Clear Kayak Tour of Shell Key Preserve and Tampa Bay Area
Description
Adventure through Shell Key Preserve in your 100% clear kayak! See crystal-clear water, diverse marine life, and the underwater world below your clear kayak. You’ll paddle along mangroves, enjoy white sand beaches and sandbars, and explore a secluded beach. If the tide is high, your guide will lead the way through a hidden mangrove tunnel. Shell Key Preserve is located in Tierra Verde, FL near St. Pete Beach in the Tampa Bay area. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, manatees, pelicans, crabs, and more while enjoying the preserve’s picturesque mangroves, beaches, and sandbars. Be on the lookout for a manatee or the beautiful pink Roseate Spoonbills in the summer months. White Pelicans call the sandbars of Shell Key Preserve their home during the winter months! Throughout the year, dolphins frolic in the crystal-clear waters and cormorants love to swim alongside your kayak. Chances are that you’ll see a variety of wildlife, but sightings are random and not guaranteed.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your guide will welcome you and provide brief paddling and safety instructions. Then, you’ll be off on an adventure as your tour guide leads the way around the mangrove islands, through the shallows, and to the beach. If the tide is high, your guide will lead the way through a hidden mangrove tunnel. You’ll also take a break at Shell Key's beach, where you can collect shells, take in the views, and be surrounded by nature. Your guide will be happy to take photos and make sure you have fun along the way! Be on the lookout for a manatee or the beautiful pink Roseate Spoonbills in the summer months. White Pelicans call the sandbars of Shell Key Preserve their home during the winter months! Throughout the year, dolphins frolic in the crystal-clear waters and cormorants love to swim alongside your kayak. Chances are that you’ll see a variety of wildlife, but sightings are random and not guaranteed.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- 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
- We require one adult per each child under age 12.
- We require two adults per each child 3 years old and under.
- 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
Reviews(6,438)
The tour was great! Chris was our tour guide. He provided cold waters for us during the excursion which was awesome. We saw dolphins, birds, small crabs, and a manatee during our tour. The clear kayak was very cool. I would recommend this tour to others.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with Chris. It's great to know you enjoyed the clear kayaks and all the incredible wildlife sightings, from dolphins and a manatee to birds and tiny crabs. We're also happy the cold water helped keep everyone comfortable during the tour! We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Chris. Thank you for the recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another kayaking adventure soon!
Mac was very knowledgeable about the sea life, birds, and shells. He was a great guide. He took pictures of our family on the beach and even collected shells for us to take with us. It was quite a workout and a little intimidating for first time kayakers but still a great experience overall. We even got to see 3 dolphins swimming by!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We're thrilled to hear your family had such a great experience with Mac. His knowledge of the local sea life, birds, and shells, along with the extra touches like taking family photos and helping collect shells, really make the tour special. We're so glad you stuck with it as first-time kayakers and were rewarded with the unforgettable sight of three dolphins swimming by! We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Mac. Thank you for paddling with us, and we hope to welcome your family back for another kayaking adventure soon!
Alessia was great! We saw dolphins and various birds some of which were swimming underneath our kayaks. Would recommend anytime!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had a great experience with Alessia. Seeing dolphins and watching birds swim right beneath the clear kayaks is always such a memorable experience, and we're so glad you got to enjoy it. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Alessia. Thank you for the recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another kayaking adventure soon!
Jessie was a wonderful guide. Very knowledgeable and fun. Clear kayaks were our deciding factor in booking in the area. Did not disappoint! We saw a Reddish Egret, and pink spoonbill among other birds and a few sewa turtles nests. Great experience for me & my son.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you and your son had such a great experience with Jesse. His knowledge and enthusiasm help make every tour both fun and memorable, and we're so glad you enjoyed spotting the Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, and the sea turtle nests along the way. We're also happy to hear the clear kayaks lived up to your expectations! We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Jesse. Thank you for paddling with us, and we hope to welcome you both back for another kayaking adventure soon!
Our tour guide, Les, was very knowledgeable and helpful. It was a perfect morning for kayaking. We learned about the different birds, the mangroves and more. Would definitely recommend it.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're so glad you had a perfect morning on the water with Alessia. She loves sharing her knowledge of the local birds, mangroves, and unique ecosystem, and we're thrilled you enjoyed both the experience and everything you learned along the way. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Alessia. Thank you for the recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another kayaking adventure soon!
Nick was very nice, he was very knowledgeable and could tell you anything about all of the different species of animals.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're so glad you enjoyed your tour with Nick. His passion for the local wildlife and extensive knowledge of the different species make every tour both fun and educational, and we're thrilled you had such a great experience. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Nick. Thank you for paddling with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another kayaking adventure soon!
Had an amazing time. Dan was very knowledgeable and helped us find all kinds of shells. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such an amazing time with Dan. He's always happy to share his knowledge of the area, and we're glad he helped you discover some great shells along the way. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Dan. Thank you for the recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another kayaking adventure soon!
Dan was absolutely amazing he made today the best day ever can't wait to come back and do it again
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear Dan helped make your day so memorable. He loves creating fun experiences for our guests, and we're so glad you had such an amazing time on the water. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Dan. Thank you for paddling with us, and we can't wait to welcome you back for another kayaking adventure soon!
This was our second year doing this tour, and once again it was a phenomenal experience! A lot of people hesitate to book tours because they’re worried about getting a bad tour guide, but we couldn’t have asked for a better one. This year, Jesse was our guide, and wow—he was incredibly knowledgeable. He taught us so much about the wildlife and the sanctuary, it was genuinely fascinating. He answered every question we had about the animals and the surrounding nature, and you could tell he was passionate about what he does. He was friendly, funny, and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. He even managed to make my aunt and cousins a little less afraid of sharks! 😂 I can’t recommend this tour enough. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, and the experience is worth every minute. I can honestly say this is something we’ll be doing every time we come back!
Thank you so much for coming back for a second year and for sharing such an incredible review! It means so much to us that you chose to paddle with us again and had another phenomenal experience. We'll be sure to pass your wonderful comments along to Jesse. His passion for the local wildlife and sanctuary really shines through, and we're so glad he made the tour both educational and fun. We love that he even helped your aunt and cousins feel a little more comfortable with sharks—that's definitely a memorable accomplishment! Thank you for your continued support and recommendation. We can't wait to welcome you back for your third tour the next time you're in the area!
Chris was a great guide. Very relaxing but also had lots of info to share! Thanks!!!
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're so glad you enjoyed your tour with Chris. He does a wonderful job creating a relaxing experience while sharing interesting information about the local wildlife and ecosystem, and we're thrilled you had such a great time. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Chris. Thank you for paddling with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another kayaking adventure soon!
