Being trapped in a hotel all week for a conference is not great for a nature lover! Thankfully Kayak Amelia was only 30 minutes from my hotel. CJ was great and shared about this being a long-time family business of his after his family moved from New Hampshire. I talked a friend of mine into coming with me even though she wasn't very experienced and was 6 months pregnant. We rented a double kayak for $60 for the afternoon and had a great time! We were given a very clear map and instructions by CJ, but we still got a little turned around because we weren't looking out for the buoy markers on the waterways. He explained that if we needed help we could just dock at the campground and he would pick us up. That's what we ended up doing since my friend was tired. CJ and his friendly pup were happy to pick us up and arrived quickly. I'm an experienced kayaker but this was an entirely new cool experience being in a salt marsh. Would've liked to have seen more wildlife, but it was still a beautiful day and we enjoyed ourselves a lot. Bonus is having a state park right down the road to walk the beach, enjoy the ocean and go shelling! read more

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We rented kayaks and went on our own in the salt marsh. It was beautiful. Totally unspoiled, beautiful views and calm waters. The tides going in or out so make a difference in whether you're going to be paddling a bit harder going one way or another. But it wasn't so hard that myself and my 8 year old (together in a tandem) couldn't do it. The place itself is very rustic, and super chill. Ask questions if you have them- my experience was they didn't offer up a lot of info or assistance without me having to specifically ask. read more

Kayak Amelia - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Still open with the road construction. The staff is so helpful. Very experienced and they know the marshes and tides. They have stories to share if you are looking for a particular place to find wild life or just enjoy the marsh. Tours, rentals, personal launching and some parking is available. They offer tour groups as well. There was a group of youngsters getting kayak lessons as we arrived. They have a small souvenir shop hat has cold beverages when you get back from your paddle. Along with a shower to get off that grime. We will definitely stop here again to put in our kayaks and to support the locals. read more

Super cool spot with great inter coastal waterways! We did a two person kayak (+a dog) and had such a good time. We spent around $50 total for 4 hours. The staff is really nice and helpful. Good amount of parking, but it could fill up quick on a nice day. Great pull offs on the waterways with sandbars to stretch your legs. Overall a relaxing and fun afternoon (a little crazy if you bring a 70lb dog with you!) read more

Kayak Amelia - Intercoastal - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Kayak Amelia is open for business...YAY! Been here a few times in the past, and every time is a blast. They have covid19 guidelines set up for social distancing during the rentals, and everyone was wearing masks. The staff is friendly and will help you out in any way possible. They offer guided tours along with go on your own. Paddleboards, kayaks, tandem kayaks....they have what you need. They also supply you with a life vest and a paddle. Pack a lunch and bring plenty of water...it gets hot out on the water, and they have "sandy beach" areas to pull over for a break. Enjoy the calmness of your surroundings, enjoy the serenity of the water, and please pick up your litter! read more

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After looking at their website, it appeared that we could just show up and rent kayaks. Well, that was clearly not the case. This "business" needs to update their website. The issue with DEP has clearly been known since January and yet no update on the website to let visitors know they MUST call to schedule a tour. Highly disappointing. This business had plenty of time to post pictures, text and videos from their trip to Finland and yet evidently no time to take down the section that tells visitors they can just show up. I was only looking at the website on my phone so I did not see the updates to the homepage. Big fail that they did not take down the relevant sections. Also, they should update their address since they are clearly not at the address that your phone takes you to. read more

Kayak Amelia - This needs to be removed from the website. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Lots of fun. Good time. Great price for our experience but definitely take wind and tide into consideration on time of day that you go! read more

Kayak Amelia - Out on the water - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

It's unfortunate I have to leave such a bad review. We put in our own kayak at 12:30pm. Never been here before we specifically asked if coming back at low tide would be a problem and the receptionist assured us it would be fine. We left the bridge sandbars at 2:30. It took us 2.5 hours to return. Hit bottom almost the entire time. Against current. Had to get out and walk the kayak back multiple times because it was so shallow. When we finally made it back this is what the launch looked like. Anyone with two eyes and a brain should inform newbies that low tide here is in fact a bad idea. Highly recommend launching at alimacani boat ramp instead. The water and sandbars were beautiful, but we will never launch at KA ever again. read more

