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 ;)

Dolphin and manatee tour. The captain and guides were…read moremasters of the area and the topic. They were also great small talk artists. The stop at the island was a highlight. Worth the time and money.

This was a lot of fun, and completely on a whim! We were visiting my daughter and new grandson and…read moredecided to stay at a nearby resort. Looking for some activities, this came up in our search, so we made an afternoon of it. First off, the captain and crew was comical and they made the experience that much more memorable. We seen turtles, dolphins, and a few manatees! On top of that, we debarked on a small island along our tour, got out, stretched the legs, and took in some amazing views. The Mangroves were a sight to be seen. I can just imagine all the sea creature they give habitat to. We also seen some amazing boats, as well as, some interesting... uh... placement of sailboats. Great history of the local storms and the havoc they wreaked! Thank you for the fun experience for the Familia!! As always, enjoy and Happy sailing!

Captain Scott Cornelous was fabulous! You couldn't find a more knowledgable guide around the…read moreTomoka.....because he's spent so much of his life among the reeds, watching Mother Nature making her changes. He has made sense of how a waterway evolves and what we as bystanders can do to give it a break. He had amazing stories and we enjoyed every bit of our tour. Well done!!!

Super cute outpost! Highly recommend the peanut brittle My husband and I went kayaking on the…read moreTomoka river it was amazing! Sadly we didn't see too much wild life but that's all the reason to come back. The staff were also very nice and helpful with explaining the tides to us!

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!

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.

What a great place and nice owners. A small local shop with a huge selection of all water sports…read moreitems. Mark and Bill both helped us out and were so nice. Don't even shop around. Just use these guys!

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

Yellow dawg has been my go to for shrimp and close by fishing, great place. Jeff is very…read moreexperienced and informational about the area and Rylie gives the best kayak tours around. The canals arpund the are are wonderful as well and would definitely recommend

Was looking to get a foam-top surfboard and spent a lot of time trawling various internet…read moremarketplaces before I stumbled on an add for boards from this little shop in South Daytona. They sell a brand I'd never heard of before (Vanhunks) in a few different sizes (8',7',6') so they have you covered from funboard beginner to something shorter for a little more performance. The boards are super light and have more shape to them than Wavestorms, which makes them a bit more fun to ride but still gives that floaty/easy foamie feel. They come with FCS finboxes so you can use your own fins or stick with the beginner "safety" fins that come with board. The prices was ridiculously good, too, for what you get. They also rent kayaks and paddleboards and stuff, too. Definitely worth stopping by if you're into water sports.