Enjoy Napa Valley Exploring Napa's History on the Napa River

ENJOY NAPA VALLEY

An Insider’s Guide to the Napa River’s Hidden History

 BY ELIZABETH SMITH

After having spent over a year in intermittent isolation due to the pandemic, the appeal of being in Napa Valley includes not only visiting worldclass wineries and restaurants but also a longing to spend more time outdoors in the area’s temperate Mediterranean climate. In 2013, Napa native Justin Perkins found a way to do just that when he launched his outdoor tour company, Enjoy Napa Valley. Enjoy Napa Valley was the brainchild of Perkins’ passion for his hometown’s natural beauty and history and offers a plethora of ways to explore Napa’s great outdoors through guided or self-navigated tours by bicycle, paddleboard, kayak, or gondola. For the adventurous explorer, bicycle, kayak, and paddleboard rentals are also available. Tour options include the Napa River History Tour, Standup Paddleboard Eco-Tour, and Napa River Gondola Cruises, which Perkins schedules in two-hour increments- the first hour as the guided tour and the second to allow guests to leisurely explore and paddle on their own.

In the early years, Perkins quickly learned that Napa’s history went beyond that of the wine industry. “It became apparent that Napa has an incredible history that nobody was talking about, and it is related to the Napa River,” he said. At the time, I also had decided to focus more on kayaking since it drew the highest demand. So, I came up with the idea of offering the Napa River History Tour.” His vision paid off. Today it has grown to become the most popular among both visitors and locals. During the Napa River History tour, Perkins and his team of guides reveal what he calls “Napa’s most provocative secrets,” including “hidden history,” some of which even locals and longtime residents are unaware. Perkins shared that he often leads tours for childhood and longtime friends – at the locals’ special rate – and they are amazed at what they learn about the Napa River’s culture, history, and wildlife.

Similar type tours have popped up around the nation and world, but Perkins’ background as a Napa native and longtime resident adds a unique, insider perspective to every excursion, continually ranking in the Top 20 Tours with Travelzoo and one of the most sought after locally, nationally and internationally.

Every Enjoy Napa Valley tour is unique and tailored to the group's interests, demographics, and size. Perkins limits group size to a maximum of ten people to enable closer communication among the guide and participants and to be able to cater to individual interests. Some guests want to learn more about the area’s architectural, cultural, and Native American history. Others enjoy viewing the Oxbow Preserve, surrounding mountain ranges, tree-lined riverbanks, “peekaboo views” of vineyards, and spotting wildlife. Common sightings include Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, beavers, deer, mink, otters, porpoises, rabbits, turtles, and over 58 different fish species.

Because Napa Valley hospitality is of utmost importance, Perkins requires his tour guides to be friendly, kind, knowledgeable, and comfortable working with diverse groups of people from around the world.

Rentals and tours include everything one needs for safety and comfort, like a variety of bicycle styles, kayaks for one or two people, quick lessons for beginners, helmets, life jackets, and advice on appropriate clothing and accessories for each activity. For water rental and tours, Perkins reminds guests that they will get wet and to leave behind anything one does not want to lose.

Enjoy Napa Valley operates year-round except Wednesdays and during highwind or rainy days, which are sometimes unexpected. The ideal time of year to go kayaking and paddle boarding is August through October when one can view the most migratory wildlife. During the off-season months of December through March, discounted seasonal pricing and gift cards are available for any of its rentals or tours.

When asked if kayaking could have an impact on one’s wellbeing, Perkins revealed, “I have noticed that since I have been working around the water every day, things that used to worry me do not anymore. The water is resilient. The more time we spend near it, the more resilient we become.” On Perkins’ radar for the future is the possibility of offering walking tours and night paddling.