Manatee Season Clear Kayak Tour of Tarpon Springs

Name: Manatee Season Clear Kayak Tour of Tarpon Springs
Price: 69 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.93 (257 reviews)

Overview

Available languages

English

2 hours

Mobile ticket

Adventure through Tarpon Springs in your 100% clear kayak!

Start your journey paddling across the scenic Anclote River. Along the way, you’ll learn about the fascinating history of Tarpon Springs’ iconic Sponge Docks and their connection to the area’s vibrant Greek culture.

The adventure continues with a stop at a serene mangrove island. Here, your guide will help you search for birds, crabs, and other hidden creatures that call the island home. This is the perfect spot to take in the natural beauty of the area and snap some memorable photos.

Glide through the picturesque bayous, passing stunning Victorian-style mansions and the charming Craig Park. Your route takes you into Spring Bayou, a warm-water sanctuary often visited by manatees during the cooler months. Keep your eyes peeled for these gentle giants !

Your guide will share fascinating insights, answer your questions, and ensure you have an unforgettable experience paddling through the stunning waters of Tarpon Springs!

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

For your safety, we have a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest, and a combined limit of 425 lbs for two people in a tandem kayak

Cancellation Policy

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

What To Expect

We'll paddle across the Anclote river and visit a mangrove island that is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for a variety of birds, crabs, and even a dolphin! We'll also talk about the Sponge Docks and the history of the sponging in Tarpon Springs. If you're lucky, you may even see a sponge boat in the Anclote River! Wildlife sightings are at random and not guaranteed.

15 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Craig Park

You'll paddle through the beautiful bayous of Tarpon Springs, stopping at Craig Park, which is at the very heart of Tarpon Springs. You'll paddle by the incredible Victorian-style mansions from the town's first settlers in the 19th Century.

15 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Dry Bags: We'll allow you to use our dry bags to keep your personal belongings dry along the tour!

Kayaks, paddles, seats, life jackets, whistles

Options

Clear Kayak Tour

Reviews

4.93

257 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

246

Fun little trip through the channels to see the manatees
amandavM3605HD,,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Had a great time on a small group tour with Alex. Very informative and fun. Got to see some dolphins in the channels and lots of manatees in the park! I'd recommend the early tour as the waters seem quieter. Location was easy to get to and you stay fairly close to departure/return time. I was a little disappointed to find we were just going to a public park where we could have seen the manatees from shore but they came so close to us (under the kayak!) and we wouldn't have seen the dolphins or gotten such neat and unknown (to us) environmental/wildlife facts from our guide!
Alex is awesome
emilysJ8011DJ,,Jan 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a great tour! Alex was full of super interesting facts and really cares for the environment and Florida wildlife. Thanks so much for a great tour!
Fun Time with the Sea Cows
Sightsee13844309465,,Jan 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My partner and I did this tour and had a great time! Our guide, Alex, was very helpful and knowledgeable! Gave us a great overview of marine life in the area and especially the sea cows! It was about 30min of kayaking to get to the cove where the manatees were and we spent about 30 minutes there and saw a a TON of them. It was a really good season to go. Then we had a 30min kayak back. Overall, it was a fun time and had a fun experience. I would recommend to others if you like marine life and don't mind a little kayaking.
Alex is great!
Roam21459728040,,Jan 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great experience with Alex! He was very knowledgeable and was able to guide us through the Manatee area. Even with a bigger group, Alex made sure that the group stayed together.
This tour did not disappoint!!!
Mary E,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Spring expertly guided us through mangroves, past historic homes and into the heart of the manatees in Craig Bayou Park. Her knowledge on these gentle sea cows and other wildlife we encountered was fun and informative. The manatees were up close and personal making this the highlight of our tour. Her background on Tarpon Springs rich history gave us a better feel for this cool town. To top it off, we had a beautiful weather day, calm waters and of course, an attentive guide. We highly recommend! Best, Tim and Mary
It was OK but nothing spectacular
755patriciab,,Jan 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Fun experience and our Guide, Jesse, was great and very knowledgeable. However, you will not be able to get close to the manatee. They won’t allow it. We could have driven to the park for free to see them at the same distance. It was fun, but the trip is over sold and overpriced.
Great kayaking experience
suegH8400NS,,Jan 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour guide Jesse was great!!! We learned a lot about manatees and native birds in the area. The kayaks are wide so we never felt like we would tip.
Meh… Not worth the cost
MicMac350,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00
It’s not truly a kayak… it’s like paddling a row boat with a kayak paddle. You are guaranteed to be soaked at the end of the trip because the paddles don’t work with the type of boat. It’s a clear boat but I don’t know why because the water is not clear so you can’t see anything below. You paddle a long way to see manatees in a public space that you could’ve walked to and seen for free. However, we did see a couple dolphins on the way. In my opinion it was not worth the $$. Save it and walk to the pond to observe the manatees.
Beautiful day, terrific education exciting encounters with native marine animals and outstanding scenery !
O1077WMpath,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Alex, our guide, was very informative and accommodating. As an environmental specialist he is well versed in conservation standards and practices especially for Florida manatees. He pointed out the native flora and fauna and how to distinguish species and described the invasive plants and animals in the region. Highly recommend have him guide you and give you very valuable information on enjoying our environment. Well worth the money.
5 Stars!
michellebJ5901QP,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an amazing experience kayaking with manatees, and Alex made it truly unforgettable. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about the wildlife and the area. Alex made us feel comfortable on the water, shared interesting facts along the way, and was respectful of the manatees while still helping us get incredible views. The whole trip was well organized and relaxed, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Highly recommend this experience and especially Alex to anyone looking for a memorable adventure. Thanks, Alex!