March 17, 2023
Kayaking is always an adventure. From paddling the swift tidal currents surrounding Cumberland Island to the calm, blackwater of Yulee’s Lofton Creek, northeast Florida/southeast Georgia is blessed with a variety of exceptional bodies of water perfect for kayaking newbies, hard core seasoned paddlers, and everyone in between. Take your next kayak with one of these local adventure companies to discover all the wildlife and scenic beauty on and off Amelia island.
Experience speaks volumes and with 20+ years of paddling Amelia Island, St Mary’s and Jacksonville’s most iconic waterways, Adventures Up The Creek is ready to take you on the adventure of a lifetime with the area’s most experienced on-water experts. They offer some seriously fun and different tours ranging from the quiet beauty of Egans Creek right here on Amelia Island to the Cherry Point Kayaking Trail at Crooked River State Park in St. Mary’s, Ga. Photo credit: Adventures up the Creek
Paddle Highlights: Visit animals on and off the water with a guided group kayak on the scenic Trout River to the Jacksonville Zoo!
With six amazing guided tours to choose from, Amelia Adventures offers a great day on the water for kayak enthusiasts. Each adventure provides different landscapes, wildlife, and experiences depending on skill levels. All are cool but one to mention for beginners and intermediates alike is the Downtown Fernandina Beach Kayak tour taking paddlers down the Amelia River to Tiger Island and on to Old Towne Fernandina, the original site of the town of Fernandina Beach.
Paddle Highlights: Intermediate paddlers will love paddling across the Cumberland Sound to Cumberland Island where a tour of the historic Dungeness ruins will leave you awestruck.
Amelia Island Kayak Excursions is an award-winning family-owned business offering professionally guided kayak tours ranging from salt marsh estuaries to the peaceful St. Marys River where guests will take a 4-hour guided tour alongside the dense forests that line both sides. Adventure seekers may want to do an overnight on the wild and unspoiled Suwannee River full of wildlife, ancient limestone walls, and majestic cypress trees! A free digital photo/memory album is included with each kayak tour.
Paddle Highlights: See wilderness and wildlife up close and personal with a kayak tour of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Experience Amelia Island’s natural side with Kayak Amelia, offering eco-tours and rentals in northeast Florida for over 25 years. Their tours give kayakers the chance to come face to face with many species of the animal kingdom including pelicans, egrets, herons, wood storks, terns, and other migrating birds as well as dolphins, manatees, otters, rays, and other sea life. All tours start with a short paddle instruction on land and then… off you go!
Paddle Highlights: Try the Salt Marsh Eco Tour of Fort George Island where the naturalists describe the salt marsh ecosystem, critters and local history.
Explore the natural beauty of Amelia Island with guided kayak tours and paddleboard adventures from the Nature Center. The fully stocked retail shop comes complete with top-of-the-line binoculars and field guides to fulfill all your exploring needs while out on the water. You can also visit with their local rescued critters, chat with staff naturalists, rent a fishing pole, or sign up for a tour or camp. Note: Some activities are for guests of Omni Amelia Island Resort only.
Paddle Highlights: Nature Center tours take off from the private boat launch at Walker’s Landing for a beautiful and exclusive experience!
Helping folks make memories since 2010, Paddle Jax Amelia specializes in family-friendly fun! They are one of the longest-running kayak guide services in the Amelia Island area, and their tours are curated for you by the only Certified University of Florida Advanced Master Naturalist in Amelia Island kayak tours. One of their most popular tours is an extended adventure to see the Big Cypress Tree of Lofton Creek. A tree thought to be well over a hundred years old.
Paddle Highlights: How about a paddle after dark? Grab your glow sticks and glow necklaces for a tour of Lofton Creek after the sun goes down. This tour is not for the faint of heart but promises to be a whole lot of fun!
Riptide Watersports offers group or private kayak tours as well as other cool water adventures for the whole family. Experience flora, fauna and nature at its best when you paddle through Simpson’s Creek, part of the Timucuan National Preserve located between Little and Big Talbot Island and just south of Amelia Island. Simpson’s Creek will show you just what mother nature is capable of with her unique salt marshes and breathtaking waterways. Ahh… it doesn’t get much better than this. Photo credit: Riptide Watersports
Paddle Highlights: Take a tour of the waterways surrounding Jacksonville’s Kingsley Plantation where you can see history, as well as beautiful sites on the water, all at the same time.
Book your next trip to Amelia Island so you can get out of the rat race and into the wild.
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