Our guide, Courtney, was knowledgeable and very personable! She was patient with 'newbies' (like me) to kayaking. She gave great explanations of the Maritime forest and waterways and engaged everyone in the group with questions and conversation. Beautiful area to kayak. (Bonus points to Courtney for recommending to the ladies from Indianapolis, The Orange Blossom Bakery and their Apple Uglies!) read more

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We signed up for the kayaking at Alligator River at Buffalo City. Tour girl Rebecca was knowledgeable about the places, and trying her best to identify the gators. We saw 4 of them during the trip, guess it was too hot for them to come out of water (Aug, 80-90F sunny days). The later half of the trip would require some kayak skills to turn, zigzag, etc...wish we, the beginners, would have more time to practice...Rebecca is great to work with, she tried best to accommodate everyone's needs, just a large group to handle with different kayak skill level (8-9 kayaks, 13-15 ppl). Make sure to bring waters sun screen and bug sprays. Telescope can be helpful on the river to identify the gator( they are camouflage masters on water), lots of time you can see the head, nose and eyes. read more

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Beckah very informative and fun! Had a great experience with Outer Banks Kayak A. I'll try a more advanced trip next time but this excursion was perfect for the group, Kitty Hawk Marsh read more

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our guide, Rebecca, was great. she was very informative on the area where we kayaked. Also gave some recommendations on local restaurants and beaches. It was a perfect day to be kayaking, not too hot or too cold. We really enjoyed the experience. Thank you Rebecca! read more

Thanks to my wife for setting up a 90 min kayak guided tour for their Roanoke Island option. Our guide (Tucker) was fantastic. Super friendly, professional and knowledgeable. He had us fitted and in the water very quick and talked about the birds and vegetation while getting to know a little about each group. We would gladly return. read more

Donnie took us on a great trip through a marine forest, pointing out wildlife and other natural and man-made features along the way. He was patient and helpful whenever anyone struggled with navigation or rowing. Thanks for a fun excursion for our family! read more

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Gavin provided a wonderful tour. We (wife, 15 yr old daughter, and I) took a 2 hour tour of the Alligator Refuge at Buffalo City. We were able to see 5 alligators and had a delightful time. Gavin had great local knowledge and you could tell that he has a passion for providing guided tours. read more

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We went on two tours last week 8/12 and 8/14. On August 12, we went on the Alligator River at Buffalo City. The two of us were the only people on this tour. Tour Guide Rebecca adjusted the tour and it was great. Rebecca shared her insight and we saw multiple crocodiles. On August 14, we returned for BIOLUMINESCENCE & FULL MOON NIGHT KAYAK TOUR. We had a great time on this one. Rebecca was our guide, shared her knowledge, and guided the large group. Overall both trips were guided well and professional. Highly recommend it. read more

Gavin was a fantastic guide. Very leisurely fun morning. He engaged with everyone and told us some interesting details about the area, plants, and wildlife. Even though the animals hid from us for the entire trip, Gavin made it very enjoyable. Would highly recommend him for a guide. read more

I have been meaning to do this review for a few weeks! We had a great time on the Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour in early September! Everything was well organized and the guide was very helpful and approachable. It was a beautiful experience. The bioluminescence isn't SOOOOOO crazy obvious and bright but once you start to see it, you can find it in many spots and it's very cool to see. Don't bother bringing a phone camera because photographing it will be impossible without super special equipment. read more

Gavin, our tour guide, was informative, knew the ins and outs of the river, taught us about the ecosystem, and allowed us to set the pace. He was kind enough to take us out despite no other groups signing up. We did the kitty hawk maritime tour and it was a fairly easy paddle, no tide or current, with beautiful surroundings. Gavin gave us a quick refresher on kayaking when we got there and then let us set the pace in the water. We saw deer, fish, turtles, osprey, and many bird species. Awesome experience and looking forward to trying a different tour through this company the next time we visit! read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Paddleboarding Near Me

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My guide, Rebecca, earned 5 stars - knowledgeable in history, culture, ecology, wildlife - all of it! Excellent experience with Rebecca (unlike last year's guides). I'd sign up for any tour she leads. Equipment was good - service was outstanding. A memorable outing! read more

