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 ;)

My wife, Emily and I are local and wanted to try kayaking at our local park at Shingle Creek. Emily…read morehasn't ever kayaked on her own before in a single person kayak. Josh showed her how to do it, quickly and efficiently. Josh and Tia's knowledge of the creek, the wildlife, the vegetation, kayaking, etc. was truly awesome. They made our Labor Day special. We won't seen forget the experience and we'll certainly be back. Check out the Paddling Center at Shingle Creek!

We had a great time with the Paddling Center. Staff was helpful and courteous. We were especially…read morehappy with our tour guide who was very knowledgeable. He pointed out many items of interest. The experience could be done by beginners and experienced paddlers alike.

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!

If you're planning a trip and don't know what to do, jump in a kayak with Adventures in Florida…read more Our guides were super knowledgeable about all the wildlife. We were able to see crocodiles, numerous types of birds, fish. Unfortunately because of the rain we were not able to go further. But our guides were going to extend our trip to potentially see some Manatee. We stopped about halfway through our adventures where our guides had a snacks (crackers, carrots, various grapes, hummus cups, various cheese platter and assorted meats)

Tour Guide was Jeff. We had a great time. It was my first time and Jeff made it easy. Good…read moreinstruction and was fun to follow. He had great knowledge of the area and the animals. Would definitely do it again!

Super cool couple who rent their brand new seadoo 3 person jet skis to anyone who's got the cash!…read more(That being $200 an hour per ski) I had some friends over for a get together a month or so ago, and live on Lake Fairview, so we got their number from a website, all pitched in, and we couldn't have been happier! 2 high powered 1100 blue seadoos with a Bluetooth waterproof speaker blaring out 1000w! Which is perfect bc you can hear your music while you're pushing 43mph across the lake! And btw, 10 people were satisfied with a 2 hour rental for 2 of these bad boys. Oh, and the skis have GPS too, so if you get out to Butler Chain you won't get lost! Thanks again guys, hope to see you at EDC!

This business is a great locally owned business that allows you to rent a Jet Ski or two and have a…read moregreat time on the water. The best part of this business is they have different types of rental packages and options that they bring out to you! You are not confined to the lake they are located on but can pick from multiple lakes in the Central Florida area. The owner is a professional laid back individual who is a pleasure to work with. Our family had a great time and will definitely be using them again.

We had an AMAZING time with sobe surf, my kids and I did a group private lesson at cocoa beach…read more They were flexible to work with after we had to change our plans because our flight got cancelled. (oh colorado and its snow :( ) We got a new date and time and location planned. and it worked out really well. None of us had ever surfed before and honestly we have not spent that much time at the ocean. We have super tiny and petite yet tall, tall and muscly and then normal in our group They were able to accomodate us all as far as wet suits went as well. Our teacher was fantastic! And this ended up being all of our absolute favorite thing that we did while in Florida. We tried to get back in for another lesson but in Miami on the last couple of days of our trip and unfortunately for us they were all booked up. Highly recommend!!!! And dont forget to bring a little cash to tip your teacher/instructor at the end of your lesson. It is a service job :)

