Dare Your Sim to Kayak Anywhere?
Many players have long believed that kayaking in The Sims 4 was only possible in a few worlds, like Sulani or other places with lots of ocean. Guides, tips from other players, and even trusted Sims resources often said that kayaking “doesn’t work in most worlds.”
But that’s actually not true.
A longtime player on r/Sims4 decided to put the rumor to the test—and the results surprised a lot of the community.
Yes, you CAN kayak in all the worlds.
byu/someboreddragon inSims4
The Myth: Kayaking Is World-Locked
The common belief was that kayaking only functioned in select expansion-pack worlds, leading many players to assume the feature was either buggy or intentionally restricted. Some guides even stated outright that kayaking failed in “most worlds,” discouraging players from experimenting beyond the obvious locations.
That assumption stuck—until someone actually tested it.
Kayaking isn’t limited to Sulani—any swimmable water in The Sims 4 can become an adventure.
The Reality: Kayaks Work in All Swimmable Waters
Testing showed kayaking works in any world with swimmable water.
Not just some swimmable water.
Not “expansion-only” water.
All swimmable water.
If your Sim can swim there, they can kayak there—period.
This includes rivers, lakes, and oceans added across various expansion packs, including worlds many players didn’t even realize were swimmable in the first place (hello, Britechester).
Sims can kayak through rivers and waterways in worlds beyond ocean-focused destinations.
Why the Confusion Happened
So, where did the misinformation originate?
A few very Sims-like reasons:
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Clicking too close to shore—The kayak interaction won’t appear unless you click far enough into the water.
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Forgetting the kayak—If the kayak is left behind in another world, the option simply won’t show up.
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Autonomy quirks—Sims will exit kayaks if they aren’t actively paddling, making it look like the activity bugged out.
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Non-swimmable decorative water—Many worlds have water that looks perfect for kayaking but isn’t actually swimmable (cue the red cursor of doom).
In other words: user error and edge cases, not broken gameplay.
Kayaking in The Sims 4 is available for children and works even in rivers and streams at night.
Worlds Players Wish Were Swimmable
The discussion also reignited a long-standing community frustration: older worlds with gorgeous water that should be swimmable but aren’t. Some of the most requested updates include:
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Brindleton Bay, Granite Falls
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Windenburg, Console players, in particular, feel this pain since mods like NerdyDoll’s Swimmable Worlds aren’t an option for them.
Join the Community Effort
Have a favorite spot you wish were swimmable? Share your screenshots or join community petitions for swimmable Brindleton Bay and other cherished locations. Together, we can harness our shared longing to inspire change and perhaps make these dream waters a reality.
What This Means for Your Gameplay
If you’ve been avoiding kayaking because you thought it was limited, buggy, or not worth the effort—good news:
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You can incorporate kayaking into legacy saves
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It works great for family gameplay.
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Children can participate
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It pairs beautifully with vacation and outdoor-focused storytelling.
It may be a small feature, but it adds depth and realism—especially when combined with packs that expand water activities.
The Takeaway
Kayaking in The Sims 4 isn’t restricted by world—it’s restricted by whether the water is swimmable.
So grab a kayak, zoom out a bit further into the water, and let your Sim paddle literally anywhere the game allows swimming. Sometimes, the biggest myths in the Sims community just need one curious player willing to test them.
And honestly?
That’s very on-brand for this game. 🛶💚