We had an absolutely great experience with Outer Banks Kayak Adventures! We ended up booking the Kitty Hawk Maritime Forest and Marsh Kayak tour and loved it. We had Cora as our guide and she made the effort to personally check in on everyone and make small talk and make sure we're all having a good time. For anyone that has never kayaked before, this is a great tour to start off on. My partner and I have been kayaking, but not often and not recently, so this was a nice pace. We admittedly didn't see too much wildlife, but just the scenery and experience was good. Next time we might try the Alligator River tour. Maybe. Despite my fascination with dinosaurs and beasts of the past, the alligators of the present do make me uneasy, haha, so we'll see. Regardless of whether I could muster the courage to do this tour or not, I would absolutely recommend and book through this company again! read more

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Easy to schedule and even had to move our original scheduled tour because we were running behind. Once we arrived at the launch site at Alligator river we were met by our two tour guides, Courtney and Rebekah. They gave a tutorial on what to expect of the wildlife we may encounter and how to maneuver the kayaks while we would be out. We say a gator right away at the boat launch that hung in the area until we started getting close to it. Courtney our main tour guide was very knowledgeable of the wildlife, trees and history of the area. read more

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We went on the 8:00 tour. In summer, I would make sure you get on an early tour with summer heat and humidity. It felt like 98° but you get the breezes on the lake and canal so it really is not bad at all. Recommend bringing and applying beforehand: sunscreen and bug spray. Bring a Hat and sunglasses. Obviously wear clothes that can get wet, or a bathing suit. Bring towels to sit in on your car afterwards. Our guide, Chris, was knowledgeable and patient with one of our kids who was a beginning paddler (11 years old). Tandem kayaks are available. We we're able to see a large adult alligator (40 feet or so away), heard a red wolf, and saw two juvenile gators along the canal. Highly, highly recommend this tour. read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Part of the fam on the lake - Paddleboarding Near Me

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Best Tour! Our family enjoyed this tour so much. It was very organized. Our tour guide Courtney was awesome and she ensured we had a beautiful paddle. She was extremely knowledgeable about the refuge, it's history and the wildlife. We saw two baby gators! I could do this tour everyday. read more

Truly a hidden gem of OBX! Our tour guide Courtney was amazing, the weather could not have been better, and we saw tons of wildlife (including turtles and 3 alligators!) On our way out, Courtney told us to keep our eye out for Black Bears, and right on cue we saw a mom and cub :) An amazing experience i'm so glad we took part in-- highly recommended! read more

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We were fortunate to go on a fantastic kayak tour today with two very knowledgeable and very nice guides, Eli and Gavin. We saw 5 alligators, multiple turtles, many birds and trees. We learned about the history and ecology of this very interesting swampy area. The equipment was in great condition easy to handle. And the guides set a pace that people of all kayaking abilities could manage and enjoy. Eli and Gavin were also receptive and encouraging of everyone in the groups questions. We highly recommend this tour company. We went on the alligator river tour. Thank you Eli and Gavin! We learned so much and had a great time. read more

*MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT ADDRESS AND NOT THE PUBLIC WORKS STATION* Beside myself being late to my scheduled Sunset kayaking tour due to the emailed address being faulty. Our tour guide was wonderful, helpful and informative. This adventure from OBKA was a definite must. read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Sunset Kayak - Paddleboarding Near Me

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I did maritime forest tour with Gavin and it was fantastic. Gavin was knowledgeable, funny, and very helpful. My friend was not very experienced with kayaks and Gavin made sure he was comfortable. It was raining for some of our trip but we powered through and it was fun! read more

Travis was awesome, wife and I had a blast. Would absolutely do this again. Though there wasn't much wild life about Travis went outta his way to point out different types of fish, birds, even some crab scattered around the bottom. Well worth it. read more

Went on the bioluminescent kayak tour. Had a great time. Connor was our tour guide. He was hilarious and knowledgable about the history of the Outer Banks. Def recommend . read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Sunset on the Sound - Paddleboarding Near Me

