Round Island South Conservation Center is a 59 acre natural area in Vero Beach on the west side of…read moreSR A1A. Parking and entrance to the preserve is located on the southern boundary of Round Island Riverside Park. This conservation area is ideal for an easy hike. Habitats include mangroves, a maritime hammock, and lagoon shores. Along the trail you will enjoy scenic views of the lagoon where you may possibly see native wading birds, manatees, and dolphins. Twenty species of wood-warbler have been recorded here including Cape May, Blackpoll and Wilson's. There are also boardwalks and kayak launches. This conservation area is part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, one of the longest running programs of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was created with the goal of encouraging conservation by encouraging connections between people and Florida's wildlife and natural land. I enjoyed my visit to this lovely conservation area that is a complement to Riverside Park. You can enjoy the amenities in the park and then cross over the bridge to the conservation area for a more immersive nature experience. Admission is free and the preserves is open 7:30am until sunset, year-round.

Nice park. Walk along the wooden boardwalks or go kayaking. If you are lucky, you might even see a…read moreFlorida manatee having an early morning swim. Don't get too close as the manatees are protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act. They are an endangered species. While you are in the area, check out the Round Island South Conservation area. Beautiful area to explore on a sunny day in Florida.

What an absolutely wonderful mangrove kayak tour with Mark. We took the two hour mangrove historial…read moretour and loved every minute of it. Mark is so knowledgeable about the magical mangroves we toured through. It was a relaxing kayak tour of ancient growth complete with observing 500 year plus native mounds and ceramics. We were transported into a world of dense groves and learned how these marvelous plants have adopted to our ever changing planet. We did not want the tour to end. We cannot recommend River to Ocean Kayak tours more enthusiastically and give it a five star rating.

We took the four hour tour and we had a blast. The mangrove tree tunnels were so unique. We saw a…read moreton of osprey, pelicans and a couple of dolphins. Mark is great and we totally recommend this activity.

I cant begin to say how much I recommend this tour! Our guide Todd was extremely knowledgeable &…read morehelpful, and has a great sense of humor. He truly made it an adventure, I felt safe the entire time and learnt so much! Thank you so much

We booked our 3pm time the day of, for six people, which I love when places can accommodate…read morefamilies that don't plan ahead (yes that's us). The booking process was easy and they also answered the phone right away when I had a question. The address and directions they sent us in the email mapped us right there and it was easy to find. Yes, you do have to pay the six dollars to get into the park but that was communicated in the email. There is a bathroom onsite. You can bring a bag but it might get wet. What was really nice was our guide provided dry bags for everyone if we wanted to use them. It fit two water bottles,glasses case and phones in them so they are decent sized bags. You don't need to bring shoes. You probably don't need to bring a water bottle either unless it's a really hot day. It was 70 and really windy so it was a little chilly and a long sleeve was needed. Todd was our guide and he was so welcoming! They had informed us thirty minutes beforehand that it was going to be really windy. We did have a 9yr old and a first time kayaker to take into consideration. We decided to proceed and I'm glad we did! The wind made it a tad difficult for the newbie but it was a "breeze" for us and the younger people. The wind also stirred up the sand so unfortunately it wasn't very clear water. Todd was very informative and had knowledge on the plant life and animals of the area (don't worry, there's no snakes or alligators) The small lagoon was really cool and peaceful. Plenty of bird life and some fish once the waters calmed down. The two hours went quick and I wished we could've kept going, but I could also see how it was the perfect amount of time for other people. An overall great experience for every one of all ages.

Excellent Kayaking experience with Maddy and Adventure Kayaking. We were blessed enough to be able…read moreto see Manatee and dolphins. They offer both advanced and beginner experiences to suite all needs, and also offer the knowledge of the surrounding nature in addition to the actual sporty side to it. Great time enjoyed by myself and daughter.

This is the third weekend in a row my wife and I have gone kayaking with owner/guide/instructor…read moreMaddy on the Indian River. The river is an estuary with the most diverse aquatic wildlife in the country. Maddy has a masters degree in marine biology and leads wonderful tours of the area, where you can see dolphins, manatees and birds as well as plant life. If you have never kayaked before this is a good place to start. You'll receive excellent instruction on technique and safety. Equipment is in excellent shape. If you're visiting Vero Beach, I highly recommend you spend some time here.

