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!

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 wife, Emily and I are local and wanted to try kayaking at our local park at Shingle Creek. Emily…read morehasn't ever kayaked on her own before in a single person kayak. Josh showed her how to do it, quickly and efficiently. Josh and Tia's knowledge of the creek, the wildlife, the vegetation, kayaking, etc. was truly awesome. They made our Labor Day special. We won't seen forget the experience and we'll certainly be back. Check out the Paddling Center at Shingle Creek!

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.

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.

We had a awesome time!! Our tour guide Chris was GREAT,…read moreNot only did we see some much wildlife, Chis took videos and photos. I would 100% recommend them if you want to kayak tour at Silver springs.

Fun adventure! We had a large group but we still felt like attention was paid to each of us. Very…read moreinformative. Even though we had no monkey sightings (because it was a super chilly day),the excitement of the gators kept us warm!

Three of us had a great kayaking experience with Discovery Kayak & SUP at Silver Springs State Park…read morethis past weekend. Ryan Toler, owner and tour guide, supplied all the necessary equipment. He also verified who was experienced and who needed instructions before setting out. Ryan grew up in the area, so he knows the springs and river like the back of his hand. He shared the history of the area from pre-Spanish times to the present. He even calls the various reptiles, turtles and birds by name. We saw a manatee which he was able to capture via an underwater video and share with everyone. Plus he staged the three of us to get a photo for a memory keepsake. The weather was beautiful, and the paddling was easy. It could not have been a better experience. I highly recommend Discovery Kayak & SUP for a special Nature retreat.

Great staff. Friendly and knowledgeable…read more They gave information about where to look for Manatees, gators, monkeys and of course, the Spring. The shuttle pickup was comfortable and on time. They helped load our kayaks back onto our vehicles. Super trip.

Had a really great family adventure with an amazing guide, Stevie! He was so knowledgeable and…read morehelpful. The tour was so relaxing and we saw so many animals. Highly recommend!!

My friends and I visited on Feb 22nd and Ben was our amazing guide. He had a lot of interesting…read morefacts and information about the springs and all the animals we came across -- he also had great sense of humor! It was so cool gliding ontop of the crystal clear waters and watching the fishes and HUGE turtles swim beneath us. We were lucky enough to see a manatee and a bunch of Macaques (babies and adults!) that day too. So happy we all agreed on the 1:45 hr trip out to Silver Springs from Orlando, definitely worth the hype!

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, easy entry point for a day on the river. Great time…read morekayaking with the manatees!

MANATEES ARE MAGICAL! We saw well over 30+ manatees on our late January kayaking outing. We rented…read morea 2-seater top kayak (comes w paddles and life vests). And from the staff to the dock hands, to the quality of the vessel and cleanliness of the shop: 10/10. A guide handed us a laminated map (nice touch) and told us where to head for manatee sightings. And even pointed us to a cove that homes a lot of turtles and alligators. We saw it all! They have volunteers overseeing the 3 sisters springs, to help monitor the safety of the manatees (and scold ignorant people lol). Great time! If you're unsure, let me assure you.. just book.

Amazing kayak tour with Todd. The beautiful springs were amazing. The wildlife was beautiful. Even…read morethough we didn't see everything this time we will be back for another tour. Very enjoyable, very professional and extremely knowledgeable. Todd thank you for keep me away from the gators.

Everything was so good! Spence was our guide at the Silver Springs location. He was knowledgeable…read moreabout all the local wildlife. He was professional and friendly with our group. We saw manatees, monkeys, alligators, lots of birds, butterflies,fish and tons of turtles. This activity would be good for pretty much anyone that is able to be moderately active. We are in our 50's and I wouldn't say in peak physical health. LoL but it was easy and relaxing while getting a great workout. Highly recommended

Dino and Fernando, the husband/wife owners of SUP Eco Adventures, offer stand-up paddleboarding…read morewith fantastic instruction and group as well was private tours. My daughter, who was 10 at the time of this trip, opted for a private tour because she had never done paddle boarding previously. Both Dina and Fernando came along with us and gave us so much individual attention and instruction that there was no way we would be anything but successful. They customized our time together to suit my daughter's needs and comfort level and she left feeling like a pro with the confidence to come back. They also took some great photos for us. It was a fantastic experience and I was grateful for their careful attention. I cannot wait to go back.

My girlfriend was eager for us try paddleboarding together, so I decided to surprise her with a…read morepaddleboarding outing for her birthday. Looking online for options in the Melbourne, FL area, I found SUP Eco Adventures. It was highly rated on TripAdvisor, so I thought I would give it shot: I was not disappointed. We booked a morning tour, and possibly because it was close to the holidays, we ended up getting a private session with the amazing Dina! She was extremely friendly and made sure that we had a great time. Her instructions and tips for using the paddleboard were clear and concise, and she had us out enjoying ourselves on the water in no time. Our tour launched from Honest John's Fish Camp and took us through different channels on the Indian River. Dina was quite knowledgeable and provided us with plenty of background on the local vegetation and animal wildlife. The weather that day was amazing and the water was very calm. This made for an excellent experience for a couple of SUP newbies. Plus, we managed to spot some dolphins and a manatee on our tour! If you're in the area and looking for something to do, I highly recommend giving this place a try!