Sunset Bioluminescence Tour: Merritt Island Wildlife
4.7
89 Ratings
Mims
Experience the magic of sunset on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge with our Bioluminescence Tour. Watch dolphins, manatees, and a variety of bird species as the sky ignites with color.
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • A Day Away Kayak Tours - Kayak to an island with a very diverse bird population before they settle in for the night, right next to a beautiful sunset on the horizon. Then, paddle to a nearby location to see various types of bioluminescence - one of only a few places in the world to see it.
What's Included
  • Kayak
  • Professional guide
  • PFD (Personal Flotation Device)
  • Paddle
  • 2 hour kayak tour
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

The Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge comes alive at dusk, bursting with activity. Dolphins can be seen hunting for their evening meal, while manatees navigate towards shallow waters in search of an overnight resting spot. The setting sun sets the sky ablaze with vibrant hues, lending an extraordinary backdrop to the flurry of activity on ‘Mullethead Island,’ a government-protected nesting site. Here, some of the refuge’s 358 distinct bird species, including the Ibis, herons, egrets, pelicans, cormorants, and roseate spoonbills, return to their secure nests for the evening. All of this grandeur framed against the iconic backdrop of NASA’s launch pads. Embark on your getaway.

  • What to bring:
  • Clothes you don’t mind getting a little wet. Towel (left in car)
  • Water Shoes – sandals or Crocs that can be worn in the water
  • Bring an extra change of clothes just in case
  • Camera & Dry bag (optional) These are fairly useless to capture bioluminescence, but great for capturing people.
  • Bottled water, Snacks
  • Any special personal paddling gear if you like
  • You may bring a flashlight, though we will provide a safety light.
Location
Haulover Canal Kayak Launch
Haulover Road Southwest
Departure Point: Haulover Canal Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge If you have any difficulty finding us you may reach us at one of the following numbers: 9am-5pm After 5pm
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(89 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Bikermom852
Mar 27, 2024
Third time's a charm... - This is the third time I have used this group... I love them... The group felt safe and had an amazing time.. saw all kinds of wonderful things and made great memories..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H4175nojulien
Jan 2, 2024
The best trip - Our guide Chaz was so passionate and knowledgeable, on top of just being a really fun and cool person. The experience was also unforgettable. We saw so many different groups of dolphins, including some playful boys jumping and one mama and her baby dolphin. When the sun set, not only did we see the bioluminescent jellies up close (Chaz held a light up to them so we could see rainbows through them and their cilia moving); we also got to see the plankton light up with every stroke of our paddles. A magical, must-see experience. Would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexakchilton
Jan 1, 2024
Sunset Kayak on Christmas Day - My husband and I had a fabulous time and tour with A Day Away Kayak Tours. The guides provided great insights into the biodiversity in and around the waters. Alongside this, we had a large group, with some new to kayaking. The guides were very accommodating to all levels, which we really appreciated. We were lucky enough to see dolphins, manatees and the bioluminescence jellyfish on Christmas Day. A memorable experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Agood
Oct 2, 2023
Wonderful experience , highly recommended - I booked this tour for myself and my elderly mother who was visiting me from Canada. We arrived to see that we were the only tour for that time slot. We had Kerry as our tour guide and he was fantastic. He was knowledgeable providing us with all kinds of fun facts about the various animals and location. We had some trouble paddling as neither mom or I have experience with kayaking. Kerry was patient with us and even tied a rope to his kayak so we could still enjoy the experience. The bioluminescence wasn’t as bright in September and that was a little disappointing but this is no fault of a day away. We still had a great time getting to see manatees up close, we saw dolphins as well as an alligator and many other cool animals. The tour was relaxed and super fun! I really appreciate the tour company didn’t cancel the tour considering we were the only ones. This was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever especially considering mom is getting older and I don’t get to see her too often. Highly recommend this tour, this was the second time I’ve used a day away and I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again or recommend them to anyone else. Thank you so much! 5 stars all the way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
72zelb
