What a great event for our family. The kayak tour was the highlight of our 2 week trip. The water…read moreis crystal clear and FULL of fish and fauna and a few gators! Definitely will be back again when visiting the central Florida area. The staff is super helpful and they take care of everything except the paddling when you book a tour with them. Truly an unforgettable experience for our entire family.

Pretty place but dont use a credit card here for the use fees. Someone stole the number and used it…read moreto buy sporting goods.

Discovery Kayak is my go-to shuttle service whenever I paddle the Silver Springs Long Run. Over the…read moreyears, I've tried several different shuttle companies, but once I found Discovery Kayak, there was no reason to look elsewhere. Their service is consistently reliable, professional, and friendly. The shuttle is always clean, comfortable, and makes the quick ride back to Silver Springs State Park enjoyable after an amazing day on the water. As a fellow small business owner, I especially appreciate supporting another family-owned business that genuinely cares about providing a great experience for their customers. I highly recommend Discovery Kayak to anyone planning the Silver Springs Long Run. They are an important part of what makes the adventure so seamless and enjoyable.

Great staff. Friendly and knowledgeable…read more They gave information about where to look for Manatees, gators, monkeys and of course, the Spring. The shuttle pickup was comfortable and on time. They helped load our kayaks back onto our vehicles. Super trip.

Atmosphere and Environment: Silver Springs is absolutely…read morebeautiful. The water is crystal clear and bright blue, making it easy to see straight to the bottom. The springs are peaceful, relaxing, and surrounded by nature. Visiting in November made the experience even more special because it is manatee season and we were able to see many of them swimming together from a safe distance. Customer Service: The staff and guide were excellent. They were friendly, knowledgeable, and very attentive. Our guide shared fun facts, pointed out wildlife, warned us when boat tours were approaching, and never rushed us. We were given plenty of time to enjoy the manatees and take everything in. Which made the tour feel calm and well organized. Cost: The tour cost about fifty dollars per person and was completely worth it. Booking online was easy, I recommend booking early, and I have used this company before with great experiences each time. Overall Experience: This was our second time doing this kayak tour and it was even better than the summer visit. The November manatee experience was unforgettable. If kayaking is not your thing, Silver Springs also offers a glass bottom boat tour. This is one of my favorite places to bring my husband. It is beautiful, relaxing, and something I highly recommend.

Sam was awesome. We went for the early tour with clear kayaks and it was amazing. We saw lots of…read moremanatees up close. One even nudged our kayak a bit. With the early session, mist was rising over the water and it was quiet and really peaceful. The water is so clear. Sam was polite and professional and has a lot of experience and knowledge. Highly recommend Sam and Get Up and Go Kayaking.

We had a awesome time!! Our tour guide Chris was GREAT,…read moreNot only did we see some much wildlife, Chis took videos and photos. I would 100% recommend them if you want to kayak tour at Silver springs.

Fun adventure! We had a large group but we still felt like attention was paid to each of us. Very…read moreinformative. Even though we had no monkey sightings (because it was a super chilly day),the excitement of the gators kept us warm!

This place is amazing. Got here at 8:45 am and at the gate was told 3-3.5 hours to wait. Still put…read moreour name on the list and was sat at 9:55 am. Impressed that it wasn't as long and also how speedy the service is. We absolutely love this place. The pancakes are incredible and we also got the All Mill breakfast with 2 eggs, your choice of meat and toast. Delicious . Michelle did such an incredible job taking care of us especially with our refills. It's a hot one today.

What a fun experience! The pancake portion was such an affordable price and you could get…read morebuttermilk, gluten free, pancake batter of the month, etc. And toppings available upon purchase. So fun though that you get to cook your own pancakes. We showed up at 9:15 and there was already a 2+ hour wait so i'm glad we had reservations! Michelle our waitress was a doll and took such good care of us. We had a group of 17 and she tended to our every need so well!

Decided to spend a couple hours Kayaking in Silver Springs this past Sunday. Scheduling…read morerecreational activities are difficult, to say the least; especially when seeking the perfect weather for this type of outing, but everything came together for us. We booked a 2-hour tour, which start on time, at 9 a.m. at 62 degrees and ended, exactly 2 hours later, at 71 degrees. The forecast predicted zero chance of rain with a mild 2-3 mph wind, which kept the mosquitos from biting us, or the current from being an issue, but allowed us to stay cool enough so as not to sweat. We were provided a clear kayak and were very fortunate to get Jessica, a true nature enthusiast and excellent private guide. They did have another tour group with Dylan who had at least a half dozen boats, but we were very lucky to be on our own. Personally, we enjoy doing things this way, as people have a habit of mucking it all up! I did most of the paddling while my wife took pictures and Jessica shared some of hers, as well, including ones of us. We got to see lots of turtles, birds, ducks, gators, cat fish and even monkeys. Unfortunately, Manatee season is between mid-November and the end of March, so no sightings, or otters this time, but worth every penny. Speaking of which, Frank did provide a 10% military discount and was very helpful during the booking process when I ended up on the wrong site. The only two issues, not attributed to anything Jessica did, was the tour boat company honking at tour groups, as if in a hurry (Don't Book with Them!) and other kayakers not paying attention and getting too close to baby ducks. Just as I said before, people; am I right? I highly recommend you use this company and ask for Jessica!

