Guided Kayak EcoTour of Beautiful Shell Key Preserve

Experience the beauty of Tampa Bay on a kayak eco-tour of Shell Key Preserve. Explore the diverse ecosystem, spot wildlife, and paddle through mangrove tunnels. No experience needed!

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Shell Key Shoal - We will spend about 30 minutes exploring the beaches of Shell Key with an opportunity to swim, wade, collect shells, etc
  • Shell Key Preserve - We will spend about an hour each way paddling out to the island exploring the beauty of the preserve’s mangrove islands and sea grass flats!
What's Included
  • Sit-on-top kayaks provided
  • All necessary equipment included
Additional Information

Our most sought-after kayak adventure in Tampa Bay takes you across the enchanting waters and stunning beaches of Shell Key Preserve.

We gather at the starting point, make introductions, distribute waterproof bags, and prepare everyone for the kayaking journey. You don’t need to have any prior experience as we will provide a comprehensive briefing on paddling! We mostly use double kayaks to ensure your comfort and easy ride.
(Your booking time corresponds to the expected time of arrival. Average water depth is approximately 2 feet)

Next, we set off into the serene depth of Shell Key Preserve! The Preserve is a captivating shallow habitat with abundance of wildlife & a fascinating ecosystem, which we’ll cover along with the historical background of the Preserve!

Ranging from the shallow seagrass plains, through the denseness of the mangrove islands, to the unspoilt beaches of Shell Key itself, we aim to showcase everything! This includes a journey through some mangrove passages (with friendly tides chiefly from Mar-Oct)
We’ll also dedicate some time to observe and discuss the awe-inspiring wildlife in the Preserve, such as dolphins, manatees, & various breeds of fish & birds!

Location
2820 Pinellas Bayway S
Pinellas Bayway South
PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY. YOUR BOOKING TIME IS OUR PLANNED ARRIVAL TIME. Look for the other cars and our big pickup truck (usually a white Ford pickup truck with silver enclosed trailer) off the right side of the road in the open grassy lot area at approximately the address given.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(76 Ratings)
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Brianhw316lw
Jul 29, 2024
Shell Key Kayaking - Yes Please - Shell Key is a great Kayak experience. We saw dolphins, many seabirds, a ray, blue crabs, horseshoe crabs & more. Our guide Nick was very knowledgeable about all things Shell Key, while keeping a laid-back vibe for the experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
348lesas
Jul 12, 2024
Excellent trip! - Fun experience! Guide was knowledgeable and a great communicator! The narration was informative! I highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Faraway01970522612
Jul 9, 2024
Enjoyable kayaking and exploration - My son and I joined the group kayaking tour with Nick and it was beyond our expectations. It was just the right amount of kayaking, swimming and exploring the nature. We saw dolphins, learned a bit about the ecosystem and had a blast, definitely recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wesley_w
Jul 9, 2024
Great guide! Awesome... - Great guide! Awesome seeing so much wildlife! It was a great experience. Our family had such a great time!
Review provided by Viator
Susan_m
Jun 11, 2024
20 th bday trip - Everyone had a great time. It was absolutely beautiful! Cormorants followed us the whole time and we saw dolphins up close. It was awesome. Our guide did a good job taking breaks since we had 20 to 65 year olds. It was a great experience.
Review provided by Viator
Ggmarz
May 18, 2024
Shell Key - My first time on a kayak and as stated on the website, no experience was needed. Nick's expertise and knowledge about Shell Key and the ecosystem was information I thought I never needed to know. Nature is fascinating and you will not be disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joyce_r
May 17, 2024
Relaxing afternoon activity. - I had a great day on the water with Nick. The tour was the perfect amount of time and we got to see a ton of wildlife and learn more about the areas ecosystems.
Review provided by Viator
Lori_v
Mar 31, 2024
Great Kayaking Tour!! - Beautiful trip! The kayaks were comfortable, water was easy to paddle and shallow so you can see underneath easily. Nick provided interesting information about the preserve and the area in general. Launching point was easy to find as well. Mangrove tunnel at the end was so cool too! Highly recommend this adventure!!
Review provided by Viator
C8175ohalie
Mar 31, 2024
It is a big scam. - Tour guide was grate but this is a big scam. Misleading advertisement and not worth a penny. It’s a shame no one complained about this scam.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davisito
Jun 1, 2024
Horrible/canceled on us without letting us know - Tour was canceled and nobody told us. We drove up there 15 min early our time tour was 10AM. 5 min after 10 I kept calling and texting and finally got a text back saying it was canceled and all they did was recommend other tour companies. Horrible way to do business 😤
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 12 guests
1
Adult
September 2024
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