Don't let outside appearances fool you! This little shop located in an industrial area of Merritt…read moreIsland is fantastic! I had previously been to SoBe Surf Shop with a friend after we took a SUP lesson by the shop's owner, Girard, after she purchased her board from him. When she purchased her board, it included a free lesson and she was able to bring a friend. I was so glad she let me go along because even though we had both been paddling for several months, we both knew our technique could use some work and Girard's instruction definitely helped! Our lesson took place a couple of miles from his shop at the Brevard Vererans Memorial in a little Cove just behind the memorial. The lesson itself was great - there were only three of us so after giving us a brief lesson, Girard took the time to watch our paddle technique and make suggestions for adjustments so we were able to practice and immediately get constructive feedback. Girard was very patient and clear in his instruction and by the end of our session I was able to fix the issues with my paddle technique. The shop itself isn't anything fancy, but it serves its purpose. He has a number of different stand up paddleboards in stock, and carries high quality brands ar various price points so you should be able to find one that is perfect for you. My friend and I had both done quite a bit of research on the type of board we wanted and what features were important to us. Girard is incredibly knowledgeable and great at explaining the differences in the boards and how they affect it's use. He carries boards that are perfect for touring, racing and yoga. He is not a pushy salesman at all, which I loved. He also carries different accessories like leashes, paddles, waterproof cases, car racks, apparel, and even ukeleles!! After my friend purchased her SUP, I was pretty sure I wanted the exact same one and Girard was great answering any of my questions either by phone call or text messages. He was always quick to respond. Once I was ready to purchase my board, he let me put a deposit down (using my credit card) on the SUP I wanted. I had also talked to him about my need for a soft rack pack for my car and he ordered one to keep in the shop, but said there was no pressure to purchase it. My board package came with a leash, carbon fiber paddle, and cover bag. I also ended up purchasing the soft rack pack for my car. Girard was so helpful, teaching me how to install the racks and load my board safely and securely. I got home via highway roads with no concerns or issues about the safety of my board on my car while driving 70mph! Check out the shop's website for more information about his tours and lessons as well as information on SUP techniques. The website is very useful. https://sobesurf.com Based on my personal experience with Girard on the lesson and purchasing a new SUP from him, I definitely recommend contacting him if you're in the market for a SUP, want to take a guided tour, or a lesson. I live in Winter Garden, FL and making the road trip to purchase a board and lesson from him is well worth the drIve!!!

Overall: We went for the bioluminescent kayaking The guides were great and very informative - it…read morewas an amazing and unique experience. While the luminescencee wasn't the brightest since we were at the tail end of the season, it was still super cool to see! The Service: The guides were really friendly and provided a lot great facts while we were kayaking. We even spotted a gator. The groups are small so it's very personalized. They had great stories abou the area. The Experience: This is perfect even if you've never kayaked before. The staff gives tips on how to paddle and the water is calm so you don't have to paddle too hard. While the luminescence was hard to pick up on camera, it was super cool to see the blue on the clear bottom kayaks and the oars as you paddled. Make sure you bring your deet free bug spray! The mosquitoes bite a lot! Price: For a unique experience, the price was extremely reasonable! I would definitely go again on a different tour since I noticed they do a lot of different tours across Florida. Parking: Parking is on the side of the road. Get Up and Kayaking provide coordinates on where they meet and where to park.

Awesome time kayaking with Anthony and Celeste!!! They're very knowledgeable with everything in…read morethe area.

Jungle Jay and Alex were our guides and they provided excellent services. We had a great time with…read morethe combo sunset and bioluminescent tour.

Our tour guide was Celina- she was highly knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and also…read morecustom-made the tour for our interests and abilities. She obviously cares deeply about the well being of this habitat and loves to share her passion. Overall, this was a great trek. We saw a sea turtle, an otter, an Osprey chick peeking out of his nest, an alligator, and a sea otter. Wonderful time!

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!

SCAM!!!!! I found a Groupon for this company and reached out to make sure the date and time were…read moreavailable. It was confirmed that it would work. I bought the Groupon. I was told by the owner that I had to go online and reserve the time slot. They charged me half of what I paid Groupon to reserve it. I received confirmation from the owner and then 40 minutes later he canceled. This place is a SCAM. Do not give them money. As soon as they get it they will cancel your reservation! They claimed that in the 40 minutes from the confirmation (midday) that he lost his entire staff and could not rent me a kayak. This was not a tour. It was a simple unguided 2 hour kayak rental.

This review is for the great customer service I got from them via text to book a pair of Jet Skis…read morefor this Saturday. Booking is online, but they helped me pick the perfect time of day, then sent all information about the rental and what's available for purchase and rentals. I'll update this after we've gone.