When we showed up we saw the tour headed out! Gavin rowed back to get us in the water and catch up to the group. We had a great time gliding down the brackish water and listening to Gavin's anecdotes. We saw a deer, a cotton mouth snake, an egret, and an osprey at its nest. Gavin informed us that an osprey (his favorite fowl) has an extra bone in its neck that keeps the bird from breaking its neck when he hunts for fish. He took us to the bridge that goes no where after which we turned around to head back in. Then it was game on- with our family who can be a little competitive. We raced back for a bit and finished up with a relaxing glide back in. Thanks for coming back for us, Gavin! We had a great time! read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Bringing it back in - Paddleboarding Near Me

Peaceful, Beautiful and informative. Our family gathered together in Outer Banks from California, DC and Virginia. One 6 year old. This was a perfect way to spend time together and Gavin made the experience so pleasant. Would highly recommend as a way to relax in nature as well as get to spend time with your group. read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - The view from our kayak. - Paddleboarding Near Me

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What a well run company! Eli was so friendly and accommodating helping me organize a private tour for our giant family. We spoke many times on the phone and he was so helpful and patient each time! Gavin was our tour guide and did an awesome job. Many thanks! Highly recommend this great company! read more

Had a great time on the Roanoke Island with Tiger! He was a great guide and knew a lot of random facts about the outer banks and Roanoke Island. *My only issue was the booking system does not allow for a solo person to book a tour. I had to call to complete the transaction.* read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Paddleboarding Near Me

I was looking for a Kayaking tour while I was on vacation in Kitty Hawk and this was one of the few open for the season with a date that fit our schedule. We had an amazing tour and the guide was helpful in making sure the beginners in our group were able to stay in the kayak and have fun. I only wish the tour we took was longer. I could have been out in the kayak all day! read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Kayak tour - Paddleboarding Near Me

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The Alligator River Tour with OB Kayak Adventures was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable activities we did while staying in the Kitty Hawk area. We met up with our guide, Jack, a little before our 10am start. We were given kayaks, paddles and life jackets, a quick lesson in how to kayak, and we were off. We had 6 total in our group, plus Jack. Jack was easy-going and told us about the area throughout the trip. The kayaking itself is very relaxing, the water very calm and open. Within the first 10 or so minutes of the trip we saw a ~6ft alligator cross in front of us and were able to paddle within a couple feet of him at the side of the river before he disappeared. Then we went a bit upriver, turned around and found another one, this time probably closer to 8ft, hard to spot, just inside the main waterway hiding in the short grass that hugs the entire river. Then we traveled out into the main part of the river, which was more akin to a large lake, free to split off from the group looking for alligators along the bank if we wanted. We saw numerous fighter jets fly overhead from the nearby Norfolk Navy bases, plus Juniper trees lining the water's edge, its berries used to flavor Gin. Highly recommended, it would be fun to do again when we're back in the area. About a 45-60min drive from the Kitty Hawk area, parking at the end of the road leading to Alligator River. read more

We had a great time kayaking the Kitty Hawk sound. Gavin was a great guide with fun facts. It was a very relaxing and fun experience. The Outer Banks is such a beautiful place. As long as you don't mind getting a little wet; you will have a great time! read more

Coastal forest tour was peaceful and easy. Gavin, our guide, is a gem. Perfect for a change from the beach.

We took the Alligator River NWR kakak tour with Luke as our guide. The kayaks were well maintained (back rests are such a help) and the location is perfect. Luke was professional and knowledgeable. He shared interesting facts about the area's history and the wildlife in the refuge. We moved at a pace that allowed us to cover ground and also pause and take in the refuge. Excellent experience all around. Booking was easy. Many thanks to Luke, who is a super guide. read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - An alligator we saw in a canal on our drive back out of the NWR. - Paddleboarding Near Me

We took the Kitty Hawk Maritime Forest and Marsh tour with Gavin. He clearly loves his job and enjoys sharing his knowledge of the marsh lands with others. His engaging personality added to our adventure in the calm and peaceful water ways. read more

Had a great time on the Roanoke kayak tour with Tiger. He was awesome, the equipment was all in great condition and the directions to the meet up location were easy to follow. After a small capsize issue with someone in my party, Tiger was super helpful and got us all squared away again. read more

