Rum Island, nestled along the Santa Fe River, offers a magical kayaking experience combined with the allure of its on-site springs. Paddle through clear waters, surrounded by lush vegetation and abundant wildlife, making it ideal for kayakers of all skill levels. After your tour, the park's two springs provide the perfect spot for a refreshing swim, adding a touch of enchantment to your visit. The well-maintained picnic areas are perfect for a leisurely lunch, allowing you to relax and savor the picturesque views. Clean and convenient restrooms are available, ensuring a comfortable visit. Rum Island is also a great spot to observe local wildlife, making it a prime location for nature enthusiasts and photographers. Plan your visit to Rum Island for a kayaking adventure and stay to enjoy swimming in the springs, picnicking, and the park's amenities. It's a perfect escape into Florida's natural beauty, creating a memorable and enriching experience.
The Santa Fe River is unique among the many found in North Florida, flowing underground in O’Leno State Park through an intricate cave system only to emerge in River Rise Preserve State Park. The best part? It is all protected for future generations so that they too can appreciate this natural wonder. Learn about the rich history of the Santa Fe River, which boasts over 36 named springs that contribute to its waters. During certain times of the year, the river itself can run clear, displaying a see-through sweet tea or amber-brown color. Our experienced guides provide fascinating information about each spring and the surrounding ecosystem as you paddle around Rum Island and the Santa Fe River. Keep an eye out for local wildlife such as fish, herons, otters, white-tail deer, swallow-tail kites, mullet, and an abundance of turtles.
Paddle through a stunning 0.25-mile stretch of crystal-clear water, home to some of the state’s prettiest submerged aquatic vegetation. Marvel at the vibrant underwater landscapes as you glide along this pristine spring run. Take a refreshing swim in the inviting 20-foot swimming hole, fed by 44 million gallons of fresh water daily. Enjoy plenty of time to relax and immerse yourself in this natural oasis. On your journey, encounter "Aric the Giant," a majestic 400-year-old cypress tree that stands as a testament to the area's rich natural history. This ancient giant offers a glimpse into the past and adds a sense of wonder to your adventure. This experience combines the tranquility of clear kayaking with opportunities for swimming and exploring unique natural features. Join us for an unforgettable day at Gilchrist Blue Springs, where nature's beauty awaits at every turn.
We had an amazing time paddling up and back down a short distance on the river, visiting springs of different sizes along the way. Loved not having to worry about the equipment or anything because we had our guide. The springs and river were breathtaking.
Great 😊 experience with my wife was her first time kayaking and she loved it had an amazing time. Was a Beautiful day out in the sun with the natural springs to cool us down. Had a spectacular guide Codi who was super knowledgeable and kept us engaged the entire time.
We had an absolutely amazing experience today! Our guide Malachai was knowledgeable, professional, and incredibly friendly throughout the entire tour. He made us feel safe, comfortable, and welcome from start to finish. His passion for the area and the wildlife was evident in every explanation, and he took the time to answer all of our questions. This was one of the highlights of our trip, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Thank you for making this adventure so memorable. We highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the area!
Terrific time. Our guide Codi was the best, amiable, helpful, knowledgeable. We went early in the day, at 8am, ahead of the crowd and before it got too hot. We'd do it that way again.
My husband and I had an incredible time kayaking and exploring with Codi! He was so nice and made the whole experience some much fun. He was very informative and offered to take pictures for us, he is great at what he does! We definitely want to come back!
Our experience with Get Up and Go Kayaking was exceptional. From booking through their website to arrival, everything was seamless. Our tour guide, JP, was fantastic. We booked our tour at 11 a.m., which was perfect for avoiding the crowds. JP took my family and me on an amazing tour along the river. We are a family of three with a 5-year-old, and it was absolutely perfect—he loved it! The photos you can take throughout the tour are incredible. 100% recommended. Be sure to ask for JP—he was wonderful and truly made our experience memorable. Such a nice guy!
It was excellent. Codi is friendly and made our tour truly enjoyable. Thank you so much!
Codi was an amazing guide! My boyfriend and I went kayaking for my birthday and our guide Codi was so thoughtful and brought a birthday balloon to attach to the kayak. Codi was so knowledgeable and shared many facts and history with us as we kayaked through the springs. He took photos for us as well. The weather was beautiful, 70 and sunny, and perfect for kayaking in January. The water was so clear and we saw many fish, turtles, birds, armadillos, and turkeys! Would definitely recommend this tour!
Bry was a knowledgeable and helpful guide to our family group. She made the trip fun and was patient with paddlers of all levels in our group.