It was very easy to make a kayak reservation on line. My mistake was in getting in the wrong line…read morefor picking up kayaks. This rental is in the grass, end of parking lot not close to the launch area on the river. If in doubt call them & they will direct you to pickup spot. They carry the kayaks for you to the launch area. I would highly recommend them. It was a wonderful experience!

My wife and I had a WONDERFUL experience paddling this spring! Our guide Rachelle was super…read moreinformative, went at our pace, and was so sweet. We saw a bunch of fish, turtles, birds, a manatee, and a gator. Will have to return so we can see the monkeys. I definitely recommend Otter Paddle, you wont be disappointed

We had the absolute best time with Otter Paddle!! They went out of their way to make sure the…read moreexperience was as enjoyable as possible. Rachelle was so fun and taught us so much too! She had great recommendations for other spots to explore. I can't wait to book another adventure with them!!

From Tampa, it took an hour and 30 minutes to get to the river. We first wanted to take a swim in…read morethe swimming area so we went there first before it got really crazy. The area is a bit small and there isn't really a lot of sun spots for you to chill at. It is cool to experience once but I think if you tube, you still will be able to get a swim in because parts of the river are pretty deep. After the swim area, we headed to the tubing section. It is a 15 minute drive from the main park entrance. The fee was 54 for two people that had an annual pass. Highly recommend bringing a small cooler with snacks and drinks and an extra tube for it. It took us about 2 hours to float back to our car and the river is very calm and relaxing. I've floated a river in San Antonio but wasn't as nice as Rainbow springs. Very clean and the water is sooo clear. Overall, really enjoyed our day visit to this state park!

Rainbow Spring was an interesting spring experience. I typically kayak at springs but decided to…read moretry out tubing. My friend and I thought it would be a relaxing tubing experience similar to a lazy river. That it was not. We both capsized and had multiple people help us throughout the journey (whether getting back into the tube or getting unstuck from vegetation). The sense of community on the river was beautiful to see. We have to come to learn that capsizing is apparently very common. It would be helpful to either have something on the website or an inforgraphic when waiting for the tram on best ways to get back in the tube or how to get unstuck when you float out of the main stream of the river. It took us a little over 2.5 hours to get down the river, which was advertised as a 90 minute to 2 hour float. When we arrived, a tram was at the entrance but already full. It tooks us about 30 minutes to get on an empty tram upon arrival. It would be nice if there was either set times for the tram or the opportunity to have an announcement of how long until the next expected team. The staff was very friendly and the park itself is very clean. With so many springs to explore in Florida, this wouldn't be the top of my list to recommend but glad I got a chance to see it!

Rented jet ski last year and after a breakdown on the water and a local boater was able to tow me…read moreback in, was promised a free rental to which I came back to redeem and was told that was never agreed upon. Look on Facebook marketplace for jet ski rentals in this area they are more trustworthy.

I wrote a review two weeks ago for Get Wet Watersports. It was for a top notch experience. My wife…read moreand I got married that day and followed the ceremony with a boat ride around Lake Dora, and the canal to Lake Harris. The owner, Mark, is really nice, really professional and super accommodating! Well, my wife's mother is coming for a visit tomorrow, and I called Mark on short notice to see what he had available. Fortunately, tomorrow is a weekday in the Fall, so he could accommodate a boat for all day just a day in advance! My other review has been relegated to the "not recommended" section of YELP reviews. This happens to me with my own business, so I always view the "not recs" when I check out a YELP page. I think the "algorithm" they use is wonky. So I recommend you check the "Not recs" too. Get Wet has a nice selection of well-maintained boats. Are they like brand new? Come on! Rented pontoon boats? But the value is awesome, because the boats work, they give you a safety briefing, and they are SUPER-NICE! I would rather have my own boat, but since I don't, Mark at Get Wet is my go-to guy. I don't usually gush in my reviews, but I am REALLY happy with these people, and I haven't even gotten to my second booking yet! I wish I were as happy with YELP!

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!