Orlando Manatee Encounters

Booking to tour was really easy, as soon as it was completed you had an email with instructions of where to meet. Our tour guide reached out the day before the tour, just confirming the details & ensuring we chose the best/ cost effective way to get to the start of the tour. The admission fee was very good for the time included in the tour & our guide Sparks was excellent at showing us around. Sparks was very knowledgeable about the Manatees & wide life on the water, he gave us confidence to kayak & overall was an excellent guide. We learnt a great deal about the wide life in the park. Seeing the Manatee was an experience & paddling towards the spring with the clear water enabled us to see all the fish & turtles under the water quite clearly. If you love nature & want to see another side to Florida I highly recommend this experience.

Amazing experience! 🛶🐊🐟🐢🐚 This tour was originally recommended to us by another company, who unfortunately had to cancel on us last minute due to a situation beyond their control. We were so grateful to the team at Adventures in Florida for stepping in last minute and saving the day! Our tour guide, Sparks, was brilliant. He was very knowledgeable about the local wildlife and knew exactly where to find the best spots for seeing the manatees. He made the whole 3-hour experience feel relaxed, fun and interesting. We had such a wonderful time and would highly recommend Adventures in Florida to anyone looking for experiences in nature. ❤️

A native "old Florida" tour far from the traffic and crazy theme park crowds. We saw manatees, alligators and numerous birds. One of my favorite aspects of this tour was being able to kayak at your own pace. You can take this tour as leisurely or vigorously as you want. Our guides Tia and Ryan were knowledgeable about the area, pointed out, and shared interesting information about the wildlife.

You guys are awesome, I was there with my son last weekend. Tia (I think that was her name or at least that is what showed up in the text) was great. Knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. We saw a lot of great wildlife, including many Manatees and one even had her baby with her 🙂. Thank you! 100% recommended!!

What a way to start the day! Ospreys galore, alligators drifting by, and whale-watching-style manatee spotting in the lagoon. The fact that this is only 45 mins north of Orlando is astounding, and the guiding even more so! Terra was a fountain of knowledge (including about the actual underwater fountain ;)) and a wonderful person, with a strong internal compass on what matters. Very highly recommend.

My first time kayaking and I LOVED it! Terra was an amazing instructor/guide. We saw so many birds, fish, manatees, and gators.

Giving this a four star review only because we got forced off the water due to an incoming storm. Our guide was awesome, Terra was very knowledgeable and friendly, and I will definitely rebook the trip when I am in the area again to have more time on the water.

Was an amazing experience. Terra was excellent and made the experience even more enjoyable. Loved seeing all the wildlife. Great experience, would recommend.

Was an awesome experience. Seeing the wildlife. Terra was an amazing guide. She did awesome and was really knowledgeable. My wife and I got to see manatees, gators, all types of birds and turtles. Would definitely recommend.

Terra was an amazing guide. Her passion and knowledge about the Manatees and other wildlife made the trip even more enjoyable.

We saw so much more wildlife on the kayak trip than we were expecting! Our guide, Matthew was awesome and showed us a lot of things!

Terra was an awesome tour guide! Knowledgeable, energetic, and overall made the experience memorable. Thank you!! Very much recommend 😊

Exceptional guide, Tia. We went in the off season for manatees but still saw some and other wildlife Beautiful tour. My kids enjoyed the adventure too. Age 14 and 11 kiddos. Our guide was in constant communication with us before the trip as well and got some great photos for us too.

Reserving the trip was a breeze and the company accommodated a change in the reservation without hassle. Getting to the location was easy. The guide (Matthew) was on-time, friendly, and professional. He had a deep knowledge about the local wildlife. Setting up and getting going was stress free. Paddling was easy with no significant currents and only mild breeze. Wildlife was abundant above the water (herons, egrets, cranes, black vultures, sand pipers, anhinga, and even a bald eagle), below the water (cat fish, gar, and grass carp were some of the visible specie around the clear waters of the spring), and on the shores (many wildflowers, wetland species of plants, butterflies, dragonflies, a brown water snake, and several alligators). We even saw a manatee, although it was late in the year (May) and later in the day (12 noon trip). The only drawbacks were other people, with a couple of larger tour boats and a few private power boats that happened to be playing loud music. Also, the lack of any bathroom at the W French Ave launch is a problem and not healthy for the waterway or visitors.

