Visiting from Orlando, we decided to spend time on the water yesterday. Taking a 2-hour kayak tour…read morewith Chris, owner of Paddles By the Sea, was a perfect decision. His easy going manner yet attention to details such as asking "Do you need some sunscreen?" and "We have the latest kayak launch system in the industry" illustrate the care he demonstrated to my husband and me. His business started with paddle boards and although I've been paddle boarding for a few years I can't wait to take a lesson from him using my own equipment! In addition to having an awesome morning on the intercostal waterway and circling the spoils islands, we made a new friend! Hats off to Chris and his we'll run business. BTW---You may want to check into his yoga paddle boarding, full moon tours and other special events!!!

This was the best event during my vacation in Vero Beach.Theowner Chris took his time getting me…read moreset up to paddle board.I never expected such service,fun from the paddle board to the amazing boat rental.my captain Bob showed my family a fun tour of the river,many awesome sites.Thanks guys for taking my family on the best part of my trip to Vero Beach.

What a cool way to see some of the beautiful waterways around ft Pierce. The guides were…read moreinformative and made sure your comfort and safety were their number one priority. Will be doing this again in the future.

We did the Indian River Lagoon kayak tour with Ronda...WOW!!! It was one of the most amazing…read moreexperiences of my life...no exaggerating. We saw so much wildlife up close, and learned all about it from our very knowledgable guide, Ronda. This tour guide is HIGHLY recommended. I can't wait to do it again.

Phil spent a lot of time in getting my boat clean and shiny! He was very detailed in getting the…read morerust stains and mildew out of all the crevices. The work included the hull, above and below the rail line, everything on the topside - including the decks and isinglass. Also, because he was so conscientious, he came back a few days later to wrap up some details he wanted to finish off. (He had another client scheduled, so I didn't mind the wait.) Loved that he came back... even after getting paid. Not used to contractors doing that. Def a hard worker... and he does come early (before 8am) so be prepared for that A neighbor did a double take on my boat... bc he def noticed how shiny the boat is now. And another neighbor saw the work and is also getting Phil to do his boat.

Fast and courteous response. thank you! I have multiple boats I'm responsible for and my personal…read moreone might need some TLC pretty soon.

Round Island South Conservation Center is a 59 acre natural area in Vero Beach on the west side of…read moreSR A1A. Parking and entrance to the preserve is located on the southern boundary of Round Island Riverside Park. This conservation area is ideal for an easy hike. Habitats include mangroves, a maritime hammock, and lagoon shores. Along the trail you will enjoy scenic views of the lagoon where you may possibly see native wading birds, manatees, and dolphins. Twenty species of wood-warbler have been recorded here including Cape May, Blackpoll and Wilson's. There are also boardwalks and kayak launches. This conservation area is part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, one of the longest running programs of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was created with the goal of encouraging conservation by encouraging connections between people and Florida's wildlife and natural land. I enjoyed my visit to this lovely conservation area that is a complement to Riverside Park. You can enjoy the amenities in the park and then cross over the bridge to the conservation area for a more immersive nature experience. Admission is free and the preserves is open 7:30am until sunset, year-round.

Nice park. Walk along the wooden boardwalks or go kayaking. If you are lucky, you might even see a…read moreFlorida manatee having an early morning swim. Don't get too close as the manatees are protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act. They are an endangered species. While you are in the area, check out the Round Island South Conservation area. Beautiful area to explore on a sunny day in Florida.

We love kayaking around the Treasure Coast, so naturally we wanted our own tandem kayak and a way…read moreto transport it. We ordered parts online for our car's specific make/model via the Yakima brand website, but after receiving the parts from our online order it was clear we needed some direction and assistance from a seasoned professional! Enter Native Water Sports! We've seen the store several times but never went it. We decided to go and we are so glad we did. Ted, the owner and operator, graciously helped us get the proper parts and told us he'd call us back to the store once received. About a week later, the parts were here, and Ted and my husband arranged a time at the shop. He not only helped install the rack to ensure that it was safely mounted, but he also showed my husband how he did it and was very hands-on! It took them about one and a half hours - and we were good to go. He showed us how to use the straps, how to take the pads off/on, etc. You can absolutely tell Ted is a well seasoned professional kayak guy - not only that, but he's friendly and just a genuinely nice person. For any kayak needs - car racks, life jackets, kayaks, and pretty much any kayak accessory known to man - Ted is your guy for honest help!

This place is GREAT! They delivered our kayaks and picked them back up, comfortable seats/paddles!!…read moreDefinitely recommend this place!!!

