Turtle Beach Kayak Tour: Explore Mangroves and Wildlife

Embark on a thrilling Lido Mangrove Kayak Tour and explore a unique ecosystem. Our expert guides will enhance your paddling skills and help you spot fascinating wildlife, including manatees and dolphins.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 8701 Blind Pass Rd - The tour starts at the Turtle Beach Boat Launch. We start by paddling in the intercoastal waters on Sarasota Bay. This is a great place to get used to the equipment and also a great place to see manatees (during spring and summer months, mostly). Our tour takes us through a canal and into the mangrove islands of the Jim…
What's Included
  • Double Kayak
  • Paddles
  • Safety Equipment (Life Jackets, Leashes)
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Launch Fees
Additional Information

Just a few minutes away from all the hustle and bustle of Sarasota is our favorite local beach, Turtle Beach. It is only a few short miles from the main Siesta Key beach to Turtle Beach and the Sarasota County trolley will drop you right there. Not only is this area such a beautiful and quiet place, it is also a great place to paddle!
We start on the…

Location
Turtle Beach
Once you enter Turtle Beach park, go straight until the stop sign. Turn left. The public boat launch will be on your left. Find parking anywhere inside Turtle Beach Park.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(786 Ratings)
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Natigirl830
Sep 25, 2024
Magical Manatee Experience - This was one of the coolest kayaking trips I’ve ever been on. My friend and I booked a 12:30 tour super early the day of the trip. It was off season in late September, so no issues. Upon arrival at Turtle Beach, we discovered we were the only 2 on the tour. As we stood on the bank waiting to launch our kayaks, we could see several manatees surfacing in the water! Our guide, Aaron, said they had been unexpectedly active today and over the past week, which was great for us. Once in our kayaks, we followed Aaron to the lagoon as we sat quietly watching 5-7 manatees surface, blow air, flip around and even gently bump our yaks. At one point, a manatee approached Aaron and he pet his head and back! The manatee then flipped to expose his stomach like a dog. It was so cool. We were excited/nervous but never scared. They are the most docile creatures, and we were so fortunate to get up close to them to observe them in their element. After spending 30-40 minutes in the canal, we ventured to other bodies of water where we saw unique birds and mangroves. The water was so calm everywhere and it was so quiet and peaceful. Aaron took us through a mangrove tunnel area and to a land mass which led to a beach. We got out of our yaks and swam for about 15 minutes in the ocean. Then, we headed back. Aaron was a GREAT guide. He was super knowledgeable and was happy to answer all of our questions. Can’t say enough about this tour and this experience. It’s peaceful; it’s beautiful and it’s a wonderful way to be one with nature. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherri_w
Sep 21, 2024
Great Tour - Orion was very knowledgeable about the Manatees and the vegetation. We had a great time on the Kayak Tour. I would recommend it and would like to do it again another time.
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_t
Sep 19, 2024
Vas nice, can recommend! - We enjoyed our tour very much. We even saw a dolphin pass by and had a very nice encounter with a group of manatees. Our guide explained lots of interesting things about the wildlife.
Review provided by Viator
Kim_s
Sep 15, 2024
Amazing adventure - Lew was amazing. He was so much fun and so knowledgeable. I loved it. Tim was also a great welcoming person. I will be back👏💕
Review provided by Viator
Tina_t
Sep 15, 2024
Great kayak trip! - Was a beautiful day! This kayak tour was amazing! Great guide, and great group of people! We learned a lot and laughed a lot! Price was right! Would definitely do this again!
Review provided by Viator
Sonya_b
Sep 14, 2024
Fun and informative - Our tour guide Tom was wonderful. We had a fabulous time saw manatees and dolphins. I highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Michael_g
Sep 12, 2024
5* We’ll be back! - Awesome, Orion was an incredible guide, highlight of our trip. We’ll definitely be coming back when back in town
Review provided by Viator
W2901uclorie
Sep 11, 2024
EXCELLENT!!! - So glad we did the mangroves and manatees tour! John was an awesome guide! We learned so much about local bird, plant, and marine life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sheila_d
Sep 9, 2024
Great - It was nice and we had fun. The guide communicated well and showed us a private beach where we swam.
Review provided by Viator
Lilywheeler123
Sep 6, 2024
Fabby tour by Tim - We had a fab day kayaking about, seeing the manatees & mangroves and enjoying a welcome dip in the Gulf on the secret beach! Tim was an awesome tour guide and kept it super chill whilst informative. Would defo recommend / do again!
Review provided by Viator
From $55
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).