Paddle the Mississippi for Minneapolis skyline views and riverside history
2.5 hrs
Kayak, paddle, life preserver
Explore Minneapolis by kayak on a guided Mississippi River paddle through the city's industrial and cultural history. Start with an on-land skill introduction before heading upriver beneath historic and modern bridges.
Cancel at least 12 hours before your trip for a full refund. For weather-related cancellations, choose a refund or rebooking.
Product ID: H6JAA5
Wear lightweight clothing and footwear you don't mind getting wet. Bring a dry layer for afterward, plus a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, and any snacks you want.
Use the provided dry bag for small items you want to keep dry. Your guide takes photos with a waterproof camera, so you can leave your camera safely stored.
Boom Island marina
Sparky, Beaver, Andie, and Maggie seem to be the kind of guides who make people want to come back, and the repeat visitors here say consistency is a real strength. The Mississippi River Gorge tour stands out, especially going through Lock No. 1 with the Corps of Engineers, which reviewers describe as genuinely unforgettable. Guides share rich historical context throughout, take photos of guests, and provide water, snacks, and free dry bags on the water. First-timers show up frequently in these reviews, and the guides clearly know how to make nervous paddlers feel at ease without dumbing things down for more experienced kayakers. Communication around weather is a notable strength too, with the team proactively reaching out with updates and offering flexible options when conditions get dicey. The one area worth knowing going in is that the full moon tours have drawn slightly mixed feedback, with one reviewer feeling the experience lacked depth and that pre-trip logistics could be smoother. That said, others found the nighttime paddle genuinely unique and well-supported. Overall the sentiment here is overwhelmingly warm, and the pattern across many reviews is that people leave feeling like they got more than they expected.
It’s rare that through a little community activity, one is able to see our Mississippi from a new perspective. What a wonderful journey across our great river along side animals, great guides and neighbors. Expect the tour to run 2-2.5 hours, depending on the energy of the group! You’ll get to see many bridges, the lock, and the waterfalls along the way. The guides do a fantastic job of capturing photos of each kayak, so you’ll have a memory to take home with you. The best part, was the contagious love for the river that is at the heart of the company’s ethos. As we move away from Minneapolis, this was a highlight activity ahead of our departure! Thank you!
padil152 University of Minnesota
July 19, 2026
It’s rare that through a little community activity, one is able to see our Mississippi from a new perspective. What a wonderful journey across our great river along side animals, great guides and neighbors. Expect the tour to run 2-2.5 hours, depending on the energy of the group! You’ll get to see many bridges, the lock, and the waterfalls along the way. The guides do a fantastic job of capturing photos of each kayak, so you’ll have a memory to take home with you. The best part, was the contagious love for the river that is at the heart of the company’s ethos. As we move away from Minneapolis, this was a highlight activity ahead of our departure! Thank you!
padil152 University of Minnesota
July 19, 2026
Paddle the Mississippi’s only gorge and pass through Lock and Dam No. 1
Paddle through a historic lock beneath St. Anthony Falls
Discover five Minneapolis districts with narrated trolley sightseeing
Ride an historic trolley to Minneapolis’ haunted sites with a narrated ghost story tour
Play the jury on an interactive Minneapolis crime story tour
Tour Minneapolis Gilded Age mansions with inside-and-out architecture views