renting one and paddling on my own.

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

I paddled a six-mile stretch of the James River with Twin River Outfitters in Buchanan [pronounced Buckanan], Virginia, about 20 miles north of Roanoke. The trip was mostly easy paddling, except for a few tiny rapids. The rapids looked like hardly anything. But this being my first time taking a kayak over any sort of rapids, they were plenty for me. I realized it’s awfully difficult to steer once the rapids have hold of you. I hit one rock hard and turned my kayak all the way around. Fortunately, the next rock I slammed pointed it back in the desired direction.

Other than the rapids, the mood was more peaceful than exhilarating. We had plenty of time to contemplate the green water and green banks, and think our private thoughts.

Most of Twin River Outfitters’ trips are self-guided, though you can hire a guide if your group wants one. They rent canoes, kayaks and tubes, and own three private campgrounds located a paddling day apart. So if you want to do a multiday paddle on the James River, this is a sweet setup. You can even choose between rustic and glamping options.

Washington

Just a little south of Seattle, in Des Moines, Washington, I was with a group who rented kayaks from Olympic Outdoor Center. From the name, I expected a giant operation. You know, Olympic-sized. It turned out to be a little beachside shack. Fortunately, they had plenty of kayaks, which is all that really counts.

We visited in mid-September, which is after the main season. It’s quite a short season in the rainy, misty Puget Sound. The Olympic Outdoor Center is only open daily in July and August. If you want a kayak in June or September, you have to call first. If it’s October to May? Better bring your own.

The beach at Des Moines is called Redondo Beach. It was a calm, quiet morning, a bit overcast in that way that’s so comforting to people who live in the Northwest. We always say we want the sun, but when the solar ball pops up we squint and cover our eyes.

This was a nice little paddle along the shore looking at homes and scanning for wildlife. I saw cormorants, while others in my group had more impressive sightings of a porpoise, harbor seal and sea otter.

West Virginia

I’m a flatwater person. But every once in a while, I find myself on a raft, holding on for dear life. No, paddling like I’m supposed to be. It’s a team effort, after all. I rafted on the beautiful Upper New River with Adventures on the Gorge, opting for the family-friendly version of the half-day trip. The rapids were class 1 to 3, so there was lots of time to enjoy the scenery of New River Gorge, one of our newest national parks, instead of closing my eyes and praying I wouldn’t fall out.  It was a relaxing, easy ride on a drizzly day. But I stayed cozy in a wetsuit. People who like more exciting rafting trips can go on the Lower New River instead, with its class 4 rapids, or the hair-raising Gauley River.

Wisconsin

I’m a born and bred west coast person, but I love Wisconsin. Perhaps it’s in my genes. My mom grew up in the Midwest and she still thinks Wisconsin is the most beautiful state.

I’ve had the opportunity to paddle two different lakes in Wisconsin so far. First, Elkhart Lake, which is a gorgeous place, one of the most delightful lakes I’ve ever experienced. I got to kayak, SUP and swim in it. Since many people swear it has healing waters, I had to make the most of my time there.

In the morning, I took a guided kayak tour with Douglas Dier, who owns Ecology Outfitters. He also leads the Wacky Paddlers Club (ages 51-92) on paddling adventures every Wednesday. Visitors are welcome to join his core group of locals, he said. In the afternoon, I rented a SUP from Victorian Village Resort. I found a peaceful cove with lots of lily pads where I reviewed my SUP yoga moves.

On another Wisconsin trip, this time to Door County, I kayaked in Lake Michigan. Gigantic! Lake Michigan feels like the ocean. I was glad to have a guide on this voyage, as the enormous lake intimidated me. Dillon Adams, guide for Door County Adventure Center, put my mind at ease. I mean, if you fall out of your kayak the guide has to save you, right?

He took us into the more sheltered Mink River estuary, which 200 bird species pass through annually. We saw pelicans, egrets, a hawk, and the endangered Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly. The Mink River is the last remaining ancient river that flows across Door County.