My daughter, cousin and I had an amazing 2 hours with Tia. She was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and made the trip both fun, and informative. We had hoped to see a manatee, and maybe a gator, we were able to see both!! We also saw bald eagles, osprey, many other birds, and learned about the native foliage, invasive species, and even the fish we were padling over. Being avid nature Enthusiasts, this made our day. I would recommend to everyone for a beautiful day in nature.

An amazing experience with Terra today. We saw so much wildlife! Manatees, alligators, turtles and so many fish and birds 🤩 Would absolutely recommend to any nature lovers!

Great day out kayaking with instructor Terra. She was so knowledgeable and made the experience very memorable. We saw loads of wildlife and had an amazing time.

Terra wad a great guide! Even though we went outside of the season we still managed to spot multiple manatees and plenty of other wildlife!

Saw so much wildlife and many Manatees. Terra was a great guide and was happy and able to answer the many, many questions we had. would happily do it again.

An excellent experience from start to finish. Tia was very knowledgeable about all of the flora and fauna in the region. We were lucky to see a few manatees as well as many alligators and amazing birds. I would recommend this trip wholeheartedly.

This was the highlight of our trip down to Orlando. While an amazing experience all on it's own seeing the manatees, our tour guide Terra and her clear passion for nature and adventurous personality truly made it an amazing experience. My wife and I had a blast and are already discussing taking the Alligator Experience tour!

We enjoyed our kayak tour with Matthew immensely. It was a quiet, misty morning and the setting was majestic. Matthew added so much to our experience, he is a gentle soul, and his love for nature was obvious.

Matthew was extremely interactive and had lots of information. My mom and I went on her birthday and it was a blast. Im not the outdoorsy type but she is and we saw manatees and gators!! All in all i would do this again for sure.

My family and I went on a manatee tour in Blue Springs and were able to see manatees eating and playing in their natural environment, thanks to our knowledgeable guide. It was great to show up and have the boats and equipment set up for us and to leave when the tour was over without having to do any work. This was a super easy way to get out and enjoy nature and wildlife.

I joined the 9 a.m. guided tour with Terra and it absolutely blew me away. Also, full disclosure: this was the most peaceful morning I’ve had since my daughter was born, and I say that with deep love and zero guilt. A few quick notes: - The kayaks, paddles, and life vests were all in excellent condition - pre‑tour information and directions were clear and helpful - Safety and nature rules were explained thoroughly — the kind of “I feel safe but not lectured” balance Now, the tour itself? Absolute magic. The manatees were everywhere, and apparently no one told them about personal space. A few casually nudged my kayak like we were old friends and I heroically resisted the urge to pet them because, you know, laws. Watching them munch on their leafy greens was basically the manatee version of a Michelin‑star dining show. Terra knew exactly where the “regulars” hang out and spotted them with ease. She sprinkled in fun facts, stories, and enough knowledge to make me feel like Steve Irwin. Besides the manatees, we spotted alligators, turtles, and more bird species than I could pretend to identify. The kayaking pace was pure “Sunday stroll on water” energy — perfect for families, beginners, or anyone who wants to enjoy nature without feeling like they accidentally signed up for a 2-hour fitness challenge.

Amazing Experience. Our tour guide Ryan was super knowledgeable and friendly. We saw a ton of wildlife in addition to the manatees and even got to witness a manatee being released back into the wild. It was an incredible experience.

Great morning kayaking tour this morning with Ryan! Saw lots of birds, gators & manatee. Ryan was very knowledgeable & easygoing.

We went on an amazing kayak tour to see the Manatee. Our tour guide Ryan was the best. He had so much information about the wide life. My teenage kids said this was the best day of their vacation, and I agree with them. Getting to see the Manatee up close and personal was an experience none of us will ever forget.

Highly recommend this experience. It’s great to interact with the “real” Florida while we still have it to appreciate. Our tour guide Tia was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about many aspects of the natural theater of the St. John’s River. Had limited experience as a kayaker but you receive some good training and tips so it feels familiar quickly. The individual tour groups are well spaced so the aren’t too many kayaks and vessels in and amongst the manatees so everyone has the chance to admire them.

