Paddling Day Trips

Paddle past the Sponge Docks of Tarpon Springs, through Spring Bayou, and into a wilder river corridor with dolphins, manatees, and ospreys overhead.

Our longest trip — high clay bluffs, cypress canopy, and lunch on the screened porch at Linger Lodge, one of Florida's most eccentric waterfront restaurants.

Mangrove tunnels, open bay crossings, and sweeping views of the Sunshine Skyway. One of the finest day-trip destinations on the Gulf Coast.

Florida's designated Wild and Scenic River — ancient cypress, alligators in the shallows, and miles of unspoiled river corridor south of Sarasota.

Old-growth cypress and towering hardwood forest in Hillsborough County. Steep clay banks and a cathedral canopy make this one of our most scenic river paddles.

Gin-clear spring water, waving eelgrass, and manatees drifting beneath your hull. The most jaw-droppingly clear paddle on the whole Gulf Coast.

The manatee capital of the world. Paddle spring-fed coves where hundreds of manatees gather in winter — an encounter you'll never forget.

A spring-fed river running to the Gulf, past a wildlife park and into salt marsh — freshwater clarity meeting coastal estuary in one paddle.

"The Chaz" — a maze of spring-fed creeks and hidden blue holes in a National Wildlife Refuge. Wild, clear, and gloriously off the beaten path.

Cypress-lined blackwater with the occasional Class-I riffle, winding through a state park just minutes from downtown Tampa.

A tea-colored blackwater river through cypress and pine, one of the few in Florida that flows north. Peaceful, remote, and beautifully wild.

A state-designated Outstanding Florida Water winding through a wilderness preserve — sandy banks, overhanging oaks, and abundant birdlife.

A restored coastal preserve in Bradenton laced with mangrove tunnels and paddling trails. Calm, sheltered, and perfect for beginners.

A marked mangrove paddling trail through a St. Petersburg preserve — tunnels, open lagoons, and some of the best birding on the bay.

Don't let the name fool you — an aquatic preserve of mangrove islands and seagrass flats teeming with wading birds, rays, and juvenile fish.

A sheltered urban paddle through a green corridor connecting Pinellas neighborhoods — easy water, surprising wildlife, and a relaxed pace.

Mangrove tunnels from Clam Bayou out into Boca Ciega Bay, with a waterfront lunch stop in Gulfport. Sheltered water and reliable dolphins.

A quiet, protected paddle through the Bay Pines waterways — easy water, wading birds, and a relaxed pace close to home.

Launch from Seminole Waterfront Park and paddle out to Archie Island — calm bay water, dolphins, and an easy, sunny afternoon.

Paddle the sheltered side of Honeymoon Island State Park — seagrass flats, shorebirds, and Gulf beaches on one of Florida's finest barrier islands.