Boss place. Seven stars. Rented a house on the beach…read more Called these guys on a whim to see if I could get my wife a SUP since the ocean was so eerily calm- not only did they hook me up, but they delivered the boards and picked them up for what I thought was a totally reasonable daily rate. Guy that dropped them was chill and didn't ask for money or a deposit or anything. No paperwork changed hands, he just trusted us to use PayPal on the website. Totally, totally cool. Support this company. Vote with your dollars. There should be more businesses like this in the world.

Loved these guys! SUPing is lots of fun and they offer SUPing in the ocean or in the river…read more My friend and I were able to give them a call early Sunday afternoon and get in for a lesson later in the afternoon. We met John at the beach- he provided the boards, a quick lesson, and then got us out in the water! We even got caught in a huge rainstorm, so the lesson ended short but John and his wife gave us a ride to our car- so awesome and nice! Loved it and highly recommend this company :)

Every local should invest in a tour!…read more Hunter helped me find a key for my New fin, Abby taught me how to screw it on and Kristen led our tour and provided enough knowledge of the local waterways to give me the confidence to do it on my own. She also was very patient with the youngsters and new paddlers. They never answer the phone or return emails though! Best to reach the shop via social media. Overall an easy experience with tons of support. Should you need it :)

Fantastic experience! Wanted to try SUP for a while and found this place via a Living Social…read morepromotion. Made a reservation for 4th of July weekend a few weeks in advance. The excursion is for about two hours of paddle boarding, but we were advised to be there 15-30 minutes before to prep. We needed time to apply sunblock and put all of our non-waterproof items in the car. We were told that if you don't want it wet, then don't bring it on the board with you. I checked in at the front desk with Eric and signed a standard waiver, then waited for our guide to round us up. Our group of three, along with another couple, were escorted to a dock area by SUP guide Laurel. Laurel was pretty cool-very chill, patient lady, great personality, and a kind teacher. We were fitted for a single adjustable paddle size, then on to the boards to paddle ourselves into nature. It was so helpful to have Lauren guide us on how to get on/off the board and how to start off balancing the right way. We also received instructions on how to row, turn, and backup using the paddle. We journeyed up the New Smyrna North Causeway towards the drawbridge. We spotted many Dolphins along the way and breezed past waterfront homes, small islands, and some boats and other paddle boarders. Sometimes we got fatigued and took short breaks by sitting or kneeling on the board while we continued to paddle forward. We had a paddling break by the North Causeway bridge on a sandbar. Laurel took some photos and provided us with water from her cooler. After that we went forward on the loop course towards the dock where we started off. Some important things-you may need water shoes, depending on your tolerance of having your feet in an intracoastal waterway. Don't bring anything that cannot be submerged in water. Put on sunblock and bring sunglasses. Consider wearing a hat and just a swimsuit. It feels very liberating in swimwear, just hanging out in nature somewhat scantily clad. Bring cash to tip your guide well. Also you can buy the photos of your experience on a thumb drive for $30 at the end. I really can't wait to try this again, maybe next time unguided. It felt so free and fun to glide on the water, this could be my new favorite hobby! Great day out.

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.

This is one of the most beautiful places in Florida! Highly recommend visiting at least once. Being…read morelocal, I've visited a number of times. A few things knock the stars down: - The amount of rules/ regulations is a downside. There are more than any other river we've visited in Florida. It's nerve wracking to make sure you're following every new rule. - Launching and landing at the dock is stressful. It feels rushed and disorganized. - The bathroom situation is DIRE. They have a few porta potties but they're pretty gross. - I've found some of the staff intimidating/ borderline rude. There are a lot of newbies to kayaking/ paddleboarding so patience is a virtue at busy times! It's a hard paddle up stream and coming back it can be easy to lose control around the corners. There are a few spots to be cautious of other paddlers. With that said, it's really stunning. They keep the area very clean and there are a lot of spots to pull off to the side to enjoy the view. I've never done a guided tour, but I've heard they're really well done!

Finally went on my first paddle board tour. The crew at Paddles Up Tours was great and really took…read morethe time to make me feel comfortable. They took our group out for 2-1/2 hours and we stopped for water and snacks, swimming and a Manatee sighting! My group had such a good time on their daytime tour that we are booking a nighttime Twilight lighted paddle board tour...... Can't wait! Just thought I would share a company that is passionate about what they do. You don't find that much anymore. Thanks Paddles Up!

