Thank you Rachelle for another great paddle boarding experience!…read more This was our second time booking a tour with Otter Paddle, but our first time trying it out at this lovely Rainbow springs location. It's not your average paddle board tour that might feel like another random person, No this tour always feels intimidate enough that you feel like you are with friends and family! My son, BF and I had another great paddle boarding experience, we were able to explore the refreshing spring with its beautiful colors, it felt like another world underneath. We also learn about the small erosion holes the spring has, she took so many lovely photos and videos while we enjoyed our tour. You don't need to bring a camera or phones since the tour includes capturing all the best moments, but of course you can (we received our photos and videos the following day via Dropbox), you get a drybag to put some small belongings, definitely recommend bringing sunscreen, and water to stay hydrated, the water was perfect on a hot Sunday late in August. The spring was big enough that you did not feel crowded. Rachelle provided instructions on how to get going if it was your first time paddle boarding, or if you simply needed some tips. Scheduling a tour is very convenient and easy through their website, they also offer other options for tours at different locations, as well as gift cards for friends and family. We left our towels and a change of clothes for after our tour, there's restrooms and changing area so you can do that after or before your tour. We noticed they have lockers, but I believe you will have to pay for those, it was fine leaving it in the car. We also did not have to pay for parking since it's included in our tour already. I highly recommend this tour, and we will most definitely be back again! Thank you again Rachelle for such a wonderful time!

We went with Rachelle on a Sunday to Rainbow Springs and had the best time! She had everything…read moreready to get in the water as soon as we arrived and did quick review of using a paddle board. We went to a secret creek and the water was beautiful and it was a great place to go for a swim. Then we paddled to the springs and saw the most beautiful glowing blue water I have ever seen! She was very knowledgeable about the springs and the area! Highly recommend!

Just WOW, I mean where do I even fathom to begin. Tucked away in the heart of Crystal River lays a…read moreabsolute hidden gem manatee paddle me and my lovely darling Susie, where looking for a way to cool off from the scorching August Florida heat and what better place to cool off from the heat none other than three sisters, so we moseyed on down to our favorite paddleboard shop and Boy where we in for a treat sitting there at the front desk was a striping handsome tall athletic 6'5 washboard abs young man he was so helpful, (I thought to myself gee they must only hire supermodels here) he gave us a ton of tips and tricks and was great at explaining the process and the pricing was extremely fair and honest not to mention they have a great selection of merchandise and great cold beverages for a hot summers day next it was finally time to hit the water, mike was so helpful he made sure we had everything we needed to have such a great experience, once we received our paddle boards Mike helped us get in the water and it was finally time to set sale we just had such a hoot out on the water we visited three sisters and saw plenty of manatees on the way, such a beautiful freshwater spring and the water is always at a great temperature to cool you off from the hot summer months overall me and my darling Susie just had such a wonderful experience if you're ever looking to paddleboard in crystal River do not hesitate, Manatee paddle is the best choice when it comes to pricing experience and customer service Just WOW, I mean where do I even fathom to begin. Tucked away in the heart of Crystal River lays a absolute hidden gem manatee paddle me and my lovely darling Susie, where looking for a way to cool off from the scorching August Florida heat and what better place to cool off from the heat none other than three sisters, so we moseyed on down to our favorite paddleboard shop and Boy where we in for a treat sitting there at the front desk was a striping handsome tall athletic 6'5 washboard abs young man he was so helpful, (I thought to myself gee they must only hire supermodels here) he gave us a ton of tips and tricks and was great at explaining the process and the pricing was extremely fair and honest not to mention they have a great selection of merchandise and great cold beverages for a hot summers day next it was finally time to hit the water, mike was so helpful he made sure we had everything we needed to have such a great experience, once we received our paddle boards Mike helped us get in the water and it was finally time to set sale we just had such a hoot out on the water we visited three sisters and saw plenty of manatees on the way, such a beautiful freshwater spring and the water is always at a great temperature to cool you off from the hot summer months overall me and my darling Susie just had such a wonderful experience if you're ever looking to paddleboard in crystal River do not hesitate, Manatee paddle is the best choice when it comes to pricing experience and customer service

Highly recommend Manatee Paddle if you are looking for an affordable rental to Three Sisters…read moreSpring! The staff was so helpful - from providing a map and walking through the best path to get to the spring to helping us launch, it was a great experience. You check in downtown and then the walk to the launch area is less than five minutes. Everything you need is at the launch area. This was probably one of the nicest kayaks I've ever rented. The springs was lovely and surprisingly not too packed for 4th of July Weekend.