Wyoming

Finally paddled in Wyoming with Wyoming River Trips. Went for an afternoon of rafting on the Shoshone River. Company co-owner Landon Blanchard was our guide. It was a ripply part of the river, little rapids only, with beautiful scenery. And Landon brought vegan cookies and other delicious snacks.

Canada

Alberta

Bow Lake is a gorgeous glacial lake in Banff National Park. We visited in summer when wildfires were worsening nearby. So it was pretty smoky, but still beautiful.

Motorists stopped to check out the glacier from a roadside viewpoint, but we were practically the only people on the lake! It was very exciting to paddle in front of the glacier on beautiful turquoise water.

British Columbia

The 12-mile Indian Arm fjord is a popular place to paddle in Vancouver’s Deep Cove neighborhood. It’s super convenient to get to, even without a car. You can take the bus from downtown.

I joined a small group for a kayak tour of Deep Cove and Indian Arm with Deep Cove Kayak Centre. This is a beautiful body of water. Even though it was sunny, there were still clouds and mist hanging over the tops of the rounded mountains for a shrouded, mysterious look.

We saw baby seals, moon jellyfish and purple starfish. Another group of kayakers that same day saw a mountain lion! Giving me a serious case of mountain lion envy. A kayaker from the other group showed me a photo she took with her phone of the cougar hanging out on a big rock, staring right back at her.

Our guide James Hawes pointed out 1800 year-old petroglyphs of crabs. We also saw houses with the longest, most elaborate staircases down the steep banks of the fjord. One had a tower, and another had a helipad! And James brought locally famous Honey’s donuts for a snack break on a beach. An A+ tour.

Manitoba

New Brunswick

Newfoundland and Labrador

Nova Scotia

Some of the most fun I had in 2019 was taking a small-ship cruise of the Canadian Maritime Provinces with One Ocean Expeditions. The Resolute carries its own fleet of kayaks and SUPs. When the weather was agreeable, we tooled around the shoreline of Cape Breton Island.

We were lucky to have warm weather. But it’s a windy place with cold water and lots of lion’s mane jellyfish. So on my SUP journeys, I wore a dry suit. I felt dorky since the sun was out, but I hear those jellyfish pack a sting. And soon I was too busy trying to stay upright in the wind to worry about my outfit. The wind sent me racing along, snagging lobster buoys on my SUP’s fin. I was afraid some lobster fisherman was going to take off after me for messing up his buoys. Gorgeous blue sky, sparkly water day.  

Ontario

Prince Edward Island

Quebec

In the summer of 2016, I went on a water-themed trip to the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec that included rafting, SUP, sea kayaking and canoeing. It was terrific!

I was nervous at first, since it was my first time on a SUP. Our group consisted of three serious adventure dudes and me. As they traded tales of backpacking through Mongolia, skiing uphill and not taking showers for weeks, I prayed I wouldn’t fall off the paddle board.

We rented SUPs from Cooperative O’Soleil, a paddle sports outfitter on the eastern side of Lac Saint Jean. I endured an initial five or ten minutes of hideous jelly legs. I kind of wanted to give up. But then my legs adapted and I started to get the hang of it. We moved from a protected channel onto the lake proper, which had a bit of wind and boat wake, but I managed to remain upright. It helped that they’d given the newbie an extra wide board.

The next day, we canoed the Ouasiemsca and Mistassini rivers with Aventuraid. I was super happy to share a canoe with the guide, Julien Gravelle, who was a total pro and knew the river. The rest of my group got three times as much exercise as I did, since they kept zigzagging, but Julien kept our canoe perfectly straight.

Our last day in the Saguenay region, we drove a couple of hours east of Lac Saint Jean to the Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay. Here we sea kayaked with Organisaction! between 500 foot high granite cliffs. The water in the fjord is about 700 feet deep, so you know there are whales and sharks down there. I saw one seal poke its head up to check out our kayaks.

Saskatchewan

Paddling in Other Countries

Ecuador

Japan

Maldives

Mexico

Norway

Peru

Piuray Lake, Peru. Photo by Teresa Bergen.

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