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Orlando Manatee Encounters: Blue Spring State Park Tour
4.9
370 Ratings
Orange City
Embark on a thrilling adventure at Blue Spring State Park in Orlando, where you can witness the majestic Manatees in their natural habitat. Join our guided kayak tour and learn about the diverse flora and fauna of this wild area. Perfect for a family outing!
Embark on a thrilling adventure at Blue Spring State Park in Orlando, where you can witness the majestic Manatees in their natural habitat. Join our guided kayak tour and learn about the diverse flora and fauna of this wild area. Perfect for a family outing!
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- 2398 W French Ave - The journey begins with paddling into the park, heading towards the manatee refuge. As the manatees venture out in search of food, they swim around and beneath the paddlers. The adventure also includes a paddle to Snake Creek, where participants can observe manatees grazing, birds fishing, and explore the local wildlife.
- 2398 W French Ave - The journey begins with paddling into the park, heading towards the manatee refuge. As the manatees venture out in search of food, they swim around and beneath the paddlers. The adventure also includes a paddle to Snake Creek, where participants can observe manatees grazing, birds fishing, and explore the local wildlife.
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Professional guide
- Landing and/or facility fees
- Bottled water
- Professional guide
- Landing and/or facility fees
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on a voyage to Blue Spring State Park, the wintry abode for one of the biggest herds of Manatee in Florida. Marvel at the sight of hundreds of these ‘marine giants’ leisurely enjoying the spring. From the comfort of your kayak, examine these fascinating animals while your Florida Master Naturalist acquaints you with the diverse plant and animal…
Embark on a voyage to Blue Spring State Park, the wintry abode for one of the biggest herds of Manatee in Florida. Marvel at the sight of hundreds of these ‘marine giants’ leisurely enjoying the spring. From the comfort of your kayak, examine these fascinating animals while your Florida Master Naturalist acquaints you with the diverse plant and animal life that populate this wilderness. An excellent journey for all family members!
- There is no minimum age however all participants must know how to swim
- It is recommended that you bring a swimsuit, towel, waterproof camera and wear clothes that can get wet and possibly dirty
- To ensure a proper size kayak is available, please provide your individual heights and weights at the time of booking
- There is no restroom at the meeting location. There is a public restroom at Valentine Park (1511 W French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763) about a mile before you arrive the meeting location that we recommend you use before your tour.
- Must be comfortable sitting in a kayak for multiple hours
Location
2398 W French Ave
West French Avenue
Go to the very end of French Avenue, 1 mile past the State Park entrance. DO NOT ENTER THE STATE PARK! Follow the dirt road until the end by the river.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(370 Ratings)
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Elhousseinin
Jan 17, 2026
Orlando Manatee - Great experience, Dave is an excellent guide. It was a wonderful journey, we saw manatees, alligators and turtles.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Blike2travel
Jan 13, 2026
Excellent manatee along with other wildlife experience! - We had an excellent manatee and other wildlife experience! Our guide Tia was very nice as well as knowledgeable. We saw lots of manatees in the springs and along the river. As we did some additional kayaking along the river and a tributary, we saw a lot of other wildlife such as alligators (moms and babies), ibis, little blue heron, great blue heron, little green heron, wood stork, limpkin and even an endangered snail kite! While kayaking, we had manatees surprise us by popping up right next to us and swimming under us. We just had a crazy good time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa
Jan 1, 2026
Great Manatee interactions. - Our tour was with Tia. She was so knowledgeable about the Manatees, gators, birds and all things St John’s river.
She was easygoing and a great guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Go387110
Dec 28, 2025
A perfect kayaking trip to meet a lot of manatees - The trip was terrific. We have seen a lot of birds and manatees. Our guide Ryan is very knowledgeable of the plants and birds around this area. He is so good at spotting the manatees. The manatees are around us and some of them made bubbles close to our boats. The kayaking trip is perfect and we enjoy it a lot.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurendu1797vc
Dec 28, 2025
Once in a lifetime experience, even if you've never been kayaking - The guide Ryan was friendly and very patient with my large family. He could not have been more awesome. He even gave us bonus padding time after my family had a slower time getting the hang of paddling. The experience just got better and better, as we went upstream. The manatees came right up to our kayaks! Even my older teenagers said it was a once in a lifetime experience. Do not skip this!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lauren_d
Dec 28, 2025
The guide Ryan was... - The guide Ryan was friendly and very patient with my large family. He could not have been more awesome. He even gave us bonus paddling time after my family had a slower time getting the hang of paddling. The experience just got better and better, as we went upstream. The manatees came right up to our kayaks! Even my older teenagers said it was a once in a lifetime experience. Do not skip this!
Review provided by Viator
Kbyrne94
Nov 11, 2025
Fab - We had a brilliant time with David. It was so tranquil out on the river, a lovely change from the slightly manic parks. David was really friendly and knowledgeable while being very chill. We saw two manatees munching away and lots of birds, fish, and a few turtles :) 100% would recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
392robbiew
Nov 9, 2025
Kayaking with manatees - Experience was very fun kayaking around the springs and seeing all the wildlife! David was a great guide and was able to knew a lot about the area and where to spot the animals. We saw several manatees and turtles up close.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joachim_c
Aug 3, 2025
Jeff is the ideal guide!! - With the right guide and participants, a great experience! Calm and with enormous knowledge Jeff leads the group according to their abilities and desires. Everything was super prepared and worked out great. He got the best out of the leadership and opportunities. We saw many different species of fish and birds, alligators and manatees. What an experience when these gentle giants appear and breathe right next to the kayak!
There was plenty of water during and after the tour. Equipment was in very good condition.
An all-round great experience. Thank you so much!
Review provided by Viator
Jakeff6190ef
Jul 15, 2025
Go and see the real Florida. - My friends and I had an great time kayaking at Blue Spring State Park. Geoff and Lauren were laid back guides who created a relaxed vibe while showing us wildlife like gators and manatees in their own habitat. They shared stories and and facts without making it feel too formal, and the whole experience felt like we were just exploring with friends. The scenery was beautiful, and the pace was perfect. Highly recommend this trip for a laid-back exploration away from the typical tourism of Florida.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
