Paddle Bridge Kayak Tours is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year. Book a tour to learn about the Mississippi River and its ecosystems, regional history and its impact on our lives, and how Paddle Bridge sees its role as river stewards and is working to improve access to this beautiful and natural resource for all. There are multiple tours to chose from, ranging from 1.5 to 3 hours in duration:
City of Birds Tour - Meet at Boom Island and shuttle up to Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park. After a paddle skill introduction on land, you’ll wind downriver past islands and under bridges, toward the old Port of Minneapolis. You’ll pause to gawk at the squawking residents of two special islands that make up the great blue heron rookery - or as they like to call it, the City of Birds - also home to great egrets and cormorants and turtles.
Mississippi River Gorge Adventure - This trip starts with a shuttle pickup outside Sea Salt Eatery at Minnehaha Falls Regional Park. After a short drive up to Bohemian Flats Park, experienced guides will give a short safety and paddling demo before setting off with you on a 6.5-mile journey through the beautiful Mississippi River Gorge.
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Heart of Minneapolis Tour - Find out what puts “Minne” in Minneapolis. After a paddle skill introduction on Boom Island, you’ll head upriver toward the old industrial Port of Minneapolis on the Northside. On the way back down, enjoy the river’s current and a close-up skyline view.
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Full Moon Floatilla - This monthly special tour will start in the golden hours of the day. Working your way from Thomas Beach on the south shore of Bde Maka Ska, you'll navigate the channel to Lake of the Isles as the moon takes over the sky and nocturnal wildlife emerges.
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Happy Hour Sunset Tour - A lite version of the Heart of Minneapolis tour, this paddle begins in the magic hour and ends as darkness falls, in and out of the Boom Island marina. Catch long shadows and soft orange glows on the downtown skyline and learn some of the history that makes this spot special.
Additionally, custom tours can be arranged.
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Additionally, you can Paddle Bridge can customize private outings to meet the needs of your group. Drop them an email at info@paddlebridge.com with your needs.
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Monthly Tour Spotlight
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All of our adventures have unique elements that make each a special experience. That said, there are seasons when specific tours are particularly impressive and worth planning for. As part of celebrating our 5th anniversary in 2023, we’re featuring one of our tours every month and offering discounts on select dates to help you experience what makes each of our paddles special.
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Special Events for Avid Paddlers!
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Mississippi River Paddle Weekend, June 9-11, organized by
Two Paddles, offers competitive and recreational divisions for races, tours and relays of any paddling style (canoe, kayak, SUP) on the Mississippi River. Lengths vary from 5- to 150-mile sections between Brainerd and Minneapolis. Entering its second year, the event will welcome over 200 participants from the U.S., Canada and beyond, and provide paddlers of all levels a chance to experience the river's natural beauty and promote an accessible and diverse paddling community. Community-accessible equipment rental and registration discounts are available.
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About the races:
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The MR 150 is a multi-day ultra endurance race that begins at 3:00 pm, Friday, June 9, in Brainerd. Individuals, tandems and teams—in their choice of racing or recreational divisions—have 50 hours to paddle the 150-mile length of the Mississippi River in self-powered watercraft.
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All other events—the MR 48, MR 25 (with relay option), MR 10 and MR 7.5 (in partnership with Paddle Bridge Guide Collective)—take place on Sunday, June 11. The races and tours launch in the north Metro from a variety of starting points along the Mississippi River. These events are open to solo, tandem and team paddlers in both racing and recreational divisions.
Also on June 11, the
MR Family Challenge and
MR High School Challenge (sponsored by the Minnesota Canoe Association) are 5-mile racing and recreational events for families and teens of all skill levels that start at Peninsula Point Park in Anoka.
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Paddle Bridge disclaimer:
The route and duration of all our tours are subject to flexibility depending on weather conditions, water level, flow-rate, and group dynamics. Our guides take all of these elements into account in order to make everyone’s experience enjoyable and safe.
Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 1:50PM