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 ;)

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.

Uncle Ned and Tom are the greatest! They love what they do and it shows. We are avid paddleboarders…read moreand go on adventures of our own, but my kids love tour groups and the one they ask about most is Paddleboard Orlando. They offer a variety of experiences in central Florida to cater to every level. If you want to gain more experience and learn, they offer lessons. And they have a beginner friendly tour, too. Maybe you want to plan a custom paddle adventure, well -- they do that also! Already have a SUP? They have a BYOB option for their tours. On top of providing all these amazing chances to be on the water, Ned and Tom also provide the greatest care to everyone. They're both so genuine and kind, as well as in tune with the needs of each group member. Love the vibe they have and the easy going, welcoming environment they create. Can't wait for our next adventure together!

Ned is the absolute best!! Really treats you like family and makes your paddle so special. Loved…read moreours so much we booked another and had the best time :) very knowledgeable of the area and flora fauna. Knows a lot of locals as well so a great resource so things to do and see! Ned is now in my contacts so I can ask him all of my Florida sight seeing questions. Really looking forward to my next trip and next Ned paddleboard Orlando adventure!

We had a great time with the Paddling Center. Staff was helpful and courteous. We were especially…read morehappy with our tour guide who was very knowledgeable. He pointed out many items of interest. The experience could be done by beginners and experienced paddlers alike.

Amazing 2 hour trip. Out guide Ryan was friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and attentive to the…read moregroup. He explained the various plants, trees, and wild life. We saw many birds, snakes and even an gator 'Jorge' soaking up some sun. The path was easy with lots of shade and NO mosquitos. Ryan and the crew there were great. Definitely would come back and highly recommend the tour.

I recently moved to Florida and of course I wanted to explore everything this state has to offer…read more Somehow I found Otterpaddle on Instagram and knew it was a tour I had to try at King's Landing. My teenage son and I had such a great first time paddle boarding! Trust me he doesn't find many things enjoyable anymore so I highly recommend if you are looking for something to do with your teens or with the whole family. We have to give a huge thank you to our wonderful tour guide Sabrina. She went above & beyond our expectations! (Took some great pictures as well!) She was very helpful, made our experience easy, smooth and most importantly enjoyable. We only wished we would've done a longer tour to get to head out even further in the water, but we will definitely be doing that next time when we come back since we don't own any paddle boards this tour is definitely something worth doing, especially if it's your first time like it was for us. The area has portable pottys as well as two regular restrooms to change before and after your tour. They also have a shop where they sell souvenirs and a few other items. Ps. You don't have to rent a locker, you will get a chance to put all your stuff away before your tour starts. If you are visiting they have camp sites that are ideal if you're looking to make a whole weekend out of it. I highly recommend it, I definitely can't wait to come back even though I'm two hours away it was definitely worth it!

Is it possible to give more than 5 stars!?!? Otter is great…read more I've done two of their stand up paddle board yoga. The locations are perfect. I love that we explore the area a little before yoga. Guides are amazing. And the photos come out amazing. Seriously 10 stars just on the photos hahah

My experience with Otter Paddle Winter Park was incredible!! My 12yr old daughter and I paddled…read morethrough Lake Osceola and Maitland Lake. Mandy was such a beautiful soul. She was so calm, encouraging, and knowledgeable of the wildlife & nature. If you enjoy the outdoors and it's natural beauty I highly recommend this this tour. It was my 1st time on a paddle board, but Mandy's calming energy put me at complete ease. If time permits I would love to see some of the other tours offered by Otter Paddle.

This tour was so much fun! It was our first time paddle boarding. Mandy gave great instruction and…read moremade us feel super comfortable from start to finish.

Such a wicked spot. Enjoy the spring and rent paddle boards…read moreor just relax in a cabana or on the adirondack chairs along the water side. They have a full bar and a food truck, we got fish nuggets which was yummy with a cold beer.. After a nice bike ride along the trail we rode in for a quick stop but we will be back!

Yeah this place is pretty fun. Lots of stuff to do. The have kayak and canoe rentals with very fair…read moreprices. They have like 13+ miles of trails you can enjoy with lots of geocaching. Their swim hole is really nice as well. Haven't had a bad time here! Enjoy nature!