From the owner: Specializing in Paddleboard Tours and Paddleboard Rentals.read more

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.

This tour was awesome! Im so grateful for Roger allowing us to hop on a later tour for kayaking…read moresince we were late to our original booking. He was so friendly and didnt even stress about us being late. I booked 2 kayaks but ended up sharing one with my partner so it was a better experience for me in the water. It was such a leisurely experience and even though it was cooler and we only saw one manatee it was still pretty neat. We did see otters teaching their babies how to swim, alligators & tons of birds.

WOW!!! The coolest thing I have done here in FL since moving here in 1999…read more Myself and 5 others embarked on a Saturday morning stand up paddle boarding adventure! Being that this was my first time paddle boarding, or really any water sport outside of tubing, I was really nervous. However, this could not have been more of a perfect setting for my first adventure. Tim, and our guide, Todd were amazing! You could feel their energy just approaching the dock. We met up at JB's Fish Camp & Seafood Restaurant as all of the tours leave from this dock. Just walk to the end of the dock on the left and you will be greeted by East Coast Paddle! The weather was working against us this day with a bit of wind, however, Tim and Todd were prepared and took us on the best route possible. We boarded the boat and took off into the glorious Saturday and immediately we were greeted by the local dolphins - it was AMAZING! We were told we would see them throughout the day and we sure did, manatees too! After a quick ride, we stopped and began instructions on the basics and before I knew it, I was hopping up on a paddle board. At first I was terrified but the tips they give you (keep your eyes on the horizon, wiggle your toes etc) were perfect for a first timer. We also had someone with us who has done this various times and she was impressed with East Coast Paddle! They event make their own boards which was awesome as well, they were sturdy and had amazing grip. We were paddling for about an hour and it was the most relaxing and exciting thing I have done in as long as I can remember. Dolphins were literally swimming next to us and then when we hit the cove, manatees were all over the place playing. It was amazing. Todd was so informative of various species of birds, nature and history of where we were. He was sharing some awesome info that just added to the experience. It's definitely a work out too, your core is used the entire time, but so fun! When my out of town friends and family visit me, I know our first item on the to-do list! Huge props to East Coast Paddle!

The guys that run this place are awesome! Earlier in the summer I was invited to participate in a…read moreYelp event with East Coast Paddle, and while I was a tad nervous at first, the outcome was a most enjoyable experience with some awesome folks (talking Yelpers AND the East Coast Paddle crew). I'm a somewhat athletic person (nowhere near where I'd like to be, though), so I wasn't daunted by the experience, and was excited about doing something new. Our guides rocked, and were both catering and educating all at the same time. I actually enjoyed East Coast Paddle so much I went again with a couple of friends over the Labor Day weekend. Due to wind direction the "route" this time was extremely different than the one I'd experienced earlier in the year, and that speaks to the fact that someone can go numerous times and have a different experience all times. I definitely will go back to East Coast Paddle at some point in the future. It's a unique experience for tourists and residents alike.

We had an amazing time on the ecotour with RiverWitch Kayaking. My family and I did the two-hour…read moremorning tour, and Ursula was fantastic. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the local ecosystem and all the plants, birds, fish, mammals, and everything that lives within it. She truly is a master naturalist, and her enthusiasm made the experience even more engaging. The boat launch was easy to find, and the kayaks were in excellent condition--clearly well maintained. They've really thought of everything to make the experience smooth and enjoyable. It was also an easy drive from the Mt. Dora area, and we're already looking forward to going back again!

RiverWitch Kayak Rentals is the best outfitter I've worked with in a long time. We are new to the…read moreSpace Coast, having traveled south for a quick vacation, so we just took a chance on RiverWitch. They got us on the water in a beautiful spot, with instructions on seeing incredible wildlife within minutes. We paddled for hours, eventually floating into a dolphin pod that played around our boat. We saw millions of birds in the mangroves, and enjoyed the serenity of the river adjacent to their shop. Apparently they will deliver, too, so there are many options. I can't say enough great things about the quality of the boats, the natural setting, and the people who work there. Anna from Connecticut