RIP OFF BUSINESS! GREEDY and IGNORANT! The office staff was…read morenot very friendly to start out. The room we rented was old and needed alot of work,cleaning,painting, furniture, appliances. A good pressure washing would be nice. Above all that the price was very high and then they overcharged me for an extra night ! I called to advise them but they were not interested in listening only about the money for them! I would NOT reccomend this place to anyone! Alot of better businesses in Astor then Castaways.

I had an amazing adventure at The Castaways on the River. They are dog friendly and don't have an…read morecharge extra. They make things so much easier by renting boats and pontoons, and convenient accommodations. They went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable. We originally booked room 100 (see photo of map). However they had a bad storm and they had to move us to cottage #3. It's perfect for a small group of 2-4. You can still see the lake from the balcony while you rock in your chairs. The cottage has everything from a coffee maker to toiletries. Check out their website. It's resourceful and it explains the layout of the cottages very well. We got there late but just in time to meet Cindy at the front office who already had a lock box ready with our key and all instructions just in case we got there past 5pm. The next morning we woke up and walked up to front desk to pick up all the instructions from Cindy to our pontoon. They give precise directions in navigating the lake and getting to the springs. It's about 30-40 minutes to get to the springs. We took our time since it's such a beautiful trip. The only thing that was I inconvenient is that you have to stop and fill up the gas tank at a specific place before you return the pontoon. Astor is a small town. We stopped at Buc-ees in Daytona Beach and purchased everything for our trip. It's great for all those snacks and drinks you will need. After a day at the springs we drove to a restaurant called Castaway. It was packed but a great atmosphere with locals watching college football with their families. I plan on making this a yearly vacation!!!!

I decided to have a mini adventure in the town of Astor, FL. I have never been on a boat tour and…read moredecided to try this one out. I must say I was impressed. We were greeted by the captain, a very funny and knowledgeable man. Once we are seated he goes over the safety rules. The boat sails off and we go out an hour away. Throughout this ride the captain shares the history of the area, facts about wildlife and his funny jokes! As you can see by the pictures I uploaded it is definitely a sight to behold. We saw native birds, beautiful eagles, turtles and yes lots of alligators! After we arrived back we had dinner at Blackwater Inn again a magnificent ending to the day. I highly recommend this tour, makes for a great date or nice way to spend the day. Fee is worth it $25 per person.

I am always skeptical of cheesy touristy boat tours captained by some local fry cook. This was…read moreabsolutely one of the best tours of any kind I've been on. The price is 25.00 per person which isn't a bad price. The boat is clean and in good shape and even has a bathroom on board. The trip lasts 2 hours and is packed full of humor and facts about the st. Johns and Florida in general. I learned a whole bunch of things I never knew and I've lived in Florida for 35 years. We saw alligators, birds, manatees, and local flora and fauna. We saw several bald eagles and even went into an alligator nest with 20 / 30 babies scurrying around. The whole experience was wonderful. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone interested in two hours of humor and interesting facts about Florida.

Words cant do justice to the amazing experience it is to take out Talisa. From the first time my…read morewife and I took out the original one over five years ago to one of the most memorable valentines weekends last week. This feels Like one of the most fun FLORIDA thing you could do. First start with a slow ride on the river going swimming in one of the springs, going to a restaurant on the river and spending the night on the water with the most stars you've ever seen at night. Everywhere you take this boat it attracts smiles and questions and pictures it feels like your driving an exotic car. But with out a doubt what makes the experience really special is the owners and builders of the dream on the water Robert, Lisa ,and Michael they could not be friendlier and more accommodating it really feels like your making a new friend when you rent Talisa. We can't wait to take her out again and are definitely planning our next trip.