We had a great afternoon on the water! We enjoyed coasting through the mangrove trees and watching…read morethe crabs. Unfortunately there were a few couples on the tour that did not do a good job of maneuvering the kayak even with practice so that was aggravating but it does not take away from the guides and the scenery around us.

Great tour of the mangroves! I learned a lot about the mangroves and ecology. Definitely would go…read moreagain.

What a cool way to see some of the beautiful waterways around ft Pierce. The guides were…read moreinformative and made sure your comfort and safety were their number one priority. Will be doing this again in the future.

We did the Indian River Lagoon kayak tour with Ronda...WOW!!! It was one of the most amazing…read moreexperiences of my life...no exaggerating. We saw so much wildlife up close, and learned all about it from our very knowledgable guide, Ronda. This tour guide is HIGHLY recommended. I can't wait to do it again.

Thank you for putting together the SUP race. Great event,…read morefun and I had a good workout. I will do it again and again.. :) Also, congrast for your shop, it is outstanding!

Highly recommend! Had a great experience, as a first time kayaker. The owner was very nice, and…read moreinformative. They take great precautions by wearing masks and ensuring rental equipment has been sanitized, kudos for a running a smooth and clean business during Covid. Got to see Dolphins and Manatees, already planning another rental!

I have been paddle boarding several times with Katie and each time has been so much fun. My…read morefavorite time was the first time we went out and a manatee swam right past our boards. Katie is very knowledgeable about the area and likes to share information about the local wildlife and landscape. I can't wait to go out again.

From the owner: “On Local Time” is a state of mind when you are on our Fort Pierce paddle tours. Come experience…read morethe local way to have fun in Fort Pierce and live like the locals for a day. Come have fun in the sun and enjoy the diversity of sea life we encounter in the Indian River Lagoon. We provide all equipment needed or you can bring your own for a discounted rate. We have paddle boards, single kayaks and even a tandem clear kayak available.

Visiting from Orlando, we decided to spend time on the water yesterday. Taking a 2-hour kayak tour…read morewith Chris, owner of Paddles By the Sea, was a perfect decision. His easy going manner yet attention to details such as asking "Do you need some sunscreen?" and "We have the latest kayak launch system in the industry" illustrate the care he demonstrated to my husband and me. His business started with paddle boards and although I've been paddle boarding for a few years I can't wait to take a lesson from him using my own equipment! In addition to having an awesome morning on the intercostal waterway and circling the spoils islands, we made a new friend! Hats off to Chris and his we'll run business. BTW---You may want to check into his yoga paddle boarding, full moon tours and other special events!!!

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.

A+ Excellent business and customer service from Scott at Shark Bait Rentals…read more Came home for the holiday weekend and last minute had the urge to get some paddle boards to head out and take advantage of the clear waters just off the coast to the boiler shipwreck near Waldo's. Scott, even though short handed without hesitation, had two paddle boards, vests, and paddles available within an hour of the phone call. Very pleasant to speak with over the phone and easily coordinated all aspects of the rental process. Will definitely be using Shark Bait again for any rental needs beach side and will recommend to all family, friends, and visitors.

I've had good experiences with Sharkbait so this isn't what I wanted to do but…read more.. I've rented from them before and it went great. I've rented from them and not been able to make it to the beach and I was still charged in full. I didn't like it but didn't make a deal of it. For April 11 2023 I rented a fly and 3 chairs ($67). The weather wasn't great but I had company in town so we went to the beach. Sharkbait was a no-show. We walked to the Costa de Esta and explained the situation and they gave us three beach chairs for nothing. Very nice. When I got home I wrote to SB asking for my refund. No answer. I wrote again. No response. And then again. No response. I did tell him that if I didn't hear from him I would write this review for every social media site and then go to the BBB. So here I am. I hate so much to do this - I understand keeping my money when I can't be there but to keep my money when they aren't there? That is dishonest.