Bry was an amazing guide. Very knowledgeable, patient and kind. We had a group of 8 with some of our group being older. She was so helpful. We definitely will be doing this again.
Bry was great! She was lots of fun and super knowledgeable about the springs. Beautiful, "real Florida" experience. I highly recommend, especiallyfor non-Floridians.
Bry, our tour guide was awesome. Passionate and so knowledgeable about the Springs and its Eco-system. Beautiful and serene sites. Enjoyed our kayaking experience and its peaceful landscape. Will definitely be back. Thank you.
Bry, our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and zealous about the beautiful Springs. Provided lots of really interesting details. Serene views, Peaceful landscape— did see a small gator sunbathing in the sun- and wonderful kayak through the streams. We got some great pics! Location easy to find with instructions provided. Definitely will be back! Thank you.
Awesome kayak trip with Bry as our guide, she was great & very personable & knowledgeable. Thanks Bry for a great trip. The springs are so beautiful,
Loved Bry! She rocked our tour! Absolutely knowledgeable and patient with our group. Talked me through any fears I had and I had a few. I will be returning with my kids and hubby in the future.
Wonderful experience! Bry was a perfect guide, passionate about his work and showed us around the less touristy places while not leaving out the more common stops. To be recommended to everyone.
Kayaking with Codi today was awesome!!! Finding new places to explore in a kayak on our own is always neat, but I realized today a guided tour with an awesome tour guide takes the enjoyment to a whole new level! Codi shared so much knowledge with us on the history and ecology of where we at on the Santa Fe that we wouldn't have been able to experience exploring on our own. Today was my husband's birthday and Codi was so awesome at making it a wonderful birthday experience for us. Codi really enjoys what he does and that definitely set the vibe! From start to finish, the entire experience with Get Up and Go Kayaking - Gilchrist Blue was pleasant and smooth: easy booking the reservations online, great communication, clear directions, clean gear and clear kayaks, very attentive and hospitable. Amazing all the way around! Thank you so much guys!!!
Our tour guide Bry was amazing! We really enjoyed the experience & learning about how springs form as well as the current restoration project happening to preserve this beautiful natural resource. 10/10 would recommend taking this tour.
Person did not show up at location. We were at location and tour guide was not there. My husband and I both took the day off work and were very disappointed!
The water was amazing, Bry was such a great guide. She gave us a tour to my boyfriend and I, she matched our energy and was such a pleasure to be around!
Codi was an amazing tour guide who had a tremendous amount of patience, was extremely nice, and very knowledgeable about the area. Thanks again Codi for the experience, and for all of your advice on kayaking!
Bry was fantastic, very friendly, very helpful and knowledgeable! Thank you for an amazing 2 hours! 💜 Highly recommended!
Fantastic tour - it was a lovely morning on the water with Bry. As novice kayakers, she was kind and helpful in keeping us safe and moving ahead. She’s so knowledgeable about wildlife, the river, and our fragile, precious environment. I highly recommend the tour and Get Up and Go Kayaking!
Highly recommend this trip! Our guide, JP, was very friendly and knowledgeable, he helped us navigate our kayaks easily along the river and was kind enough to take photos and videos of us enjoying the trip.
Really fun experience! I would definitely do this again. It was our first time kayaking, Bry and Dylan were awesome in making this a smooth, fun experience. We really enjoyed our time!!!!!!!! These ladies were awesome and knowledgeable!!!🫶🫶
This was my third time coming because I love it so much!!! You get a taste of the real Florida and it is such a fun experience. The whole tour is stunning, from the Sante Fe to the different springs you get to explore. This tour feels like discovering hidden gems. Bry, our guide, was INCREDIBLE! We loved being with her and so appreciated her kindness, genuineness, knowledge, and passion for conservation. She is fantastic at what she does. Cannot recommend this tour enough!!
Jeremy was an awesome guide he answered all our questions and had a great personality overall. The trip was awesome and the swimming hole was super cool to see. Water was cold but totally worth!
The guide and the scenery were both amazing! It was easy breezy from start to finish. The kayaks were by the water ready to hop in and go and the guide helped everyone get comfortable and push off. It wasn’t too strenuous and even though it was in the middle of a hot Florida day, we had time to wade and swim, and you could always splash yourself with the always 75 degree spring water to cool off.
Get Up and Go Kayaking is a great way to see the springs at Gilchrist Blue Springs. Bry our guide was great, very knowledgeable. I can tell she really has a passion for this. Thanks for the wonderful experience Bry.
The tour was AMAZING! The tour guide, Jeremy, was extremely personable and thoughtful. Will definitely book again! Don’t miss this one!
