It was a great experience , the tour guide Tom was very knowledgeable and loved the animals dearly!read more

I wanted to go kayaking with my wife for the first time in a long time. I called Paddling Paradise,…read morethe associate was able to reserve a kayak for us within an hour's notice. Upon arrival, the associate provided a map of the Turkey Creek sanctuary, and provided my wife and I with an instruction on how to safely and effectively enjoy our kayaking experience.

Visited Ballard Boards for the first time this weekend! My friend and I rented a tandem kayak and…read moreit was a great experience! We even brought my Jack Russell mixed pup for our adventure. We saw dolphins and a bunch of different fish. We even had a school of fish jump over our kayak while near the harbor! Great deal + fuss-free experience. Will definitely recommend to my local friends and coworkers!

I loved this paddle boarding experience. Steven was very kind and attentive. The area/canal was…read morebeautiful.

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.

excellent service - also their bait is guaranteed to catch fish or it will die trying.read more

First time I went here a few months back, half the place was shut down after what looked like a…read morehealth hazard on the seafood side. Then the other day I went in to get bait instead of my usual place, and once I got to the spot they were all dead and water smelled like they had been dead for a while or at least around dead ones for a while. Not sure if the two have anything to do with each other but definitely not happy with the results for going out of my way. The guy with the long hair gets an attitude when faced with any complaints and goes as far as paying for fake 5-star reviews on Google to cover his tracks. I will continue to go to bucktail

This was the best event during my vacation in Vero Beach.Theowner Chris took his time getting me…read moreset up to paddle board.I never expected such service,fun from the paddle board to the amazing boat rental.my captain Bob showed my family a fun tour of the river,many awesome sites.Thanks guys for taking my family on the best part of my trip to Vero Beach.

Trey and Paddles by the sea made our time on vero beach great. Great tips on local eateries…read more Comfortable chairs and nice sturdy umbrellas. We will be back ro use there other services soon.

I had a few SUP and surfing lessons with Tom O'Brien and was very satisfied with each lesson. Tom…read morehas the technical SUP and surfing skills, and the credentials (National Champion SUP Surfer) to instill confidence in his students. Tom's teaching and communication skills are excellent, as is his patience with beginners. I like his emphasis on safety, especially with entering and exiting the rough surf. I was so happy with the lessons that I signed up my wife and daughter for lessons also.

I saw Tom's ad a few days before a trip to Cocoa Beach, Fl last week and decided to give an SUP…read morelesson a try. I had no idea what to expect as I knew nothing about Tom other than what the ad said. Any skepticism was quickly diminished! I had a fabulous lesson in the Thousand Islands area of Cocoa Beach. Tom is a gifted instructor who was able to cover safety issues and some of the basics before we ventured into the water. He had me on the board and trying to get my "sea legs" in no time. Tom gave helpful tips throughout the lesson, was encouraging, and always kept a watchful eye giving pointers as necessary. The scenery was great as we saw dolphins and osprey during our session. Thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience including the great relaxed conversation we had throughout our time together. I am 57 years old and had never tried this but always wanted to. So very glad I did. My wife and two daughters have expressed interest in trying SUP. I was so thrilled about my experience with Tom that I am already planning a family outing with him when we get back to the area in December. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed. He really knows his stuff.

Our tour guide Jason was absolutely amazing! I highly recommend going out on the water with him. He…read morewas friendly, hilarious and very knowledgeable. He provided us the best 2 hour guided tour that I could've asked for. We learned so much out on the water and at the same time it was very relaxing. We were able to paddle at our own pace and truly enjoy being out on the water without being rushed or getting left behind. We were able to view manatees and dolphins up close and personal. This was a great experience as a beginner who had never kayaked before. I highly recommend booking here and requesting Jason if possible. They do have other tour options which we will be looking into such as the bioluminescence tour over the summer. It's also great for kids 6 and up which is a total plus!

Used Brady-Yaks Rental this morning and had a great experience- great service and top notch…read moreequipment! We will use him for future rentals!

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!!!