Awesome kayaking, but they wouldn't pick us up unless all 4 groups would check in. I don't like to…read morewaste my time while on vacation.

I reserve two single kayaks a week before I wanted to try this place. Emails and directions are…read morevery clear. When I arrived staff was helpful and guiding me along the way so that I could see otters. It was a very quick process to get in the water, but it did get crowded toward midday and on the way back in. I would highly recommend clothes that can get wet, bringing snacks and water and a hat or sunglasses. A dry bag if you have it but if you want one, they do sell them where you check in.

If you're looking for any kind of rental for Crystal River this is your place. Locked our keys out…read moreof our car and Luke helped us get our car open.huge thanks to you guys from start to finish they made our stressful trip enjoyable. From hunter's kayaks and tours it's a 2 min walk to hunters spring. We saw atleast 10 manatees in the spring and three dolphins were even in the swim area. 10/10 would recommend

Pros: easy online registration and scheduling; Front desk…read moregirl for check in was great super sweet. Very nice and informative. We were a bit late and she extended our reservation. I was quite thankful. The kayaks were fun and we were left to our devices to explore. Isaiah was cool and very laid back. We were also a half hour late coming back and they were totally cool with it. Thank you! I can't believe I saw the baby manatees. I literally cried. Cons: I was surprised they just let us out with no real guide! It was cool but I'm surprised they trusted us. We kinda got lost the first 90mins and didn't know where we going but eventually we got to the area where the manatees were gathering. A bit crowded and I felt bad everyone so close to the protected species. Overall a super a cool experience. We went during manatee festival in January so it was a bit crowded but not overwhelming. It was a beautiful day with beautiful site seeing. Def recommend!

I booked the 10 pm bioluminescence kayak tour on Merritt island…read more They had different options available on-site of clear 2 people transparent Kayaks, also on person transparent single Kayaks. It was easy to see the company truck by the launching area on the on the Indian river lagoon. There were life vest and small lights for us to be able to see the other members of the group while paddling in the dark. We paddled to horseshoe crab island and got to see dolphins a couple of times. Overall is pretty dark so mostly you see them around. Our guide was Jordan. He was great! We could not have asked for a better guide. He gave us instructions on how to stay safe, and what to expect during the tour. He also worked hard to communicate with the group while in the water, and made sure that the group stayed together the whole time. He has the right personality for the job making our experience easy and fun. We could see the bioluminescence phenomenon what was pretty incredible. I wish we could have Good pictures of it but unfortunately they don't turn out good. Bring bug spray ! Lots of mosquitos!

We did the 10 p.m. bioluminescence clear kayak tour, and OMG... I loved it so much! The first time…read moreI ever saw bioluminescence was in Puerto Rico back in 2018, and it's still one of the most beautiful nighttime experiences I've ever had--right up there with seeing the Northern Lights. There's just something so magical about watching the water glow around you. We drove about 50 minutes from Orlando to Merritt Island for the tour, where we launched from the Indian River Lagoon, and it was absolutely worth it. This is one of those experiences that's really hit or miss, so keep in mind that the amount of bioluminescence you see isn't something the tour company can control. We got lucky because there was so much activity that night! We actually didn't kayak very far since the bioluminescence was so active right near the shoreline. We spent most of our time enjoying it from that area because there was no need to go much farther. Also, don't expect your phone camera to do it justice. It's incredibly hard to capture on camera, and it's so much more breathtaking in person. I highly recommend this experience to everyone, and I already can't wait to do it again!

What an AWESOME day! Crystal River Kayak Company & Dive Center made for such a great experience!…read moreThe staff were friendly and informative, equipment was clean & well maintained, and check-in/out was simple and quick! We rented paddle-boards for 3 hours to go visit Three Sister Springs at the Crystal River Wildlife Refuge, and it did NOT disappoint! You cannot swim at Three Sister Springs unless you arrive by watercraft as the refuge is protected, so going on an adventure via paddle-board was a nice relaxing way to explore the area. We saw multiple manatees and even got to swim with them when they came in the refuge (SUCH A COOL EXPERIENCE)! The coolest thing about the manatees was how much trust they put in the people visiting their home. There was a mom and calf swimming right up to people, and I thought how cool it was that she put that much trust into her surroundings as to show off her baby. I highly recommend checking out this company next time you're visiting the area!