We had an amazing time Kayaking with Bry!!! We visited several small springs and saw plenty of wildlife. We also had the opportunity to swim in Gilchrist Blue which was beautiful and well worth the trip. The paddle was not difficult at all. We will definitely be back for a visit soon!!!
Bry was an excellent guide. I have not Kayaked too often but it was mint hard and Bry had our back. Nice stop at a couple of springs with plenty of time to wade around. Suggest bringing water shoes
Awesome! loved the whole trip. Would totally go again, and I couldn’t have asked for a better guide! Thank you for such an adventure
This is one of the most beautiful spring tours I have taken. Bry, our guide took care of all the details such as launching and retrieving our glass bottom kayak, showing us and telling us Scott the several wild orchids and lilies growing, turtles of all sizes and huge gar. She knows the Santa Fe spring system well and its flora and fauna. There was time to swim and hike at some of the three different spring heads Bry guided us too. The tour started and finished on time and she took pictures of us on the water and a 400 year old cypress that were great. She even took a short video underwater of the beautiful vegetation at the spring. I would recommend Bry to anyone for an outstanding time on a beautiful and peaceful spring run. We will be back! While Bry offers use of a dry bag you might want one for your towel and camera if you want to take pictures along the way. The spring water is 72 degrees and very refreshing if you go in. The canoes have safety equipment and seats with backs you can lean against. Wear water shoes or tennis shoes you can get wet. Great tour guide Bry, beautiful springs and nature. Most will be able to do it. Peaceful.
Amazing time with Bry as our guide. She was awesome, super helpful, knowledgeable and kind. Really recommend this tour with Bry.
Our tour guide, Bry, was awesome! She was flexible with us due to weather delays and very knowledgeable. Great experience!
Amazing experience!Our tour guide Bry was amazing.She taught us so much about the springs and the history about them and spots near them.Definitely coming back!
We had a wonderful experience! It was just incredible to have a close-up view of these amazing springs and the beautiful river. The route is well planned to take you to a series of very different springs. A special thanks to Bry, who is extremely knowledgeable, fun to be with, and was very helpful to those of us needing a little extra assistance with our kayaks.
The trip was amazing we saw lots of cool things and took lots of pictures but had some troubles through obstacles but Bry helped us she was amazing she took pics and videos under water and helped us the whole time it was so fun
Bry was an amazing guide & super knowledgeable and the springs were beautiful as well! We had a great time, great for beginners or beyond and families as well
Beautiful morning on the water with the family and our tour guide Bry. The tour was relaxing and there was plenty of wildlife to see. Our guide so was nice and informative about the springs and history. Our 3 and 5 year old boys absolutely loved it. Highly recommend!
The kayak tour was absolutely stunning. Bry was wonderful and very educational about the area, wildlife, etc. Highly recommend for a fun family adventure!
The host Jeremy was very knowledgeable about the fantastic clear blue river sites in the National Park.He took us to an unknown place,hidden in the Park that was really cool.We recommend going for a kayak with Jeremy for a fun adventure! Helen & Mark
What a beautiful place! Nothing like that blue of Florida springs. Tour was as advertised. Relaxing, informative, and a little adventurous. Got a chance to see some local wildlife and learned quite a bit about the area. Our tour guide Jeremy was fantastic, so funny and enthusiastic about his job. He even took us on a short hike to see a 400 year old Cypress tree named Arch the giant.
The tour was very beautiful; seeing the clear springs, some turtles and baby alligators. The tour guide, Gator, was amazing. He is very knowledgeable about all the springs, plants and animals. As we were floating, there was an anhinga bird that had netting wrapped around its beak. He was able to float up to it, hold the bird and removed the netting before setting it free. An absolutely incredible experience.
The kayak is actually a combo of a kayak and a canoe. My family had a wonderful time! I, being 68 with arthritis, had some issues getting in and out of the boat at various stops on the river but I did enjoy it
A very beautiful kayak trip with a very kind and professional guide, Sam. He was very patient and helped my elderly mother in and out of the kayak, and she felt so comfortable! Beautiful weather, lovely natural surroundings!
Wonderful time on the river. Learned a lot about the area, and visiting the freshwater springs (so many freshwater springs!) was amazing. And turtles everywhere! Had a great time and Jeremy did a fantastic job as our very knowledgeable guide.
We had a knowledgeable guide who showed us several springs and we enjoyed the trip to the large swimming spring as well as the short hike to see the old bald cypress tree.
So much fun!! Our group included two adults and three kids. Jeremy was very knowledgeable and helpful! It was a great experience and we'll definitely go back again.
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