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    Rainbow River Canoe And Kayak

    4.7 (56 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    Tony W.

    This is by far the best place on Rainbow River to get outfitted for a canoe or kayak. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Competitively priced and easy to use. I used them about 10 times over the summer before I bought my own kayak. Highly recommend!

    Cypress trees
    Michele B.

    Kayaking down the Rainbow river was perfection. It's about a two hour drive from Tampa, to Denellon, but so completely worth it!!! These folks at Rainbow River and Kayak couldn't make it any easier. We made a reservation just a few days ahead of time. Arrive and park, sign the waiver, put your sunscreen on, load up any non disposable water or food containers, and you're off! They drive you to the launch area at KP Hole Park (there is an additional 7 dollar per person fee) and put your canoes in the water for you. Then you can take the shorter ride and follow the gentle current, and about two hours later, arrive back at the pick up spot. There are longer ways to go along the river, which they explain with a big wall map, or you can do what we did and go for around 2-2.5 hours. We saw otters, fish, turtles, ducks, birds of all kinds, and a gator! The water was clear and shallow. A lovely way to be out in nature in Florida during the summer.

    Lots of birds and turtles along the route
    Beth C.

    Our kayak trip down the Rainbow River was the highlight of our trip to Florida. It's about a 2-hour trip from this lunch point to the take-out point just under the bridge after Swampy's restaurant (We wound up having our hip camp host pick us up at Swampy's instead), but we stretched the adventure out by kayaking upstream a bit right after the launch point to visit a small narrow stream our camp host recommended and making plenty of stops along the way to enjoy viewing the wildlife and wildflowers along the way. The crystal clarity of the water here is incredible, and the white sandy bottom makes the view even more amazing. Watching the fish and turtles swim beneath your boat is incredible. Can't wait to go back.

    Rainbow River
    Fiona T.

    This experience was amazing from start to end. First, the staff was 10/10; every single person we encountered was awesome. We arrived, got checked in (made kayak reservations online because it was Memorial Day weekend and busy!!) We took a shuttle from the site to KP hole where you pay, receive wrist bands and were let into the river with our kayak. The water was still and crystal clear, the breeze was incredible, overall just an experience I cannot wait to do again. The ride down was about 2 hours, and at the end, you can have lunch or call the number on your wristband to have the shuttle transfer you back to the site. Just a few things to be aware of before going! 1. All food/beverages must be in non disposable containers. 2. No alcohol; they'll either turn you away or make you dump it.

    Highly recommend. One of the most relaxing days ever on the river. After a brief information and safety meeting we were all comfortable that we were ready for a day on the river. The water was beautiful, the weather was perfect and the memories were priceless. When we returned we were met with an amazing staff member who helped us out of the kayaks and to collect all of our belongings. The owner was on site to answer any questions and to ensure we had a great day. The showers and restrooms were neat and clean. Could not have asked for anything more. Will definitely be back.

    We saw 2 gators just chilling, an otter, lots of birds and fish.
    Connie O.

    This has to be the BEST place to rent your kayaks. Reserve your spot by phone. Show up and pay. They bus you and your kayaks to KP hole (5 dollar per person admitting fee), walk to the boat ramp and they assist you in the water. You can paddle up then down or just down. We just went down stream,stopped and went slow and took us about 3 hours. Once you get to the end, you paddle over and they assist you out of water/kayak. Walk to your can and your done. Great experience and would recommend to anyone!

    Kiran T.

    Excellent staff and beautiful scenery. Fully enjoyed ourselves with our group of friends, wonderful experience and will differently go back again for some more Tubing. The office, waiting areas and restrooms were clean and maintained well. We saw some turtles, birds & fishes. The wildlife is amazing and enjoyed thoroughly. They have explained us about the river on a large map to us and what we should expect along the way. Everything was exactly as they described. They told us about the extra $5 fee that would be needed per person at the Tubing launching location. They again announced it several times before we left their shop location. Great experience. We had a beautiful day on the Rainbow River.

    Creek off river
    Heather J.

    Great staff, good kayaks, pet friendly! Owner was very informative would definitely go back!

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    2 years ago

    So much funnnnnnn. Gators scared the crap out of me though. Last time I had otters swimming next to me

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    2 years ago

    Beautiful river, to tube down!!! Great for family or friends. Also pretty affordable.

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    8 years ago

    Great location Nice staff. Good price. Driver was very knowledgeable about the river and local eateries.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Rainbow River Canoe And Kayak

    Review Highlights - Rainbow River Canoe And Kayak

    . After leaving KP Hole, you are free to kayak down the river, or upriver toward the headsprings at Rainbow River State Park

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Rainbow Springs State Park

    Rainbow Springs State Park

    4.2
    (207 reviews)

    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!

