Prefer flat water to ocean swell? Big River delivers. Climb into an ultra-stable outrigger canoe outfitted for dogs and paddle a redwood-lined estuary at the most relaxed pace on the coast. It’s made for first-time paddlers, older pups, kids and anyone who’d rather watch for wildlife than work up a sweat.

Big River moves at dog-nap speed, and that’s exactly the point. Just north of the Little River Inn, this redwood-flanked estuary winds inland from Mendocino Bay, and the best way to experience it is by outrigger canoe—wide, steady and outfitted so dogs can settle in comfortably. No surf, no swell, no white knuckles. Just the dip of paddles, the smell of redwoods and a front-row seat to one of the most protected waterways in Northern California.

Keep watch along the banks: the estuary is rich with birdlife and the forest edges hold their own surprises. Because the water stays calm and the pace stays gentle, this trip suits nearly everyone—first-time paddlers, families with kids, senior dogs who’ve earned a cushioned seat, and anyone who wants the adventure without the adrenaline.

Like the sea cave tour, the outrigger excursion is one of two options in the inn’s Water Dog Package, and the inn needs at least three days’ notice to arrange it with the local outfitter. Choose the river, choose the caves—or stay long enough to do both. Either way, you’ll understand how Mendocino dogs earn their sea legs.