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 ;)

We are so glad we booked this sunset cruise... A nice two…read morehour cruise up and down the Intracoastal. Great owner. BYOB and food if you wish! We saw dolphins and manatees and a beautiful sunset. Highly recommend!

This was my first experience on the intercoastal after just moving here a few months ago.....my…read morereview is FANTASTIC! Loved the floating tiki bar, great seating around a surfboard table. Art our captain is very cool and dialed up the best yacht rock tunes for our cruise. Sunset highly recommended, loved the history of the fort and seeing many dolphins! We're coming back!!!

We rented two paddle boards. They delivered no issues life vests oats and boards- easy peasy-read more

Decided to add this place to Yelp. We were staying at Hammock Beach Resort for Memorial Day…read moreweekend. This place is set up right on the beach renting the same stuff as the resort but for half the price. We did surf lessons for our two sons with them and then later rented a surf board for an hour. The people were friendly and nice and the equipment was in great shape. Would definitely use them again if we come back.

I do need to say up front that I have never kayaked in my entire life, so my review is from the…read moreperspective of an absolute novice. I've always wanted to try it, but it's one of those hobbies that seem to have a couple of barriers. Like, friends have invited me, but I didn't have a kayak to join them. Or I've looked at some of the tour groups, but I never wanted to be that first-timer that kind of holds up the rest of the group, y'know? When I found out my friend Kelly was going on this tour and she had only been kayaking once before, I figured that whatever happened, there'd be at least one other person in the same predicament. I am so glad I went!! The tour was PHENOMENAL. The tour guides bring everything you need - kayak, paddles, and life jackets, so you just have to drive yourself to the location and bring some water & snacks. There was some instruction before we all got in the water, but it's definitely one of those things where you just need to do it for a while before "getting" it. (I'm still not 100% that I got it, but I was way better at the end than at the beginning.) It was a smallish group, about 7 or 8 of us, and we were the only kayakers I saw the entire time we were on the creek. I only ran into two people (fortunately, the people I knew!), and only got stuck on a log once. But I got unstuck and learned to watch out for logs. The tour guides gave some follow-up instruction when I needed it (turning is hard), and the other folks in the group were super-nice and not once did I feel like I was THAT person slowing anyone down. You just kinda paddle forward, and sometimes run into logs if you need to stop. It gets easier after that. I saw 30 million turtles sunning themselves on the side of the creek, a baby snake merrily swimming along, some swallow-tailed kites, an orchid native to NE Florida, and someone tried to point out a baby alligator, but I did not see it. The weather was perfect and the setting was gorgeous. It was so blissfully quiet, as well. A lot of St. Augustine is about getting stuck in traffic, and that gets old real quick. Coming out to this quiet little pocket of uninterrupted nature was exactly what my brain and my soul needed. Two thumbs up, five stars, A++, highly recommend, would (and will!) go again!

Went for a two-hour kayak tour in a cove off the St. Johns River yesterday and had a wonderful…read moretime. Highly recommend it.

Great first kayak experience with a 4 and 7 yr old. Tried out the canals before checking out the…read moreIntercoastal. Wednesday was nice and quiet without a lot of boats.

I've rented kayaks at several locations in the area but this is the BEST ride and best value. Lots…read moreof choices on where to explore, you can go to the river or just glide through the canals and coves. Lots of wildlife along the way. A great time!

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!

I was there to paddle around- rented a kayak while water levels were low and others were fishing…read more Process was simple, online waiver to complete, shop smells of bait because it's a bait shop! Received some directions on where i could go see wildlife and had a couple of hours of really nice solitude followed. Thanks

From the owner: We carry both Live and Frozen Bait. All your tackle for inshore fishing and for surf fishing…read moreavailable. We have a variety of lures both soft plastics and hard baits. All the accessories you will need to get hooked up from hooks, cast nets, pliers, batteries , weights, pre rigged tackle, knives etc. We also have cold drinks , chips , ice cream , and candy to keep you going while you are fishing! We have multiple single and tandem kayaks for your adventure on the water. Most renters will do multiple hours ( 3 hours is the most popular) , after your first hour fee each additional hour is only $10. It’s not uncommon to see a variety of wildlife while on your trip including dolphins, manatees, gators, a variety of local and migratory birds, wild boar, and whitetail deer among many other wildlife animals. We are surrounded by a maze of mangroves throughout a variety of state parks and wetlands, its truly a sacred part of old Florida that everyone should come experience ! Whether your fishing or just kayaking around for recreation, this is the place to come and go out, you will certainly enjoy it!

Inexperienced kayakers, highly recommend. Two and a half hours, learning about the estuary and it's…read moreinhabitants is a gentle reminder of nature and its beauty. Bring your spouse/bf/gf- it's tandem seating, which makes it more easier.

My family and I really enjoyed the Sunset Tour, kinda of overcast, which made it comfortable…read moretemperature wise. They can't control the weather. Daniel was great and was very informative along our tour. We didn't get to see Manatees or Dolphins, but we did see several different birds and lots of fish jumping. I recommend if you enjoy just being on the water.

This no frills outfitter is exactly what you'd expect from a business that doesn't really cater to…read moretourists. Spoke to Dave on the phone for my "reservation." Guy who checked me in seemed to not be aware of my communication with the manager/owner. He gave me no directions, no safety speeches, I just signed a simple waiver and was off. Boats are launched from a standard boat dock near the drawbridge. The scenery is nice and the morning is a good time to go as there is little to no shade. Bring water and lather on the sunscreen. Also a dry box for your phone and keys is recommended. I had a good time out in the water. Saw a dolphin and 3 manatee. I was glad to have had experience as a paddler. The boat was good, the paddle was fair, and the staff was Salty. My $25 for two hours was well spent.

My kids have attended Odyssey Adventure Camp several times in the past and loved them. Yesterday,…read morewe also rented paddle boards/kayaks for the afternoon. They were in great condition. Mr. Waterman delivers them and picks them up. My kids had a great time at Sanchez park, nice calm waters. It was a beautiful day. High recommend Odyssey Adventure Club if you are interested in renting kayaks and/or paddle boards.

From the owner: Choose your adventure! We love to help people build a passion for the outdoors.....whether through…read moreour summer camps for kids, group paddle outings, rentals, tours, or through our bike clubs, with training, group rides, trips, and exploring