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 the absolute best time with Otter Paddle!! They went out of their way to make sure the…read moreexperience was as enjoyable as possible. Rachelle was so fun and taught us so much too! She had great recommendations for other spots to explore. I can't wait to book another adventure with them!!

My wife and I had a WONDERFUL experience paddling this spring! Our guide Rachelle was super…read moreinformative, went at our pace, and was so sweet. We saw a bunch of fish, turtles, birds, a manatee, and a gator. Will have to return so we can see the monkeys. I definitely recommend Otter Paddle, you wont be disappointed

If you're looking for an awesome experience near the Weeki Wachee springs, SUP Weeki is the…read morebusiness for you. I'm not an experience paddle boarder nor am I strong swimmer and Pam & Jerry make the process super comfortable. Pam and Jerry are a down to earth individuals and were the highlight of my trip. We came out early to experience the 10 mile river trail. Pam gave us an amazing class so we can master the board. The have a ton of resources for you to use including outdoor shower. Their equipment is top notch and you'll feel comfortable before you take on the river. Plenty of beautiful landscape once you get out to the main river trail. It stretches for about 10 miles. Once you get to the end of the river, the spring is located inside a water park where they have daily shows. It's currently closed until June 2019. What I can say about Pam and Jerry is they make you feel like family. Like you're a long lost cousin of some sort. They're outstanding human beings and I enjoyed the time I spent with them. I will be making a trip back out in the near future to visit them again. This might be my new favorite thing to do when visiting the area. "My review is strictly my opinion based on my experience and interaction with the business and/or persons while they provided me a service, food, or merchandise. This review is not to be translated as fact. My review is truthful to the best of my ability and is not intended to present harm to the business but to encourage them to perform better or allow them to continue being awesome. I have not received any monetary gain for writing this review" - Bruno F

Got to visit this tour while in Florida this summer. Was a fun experience and would definitely…read morerecommend it. We ended up taking a few different tours on this trip and this was one of the best. The Weeki water is so clear and fresh. Will be back soon!

We had an amazing time on the ecotour with RiverWitch Kayaking. My family and I did the two-hour…read moremorning tour, and Ursula was fantastic. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the local ecosystem and all the plants, birds, fish, mammals, and everything that lives within it. She truly is a master naturalist, and her enthusiasm made the experience even more engaging. The boat launch was easy to find, and the kayaks were in excellent condition--clearly well maintained. They've really thought of everything to make the experience smooth and enjoyable. It was also an easy drive from the Mt. Dora area, and we're already looking forward to going back again!

RiverWitch Kayak Rentals is the best outfitter I've worked with in a long time. We are new to the…read moreSpace Coast, having traveled south for a quick vacation, so we just took a chance on RiverWitch. They got us on the water in a beautiful spot, with instructions on seeing incredible wildlife within minutes. We paddled for hours, eventually floating into a dolphin pod that played around our boat. We saw millions of birds in the mangroves, and enjoyed the serenity of the river adjacent to their shop. Apparently they will deliver, too, so there are many options. I can't say enough great things about the quality of the boats, the natural setting, and the people who work there. Anna from Connecticut

Mike and "Blue" and "Cooter" (French fur babies) was absolutely amazing. I've toured with Mike 5…read moretimes and each one has its on special set of memories. We've done Silver, Rainbow and the "Chaz." I'm always thrilled to go on our next voyage. Of course, EVERYONE loves those sweet dogs. The first time I was very nervous because my grandson needed ADHD meds and he insisted on riding with Mike's paddleboard and dogs. Well, Mike has always wanted everyone to have a "life memory of joy" with the tours. PLus, he post wonderful pictures within the first 24 hours of paddling. A regular professional photographer for no extra cost.. Please check his web site for all the memorable days he's provided for us all. Him and the fur babies are a total joy. He PROVIDES everything needed. Hey Mike, remember the fishing hole we found?, And the great video of a huge owl snatching a fish from the fisherman there- breathtaking it was! See ya soon, July hoping to get away from SW Fla heat ....

Mike and Captain Cooter are the kindest and most hospitable river guides! Pointed out so many…read moreamazing critters I couldn't even see. Kind and helpful, they truly enjoy what they do and saved me in a pinch when I dropped my phone in the water.