We had an AMAZING time with sobe surf, my kids and I did a group private lesson at cocoa beach…read more They were flexible to work with after we had to change our plans because our flight got cancelled. (oh colorado and its snow :( ) We got a new date and time and location planned. and it worked out really well. None of us had ever surfed before and honestly we have not spent that much time at the ocean. We have super tiny and petite yet tall, tall and muscly and then normal in our group They were able to accomodate us all as far as wet suits went as well. Our teacher was fantastic! And this ended up being all of our absolute favorite thing that we did while in Florida. We tried to get back in for another lesson but in Miami on the last couple of days of our trip and unfortunately for us they were all booked up. Highly recommend!!!! And dont forget to bring a little cash to tip your teacher/instructor at the end of your lesson. It is a service job :)

Don't let outside appearances fool you! This little shop located in an industrial area of Merritt…read moreIsland is fantastic! I had previously been to SoBe Surf Shop with a friend after we took a SUP lesson by the shop's owner, Girard, after she purchased her board from him. When she purchased her board, it included a free lesson and she was able to bring a friend. I was so glad she let me go along because even though we had both been paddling for several months, we both knew our technique could use some work and Girard's instruction definitely helped! Our lesson took place a couple of miles from his shop at the Brevard Vererans Memorial in a little Cove just behind the memorial. The lesson itself was great - there were only three of us so after giving us a brief lesson, Girard took the time to watch our paddle technique and make suggestions for adjustments so we were able to practice and immediately get constructive feedback. Girard was very patient and clear in his instruction and by the end of our session I was able to fix the issues with my paddle technique. The shop itself isn't anything fancy, but it serves its purpose. He has a number of different stand up paddleboards in stock, and carries high quality brands ar various price points so you should be able to find one that is perfect for you. My friend and I had both done quite a bit of research on the type of board we wanted and what features were important to us. Girard is incredibly knowledgeable and great at explaining the differences in the boards and how they affect it's use. He carries boards that are perfect for touring, racing and yoga. He is not a pushy salesman at all, which I loved. He also carries different accessories like leashes, paddles, waterproof cases, car racks, apparel, and even ukeleles!! After my friend purchased her SUP, I was pretty sure I wanted the exact same one and Girard was great answering any of my questions either by phone call or text messages. He was always quick to respond. Once I was ready to purchase my board, he let me put a deposit down (using my credit card) on the SUP I wanted. I had also talked to him about my need for a soft rack pack for my car and he ordered one to keep in the shop, but said there was no pressure to purchase it. My board package came with a leash, carbon fiber paddle, and cover bag. I also ended up purchasing the soft rack pack for my car. Girard was so helpful, teaching me how to install the racks and load my board safely and securely. I got home via highway roads with no concerns or issues about the safety of my board on my car while driving 70mph! Check out the shop's website for more information about his tours and lessons as well as information on SUP techniques. The website is very useful. https://sobesurf.com Based on my personal experience with Girard on the lesson and purchasing a new SUP from him, I definitely recommend contacting him if you're in the market for a SUP, want to take a guided tour, or a lesson. I live in Winter Garden, FL and making the road trip to purchase a board and lesson from him is well worth the drIve!!!

Everything was amazing! I have only positive things to say about this place…read more * A small business that offers a wedding venue and water sports out on Lake Bryan. It was a great day. A bit windy- but that was lovely because of the heat. * They allowed me to bring my dog with me!!! She absolutely loves using the paddleboard or kayak with me and she hopped right on the single kayak with me and we paddled away. * The man outside helping us was so kind. The people at the little hut where you pay were nice, too. * It's about $30 I believe (for a single seater) and so worth it. * If you're traveling and need a fun day away from the parks, this is a great way to spend it! And it's nicely tucked away so it's quiet and feels so far from the hustle and bustle of the town!

I highly recommend Buena Vista Watersports. From the beginning to end my experience exceeded my…read moreexpectations. These days it's important to feel safe in any environment. Buena Vista water sports have Implemented safety measures to protect customers as well as employees. Upon checking in, you will notice there is a safety shield in place. Signs encouraging social distancing and maintaining six feet apart. All employees were wearing masks. This place is beautiful from watersports to weddings this place has so much to offer. My only concern was are there any unwanted guest in the water (gators). I was assured by a staff member that the lake is swept often. I'm looking forward to my next visit. Pros: Email confirming your booking Friendly, helpful & informative staff Clean environment Plenty of parking Beautiful views Cons: None