San Diego River and Kayaks
 

Is there any legal area to launch a Kayak on the California River, like in the Mission Valley or Santee areas?

try the santee walmart area.

I've seen people launch tubes in those areas so I might check that out.

Maybe a possibility
 

Behind the Mission Valley Hazard Center trolley station. Remember a float tuber posted a 7-lb LMB a couple years back on SD fish.com. Used to fish that area when I was a kid. Lotsa fun tossing 19cent imitation Daredevles and Mepps from Yellow Front for bass with our Snoopy rods back in the early 70s. I know for a fact there's still plenty of bluegill upstream off Mission Gorge, so the bass are probably holding on there too.