It was a sublime experience. The cold weather brought out dozens of manatees. Tia was very friendly and acommodating. We spotted many animals from nught herons to alligators and a bald eagle.

We went on a very cold day. Our tour guide (Tia) was excellent! She was out there bright and early, ran a fantastic tour, helped us spot lots of manatees and an alligator, and was great with the adults and kid on the trip. I was worried that the tour would cancel because of the cold, so I love that Tia was game to be out on the water with us. It was a really lovely way to see the manatees up close, and the location was great because you can easily do the kayak tour and then pop right into the state park to walk the boardwalk and see the manatees from a different perspective, on the boardwalk. Overall, highly recommend

A great experience kayaking in blue springs for the manatee encounter tour with Ryan. It was very organised and clear instructions provided prior to the encounter which were particularly helpful as we were travelling by taxi to get to the springs. Ryan our tour guide was super friendly and knowledgeable and as myself and my partner where the only customers booked onto the tour he let us guide what we would like to see pointing out all the other wildlife, birds and fauna in the area before heading to the springs to see the manatees. We were lucky to have a great experience with the manatees with Ryan capturing photos and videos of us in the kayak. This trip was more than we could have hoped for and we can’t recommend Ryan highly enough.

Our tour guide Tia was SUPER friendly and knowledgeable! It felt like we were kayaking with one of our friends from back home in Maryland! She knew a lot about the local bird, plant and other wildlife and was even able to share a lot of her own personal experiences with us! Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants to get out on the water and see the wildlife (especially the manatees)!!! The complimentary bottle of water and sticker is very thoughtful! DEFINITELY need to have t-shirts for purchase - would have bought one!

I had a wonderful time on my kayaking with manatees adventure. Ryan was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable about the wildlife and so kind to everyone. He answered lots of questions, and made the trip fun for everyone - brand new kayakers and those who were more experienced on the water. We saw tons of manatees, several beautiful birds, and baby alligators. The communication was good from booking until the time of our trip. Due to weather my trip was shifted but there was no issue with rebooking, and I'm grateful I was able to go. I was a little nervous about getting Lyft from Orlando (I didn't rent a car) but I had no problem getting a ride to and from my adventure. This was the best part of my vacation, highly recommend!

Great experience, Dave is an excellent guide. It was a wonderful journey, we saw manatees, alligators and turtles.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

What a great experience to get right back to nature in Blue Springs Park during our kayak tour with Dave and Bill. From the initial booking to the warm welcome - everything was organised and on time but in a laid back, relaxed way. Dave & Bill were excellent guides - we didn’t feel rushed during the 2 hour tour and felt that they loved taking people out on the water. We were lucky and saw alligators and Manatees and different fish and birds and we genuinely felt that they were delighted that we managed to get such a good experience. It is so nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of Disney and all things man made and see Florida how it was many years ago. Thank you so much Dave and Bill for the trip

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.

Had an amazing time. The guide was extremely knowledgeable, and even reached out the day before to introduce him self, and help with directions to the meeting point. Will definitely be doing some of their other tours.

This was a great day with great weather. Jeff, our guide, was very knowledgeable about the location, as well as the wildlife and flora. I saw alligators, turtles, and an owl way up in the tree that Jeff had spotted earlier. When we entered the cove, we saw several manatees that came up to the surface close to our kayaks. I enjoyed all the other paddlers, who were all very friendly. What a great tour!

Had a great time and great guide we were fortunate to go see the natural spring which opened briefly the morning we went

We had a wonderful time on the water with our guide. Saw quite a few alligators and our guide took us to an area that had baby alligators. Birds were magnificent including a barn owl ,ospreys, bald eagles, and blue herons. Saw 2 manatees with tracking devices and 1 lifted it’s head just enough to get a glimpse.Felt totally safe on the water. A great time was had by all.

Jeff was an amazing guide. He was very knowledgeable about all the wildlife-Alligators, manatee, birds, turtles etc! Highly recommend this tour for anyone looking for an up close and educational experience.