Sep 14, 2023
One of the best experiences in my life! - I would like to thank Tanner, Hayley and Freedom, In fact all five of us thank you all for your wonderful caring attitude to us all, when were left stranded by our Uber driver. You as a team took us to the nearest town to get another Uber. We enjoyed our time with you all, an experience we will never forget! Would use you again in a heartbeat!💓 👏⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ take care y'all 😘
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Willienicejeep
Jul 27, 2023
More magical than Disney - Such a beautiful and breathtaking experience! Pictures cannot do this justice and only captured a few moments of the time we spent in the protected nature of Florida's Space Coast. Our guides, Amanda and Freedom, were very knowledgeable about the area and the biological ecosystems, animals, and happenings of the refuge and overall helped make the experience safe, educational, and fun! The bioluminescence at night was truly dazzling and magical... a manatee surfaced right next to my kayak and was glowing in the dark! Seriously mind-blowing! 10/10 experience and I would absolutely return and do this 1,000 times over. If you're considering a kayak tour that will exceed your expectations, provide a safe and exciting adventure for all, this is the one. I'm truly grateful for the memories made with my family and friends.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vincenttd5439up
Jul 17, 2023
Great night on the water - The experience overall was excellent. Not the largest tour operator out there, but it made for a intimate experience. Tanner was our guide, he is a low key casual cat. Perfect for what we were looking for. Weather was terrible right up until time for tour, which partially blocked the sunset, but also cooled things off. Got to go thru some mangrove mazes, and saw a few manatees and dolphins. When it got dark, that is when it got very cool, the bio was very lively, and it was one of the most unique experiences I have ever had. I will go again and recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annalf1588bn
Mar 26, 2024
Glad we went but disappointed - March (& windy weather) worked against seeing much that night. For that reason, the clear bottom boats were worthless for us (& less comfortable). Guides scooped up comb jellies to look at. Nothing visible from our kayaks. Large group and couldn’t hear much at all. Sadly, very little learning that I was looking forward to. Some due to unavoidable things; to a lesser degree, the guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Emerald78
Apr 7, 2024
Cancelled due to weather no refund - Our kayak tour was cancelled as winds too high. The company explained they do not give refunds only reschedule. This is robbery. We are a family on holiday from Europe rescheduling was not an option. We did not sign up to this policy it was not highlighted we didn’t sign anything outrageous service
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nataliefm6219gu
Jul 13, 2023
TRAVELERS AND VACATIONERS BEWARE! - TRAVELERS AND VACATIONERS BEWARE! If this company decides to cancel your kayaking trip, they will not refund your money. I signed up for their sunset/bioluminescent tour during our family vacation to KSC. Winds were gusty that evening. We arrived in time for our tour, they cancelled the 7pm tour and offered to add us to the 8:30 tour to see if winds would die down. We waited 1.5 hours, but that tour was also cancelled. We already had plans to leave the next day and asked for our money back, as the service we paid for was never provided. I was then told that in the waiver that I had signed in order to participate, it said that trips cancelled due to weather can ONLY be rescheduled or gifted to someone else. We live 9.5 hours away and have not been to Titusville for over 12 years, so our ability to reschedule was non-existent and it was our last day of vacation. We called and asked for an exception to their "policy" which was recently changed, and they refused to let us speak to a manager or person that would have the ability to provide an exception to the policy. They kept our $267, did not provide the service, and they refuse to provide a refund. This type of policy is only conducive to local residents with the flexibility to reschedule, or as a ploy to keep visitors’ money. We asked why they changed the policy and it was to “align themselves with their competition” (i.e. nothing to do with the best interest of their customers). This change only guarantees that the company will make money regardless of the weather and is not the appropriate thing to do, especially in an area where there are a tremendous amount of visitors. We have reported them to our traveler's insurance company and intend on reporting them to the BBB shortly. If you are visiting the area and do not have multiple days to reschedule your tour due to unpredictable Florida weather (which if you do not know, it storms every day in FL), DO NOT BOOK A TOUR WITH THIS AGENCY.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today