Kayak Amelia - Low tide no water - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Kayak Amelia, and the surrounding area, is my absolute, favorite place in all of Jacksonville. From the moment that I hit Heckscher, when I exit off 95, I am just immediately in relax mode. The Intracoastal area is utterly beautiful and it's a wonderful drive, even with the number of cars that you can get stuck behind. I can never get enough of it. I started going up to Kayak Amelia sometime last summer, as I found that a local outdoors business, Irishwaterdogs, hosts an event for Veterans on the first Sunday of every month. Irishwaterdogs sponsors everything, so Veterans get kayaks, paddles, life vests and fishing gear free of charge for the day. You can paddle either north or south on Simpson Creek. I've usually only gone north and it's typically a nice paddle. There's a bit of current, but not too much to be worried about. During yesterday's trip, I actually made it to Bird Island, which is the small bit of beach between the little bay at the end of Simpson Creek and the ocean, for the first time! If you keep a steady pace, you can typically do a round trip in 4 hours. If you have slower folks with you or teens, I wouldn't go all the way out. There's a ton of different wildlife to be seen, too . Sand sharks, manatees, birds of all kinds, fish. Be careful if you get out of your kayak anywhere in the creek. There are oyster beds everywhere. Water shoes are an absolute must. There are some refreshments and such in the office, but I definitely recommend to pack a small cooler, either to take with you in the kayak or to have in your car when you get back. The owners of Kayak Amelia are really great folk. Always really friendly and willing to help. Make sure to say hi to Dylan, their giant Bernese Mountain Dog in the office, before you head out. read more

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Had a great time!! Only reason it's not 5 star is because we had to carry the kayaks to and from the launch. 1st place I've ever rented from that we had to do that. But the area was gorgeous and we will definitely be back. read more

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Great day of kayaking and an evening stroll in the woods watching the fireflies/lighting bug light up up the woods as they go through their mating ritual! It's a shame that we are losing so many of them. Glad there are areas that are preserved to keep some going. Thoroughly enjoyed Buddy's experience in the kayaking and his knowledge of the fireflies! read more

I've rented with Kayak Amelia a couple times, paddled around both the North and South trails from their launch site on Simpsons Creek. There is plenty of parking, an area to rinse off when you return, and everyone is friendly and helpful. Chris made sure I got my single kayak to and from the water. It was nice to have an extra set of hands since awkwardly dragging a kayak on my own wouldn't end well. Reasonable prices for a half day, and you have plenty of places to explore in the area within 4 hours. North trails take you up to Little Talbot and Big Talbot Islands. South Trails take you to the Kingsley Plantation and Ribalt Club. You get a laminated map that marks out sand bars and other features with low and high tides. While I was in town this time, I also booked a sunset kayak and firefly stroll tour. It was a perfect evening activity to explore the marshes and waterways before heading off on a walk surrounded by fireflies. If you're around during the season for this, the little ones (or young at heart like myself) will especially enjoy the natural Christmas lights in springtime! read more

Kayak Amelia - Entrance to Kayak Amelia - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I had a blast. This was the first part of my date day with my husband. It was a good workout. We started out at one dock and ended up at kayak Amelia. Baker Chris and Cool Coby were our guides. Chris was the lead and was fun, funny, and knowledgeable about the creatures and places. He shared a lot of funny stories. His crash course was effective. We felt like pros on the water except for the couple of times we almost or did bump into other kayaks. But we felt safe and had a good time. The cookies took the experience to a whole nother level. Seemed like a 4 mile trip. I only clocked the second half from the beach and it said 2.26 miles. Overall pleasant experience. read more

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Excellent place to rent kayaks for fun Florida adventure. Plenty of inventory for a Sunday summer day. You can go North or South from the shop and they can give you good advice and a map of the best way to go based on the tide, the winds and the current construction status of bridges along the way. This would totally be a 5 star review except for the fact that the listing in Yelp also states "Bike Rentals". They do not do bike rentals. Take off the Bike Rental tag and I will update my review to 5 stars. read more

We went to Kayak Amelia on 2/13, upon arrival we were greeted by CJ. His first question was "did you notice the wind?". He said the forecast called for 20+ mph hour winds, with gusts to 28 mph all day He wanted to make sure we understood the conditions would be "less than ideal" and if they had a tour scheduled on a day like this it would probably be canceled. We decided to go ahead and kayak on that day but appreciated his openness about what we were getting into. Because of the weather forecast, we chose a two person kayak instead of two single kayaks (a wise choice). CJ showed us where to go, gave us a waterproof map, pointed out a few landmarks, gave safety tips, all with a cheerful disposition. The wind was a bit challenging at times but we still had a great time. I highly recommend Kayak Amelia! read more

This was everything that we could have searched for & more! We had rain, clouds, sunshine & every type of weather Florida can offer. Through it all our tour guides were cheerful, funny & so informative. They had amazing knowledge of all the land & animals as well as actually caring about our experience. I will definitely be back on our next trip here. Highly recommend! read more

I didn't kayak through this company, but I did call and ask for local recommendations for where to launch my personal kayak while I was in town. The customer service was so kind and patient, the lady on the phone gave detailed directions and local information on where to go! Thank you so much for helping this "out-of-towner!" read more

