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Lovers Key Eco Tour: Exploring Southwest Florida's Mangroves
5.0
688 Ratings
Fort Myers Beach
Embark on a captivating 2-hour tour of Southwest Florida's mangroves with Lovers Key Adventures. Discover the rich history, diverse wildlife, and stunning natural beauty of this untouched landscape.
Duration:
2 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Lovers Key State Park - Lovers Key State Park offers 2 1/2 miles of beach coastline with incredible shelling. There are 5 miles of hiking and biking trails with wildlife sightings daily.
The tours take place in the estuary with manatee and dolphin sightings (if they choose to show up) many or most days.
4 hour Kayak rentals are also available at your leisure-unguided with single and tandem kayaks and canoes as well as stand up paddle boards rented by the hour.
What's Included
- Choice of single and tandem kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddle boards
- Included life vests, backrests, and paddles for safety and comfort
Additional Information
Join Stephen, the master naturalist guide from Lovers Key Adventures, on a 2 hour 15 minute exploration through the mangrove-enshrouded estuary. He’ll impart the significance of the southwest Florida eco-system as well as the region’s history - touching on the Calusa Indians, Conquistadors, and Ponce De Leon. Stephen has a knack for spotting wildlife and will introduce you to the array of birds, plants, dolphins, and possibly manatees (if they’re visible that day). This is a standout experience in southwest Florida and completely unscripted, resulting in unique tours each time. It’s why many of our guests keep coming back. Along with this, guests frequently explore the beaches and trails located within the state park. Numerous photo-worthy moments are available to create lasting memories of your wonderful experience amidst the unspoiled Florida landscape.
Location
8720 Estero Blvd
Estero Boulevard
Lovers Key South entrance/Main entrance.
second entrance on right if coming south (from fort Myers beach way) First entrance on left if going north (from Bonita beach way.) Big sign ‘Carl Johnson/Lovers Key state Park’ drive into park through ranger station then first parking lot, gift shop-9am.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(688 Ratings)
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230lucindar
Jun 4, 2024
Thumbs up!! - Amazing experience and Steve was a great guide. Went the extra mile to introduce us to wildlife and the ecology of the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T8725ycelsag
May 28, 2024
Amazing tour! - Absolutely loved our tour with Stephen! We had minimal experience with kayaking before but he showed us the basics and helped us along the way. We were quite slow but he was patient with us. He was very personable and taught us so much about the wildlife and nature around the park. We also got to see so many manatees! Highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Breanna_p
May 8, 2024
Great - Tour guide was great and seen a few Manatees 😊. Got really sunburn so make sure to lavor up on sunscreen.
Review provided by Viator
Compass61975578561
Apr 29, 2024
Great kayaking experience - Great kayaking tour with Karen. Saw manatees, iguanas, an osprey eating a fish and other wildlife. Karen was funny and informative. Would definitely do again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
238kristopherw
Apr 29, 2024
What a great morning on the water! - We had such a great morning kayaking with Karen as our guide! We saw a few manatees and Karen was extremely knowledgeable about the area and wildlife we saw along the way. You'll also get some great jokes along the way. We will definitely be doing this again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nataliehq3190ir
Apr 26, 2024
Highly recommended - Had a memorable morning kayak with Karen. Encountered manatees and more! Our tour guide Karen was extremely knowledgeable..we enjoyed a new experience! Thanks Karen for a wonderful tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oliviac961
Apr 23, 2024
Phenomenal experience - Our tour guide, Karen, was a treasure. She was extremely knowledgeable about the estuary and all of the wildlife in it. She was also kind and patient as we are not experienced kayakers. We got up close and personal with the manatees, which was an amazing experience. One of them was very playful and put her flipper on our kayak. As a manatee fanatic, it was absolutely magical. Of course, there are no sightings guaranteed as these are wild animals but we got very lucky. We also saw dolphins, many types of birds, fish, iguanas, and learned about the mangroves. After the tour, Karen sent us dozens of photos which we will keep forever. Lovers Key is a beautiful park and I would highly recommend this unforgettable tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wildbill45
Apr 22, 2024
Manatees Mating - Love is in the Water - It was a beautiful sunny hot day in April and the waters were very calm. We kayaked with another couple we’ve been friends with for decades and got to see over 20 manatee and hung out with them for an hour.
Love was clearly in the water as we got to watch two different sets of manatee mate. These are amazing, large, graceful sea creatures that we could watch all day.
Hardly anybody in the water. We felt like we own the place and blended in with nature for a day of relaxation aside from the physical workout of kayaking, which was fun. I recommend paddling your kayak closer to the edges as the manatee feed more in this vegetation rich environment, and tend to hang out there.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suzanne_o
Apr 22, 2024
Great kayak experience - Our guide Steve was very knowledgeable and informative. His love of the local flora and fauna is very apparent! The kayaking was great for beginners and he gave us freedom to explore on our own too.
Review provided by Viator
Lightpacker566143
Apr 22, 2024
Manatees, birds, crabs, and starfish - Steve was wonderful! He had tons of knowledge and love for the animals. We saw 3 manatee and you could tell they were comfortable with him and it seemed like they recognized his voice. We saw tons of wildlife above and below the water! Thanks so much! Next time we are in town we will do this again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor