My family and I had an excellent experience. The river was challenging, but it was a very memorable…read moretrip! This is run by a lovely, local couple who almost felt like family in the short time we were there. They boosted the confidence of my son with reassurance and also took the time to help us get back to our vehicle after it unexpectedly broke down on our way to the river. Just wanted to say they are really good people. They also gave us great guidance to navigate the river with quality equipment!

First off, we do this river day trip every year. We -highly- recommend experiencing the river, it's…read morealways fun and rarely disappoints (even as our kids get older!) While we have used different outfits lately - we had a great experience with Russian River Adventures a few years back, so we came in excited to return. Unfortunately, this visit was disappointing, mainly due to poor planning by the staff. We booked for four people on a Thursday - my wife, myself, and our two teens (14 and 16)--with the expectation that we'd have two boats, which is standard for this group size. However, the team miscounted the boats that morning. When we pointed this out, instead of fixing the mistake, they pulled us aside and crammed all four of us into a boat intended for three, squeezing in an extra seat to make it "fit." Visibly frustrated, the team promised to speak with the owner and make it right (it was two high schoolers running it that day). I didn't argue and wanted to at least try to have a good time and not be that Dad. The result on the boat? A very cramped and uncomfortable setup that made the inflatable much harder to steer and navigate--especially on a 9-mile river trip. This wasn't the experience we paid for or expected based on our prior trips. The staff seemed more focused on moving us along rather than making it right. Still haven't heard from the owner. We'll likely explore other options next time around. Disappointed to see the service slip like this.

Highly recommended. I booked the "Wohler Bridge Tour" as an outing for my wife and my anniversary…read more Sadly I failed to read the instructions and went to Rubicon's offices instead of the Wohler bridge launch site (oops!) which meant once I got back into cell phone range and figured out my mistake, we were an hour late to our scheduled time. Bill was waiting patiently and was incredibly gracious. He took my wife and I out for a 2 1/2 hour SUP tour of the Russian River, providing tips and guidance along the way. I'm thankful that I came across Rubicon as I now feel that I have both a strong comfort with paddle boarding and better a sense of the Russian River and where we might go paddle boarding in the future. Bill has a great wealth of knowledge and we appreciated his casual style. It's worth noting that Rubicon's rates are incredibly low, particularly given the personalized attention you get on these tours. Looking forward to coming back.

Learned a lot and had a great time. it was good time and would even do it again. the river was…read morebeautiful, great location, an excellent experience.

We rented a single and 2-person kayak for a couple of hours and thoroughly enjoyed this first-time…read moreexperience.

Every year for my son's birthday, we head over to Bodega Bay. We always rent kayaks and paddle…read morearound the bay. The staff are always friendly and make sure you have an incredible experience. We see seals and birds. Then we paddle to Spud point to get lunch. We look forward to it every year.

We had a great time paddle boarding on Russian River! John was very helpful, giving us clear…read moredirections and ensuring we were well set up for our adventure. The meeting spot was about 15-20 minutes from Healdsburg, a beautiful drive to get there. The water was calm and the area beautiful- we just saw a few other groups in 2 hours out on the water. It was a hot day, but on the cool river it felt great. There are a few beach areas to stop with a picnic, but lots of the shore area has plants so we ended up just stopping in a shady area and eating on the water. All in all, a great adventure when up in the area!

We had the most wonderful day paddle boarding from Wohler Bridge! It is such a serene stretch of…read moreriver. John was professional and so easy to work with from booking to the day of the paddle. We highly recommend Russian River Paddle Boards and will be back again soon.

Russian river in Sonoma is a magical place ..been here twice for watersports and weekend..this year…read morewent river tubing on the river streams down unless the current gets stuck ..different beaches and points..Guerneville is fun ..kayaking etc

SO FUN!!! We kayaked…read moredown the river which was about 2.75 miles. It was calm and so beautiful. There are many points along the river where you can stop, lay out and have lunch. It gets a little crowded once you get to the main beach area but if you're kayaking or canoeing, it's very peaceful. The current isn't strong at all. Also, there are some rentals for kayaks & canoes there if you don't have your own or haven't rented them out elsewhere.

