Steamers once made Rio Vista a daily port of call on the Sacramento River, carrying goods to and from town and supporting a thriving industrial and commercial waterfront with canneries, warehouses, and other businesses. Concrete foundations from two former buildings remain visible at the site, and businesses once located here included Blackwelder Iron Works. North of the Rio Vista Bridge, California Packing Corporation Plant #22 was once one of the largest asparagus canneries in the world. The city later developed the waterfront for public use, completing a 150-foot promenade segment in 2010 east of North Front Street and south of the Rio Vista Bridge, with a fishing dock, restroom and fish cleaning station, benches, lawn and picnic areas, pedestrian lighting, and paved walkway as part of the Bridge to Beach Trail. A 900-foot extension built in 2015 toward Sacramento Street expanded the illuminated paved promenade, added seating, and allowed for future waterfront connections.