Great experience to get away from the city. It was only 1hr out from Disney World…read more The clear kayaks is easy to use and balances well so we didn't have any issues worrying about tipping when we were going up stream. Christina was out tour guide and she was great. She pointed out things along the way. Helped with pictures. And even recommended other things to do in the area after the tour. I would recommend coming as early as you can because the water path was filling up with people around noon. And bring goggles!! If you can, come on days when it isn't raining for clearer waters, but at if you can't avoid it, there will still be an opportunity for clear water.

We tried the Rock Springs kayaking tour with Get Up And Go Kayaking a couple of weeks ago and the…read moreexperience was quite interesting. Let's start by saying that you should make sure you are scheduling for the right location as sending someone the direct link may still send them to a different location, as with our experience. I sent my beautiful partner the link to Rock Springs (Rock springs was literally in the URL), but it sent her to Silver Springs. We didn't notice until the trip was booked (less than 10 minutes later) and tried to contact the office to see if we can be transferred over to Rock Springs or if they could cancel the booking since it was literally minutes ago. Unfortunately, we didn't think we would need the trip protection add-on for something like this, but we were told we can only reschedule at the same location because we didn't purchase it... The funny thing is that the Rock Springs option didn't even show up for her when she was trying to rebook, but it did show up for me. Anyways, it's just something I highly suggest you pay attention to. Unpleasant booking issue aside, since we did have to book and pay again for this trip, the tour was pretty good. Our guide was Meagan, who was great. She was also accompanied by a guide who was transferring over to this location who was also helpful. First off, let me say if you have never done a two person tandem kayak before, it can be a little difficult to get in sync and start making progress. We did however get into the groove after the first stop upstream, and after that, the trip was fun and full of sights. The paddling up stream is a bit of a work out, so be prepared for that. You will stop at multiple scenic spots to snap some pictures on the way. I guess we were lucky to take the last tour of the day, as there wasn't a ridiculous amount of people going either way. Once you get to the end of the upstream paddle, the ride back is a breeze. You just have to figure out how to steer and to back paddle to slow down. You can get some really good pictures and take in the scenic views during this time since you don't need to paddle against the current. Our guide took some nice pictures and videos of us and provided them to us at the end of our trip. The initial part of the trip can be difficult, but if you work through it and figure things out, the tour was enjoyable.

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 ;)

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.

We had a wonderful time with Bria. She was a great guide and ambassador for Rainbow River wildlife…read moreand natural springs information. She was supportive when I needed her help. We had a great paddle today. I will be back and recommend you to others.

Very nice, perfectly positioned, clean, well kept and comfortable kayaks. Nice set up for parking,…read moreentry and exit. Awesome guide map. Scenery looked very similar to the mangroves I kayaked in Key West. Water not as clear, but it's beautiful. Will do this again!

Took my daughter, who's nine, out for a kayak tour today. Guide was friendly, attentive and was…read morewonderful with our daughter, as it was her first time on a kayak.I will definitely do this again.

From the owner: Our Business started out small in Lakeland, Florida in 2013. Since then, we have expanded to better…read moreserve our customers by opening another location in Winter Haven, Florida. Our skilled and experienced team is equipped with the knowledge of the waterways of Polk county and central Florida. We strive daily to enhance the customer experience while ensuring safety as our #1 priority. We encourage you to give US a try today!

I saw the picture that showed one of their other locations so I was disappointed with this paddling…read moretrip. It wasn't very epic and would hardly count as an adventure. The person who helped us was friendly and the prices were reasonable. We had a good time. The scenery was OK.

This tour was awesome! Im so grateful for Roger allowing us to hop on a later tour for kayaking…read moresince we were late to our original booking. He was so friendly and didnt even stress about us being late. I booked 2 kayaks but ended up sharing one with my partner so it was a better experience for me in the water. It was such a leisurely experience and even though it was cooler and we only saw one manatee it was still pretty neat. We did see otters teaching their babies how to swim, alligators & tons of birds.