Kudos to Blue Spring Adventures because the tour went out even though there were only three of us on the boat. The captain was an excellent critter spotter and very informative providing great information about the animals and the environment. We are avid birders and still managed to learn a few things from her. Despite the chilly temps in addition to a wide variety of birds we also saw several gators (large & small) and turtles. The trip was fun and educational. We would definitely do it again. read more

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We booked a tour for six of us online. A couple days prior, I got a call saying there weren't enough people booked on that tour for them to actually take the boat out. They offered to rebook us on another day and time of our choosing. Well, I happened to be in the car when they called so accessing my schedule while I was on the phone, was not an easy task. The lady on the phone seemed SUPER annoyed with me the entire conversation. TWICE she asked if I would like to call her back. I'm sorry- are you THAT busy that you can't wait for two seconds while I pull up my calendar?!! I was so irritated by this lady's rude behavior that I almost said forget it. Refund us. We don't want to support you. You are being rude. However, my in laws were coming from out of town and I wanted them to experience the springs and the manatees. I had an entire week of activities planned for us so I just needed a second to check my calendar. If the lady who called was SOOOO BUSY, then why did she choose that time to call me? I will not get over this. Her customer service got the job done and we rescheduled but I will not forget how rude she was. On the day of our tour, we checked in at the little shack on the dock. Our tour guide was super funny! He was narrating our tour and making jokes. He was interacting with everyone on the boat. It was a cold day but we were able to see one large sunbathing gator and some hawks and other birds. The manatees were best seen from the shoreline walkway. We left a large tip for the tour guide and thanked him. He probably has no idea that the lady in the office is a real jerk. read more

Blue Spring Adventures - Enjoying the tour - Boat Charters Near Me - Orange City, Florida

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This is a heads up so you don't waste your money or your time. You cannot get out of your kayak and must wear your life vest at all times. Yes, you will see gators..they have lived here long before us and you are in water in florida so don't be surprised or scared. Manatees are out there and turtles. You can see some wildlife so that's great if that's what you're looking for. Make sure you drink and have plenty of water and cool yourself off as well. A kayaking spot like kings landing you can get out and cool off so you're not over heated. This place, you cannot do be prepared so you don't suffer from heat stroke. ​its beautiful off course but just know this all ahead of time read more

we have been to blue Springs on many occasions and we finally pulled the trigger and did the boat ride and even though it was short, we still had a good time and our guide was very knowledgeable in the surrounding areas and it's wildlife I would recommend for anyone that's wanting to know more about the area to give this a try read more

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What a beautiful relaxing river cruise! We've wanted to do this for a long time and had to postpone a couple times due to weather conditions. It was warm but not hot. There's a breeze while boat moves along. There's a roof on boat so we could be in shade as we cruised. Our Guide name Jamie knew so much about natural habits and we saw all kinds of birds, many gators - babies and what I think was a bull Gator by his size alone! Very peaceful. Our grandkids (13, 11 and 9) enjoyed it best the first hour. They got a little bored after that but the fresh air and sunshine was good for all of us! The boat is easy to get on and off, it was level with dock. Water levels can change, especially after a big storm. You can buy water on board if wanted. You can take your own and snacks if you want. Tips are appreciated. read more

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Sooo boring. Boat was overcrowded and our guides microphone went out. His voice literally was putting people to sleep. This is the second river cruise we've done and I wish I could get my money back. read more

This was an adventure that looked appealing. We were staying on the first coast and drove nearly an hour and a half to get there. We had purchased four tickets. When we arrived 40 minutes early to the park we were surprised to see a line of cars that was literally 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile long. On a Friday. They were backed up at the gate of the park where the state was collecting $6 a car for entry. I'm not complaining about charging an entry fee but rather that there was no warning son the website about the significant delays involved. We ended up being 5 minutes late to the kiosk and were told we'd missed the trip and that we could not get a refund. Very very poor communications and customer service. read more

