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.

My kids have attended Odyssey Adventure Camp several times in the past and loved them. Yesterday,…read morewe also rented paddle boards/kayaks for the afternoon. They were in great condition. Mr. Waterman delivers them and picks them up. My kids had a great time at Sanchez park, nice calm waters. It was a beautiful day. High recommend Odyssey Adventure Club if you are interested in renting kayaks and/or paddle boards.

From the owner: Choose your adventure! We love to help people build a passion for the outdoors.....whether through…read moreour summer camps for kids, group paddle outings, rentals, tours, or through our bike clubs, with training, group rides, trips, and exploring

Captain Scott Cornelous was fabulous! You couldn't find a more knowledgable guide around the…read moreTomoka.....because he's spent so much of his life among the reeds, watching Mother Nature making her changes. He has made sense of how a waterway evolves and what we as bystanders can do to give it a break. He had amazing stories and we enjoyed every bit of our tour. Well done!!!

Super cute outpost! Highly recommend the peanut brittle My husband and I went kayaking on the…read moreTomoka river it was amazing! Sadly we didn't see too much wild life but that's all the reason to come back. The staff were also very nice and helpful with explaining the tides to us!

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.

This no frills outfitter is exactly what you'd expect from a business that doesn't really cater to…read moretourists. Spoke to Dave on the phone for my "reservation." Guy who checked me in seemed to not be aware of my communication with the manager/owner. He gave me no directions, no safety speeches, I just signed a simple waiver and was off. Boats are launched from a standard boat dock near the drawbridge. The scenery is nice and the morning is a good time to go as there is little to no shade. Bring water and lather on the sunscreen. Also a dry box for your phone and keys is recommended. I had a good time out in the water. Saw a dolphin and 3 manatee. I was glad to have had experience as a paddler. The boat was good, the paddle was fair, and the staff was Salty. My $25 for two hours was well spent.

I was there to paddle around- rented a kayak while water levels were low and others were fishing…read more Process was simple, online waiver to complete, shop smells of bait because it's a bait shop! Received some directions on where i could go see wildlife and had a couple of hours of really nice solitude followed. Thanks

From the owner: We carry both Live and Frozen Bait. All your tackle for inshore fishing and for surf fishing…read moreavailable. We have a variety of lures both soft plastics and hard baits. All the accessories you will need to get hooked up from hooks, cast nets, pliers, batteries , weights, pre rigged tackle, knives etc. We also have cold drinks , chips , ice cream , and candy to keep you going while you are fishing! We have multiple single and tandem kayaks for your adventure on the water. Most renters will do multiple hours ( 3 hours is the most popular) , after your first hour fee each additional hour is only $10. It’s not uncommon to see a variety of wildlife while on your trip including dolphins, manatees, gators, a variety of local and migratory birds, wild boar, and whitetail deer among many other wildlife animals. We are surrounded by a maze of mangroves throughout a variety of state parks and wetlands, its truly a sacred part of old Florida that everyone should come experience ! Whether your fishing or just kayaking around for recreation, this is the place to come and go out, you will certainly enjoy it!

Was looking to get a foam-top surfboard and spent a lot of time trawling various internet…read moremarketplaces before I stumbled on an add for boards from this little shop in South Daytona. They sell a brand I'd never heard of before (Vanhunks) in a few different sizes (8',7',6') so they have you covered from funboard beginner to something shorter for a little more performance. The boards are super light and have more shape to them than Wavestorms, which makes them a bit more fun to ride but still gives that floaty/easy foamie feel. They come with FCS finboxes so you can use your own fins or stick with the beginner "safety" fins that come with board. The prices was ridiculously good, too, for what you get. They also rent kayaks and paddleboards and stuff, too. Definitely worth stopping by if you're into water sports.