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What makes these kayaking tours unique?
- These unique tours offer paddlers a peaceful encounter with nature and, on some occasions, a new perspective of big city skylines.
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What kind of ecosystems do these kayaking tours cover?
- This list of kayaking tours around the country covers the widest range of ecosystems available in one place.
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What locations are included in these kayaking tours?
- The variety of locations offers kayak enthusiasts choices between places like the rugged terrain of the Florida Everglades and Louisiana swamps to the cityscape skylines of New York and Austin, Texas.
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Why is kayaking a great way to experience nature?
- Whether by sea or by lake, kayaking brings everyone closer to nature.
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1. Sea Quest Expeditions, San Juan Islands, Washington
Sea Quest Expedition provides the greatest whale-watching kayak tours around Washington’s scenic archipelago with the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the south and the Strait of Georgia to the north. Guides construct the ideal adventures taking into account the changing weather, tides and currents, and expectations of the guests to ensure an unforgettable and educational experience. Knowledgable tour guides increase the likeliness of spotting river otters, orcas, and bald eagles. Tours can also include hiking, snorkeling, and learning about the natural history of the area. Sea Quest Expeditions has been successfully providing memorable kayaking vacations to visitors for over 25 years.
2 Front St, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, Phone: 360-378-5767 or 888-589-4253
2. Jenny’s Eco Everglades Wilderness Tour, Everglades City, Florida
Jenny’s Eco Everglades Wilderness Tour offers guided tours of the Florida Everglades by a former U.S. Park Ranger and Master Captain of the U.S. Coast Guard. Jenny loves to share her passion for the natural beauty of the ecosystem she calls home. The paddling tour takes guests through the grasslands, mangroves, and flowering bromeliad along the coastline. Morning tours give visitors the opportunity to witness the wildlife awaken with the sunrise, see birds flutter off for the day and perhaps spot an alligator stirring in the water. Meanwhile, sunset tours provide a mesmerizing sky filled with birds returning to nest and alligators on the hunt.
PO Box 228, Everglades City, FL 34139, Phone: 239-719-0565
3. Rookery Bay Kayak Tours, Naples, Florida
Rookery Bay Kayak Tours takes visitors through the tunnels of the mangroves in search of sea stars, birds, dolphin, and oyster reefs. Tours are led by professional kayakers who are also local biologists and certified naturalist. These educational excursions teach paddlers the ins and outs of this unique ecosystem along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Through an exclusive partnership with Rising Tide Explorers, Rookery Bay Kayak Tours provide treks that are ideal for first-timers or offer a challenging adventure for experts. Tours launch from one of two locations and take guests the tranquil waters of the bay, paddling around islands and through the creeks of southwest Florida’s treasure trove of nature.
1 Shell Island Rd, Naples, FL 34113, Phone: 239-530-5972
4. Kayak Excursions, Fort Meyers, Florida
Kayak Excursions guides guests on one of three kayak tours or a guided stand-up paddle excursion. This area of southwest Florida is a maze of mangroves and shallow bays with raw, secluded beaches. Flourishing with wildlife, paddlers will encounter dolphins and turtles, spot bald eagles soaring overhead, and watch herons diving towards the water catching prey. The manatee tour offers a close encounter adventure focusing on this gentle sea creature. Colder weather brings them closer to the shore increasing the number of sightings. The moonlight tours offer guests the chance to experience the tranquility of nightfall as birds return to roost and the sun dips down into the cool waters.
17950 John Morris Road, Fort Myers, FL 33908, Phone: 239-297-7011
5. Gulf Coast Kayak, Matlacha, Florida
Gulf Coast Kayak rents equipment for visitors to journey the waters of the Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve. They offer a range of kayaks to choose from including tandem, sit-on-tops, and fishing kayaks. Their guided tours are led by certified instructors and Master Naturalists who are well-informed on the ecology of Florida’s central Gulf Coast and have a keen eye for spotting wildlife. Gulf Coast Kayak books a variety of tours including sunrise and sunset excursions that offer insight on the habits of area wildlife. They also provide mangrove maze adventures, eco-tours that enrich and enlighten, and full moon outings for romance and serenity.
4120 Pine Island Rd. NW., Matlacha, FL 33993, Phone: 239-283-1125
6. Sea Life Kayak, Sarasota, Florida
Sea Life Kayak gives visitors the choice of guided or self-guided kayak adventures with morning launches at 9:30 and afternoon tours beginning at 1. Guests who choose self-guided excursions can choose between the 4-hour half-day or the full-day tour of 8 hours. The wildlife paddlers will encounter in these gulf waters of Florida’s west coast include pods of dolphins, aggregations of manatees, and a flurry of feathery birds like osprey and long-legged spoonbills. Sea Life Kayak believes in preserving this delicate ecosystem by offering small-sized group tours and offers wildlife tours and sunset/full moon tours with single and tandem kayaks available for rent.
8918 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota, FL 34242, Phone: 941-400-2740
7. Happy Paddler, Anna Maria, Florida
Happy Paddler Kayak Tours and Ecoventures is comprised of local expert guides with deep roots and extensive knowledge of marine and environmental sciences at the doctoral level. Their passion for the conservation of this biodiverse system combined with their love for health and recreation has helped create engaging tours with the bonus of athleticism. The variety of tours are perfect for family adventurers, nature enthusiasts, and people looking for a new type of experience. Guests can choose between the Coastal Island Tour, the River Safari Tour, as well as sunset and moonlit tours. In addition to traditional tours, Happy Paddler offers lessons, guided fishing tours, and paddleboard yoga.
6844 Gulf of Mexico Dr, Longboat Key, FL 34228, Phone: 941-773-1920
8. Manhattan Kayak and Tours, Manhattan, New York
Manhattan Kayak and Tours offers adventure seekers a new view of New York via kayak and paddleboard tours. These outings take paddlers to hide-away beaches and unparalleled views of the city skyline and Statue of Liberty. The guides offer excursions for the novice as well as fast-paced skilled paddler trips. They offer lessons for beginners and advanced classes for the avid paddler. The sightseeing journeys are designed with progressively increased levels of difficulty so guests can learn the ropes and move up to a more challenging tour de force. The four levels of difficulty begin with a novice course, then an intermediate level, followed by an advanced, and an elite conquest.
555 12th Ave at West 44th St, New York, NY 10036, Phone: 212-924-1788
9. All About Water, Glen Arbor, Michigan
All About Water is an unprecedented kayaking tour of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore of Lake Michigan. The calm crystal blue waters provide a quiet and serene paddling journey with the simplicity of nature all around. Climbing out of the water are mountainous dunes of sand speckled with sparse patches of greenery and topped with random clusters of trees. The highlight of the trip is the stop at Pierce Stocking Dune, named for the lumberman famous for his skill of building roads through the rugged terrain of Lake Michigan. Visitors can make the steep climb to the top of the dune, 450 feet above the water’s surface that offers a breathtaking view of the lake.
5998 West River Rd, Glen Arbor, MI 49636, Phone: 269-214-4848
Plan Your Trip
Table of Contents:
- 1. Sea Quest Expeditions, San Juan Islands, Washington
- 2. Jenny’s Eco Everglades Wilderness Tour, Everglades City, Florida
- 3. Rookery Bay Kayak Tours, Naples, Florida
- 4. Kayak Excursions, Fort Meyers, Florida
- 5. Gulf Coast Kayak, Matlacha, Florida
- 6. Sea Life Kayak, Sarasota, Florida
- 7. Happy Paddler, Anna Maria, Florida
- 8. Manhattan Kayak and Tours, Manhattan, New York
- 9. All About Water, Glen Arbor, Michigan