We went on this tour Saturday, and it was HORRIBLE!! The boat captain kept bringing the boat literally ON TOP of the wildlife, whenever she spotted something whether it be a bird, alligator or a Mantee she was putting the boat sooooooooooooooooooo close to the wildlife that of course they either went under the water or flew away. At one point she pointed out that there was a Mother Alligator protecting her nest that was literally due to hatch any day now. She put the boat within two to three feet away from the nest causing the mother gator to go under the water. This to me is unacceptable this is one of the ONLY reasons why a gator would attack a person is if she is protecting her nest! So instead of putting the boat on top of the mother gator she should be teaching people to STAY AWAY from a mother that is protecting her nest. She should be educating people to respect wildlife by admiring them from a distance. We saw two different Mantees and both times she was putting the boat sooooooooooooooo close to them that the one with a beacon attached to it was literally trying to get away from the boat and she just kept chasing it. :( All and all the whole experience was very dishearten and I will never again go on a Blue Water Adventure boat ride!!!!!!!!!!!!! Teach your boat captains to respect our wild life not torment them for entertainment purposes. read more

First time in Florida, and this was an amazing experience. All the thanks goes to our tour guide Terry who knew the water and wild life VERY well and gave great information about what we were seeing. It wasn't exhausting and the activity level was beginning to intermediate and the tour guides and other staff are SO helpful when you need it! Great tour, great staff, great time! Thank you blue spring adventures! read more

This was our favorite boat tour. And we've been on many. All over the world. We chose the 2 hour tour and are very glad that we did. Our guide was so familiar with the area. Its history. The birds, fish, reptiles, and of course, manatees that inhabit the St John's River. He has obviously hosted this tour before. Probably thousands of times. Yet his enthusiasm was what you would expect on opening day! Questions he's likely answered hundreds of times were eagerly answered. Very patient and friendly. What more could we ask for?! We highly recommend. Fantastic. read more

This boat tour is located within Blue Springs. The cost is $25 per adult, but we hit the lottery with a Groupon. It's a two-hour narrated tour. It focuses mainly on the diverse flora and fauna along the St. John River. There's also brief information on the Native Americans and settlers. The tour is definitely educational. Our captain, Rebecca, was funny and entertaining. We stop a few times for photo opportunities. Also, there's a restroom on-board, and chips and drinks for a dollar or less. It's a peaceful and informative tour. 5 stars... read more

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We had a small group celebrating a birthday and had a private charter. Rebecca was our guide. Staff was great and we had a smooth check in process. The boat loaded up quickly and soon we were off. Rebecca gave us the safety spiel as were were leaving the dock. Soon we were seeing native wildlife left and right. Fresh water fowl of all shapes and sizes, raptors, turtles, snake, manatee and gators. Rebecca provided terrific insight as we went up and down the river. Impressive knowledge about the local eco systems and the impact hurricanes and man have had on the region. She was patient with the young kids onboard. Would recommend. read more

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Outstanding and relaxing trip. Informative and fun for all ages. God's creation is beautiful! Thank you for a great time. Bobby b

On vacation over the Christmas holidays. Wanted to do something besides the theme parks. Booked a guided kayak tour. I have a family of four with two teenagers and we all had a great time. Even the in the rain. Our guide Courtney was excellent. Great half day trip from Cocoa Beach or Orlando area. Bonus saw a lot of Manatees in the spring and saw some baby alligators on the tour. read more

We were told about Blue Springs State Park by a local and decided to check it out after hearing that the manatees winter there. The Park was lovely, and crowded. No manatees though as it was too warm. They had apparently headed out just two weeks earlier. We saw the river cruise signs and got lucky enough to get spots on a boat that afternoon. Recommend that you call ahead and get reservations so you can go on this awesome experience! The price was right - $25 for adults, $23 for seniors. Our captain and first mate were both great. Narrated cruise with stops for pictures. We saw 14 alligators, 19 turtles, 2 manatees and countless birds. It was an a amazing experience. read more

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We had a WONDERFUL cruise with captain bon and Taylor. The critters were out in full force and bob was pointing out everyone one that he could see. Very very well done and we (6 of us) had a great time. So so pleased. read more

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Ugh! Blue Springs is amazing. This rental company is the worst. We tried to rent life jackets but they wouldn't. Ok. They were so rude about it and took up almost all of the public boat launch. They told us we had to move our kayaks because they also needed the spot we were launching from. read more

Blue Spring Adventures - Boat Charters Near Me - Orange City, Florida

It was a gloomy, rainy day for a ride, but still lots of wildlife to see, including a wide variety of birds, plus alligators, turtles and manatees! The captain constantly gave us interesting information, history and facts about the river as well as habits of the creatures. Would definitely take the ride again with out of town guests! Friendly staff through the whole experience. read more