From the owner: ShantYacht Bareboat Charter : Where YOU are the captain! At ShantYacht, we place your safety first…read morebecause the most important part of any maritime vessel is YOU. From life vests, life ring, fire extinguisher, first aid kit to running and anchor lighting, we have gone to great lengths to insure a safe and pleasant adventure. No worries about being stranded on the river. We are covered by BoatUS who are bound by contract to provide gas and/or towing service, 24/7. We also have our own "rescue" boat, a 115 HP Yamaha Boston Whaler so you are never alone. We also believe in comfort which is why we installed six inch microfiber beds, cotton bedding and Serta pillows in an attempt to do our best to make sure you sleep in comfort with the solitude of the river. Explore, cook, sleep on the river for an adventure you don’t want to miss.

We checked in on the 24th of April 2026. The cabin looked like it was falling apart on the outside…read more The inside was clean and okay. But the office is also a bar and it says it closed at 9:00pm . We were up probably until 3:00am because the bar was still open and a lot of noise. And also the boat slips are really small. It broke the light off the top of the booat. The people were friendly but las night and early this morning everyone there was intoxicated. We were afraid to say anything. Didn't get much sleep at all. And we have a 4 hour drive home.

From the owner: Bait/Tackle - Cabin/Boat rentals - Beer/Wine Bar Directly on…read morethe St. John's River in Astor Florida Cabins are fully furnished and sleep 2-6 people. Each unit has a kitchen and bath, flat screen TV with cable and internet. 100 yards to public boat ramp. Quiet, friendly atmosphere.

This is a truly wonderful place with beautiful decor. It has come such a long way! I absolutely…read morelove coming here to enjoy the peace and nature. Plus, Andrew who works there is always respectful and so helpful with loading me in and out safely.

I reserve two single kayaks a week before I wanted to try this place. Emails and directions are…read morevery clear. When I arrived staff was helpful and guiding me along the way so that I could see otters. It was a very quick process to get in the water, but it did get crowded toward midday and on the way back in. I would highly recommend clothes that can get wet, bringing snacks and water and a hat or sunglasses. A dry bag if you have it but if you want one, they do sell them where you check in.

Paul is both knowledgeable and honest when trouble shooting engine and boats. His prices are…read morereasonable on servicing engines. Irene is friendly, knows boating and works the front office. This is my go to place.

The folks at Deland Boat Center operate at 110% ! Honest, knowledgeable and eager to help. Thank…read moreyou for getting us back on the river soaking up the Florida sun, just in time for the Holiday crowd to arrive :) Barbara B

We had a great time on the boat tour of Lake Dora and the Dora Canal. Captain John and 1st mate…read moreErin did a wonder job of narrating the tour and the things we saw. Would definitely recommend and look forward to doing this tour again in the future! Thank you!

What an amazing tour...so two, two hour tours are usually offered daily 10am and 2pm. The boats…read moreleave from Lakeside Inn, and there is plenty of parking in beautiful downtown Mount Dora. Premier Boats tours will give you a clean boat, even with a bathroom. You will learn about a few homes and take the majestic journey through the Dora Canal, seeing so much wildlife. You will see birds, turtles and if you are lucky an alligator. The boat is very comfortable and you will be talking about your tour for a long while. If you are lucky you will get Donna as your narrator! A must do and a great value!

Went today with my family from Texas on the Airboat ride. Josh our Boat Captain was great and very…read moreknowledgeable. Brittany help us with our reservation and was very professional. We were very happy we book our trip and glad we went in the early morning with the cooler temperature. Everyone had a fun time.

Absolutely incredible tour. So much fun and Josh is very informative and quite personable. I…read morehighly recommend the 90 minute tour. We saw a lot of gators as well as other wildlife. Fun airboat ride to boot.

No one answers the phone and the voice mail is full. It has been that way for months so don't waste…read moreyour time.

We had an amazing time doing the 2 hour Silver Springs river tour with Captain Debbie and Captain…read moreAdam. They were both very informative and made it a super relaxing and fun tour. They were also really prompt with getting back to us on scheduling and very accommodating to our schedule. We saw several different birds, alligators, manatees and monkeys on the tour. Thanks so much for making our last day in Florida a wonderful one!