Captain Bruno was PHENOMENAL! Last minute booking for a 4 hour excursion. He was responsive and…read morebeat priced. Took us to spots that truly were amazing. Book with him if at all possible! You won't regret it!

We had such a great time on Captain Bruno's boat! You can tell he really loves his job- he gets…read morejust as excited as you are that you've hooked a fish! He made the experience a blast! Our family couldn't stop talking about how cool it was. You won't be disappointed book with him!

I've paddled the Emerald Cut a few times now. Initially I didn't like the idea of paying to launch…read moremy own paddleboard. However, it's only $10 now that I have my own life jacket (saving me additional cost of $5 to use one of theirs, as required). Well worth the low cost for some soul-enriching, communing with nature. I have never made a reservation. I normally arrive around 10:30, most recently on a Friday. Parked for free on Baptist Camp Rd. Just a bit of a walk from there with my inflated paddleboard, but I don't mind the extra exercise. You can unload your stuff closer, if preferable. There are port-a-potties available. You can count on there being a line in the check-in office. Various recreation supplies are available there for purchase. The process moves reasonably enough. A reservation will guarantee your entrance, however, and possibly aide quicker personal info collection. I always plan to do the Emerald Cut in roughly 3 hours round-trip, allowing myself several stops to enjoy the surroundings. You do run into (quite literally at times) novice paddlers along the way, which can be a bit tricky, yet not a real nuisance for me. In general, there's friendliness along the waterway. Slighty rowdy, party vibes in some spots, but also opportunities for solace and zen in various nooks. Encountering wildlife, fragrant elderberry, and other captivating flora along this stretch is always gratifying. It's a popular recreation destination for good reason.

Many tourists don't realize Florida is home to stunning crystal-clear spring rivers--perfect for…read moreswimming, kayaking, and tubing aka "hidden gems". My Hubby and I love kayaking, so we booked an excursion months in advance for Rock Springs through TripAdvisor. Our Tour Operator was Get Up And Go Kayaking located at Kings Landing in Apopka, FL. I LOVE saying Apopka ;) The good news: Apopka is a quick 1 hour drive from Orlando. Make sure you don't miss the turn to King's Landing, because the entrance is located on a narrow dirt road. You must drive past Kelly Park (which fills up fast). There is a Park Ranger located here who will guide you to King's Landing. As you get closer and if you see a parking spot, grab it! Check in is located in the Cabin like office where you will have to sign a waiver. If you do not want to take a clear bottom, guided Kayak tour, you can either rent or BYO Kayak versus taking a semi private, clear, guided kayak tour. NOTE: ONLY use their Sunscreen/lotion which is provided at no cost. It protects the wildlife and the Springs. We wanted the full experience as we have previously enjoyed renting clear Kayaks. Our guide for the morning was: Megan, who was fantastic! Full of energy, information and helpful tidbits about the Springs and its human and wildlife inhabitants. Our group was small and capped at 10. We paddled through both narrow and open stretches, and stopped to swim in the warm, crystal-clear water. One highlight was a banyan tree with an 8-foot natural "jump hole"--such a cool experience! It was a serene, memorable day, and fun fact: this is the very spring featured in the Visit Orlando commercials! Yeah, definitely take a day away from crowded Orlando to relax and enjoy Mother Nature! You will Thank Me ;)

This was a lot of fun, and completely on a whim! We were visiting my daughter and new grandson and…read moredecided to stay at a nearby resort. Looking for some activities, this came up in our search, so we made an afternoon of it. First off, the captain and crew was comical and they made the experience that much more memorable. We seen turtles, dolphins, and a few manatees! On top of that, we debarked on a small island along our tour, got out, stretched the legs, and took in some amazing views. The Mangroves were a sight to be seen. I can just imagine all the sea creature they give habitat to. We also seen some amazing boats, as well as, some interesting... uh... placement of sailboats. Great history of the local storms and the havoc they wreaked! Thank you for the fun experience for the Familia!! As always, enjoy and Happy sailing!

Dolphin and manatee boat tour was good. So was parasailing. All of the tour guides were awesome and…read morefun! Cute little waiting spot on the river for sightseeing while u wait.

Great for the kids and a half day. But if you are looking for meat than book a whole day.read more

I have lived in Florida all my life and always went fishing down in the Keys. A friend of mine and…read moremyself went out but we weren't crazy about fishing. We packed a big lunch and went up on the roof and listen to music and ate our lunch and we had such an amazing day.

The staff were great meeting our needs and giving us great direction in where and what to fish for…read more. It seemed like fishing was a passion and not just a job . They had a decent selection of lures , frozen bait , and live bait . They set us up for fishing the intracoastal as well as the ocean

This is our fave bait shop in town!!!! Charlie is amazing and her side kick Gizmo, bring so much…read morejoy to the place. She keeps it so clean, organized and nice. Love coming to see them and shop for bait too!!!! Love this place and highly recommend it!!!!

Would highly recommend Holy Smokes Charters!!! It was a bit rough but the captain handled the boat…read morelike a charm and put us on the Fish!

Family had a wonderful time. Captain was great and very professional. Definitely knows what he is…read moredoing. Kids enjoyed very much.