For outdoor team building activities on the water, The Adventure puts your whole group in similar boats and sends you out on the Petaluma River together as one crew, with a guide alongside. In the North Bay, within easy reach of the rest of the Bay Area, it is 90 minutes of paddling or pedaling side by side through downtown Petaluma.
The Adventure is for groups of 6 to 20 people, and all ages and stages are welcome. Everyone gets a seat in more or less the same type and speed of craft, either all paddle or all pedal, so the group moves at the same pace and stays social and connected. It can be booked any day, including outside regular hours.
What's Included
- 90 minutes on the water for your private group
- A guide to
For outdoor team building activities on the water, The Adventure puts your whole group in similar boats and sends you out on the Petaluma River together as one crew, with a guide alongside. In the North Bay, within easy reach of the rest of the Bay Area, it is 90 minutes of paddling or pedaling side by side through downtown Petaluma.
The Adventure is for groups of 6 to 20 people, and all ages and stages are welcome. Everyone gets a seat in more or less the same type and speed of craft, either all paddle or all pedal, so the group moves at the same pace and stays social and connected. It can be booked any day, including outside regular hours.
What's Included
- 90 minutes on the water for your private group
- A guide to lead the outing on the river
- A seat for every guest in matched craft: all paddle or all pedal
- Boats matched to your group by the crew
- Route suggestions based on the day's conditions
- Life vests for every guest
How It Works
Tell the crew about your group and the kind of day, or night, you have in mind. They match you with the right boats, set your route and keep everyone moving together. Make it mellow with an easy glide past the riverfront, or make it active with a longer push upriver; the experience is built around your group and your mood. Past groups have booked dawn tours and night paddles.
Choose Your Crew Style
Groups pick one style for everyone: an all-paddle crew in kayaks, canoes or paddleboards, or an all-pedal crew in pedal kayaks, pedalboards or water bikes. Mixing paddle and pedal craft is what the Play Date format is for, so The Adventure keeps everyone in similar boats at a similar speed, which is what lets a group of up to 20 travel the river together.
The Fleet
The dock is stocked with people-powered craft for every mood. To paddle, there are sit-on-top kayaks in singles and tandems, canoes, stand-up paddleboards and a giant paddleboard that fits four to six adults. To pedal, there are pedal kayaks, stand-up pedalboards, classic floating hydrobikes and sleek water bikes. Rowers can take out classic rowboats, a light guideboat or a roomy gig built for team effort.
Why It Works for Teams
Putting everyone in matching boats changes the dynamic. Nobody races ahead and nobody gets left behind, so the conversation keeps going from boat to boat. That shared rhythm is why it works so well as corporate outdoor team building: it is active enough to feel like an adventure, but calm enough that colleagues actually talk. Tandem kayaks and canoes add a little teamwork, since two people have to find a rhythm together.
As outdoor team building activities for adults go, it needs no experience and no special gear, and the guide handles route and safety so the organizer can simply enjoy the river. Planners looking for outdoor team building ideas close to downtown restaurants will like that the dock sits right in the center of town. With up to 20 guests it is simple outdoor team building, and one of the more fun outdoor team building activities for work when the weather turns warm.
Good to Know
- Everyone wears a life vest, and vests are included for every guest
- Kids under 10 ride with a parent or guardian, ages 10 to 15 can paddle their own boat with an adult on the water, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a parent or guardian
- If the crew cancels for weather or river conditions, you can choose a full refund or credit
- Pets are welcome on most craft with a life vest
- Free parking is available close to the dock
About Your Host
The host is a nonprofit boat rental center floating right in the heart of downtown Petaluma, on docks in the Turning Basin of the Petaluma River. Its mission is simple: put more people on the river in people-powered boats. Alongside rentals it runs lessons, guided paddle tours, summer camps and community events, and it is happy to open up outside regular hours for group outings and special experiences. The nonprofit was founded by local rowers and paddlers, and its crew and board include coaches, racers and instructors who have spent decades on this river.
Plan Your Adventure
Share your group size, the date and the type of outing you picture, and the crew will help you choose the ideal watercraft and build your adventure on the river.