Settling in after moving from my prior home of 21 years has had its moments. Yet tonight when I…read morewent to Chalk Hill Ranch to spend time with my beloved horse, I am reminded of why I moved here. Because my horse and his daily experience is such a high priority for me, I first had to ensure that I found a proper home for him and then I could find my own home. Finding Chalk Hill Ranch was one of the best experiences I have had in the 17 years With my horse. Tonight he carried me back onto the trails for the first time. We had many years riding the trails in the Berkeley Hills and tonight was very special. He and I both experienced great peace in the beauty of the natural environment- the creek, the trees, the birds. And my heart was reminded that this is why I moved. We found a sacred ranch with beautiful people and loving care. We are so grateful.

We have boarded our horse at three stables and this one is by far the most well kept, beautiful and…read morereasonably priced barn. The general manager, Taylor is great and our instructor, Jazmin, (who we highly recommend!) are responsive and excellent in their profession. We love this community and look forward to having our daughter grow with Chalk Hill.

Stopped into Bodega BaySurf Shop on our way into town because it was way colder than we expected…read moreand we definitely didn't pack enough warm clothes. We wanted to check out their sweaters and ended up really loving this shop. The owner was super friendly, made great conversation, and told us about the 15% off deal they had going on. The employee at the register was also really nice and welcoming. I loved how unique their shirts and clothing were, and that they didn't have a ton of the same designs over and over. Everything felt cute, different, and perfect for the beach town vibe. Definitely recommend stopping in if you're in the area!

I enjoy stopping by Bodega Bay Surf Shack when I'm in the area. They a fun collection of name brand…read morehoodies, bathing suits, hats and more from brands like Volcom and O'Neil as well as their own logo's items. They also seem to rent kayaks, stock wet suits and often will host a food truck in their lot. It seems like a less touristy, more locals spot. They had some pretty good deals on sweatshirtr the last time I was there with 30% off. Very nice staff-come check them out!

An incredible place to hike, camp, and sight see! Austin Creek State Recreation is an extensive…read morerecreational area in Guerneville that's filled with tons of hiking trails, camping sites, stunning meadows, and beautiful vegetation. It's also inclusive of the ever so popular Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve which boasts some of the largest and oldest redwood trees in the area. I hiked here from Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve via the East Ridge Trail with my group and connected to the Pool Ridge Trail. The Pool Ridge Trail is pretty moderate and spans about 4 miles one way. If starting from Armstrong Redwoods, you can connect to the the Pool Ridge Trail from the East Ridge Trail, and It will Loop you back to the beginning. The East Ridge Trail is pretty strenuous though, and the entire loop (when connecting to Pool Ridge) will be a little over 8 miles long in total. The Pool Ridge Trail is a narrow ridge trail that will take you through the beautiful Redwood forest and expose you to the prettiest plants and lush meadows. This trail will also take you to Gilliam Creek and Bullfrog Pond that will lead you to several campgrounds. There are plenty of benches and a few picnics tables along the way that pose at the perfect rest stop. You will be surrounded by the most amazing scenery. Another great reason to hike Austin Creek is that it isn't as crowded as Armstrong Redwoods. Of course, Armstrong Redwoods is gorgeous and is worth a visit too. However, if you're looking to escape the crowds but still reap the benefits of hiking the Redwood Forest, then Austin Creek May be a better fit for you. All in all, it's an excellent place to enjoy a scenic hike while in the Russian River Valley.

Review for Bullfrog Pond Campground…read more Pros: Clean, well kept, nice trails nearby. Flush toilets. Lots of sites that are nicely maintained. Fun wild animals to look for, like silver foxes. Pretty wild flowers like wild orchids. Potable water. Big redwoods, little redwoods, open plains and nice views. Run by a non-profit. Fishing, if that's your thing. Also got to see some ducks fighting, that was intriguing. Cons: for me, I love me some nature and the occasional frog, but the frogs were really freaking loud. Millions of them, it sounded like. They'd stop, then start up again and wake me up and kept going past 1 am. The whole place echos considerably because of the bowl-shape of the pond camping area. No reservations means that in more popular times, you may risk getting there to not be able to find a spot in popular times of year...which kind of sucks if you've travelled a ways to get there. Self-register at the front. $25/night, includes one car. Additional cars are $8. They sell firewood, $7 a bundle or $19 for 3 bundles. 3 bundles lasted us one evening and one morning. So if you really like frogs, you like redwoods, and you don't mind the risk of not getting a spot, this place is very nice. The stars are amazing at night.