We rented kayaks from them and the staff was awesome! We arrived around 9AM and they checked the tides and mapped out where we should go. They had a water proof map and explained where to go and the common mistakes. They held on to your keys for you and had dry boxes available. We headed south and paddled to Kingsley Plantation where we got out and were able to walk around the plantation. It was the farthest I've ever paddled so it wasn't easy crossing the river but the views were beautiful. Pack drinks and snacks and throw them in your kayak. Bug spray, sunscreen and gloves are needed. Driving around the area was great as well, so pretty. I would definitely recommend this place!! read more

Kayak Amelia - Salt marshes - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Get out into the salt marsh people! And it doesn't get any easier than this. You drive up, park, pay, carry a yak down to the dock, paddle up the creek. Lots of wildlife to be seen - see the whiteboard at the office where people record their sightings: shark, spoonbill, manatee, etc. Paddle with the tides and you will have an easier time seeing more features. Call ahead and plan your trip accordingly. Pick a day with favorable tides that work with your time slot. 4 hours is plenty of time to paddle out to bird island. So cool to be on your own little sand island. As the tide comes in, the flats are occupied with crabs and bait fish. Good day trip with the special someone. Get the tandem rather than 2 yaks. They could do a better job with the "gift shop" merchandise. Everything in there is collecting dust. I think they should sell/rent fishing stuff, but that's just me. read more

This was our first kayaking adventure ever, and we had such a great time. Buddy and Will were our guides, we did the sand bar kayak 3 hour trip, as beginners, we didn't know what to expect, but the guys explained so much in the kindest and most easy going way. We had the best time and hope to go out to kayak again soon. Additionally, the chocolate chip cookies served at the end of the trip were absolutely delicious. Perfect in every way. read more

Ray and Will were our eco guides today. We had a wonderful time out on the water. Great vibes, very knowledgeable, and chocolate chip cookies all helped make this a very fun trip in a beautiful salt marsh along Amelia island! We'll definitely be back again soon! read more

Although we didn't take advantage of their guided tours this was the perfect location to park (for a very minimal fee) and head off for the day in our Kayaks. Safe place to leave our vehicle and great to come back at the end of the day and make use of their facilities. Shower after day on the beach and the ability to wash down the kayaks and gear before loading up the truck was a huge bonus. Heading out to the ocean we had the pleasure of having a Manatee swim alongside my wife's kayak for a while. She certainly had a shock when its head popped out next to her and took a breath. Now the go too place to base our kayak trips out of when staying in the area. read more

It's been several years since I went to Kayak Amelia, but I remember it was fun and the instructor/tour guide was personable and patient with all of us new kayakers. After some basic instruction, we had a great tour and learned a lot of the area and the wildlife. Highly recommend! read more

I have been kayaking and stand up paddle board (SUP) yoga at Kayak Amelia. Each time I have gone I've packed a picnic lunch, taken the ferry over, which makes a wonderful day trip when friends and family are in town visiting. Various birds and other wildlife all around, jumping fish everywhere! The staff at Kayak Amelia are awesome! They are professional and laid back. The grounds are well kept and quaint, the bathroom is clean, the whole ol' floridian feel. Kayaking is always a blast here and the views are gorgeous! You get a map with a rental, pay attention and follow the map, you can kayak into brackish water and out into the ocean onto a sand bar bird sanctuary island! Remember! Leave only footsteps, take only pictures! Try the SUPY (stand up paddle yoga)! I'm pretty rusty when it comes to yoga and had never been on a paddle board before trying the class. I had so much fun! I'm telling all my friends and plan on going again in a few weeks! Also, the online class scheduling is super easy and convenient. read more

Kayak Amelia - SUPY (Stand Up Paddle Yoga) - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Mother and son outing. We felt very safe and comfortable and it's a great work out. Played on the sandy beaches that you reach when you Paddle. The owners are excellent‼ read more

Kayak Amelia - Extremely fun! Safe for families with small kids. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Went yesterday and rented a canoe. They were very quick and helpful, especially with the memorial weekend rush! Upon return, they helped get our canoe out of the water and return everything. Would definitely go back and do this again and maybe try a different route. read more

