Orlando Manatee Encounters

Overview

Journey to Blue Spring State Park, winter home to one of Florida’s largest populations of Manatee. Witness hundreds of these "sea cows" relaxing in the spring alone. Observe these creatures from a safe distance in your kayak as your Florida Master Naturalist introduces you to the flora and fauna that make up this wild area. This is a great trip for the entire family!

City: Daytona Beach

Fri 11 Jul

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $80.00

Make a reservation

Fri 11 Jul

Starting at $80.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Bottled water

Professional guide

Landing and facility fees

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (329)

788rachaelr

Jun 2020

We had a great time. Our guide was really knowledgeable and we all had such a blast exploring the springs and the river. We got to see all kinds of wildlife (including manatees!) and learn a lot about the area.

Djgwin

May 2020

Astrid was our guide and she was wonderful. She is very knowledgeable about the area and wildlife, she is courteous and polite. I’ve been on several trips with this outfitter and highly recommend them

SandiLG

Mar 2020

We went with our guide, Bill, on March 13 - warm and sunny day and the river was quiet. The warmer it gets, the less the manatees congregate in the warm spring that feeds the river, so we missed the large gathering of manatees which happens until early March, but that did not stop us from having an AMAZING time! We did see two manatees - snoozing and coming up for air - early in our trip. We also saw dozens of alligators of all sizes and shapes, turtles, various fish (both jumping and swimming) and loads of birds including bald eagles, osprey, cormorants, anhingas, limpkins, a wood stork, and far too many others to name, all VERY close and amazing to see. Kayaking was very easy - don't worry if you don't know how - and beautiful, some on the open river (which moves VERY slowly) and some down a small creek area packed with foliage and wildlife which made us feel we were in the swamps of the Everglades. This was a magical and beautiful experience, Bill was an outstanding guide, quietly pointing out the area fauna and being very respectful that this is their space and we are the interlopers. Highly recommended for couples, families, individuals of all ages reasonable to go in a kayak, provided you can stay quiet and appreciate nature (no splashing or screaming, able to sit for a few hours in a kayak). Recommend you bring a waterproof camera - we did not (we did not bring one on our trip), and we wish we had! Lovely and we would absolutely go again!