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    North Guana Outpost

    4.7 (53 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    North Guana Outpost Photos

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    Meagan H.

    I'd love to give a better star review but the struggle we went through to get to the good parts was a bit rough. I went down to Florida to see some family and wanted to do something fun with one of my nieces. We found this place and since it was October and the weather was nice, we decided it could be fun. We showed up with no reservations which was fine since it was a weekday in October. The lady behind the counter was super helpful getting us setup. They have a bathroom inside so you can go before you head out in the water. We rented two kayaks and the price was affordable. My complaint is only where the launching point is. The water was low so getting through to the river was quite difficult. We had to use our paddles to push through the gunk and work our way through. I felt bad for any creatures that may be living under that gunk. I slung it all over me accidentally trying to "paddle". This was obviously the same experience coming back in to return the kayaks. Thankfully we aren't totally out of shape because it would have been a lot more difficult after kayaking for two hours if that were the case. It was a gorgeous day and we had a blast. Easy to navigate otherwise. I love watching the shorebirds and ospreys hunt for prey. We saw a lot of different birds and fish. Lots of little baby gators were out there too. It was a fun time! I took way more videos than photos but posted a couple of photos with the review.

    out on the Guana River

    Showed up with no reservation on an August Friday at opening time and asked to go on a solo kayak for a couple hours... easy waiver and payment, in the water five minutes later - equipment was great, paddling was great, people were great, price was great. I was slightly fortunate their first reservation was a little later - and would have had priority to get them in the water first... so call ahead if you can.

    Osprey with catch
    Steve M.

    We had a great self-guided 3 hour kayak from NGO, from its northern location on the lake, in early March. The two women working that day couldn't have been more helpful, and the rental price was very reasonable. The area was filled with bird life, turtles and alligators. The morning was very calm and we were able to take our 35# dog and get great pictures too. After many hikes earlier in our stay on the trails in the GTM Research Reserve, it was great to sit/paddle and see so much wildlife.

    Hayden and Logan were fantastic guides on our 2.5-hour bioluminescence kayak tour. They were incredibly knowledgeable about the GTM Research Reserve and the local history. We even got to see and touch comb jellies. I highly recommend this experience.

    Accessories
    Donna S.

    We moved to the area 8 months ago and have been so curious about North Guana Outpost. It was a lovely February afternoon, and we decided to finally check it out. There was quite a bit of traffic on Palm Valley Road going toward Mickler's Beach. I'm thinking EVERYONE was out and about trying to enjoy the first absolutely glorious day in some time! As it happens, there was a craft/artesian sale going on there as well. The outpost itself is not much to look at from the outside, but boy it has much to offer! NGOs offers Eco Tours on kayaks as well as paddle board, kayak, and surfboard rentals. If you're looking for water apparel or accessories, you'll find some interesting items here. When the water is high enough, if you 've got your own paddle boards, as we do, you can pay $5 to launch from their private launch. The staff were extremely helpful and very friendly. They provided us with information on places we might want to explore and answered quite a few questions. They had a Full Moon Kayak Eco Tour going on that evening. Unfortunately, we weren't able to sign up...but we will! When that happens, I'll come back to update their review.

    Jennifer A.

    We went on the eco tour last night. Our tour guide was Ben and we learned so much from him. The tour was relaxing and we loved sitting on the water watching the sunset. Once it got dark, we got to hunt for comb jellies. It was beautiful and amazing. I've never seen anything like it.

    Family holiday kayak outing.
    Ben B.

    As far as kayaking goes in the area, no one offers more options and better prices than North Guana Outpost. Exclusive, prestigious, and world renowned.

    Tandem kayak rental
    Kimberly D.

    Friendly rental shop with everything you need to adventure out into the Guana River and preserve. My boyfriend and I were visiting Ponte Vedra and this was the nearest place to rent kayaks that we did not have to transport to a dock (I drive a small car). The staff is very friendly and helpful. They can show you how to use equipment if you've never been out on the water. The area of the Guana River which you embark from is calm and not too deep, so it's perfect for beginners to learn the mechanics of SUP or kayaking. It's also on the intracoastal, so it's practically impossible to get lost too (you can only go south and back north for ~15 miles before the delta). There is vast amounts peaceful river to relax on or to get your exercise in. I rented a tandem kayak for 2 hours for about $30, which is a very reasonable price. Obviously, you can rent for less or more time... however long you choose to be out on the river. You get all the equipment needed before you are pushed off in the little inlet that leads to the river. The kayak we received looked almost new; it felt sturdy, safe, and it was clean. Something I noted when we returned from our excursion was in the back of the NGO building, there was a worker cleaning some returned paddleboards. This business takes care of their equipment, and you can be sure you're taking out quality pieces on the river. The NGO store offers lots of different items for your water sports preferences: some clothes, fish and tackle supplies, and specialty sports equipment. There are 2 bathrooms for changing inside too. Bring your own sunscreen, snacks and beverages for your excursion. I highly recommend using bug spray during summer months. Bring a camera and you can catch the different birds and jumping fish on the river. Remember, use the cell phone tower as a directional landmark, and turn at the conch shell marked NGO!

    The entrance

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    3 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Very relaxing kayaking for our large group. The guides were extremely knowledgeable about the area, the wildlife, and the history.

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    1 year ago

    Fun time, easy process, friendly staff. Highly recommend for a casual kayak rental. Rates are reasonable and location is easily accessible.

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    3 years ago

    Max was an awesome guide! He was very knowledgeable about the bioluminescent creatures and ecosystems of Guana.

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    I rented a surfboard there, super affordable and extremely close to Mickler Beach. The staff is very friendly and helpful.

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    The nicest staff!! Our kayaks were in perfect shape. We had the best time out on the water!!

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    5 years ago

    Bought my daughters SUP here, they were extremely helpful and answered all our questions,

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    4 years ago

    A must do!! Highly recommended, it's beautiful and Ben is a great guide. There's so much to learn about Guana

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - North Guana Outpost

    Review Highlights - North Guana Outpost

    Super knowledgeable about his area and his passion for the Guana Preserve was obvious.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Earth Kinship

    5.0(4 reviews)
    27.9 mi

    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!

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