Let me begin by saying I know absolutely nothing about kayaking. N-O-T-H-I-N-G! But, I wanted to find some sort of kayaking tour, or event, that would expand my limited horizons but at a beginners-beginner level. After some Googling I found the Kayak Adventures website and gave them a buzz. No one answered initially; this was a bit off putting. But, happily within 15 minutes a cheery kayaking enthusiast called me back. And let me tell you this gal knew everything about this well loved water sport! I expressed my fears about being a novice in this realm, and she quickly overcame each fear with a positive, knowledgeable note. The tours are numerous, so peruse the website listed to see what may be of interest. And, I must say they are very reasonably priced as well. The kayaking tour I booked was a 5 hour adventure through Guana River Reserve. The price of this wonderful estuary excursion was amazingly only $60.00. Rachel, the kayaking guide was super friendly and gave a beginning kayaking safety mini course before the trip. Throughout this peaceful tour Rachel pointed out historical facts, spectating alligators and an incredible line up of indigenous birds. What a truly wonderful experience with the perfect guide! I will definitely be booking another kayaking adventure through this company as there are so many tours to choose from. 5 stars for this wonderful experience and company! read more

Good family time on a nice easy kayak trip. Guides were very helpful and friendly and make the trip great for all levels of skills

Such a friendly guy working the desk. We had a great time! Loved that they have and follow safety protocols during covid.

This was one of the best kayaking trips we have ever done. The owners were very nice, and the guide was both educational and entertaining. All of the kayaking equipment was in fantastic condition. we enjoyed the tour so much that we went back again the next day for another guided trip. read more

Just left our bar hopping tour with Chris, this was my first time kayaking. He was super friendly and informative. He takes classes on wildlife and such and knew a lot. We got stuck on sandbars really bad at one point and he got out and kept pushing us out, always with a smile. At one point he switched paddles with me (I didn't ask, but we had been talking gear) and gave me his $300 paddle to use the rest of the tour. It worked much better and was much appreciated. I would highly recommend, he never made you feel like a burden! And he brought fresh made cookies for everyone during our break! As a business owner myself I always appreciate great customer service! read more

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Lots of fun times to be had at Kayak Amelia. Beautiful views, various modes of exploration (paddle boarding, kayaks, Segway...etc) for decent prices, and friendly staff. I've done the paddle board and kayak rentals in the past and each time has been a pleasant experience. The staff are really good about knowing the tides and giving you guidance for what kind of experience you're seeking. They also do little excursions for educational/awareness/environmental reasons: For example, during the season they have sea turtle excavations to check if all the baby sea turtles made it out to sea, how many eggs were fertilized...etc etc. Researchers collect this data to identify trends, and etc. But the fun part for us is you can be there to witness everything! This is only one example, but there are plenty more depending on what's going on. This is a place to check out for sure no matter what you're fancy. read more

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Their "3 hour kayaking adventure" was not exactly as advertised. Our tour started late, we were told when we put our kayaks in the water that there was a music festival taking place on a barge nearby + if the 1 hour wait to be taken back to the original location was to be included in the 3 hour adventure, that should have been stated up front. If I'd known that there was a music event taking place + that the sounds of the boats motoring to the location would disrupt wildlife + our tour, I'd have made other arrangements. Note to Kayak Amelia owners: Be honest with your customers before you take their payment. This was not the 1st time I've been kayaking + it won't be the last time, but I will not go with Kayak Amelia again or recommend them to any of my friends visiting the area. Sorry. read more

Had a really pleasant experience here. Brought a few buddies from out of town to do some kayaking for a few hours. Fairly cheap to rent and you can kayak your heart out all day if you want. Gorgeous area to kayak as well. Saw a few dolphins swim around our kayaks on our way out and in to the ocean. read more

I went for a weekend in Amelia recently and on our way we drove by this place and figured we would make it an adventure for the following day. For roughly $35, at least when I went, you will get a single kayak for four hours. They have a nice map that will show you the north and south water trails through the marsh lands that go all the way to the ocean. It is an easy and chill kayak and you'll see jumping fish and people fishing all along the way. Very remote and relaxing while being so close to Amelia and the ocean. read more

Awesome experience with excellent quality equipment, maps and waterproof storage boxes. The manager expertly directed us how to orient ourselves on the waterways and we had an amazing 4 hour self guided excursion! Only one wrong turn which we self corrected, no drama and perfect weather and tons of amazing bird life ! read more

We did the "(sand)bar hopping" tour from 10-1 and it was enjoyed by our group of adults and tweens. The guides were friendly and helpful. Agree with another reviewer that the cookies were a nice treat. read more

Great people and amazing trail north that leads to ocean! Beware of sharp oyster shells in river water! also bring insect spray to keep bugs away! read more

Awesome kayaking place, $35 for a single Kayak we did 2 single sit on tops and 2 sit ins. The sit ins were much quicker and easier to keep straight, but the sit on tops were way more roomy for coolers and snacks. Bring your sunscreen because there's no shade, we paddled out to the intracoastal, bout 7 miles we did the round trip in 4 hours cause we stopped at the sandbar and drank. Would do it again. read more

Had a great time kayaking and paddleboarding here....great view of the light house....dolphins swam with us...two thumbs up.