    Do not go tubing. The experience was dangerous and life threatening. You go in sign a wavier that…read morebasically "signs your life away" and that the park is not responsible for your safety if anything happens like all waivers do these days. I went with my group and it was a horrifying experience. The tubes are only adult sized and if you bring little kids your kids will not fit. I got stuck multiple times along the shallow vegetation, luckily had a swimmer help me on my side. The workers said it would only be 2 hrs. I ended up getting heat exhaustion due to being out stuck tubing in the river out in the sun for 4-5 hours. Fell asleep basically out in the sun and I got sunburned to a crisp, I did apply sunscreen and still burned. The heat and exhaustion to being exposed for far too long got me to pass out. All of the people in my group had burns as well, even if you applied a tremendous amount of sunscreen. Someone could get seriously hurt or even killed by participating in this activity. I ran into some wildlife along the way such as alligators. Yes it is normal in Florida but the lack of safety is my main concern. No lifeguards or people stationed anywhere along the river to actually Help you if you are going to be drowning. Heck, the whistle attached to my own life jacket that was offered at the beginning was actually broken when I actively tried to use it. These people probably don't get paid enough to be concerned about our actual safety. If you do end up wanting to go down the river try going kayaking along the trail instead. It is much faster and you won't get stuck since you can the paddle to go forward. Even then its better to be safe than sorry, do not go on this experience.

    Manatee Paddle

    Manatee Paddle

    5.0
    (51 reviews)

    Highly recommend Manatee Paddle if you are looking for an affordable rental to Three Sisters…read moreSpring! The staff was so helpful - from providing a map and walking through the best path to get to the spring to helping us launch, it was a great experience. You check in downtown and then the walk to the launch area is less than five minutes. Everything you need is at the launch area. This was probably one of the nicest kayaks I've ever rented. The springs was lovely and surprisingly not too packed for 4th of July Weekend.

    Manatee Paddle truly went above and beyond to make our experience positive, exciting, and…read moreeducational. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with genuine smiles, warmth, and encouragement. I was personally a bit nervous since I hadn't paddle boarded much before, but every step of the way we felt supported and truly cared for. Hearing about the family's passion for protecting the ecosystem and the manatees, along with all the helpful tips they shared to optimize our experience, was absolutely incredible. When we got to the dock, we were guided so kindly - Mike even held our shoes in his truck for us! When he noticed me struggling a bit, he took the time to give me multiple tips on how to better move in the water and maneuver the board, which made such a difference. We saw so many manatees, including mama and baby pairs, which was unforgettable. When we returned to the dock and shared how excited we were, Mike went above and beyond once again by recommending another nearby location we could walk to where we ended up seeing even more manatees up close and personal. I would 10/10 recommend Manatee Paddle to anyone looking for an incredible manatee experience. I am so grateful to Mike and his family for making our day so special. THANK YOU!!

    Rainbow Springs State Park Tube Rentals

    Rainbow Springs State Park Tube Rentals

    3.8
    (21 reviews)

    I almost lost my life at Rainbow River, and I feel like I need to share this for anyone considering…read moretubing there. I came expecting a peaceful, relaxing experience because that's what you see in the pictures and reviews. Instead, I ended up in one of the scariest moments of my life. I fell out of my tube and got stuck in deep mud. My water shoe was literally sucked into the mud, and I couldn't push myself up from the bottom. I couldn't get back on my tube because my legs were stuck, and I had already gone underwater and was coughing. What made it even worse was that my daughter, who cannot swim, had drifted away and I couldn't see her. I truly thought I might drown and that something could happen to my daughter. I was panicking, crying, and shaking. By the grace of God, I saw the only boat nearby and flagged them down. They went back and picked me up and my daughter too. I will never forget the people who helped us. I truly believe they prevented a tragedy that day. Another important thing to mention is that this happened toward the evening on a weekday, and there were almost no people left on the river. We were some of the last people out there. I got incredibly lucky that there happened to be a boat nearby because otherwise, I don't know what would have happened to me or my daughter. What upsets me the most is that there was no real safety briefing or warning about the risks. We were given tubes and sent off. No one explained the currents, deep areas, muddy bottoms, or what to do in an emergency. No one recommended life jackets to us, even though not everyone in our group could swim. Please understand that there are no lifeguards. Depending on the time of day, you may find yourself with very few people around to help in an emergency. If I hadn't been able to flag down that boat, this story could have ended very differently. I later learned that other people have had similar frightening experiences here, and I understand why. Please, if you decide to go: * Wear a life jacket, especially if you are not a strong swimmer. * Do not assume the water is shallow because it's a spring. * Do not bring children or adults who cannot swim without extra precautions. * Understand that there are no lifeguards and you are responsible for your own safety. This experience was so traumatic for me that I still have flashbacks and cannot imagine ever returning. A beautiful place can still be dangerous, and I wish I had known that before I went. Please stay safe.

    Kennedy was our tour guide and we had a wonderful time! She was very knowledgeable about the area,…read moreshared lots of information about the land and environment, the history of springs, and how we can continue to take care of Florida. She taylored the guide to us and made sure we were comfortable with everything, water depth, etc. highly recommend and would definitely come back and request her as our guide.

    Rainbow River Canoe And Kayak - boatcharters - Updated August 2026

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