Some days you just need to get away from it all and experience nature. While there are plenty of ways to get active and enjoy Mother Nature, kayaking in Orlando is ideal for discovering Central Florida’s diverse lakes, rivers, bays, and springs all while spotting local wildlife. We’ve listed five ideas that are an ideal destination for your next kayaking adventure below – all a reasonable drive from Orlando.
If you need to rent some gear, you can scope out more places to go kayaking in Central Florida, for under $50 for two.
Updated June 2023 by Dani Meyering
1. Wekiwa Springs State Park
30 minutes from Orlando
If you want to stay close to home, one of the best places for kayaking in Orlando than Wekiwa Springs State Park. Just make the 25 – 30 minute drive for a day of kayaking the river and cooling off in the cold spring.
As you go down the Wekiva River, keep your eyes out for alligators sunning themselves on the riverbank. During certain times of the year, you can hear them, even if you can’t see them. You’ll also spot many of Florida’s native birds like osprey and eagles, turtles, and maybe even otters.
Single and tandem kayak rentals are available within the park at Wekiwa Springs State Park Nature Adventures. The cost for a tandem kayak is $30/hour. Two hours is plenty of time for a peaceful paddle down the Wekiva River. After your paddle and cool down in the springs, celebrate with a drink at nearby Wekiva Island, where you can also rent kayaks and swanky river cabanas. Note, there is a $5 admission fee during holidays and other peak periods.
Wekiwa Springs gets especially busy on hot days and weekends, so arrive early in the morning to kayak and beat the crowds. Make sure to bring along plenty of water.
2. Merritt Island Refuge Bioluminescence
1 hour from Orlando
Kayaking in Orlando will never be the same after you’ve experienced this nighttime kayaking adventure under the stars. Even the tiniest disturbances in the water activate the bioluminescence making the water around you come alive with blue light.
While you can stir up the water yourself, seeing a dolphin or fish light up the water while swimming is a surreal sight. To add to the excitement, schools of flying mullet fish congregate in certain areas and may just jump into your kayak to hitch a ride.
This is a leisurely trip led by a guide, and you’ll have plenty of time to paddle around at your own pace. When you’re not admiring the bioluminescent organisms, known as dinoflagellates, drift with the current while looking up at the night sky. One of my favorite kayaking tour companies for this is A Day Away Kayak Tours.
Drive time to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is about 1 hour from Orlando. Leave early to allow a little extra time to locate the launch site. Details will be provided in your confirmation email.
While bioluminescent tours are offered almost year-round, June-early October is the best time to visit.
Bioluminescent comb jellies are most visible November – May.
MORE INFO: Bioluminescent Kayaking in Central Florida
2. Lido Key Mangroves
2.5 hours from Orlando
Kayaking in Orlando, and nearby is great, but sometimes you need a little adventure. If you’re looking for a day trip and don’t mind a bit of a drive, make the 2.5-hour road trip to Lido Key, south of Longboat Key. South Lido County Park is home to a series of mangrove tunnels facing Sarasota Bay.
While kayaking in the shallow mangroves may at first seem a bit intimidating (and you may be worried about the likelihood of getting lost, I know I was) the tunnels are surprisingly well marked and easy to navigate. The currents will do most of the work for you, making this an easy paddle even for beginners. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a manatee.
Choose from a guided tour or rent kayaks for a half day and explore on your own. Either is a great option for enjoying the scenery.
4. Crystal River/Kings Bay
1.5 hours from Orlando
Spotting a manatee in the wilderness is exciting in its own right, but imagine seeing one in the water right next to you. The Crystal River area, a 1.5-hour drive from Orlando, offers your best chance at doing just that, as it's home to manatees year round. The warmer water temperatures bring hundreds of manatees to the area in the winter, but even when the Gulf waters have warmed in the summer, some manatees remain.
The best time to visit is in the cooler fall and winter months, but manatees can potentially be spotted year round. Opt for a guided tour with a reputable company instead of attempting to find manatees on your own.
5. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
2 hours from Orlando
Less than a 2-hour drive from Orlando, the crystal-clear waters of the Weeki Wachee River are ripe for exploring and wildlife viewing. Weeki Wachee State Park is also home to the famous Mermaid Show.
After renting single or tandem kayaks, the journey begins in the state park and is a self-guided, 5.5-mile trip that will take about 3 hours without stopping. Bring along water and a picnic lunch if you’d like to travel at a slower pace. The clear water makes wildlife sightings easy, and you may see manatees, otters, turtles, and more.
Kayak rentals are available in the state park along with a shuttle service to take you back to the park after you reach the designated stopping point on the river. Make sure to stick around for the Mermaid Show. Park admission is $13.00 and includes shows.
Bonus Ideas:
King's Landing near Apopka
30 minutes from Orlando
King's Landing in Apopka is another Orlando area favorite. Picture a crystal-clear, stunning waterway that weaves past large oaks draped in Spanish moss. Be sure to bring your binoculars. You can either book a tour or launch your own kayak.
VIDEO – Here's what it's like to paddle the clear waters of King's Landing near Orlando:
Hillsborough River State Park
1.5 hours from Orlando
Located in Tampa Bay, the designated Hillsborough River Paddling Trail covers 30 miles from Hillsborough River State Park to the City of Tampa’s Rowlett Park and is a great place to launch a canoe or kayak. Because of the length of the route and differences in skills required to negotiate different parts of it, the paddling trips have been separated into four sections based on paddlers level of difficulty: North, Seventeen Runs, Middle and South.
Suwannee River State Park
2 hours 40 minutes from Orlando
Though a longer distance away than the other spot, Suwannee River is said to be one of the best places to kayak in Florida. The Suwannee River Paddling Trail lies along the 171-mile Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, which starts in White Springs and ends at the Gulf of Mexico.
Kayak around an animal exhibit
1 hour from Orlando
Only in Florida can you experience this! Head out to the Brevard Zoo on the Space Coast for a kayaking experience you cannot find anywhere else. The Brevard Zoo is the only zoo in the country to offer guided kayaking tours around an animal exhibit.
Choose a guided kayaking tour through Expedition Africa or go off on your own adventure in the Wild Florida area.
Kayaking tickets are available for purchase from Kayak Beach in Expedition Africa or the Zoo’s main gate. Tickets for kayaking in the Wild Florida area can be purchased at the Zoo’s Cape to Cairo train station or at the Wetland Outpost.
Children under 5 are not permitted to kayak and children under 12 must be accompanied by a paid adult. Ages 5 & up $9.95.
Traveling through the state? Many other state parks and national parks have kayaking trails to check out as well.
More kayaking in Orlando adventures and things to do:
- Central Florida Kayaking Adventures to Try This Summer
- Plan a Date to Explore Springs in Florida Near Orlando
- 7 Things to Do at Wekiva Island