I called to book our group, my choice for dates was already full. The gal on the phone was pleasant and offered alternative dates which worked out. Got to the location and picked up our prepaid tickets. Waited for the boat to load promptly at 11 am. We were greeted and sat at our table. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Announcements were made and we were then offered a variety of drinks that were included in the cost. With the exception of cocktails. Appetizers were offered with some real yummy sticky buns!!! Coffee was very good. Mmmmm! Music was played then we had time to go up top for pics, sunshine, visiting with other guest and enjoy the scenery. Fun facts and history was given. Lunch was served, your choice of 5 different entree's. We chose salmon and prime rib. Both were excellent and done perfect. Hot....real mashed potatoes and seasoned green beans. Oh I can't forget the yummy cake and coffee, as well as the endless iced tea and water. Entertainment was played again allowing everyone to join in. I gave it a 5 star, great food, excellent customer service, clean and comfortable. I would do this again and recommend to all! Enjoy!!! read more

Blue Spring Adventures - Boat Charters Near Me - Orange City, Florida

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Absolutely fabulous wildlife river cruise. Rebecca our captain/guide was amazing. So knowledgeable and fun. She's a photographers dream. She was happy to back the boat up so my husband could get the shot he wanted. We saw so much wildlife. Lots of alligators and birds. We saw a few manatees but if you really want to see them arrive early and see them in the springs. Can't recommend this trip enough. read more

So apparently ... River cruises might be great.. however, canoe and kayak rentals are HORRIBLE. "How much is a canoe rental?" Disinterested employee. "There's a blue paper there with prices.." Now I'm thinking... sure I'll do ur job. I noticed about 8-12 employees doing nothing except eating leftovers and laughing, while I was needing assistance. Though the launch is public, the rental place takes up the ENTIRE launch and get very mean if u are there at a PUBLIC launch. This is the worst. The actual park was AMAZING btw.. read more

This is a great activity for the tourist as well as the local. A very comfortable boat picks up the crowd at the Blue Spring State Park. The trip takes us down to the St. John's River and into some of the backwaters. The guide is very good about ensuring that the riders get to see various wildlife such as alligators, Great Blue Herons, egrets, cormorants and other flora and fauna. It was quite a nice trip for $22 a piece. Make reservations ahead of time for added convenience. Free parking at the park and $6 per car load to enter the park. All-in-all, quite a nice deal. Tour lasts about 2 hours and there are soft drinks and water available for sale on the boat. read more

The park is beautiful! Segway was very fun .Our tour guide Shane was interesting and engaging.

Visiting from Maine I was super excited to come to Blue Spring State park. My girlfriend and I decided to rent a canoe to go out and explore. Working at the rental office was a young man named David who from the start was difficult when we asked questions about park and he was annoyed to answer anything. But the real downfall was when we came in and he told us we went over our intended time out ( 1 hour) and he had to change us for a half day (4 hours) Happy to pay that I asked if we could go back out because it was less then 2 hours we were out. With the canoe just sitting there and no one else renting for the day he just said "no" he told me it was policy that once you paddle back you can't go back out. Basically, St John River cruises stole from us via David. Don't rent from them! read more

We have done the boat tours which are wonderful. But recently we did a kayak tour with them which was wonderful. Kayla was an informed & engaging guide, pleasant to be with and terrific with teens. We can't wait to do this again! read more

The wife and I went on your cruise down the St Johns river today and had a wonderful time. Wanted to give a shout out to captain Tim and his first mate on a outstanding job...awesome..a must do when you go to Blue springs park,oh and yes the manatee are also cool read more

My sister and her 2 foster kids came down from St. Louis and we enjoyed the river boat Cruise with Captain Rebecca SOOOO much! The kids learned so much about Florida and it was great to be out in nature without phones and televisions! It was such and enjoyable day as far as weather. I just have to say everybody from where we checked in to the young man selling refreshments on the boat, was pleasant and professional. I will recomend coming here to all my friends and family! It was great! read more

Great for a nice day out with the family exploring and learning about the St. John's River. It was a 2 hour cruise that was affordable, comfortable, and enjoyable! They have a potty on board as well as snacks and sodas. The tour guide was fun and informative and created a family like environment. read more

Nice trip for visitors and locals alike, Very informative, Beautiful scenery, and the Nicest and Most Educated Captains on the St. Johns River. read more