Stopped into the Environmental Learning Center on a whim after driving past it many times, and now…read moreI'm wondering why I waited so long. This place is one of those hidden little Treasure Coast gems that almost hides in plain sight. The boardwalk trails through the mangroves were peaceful, scenic, and surprisingly immersive. Every turn felt like a mini nature documentary. Within a short walk I spotted a ribbon snake cruising through the water, an orb-weaver spider that looked like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie, and plenty of birds and wildlife along the way. Bring a camera because you'll use it. Bonus points for the rare opportunity to admire a spider web without immediately walking face first into it. The grounds are well maintained, educational without feeling overly touristy, and just plain relaxing. There's a nice balance between nature preserve, learning experience, and quiet escape from the everyday rush. Also appreciated that you can spend 30 minutes here or easily lose a couple of hours wandering the trails and slowing your brain down a notch. We didn't try the kayak rental this time but made a mental note for the future. If you live in or visit Vero Beach and enjoy nature, photography, kayaking, wildlife, or just finding peaceful spots that don't involve crowds and traffic, this place is absolutely worth a stop.

We came here while visiting the area and really enjoyed the learning center!…read more We only stayed for a few hours but there was definitely a lot more to see and do here. We got to see a lot of fish and native Florida wildlife! There were a lot of walking trails, kayak/canoe launches, and tons of information posted around about native Florida habitats! There was also a play area for kids as well. We spent a lot of the time in the aquarium room (and yes it's a room not a super huge space) since it was air conditioned and our daughter really enjoys seeing the fish. They have a touch tank that's open for a few hours throughout the day, but we noticed that if the tank isn't open, there was no staff in the space. The facilities seemed a bit older but overall well maintained. There were summer camps going on while we were there, and felt like they sort of overtook some of the spaces we were in from time to time. Not a super huge deal as we were able to go explore other parts but it did feel somewhat chaotic as a large group of 8 year olds ran into the area. You do have to pay admission, there is a pass available as well if you plan to visit more than once. Parking was not plentiful so be mindful when planing, to come early or during a more "off" time. Overall this was a neat place to go to if you enjoy learning about Florida wildlife and nature.

My husband and I recently booked the Manatees and Monkeys tour at Silver Springs State Park with…read moreEpic Paddle Adventures through Viator. Our guides were Stevie and Ben. The meet-up instructions weren't extremely clear, but I was able to use context clues, such as the clear kayaks and a small sign with the business name on the side of a plastic tote, to figure out which group we were with. The guides weren't dressed in any specific colors or anything. As far as I know, we were the first to check in, but somehow we were close to last when being set up in a kayak. We weren't told about or offered dry bags either. I saw others with them, asked, and had to run back and grab a couple while we were lined up to launch. Another group asked us to grab some for them as well. Stevie provided us with a brief paddling tutorial prior to our departure being that we were the only ones in our group to have never been kayaking previously. Ben made sure our seats were set up properly and secured for the ride and assisted me with fashioning my life vest into a cushion for my bottom. After the tour, everyone was complaining about their bums hurting, but I was just fine! As paddling novices, we stayed at the rear of the pack for most of the tour and missed out on all of the informative bits and bites provided by Stevie, but the springs were relaxing, beautiful and teeming with wildlife! It would've been nice if we could've been positioned at the front of the group, being one of the first to launch since we did arrive first and we were beginners. Just a thought for future tours. The manatees were majestic! Go for the manatee. I was worried that we wouldn't see any, but that was no issue. The water is crystal clear and the manatee are present. They're calm and they come right alongside and beneath the kayaks. It was amazing. Our guides got us back to dock safe and sound and that's all I really cared about. Pictures were taken throughout and a QR code to view them was provided. Later that day, they weren't there, despite tours that happened after ours being online. During the tour, we were told that we didn't need to take pics because they'd take plenty. In fact, most of us had our things in dry bags for safety. We really wanted those pictures. I called the office and spoke to a woman who said she'd speak to whomever uploads them and if they weren't there by the end of the day to call her back. They were eventually uploaded and I was stoked to see the underwater video of the manatee! I'm happy I took pictures of my husband and I because those candid shots of us struggling to paddle are only suitable for comic relief purposes. Speaking of which, some of the guides' jokes and anecdotes weren't funny and were borderline offensive. I tried to let them roll off my back, but it is partially the reason for the lower rating.

I saw the picture that showed one of their other locations so I was disappointed with this paddling…read moretrip. It wasn't very epic and would hardly count as an adventure. The person who helped us was friendly and the prices were reasonable. We had a good time. The scenery was OK.