What a great adventure! FIRST TIMERS HERE! We booked our adventure online and then drove to BUFFALO CITY Nature Refuge in Roanoke Island Outer Banks. We booked the "The Alligator River Tour". Jimmy our guide met us there and was extremely courteous, patient and knowledgeable. He was a very nice guy who gave us a class before heading out. It was greatly appreciated. I lost my GoPro at the kayak launch site before going under the bridge. So, If you find it, let me know. Lol! We went out on our Kayaks, and paddled for about 20 minutes before we saw our first alligator. It was awesome. Then we kayaked into the open water which was smooth as glass where we saw huge turtles, and rare cypress trees. It was just BEAUTIFUL! After that, we paddled into the canal ways. It was narrow and hats to maneuver, but it was great and it was beautiful. After doing a 42 point turn to turn around and exit the canal, I made a decision to sprint 1/2 mile to the end of our tour. After paddling for 2 hours, I thought I was a bad ass. But, after a 200 yd sprint, I was gassed! I finally made it back to the kayak launch where I waited for jimmy to get there and provide us with further instructions. He asked us to paddle to the shore where he pulled us in. It was great. After everything was over, he congratulated us and asked us to turn in our life vests and it was over. He was just great! read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Jimmy our guide. Great dude! - Paddleboarding Near Me

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We had a great time. Our guide Erika was amazing. She did a great job of ensuring we had a nice time while explaining the wildlife. read more

Outer Banks Kayak Adventures - Amazing bridge we saw on our paddle. - Paddleboarding Near Me

I've purchased many groupons over the years and never had anything happen like this. Hidden in the description of the Groupon ---(because if its THAT important it should have been or should BE the VERY FIRST SENTENCE!!!!!!!!). Well apparently you have to call first and check the schedule before purchasing. So when I call that Monday before coming down , I get a response that he's so sorry he's been invited to Mexico and could only do Thursday morning. That's when we would be arriving thank goodness, but had planned to arrive later in the day. Soooo asking my daughter, she said---- yeah. Let's leave the night before so we can get there. He was leaving the following week mind you for his trip. (He couldn't do ANY other days??!!). So I tried calling him back to let him know that time would be fine and we were thankful to be accommodated, and he wouldn't answer the phone. We left late Wednesday night and arrived the next morning. In the meantime i received an email from him apologizing that he had to cancel the Thursday morning trip too. I just think this is very sketchy and bad business. I don't have the finances to go on Vaca anytime I feel like it. The ppl that do-- bless you. But we don't. This was a sacrifice for us , and me and my husband sacrificed to go with my daughter and her new husband. We all just got married last fall... so this was kind of a special trip. I don't know. If a policy is that important-- it should be the first sentence AND on the website. Which it was neither. I always check the websites/reviews of businesses first. Well I'm out this money. He told me the next time I come down "he will take good care of us "... Honey, I'm never coming back down there. It was a done deal. Sorry to say but the OBX has changed over the years. So just be aware if he's selling groupons to call him. He got to go Mexico with a part of my money. That stupid thing was almost $200!!!! Pshhhhh read more

I booked the Kitty Hawk Maritime Forest and Marsh tour for a family of 5 including an 11, 13, and 15 yo. Gavin, our tour guide, did a nice job reporting the history and meaning of everything we can encountered from trees, critters, and the creek itself. He delivered exactly what the description of this tour portrayed. The experience was relaxed, educational, and safe for the family. Can't wait to see the pictures he took of us! I would recommend this tour for all ages and beginners. read more

We had a great experience. We had a group of 4 people (one of those was my 4 year old who was a first timer), 2 other families were with us... so about 11 people on the tour, some being kids in tandems. Gavin led a great tour and knew a lot about the route, we really enjoyed it and will definitely be back on our next vacation. read more

My family and I are from Ohio and have been soming down to the OBX for 39 years. We had an amazing time with our Buckeye tour guide Conner who noticed right away we were too from OH. He told us some great stories we didnt know about the OBX and how towns got their names. It was very windy as we started off and he was super encouraging all the way! Such a great experience! Thank you! read more

Went on the Alligator River tour today! Eli, our guide, was amazing! He told great stories while giving us a chance to paddle through the swamps. We even got to see an alligator. Perfect weather today and perfect 2 hour trip! read more