Naples Kayak & SUP Rental: CLEAR Kayaks Bonita Springs

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.92 (183 reviews) 96% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration2h

Mobile ticketAccepted

Paddle Through Mangroves & See Fish Below You in a CLEAR Kayak

You rent a kayak or SUP, get a map and safety gear, and paddle Estero Bay at your own pace through mangrove tunnels and shelling beaches. CLEAR boats let you see underwater life without a guide narrating. The team briefs you before you launch and you're back whenever you're done — no fixed return time, no group waiting.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided paddlecraft rental and exploration

Receive paddlecraft and safety gear
Review island map and instructions
Paddle through Estero Bay wildlife habitat
Explore mangrove tunnels and beaches
Look for dolphins and manatees
Enjoy shelling on secluded beaches
Return paddlecraft after exploration

The Experience

The first time you look down through the bottom of a CLEAR kayak and see fish swimming beneath you, it hits different. Paddle Naples has been renting these transparent boats since 2014 from Big Hickory Island, and they're the only outfit in the area with CLEAR paddleboards too. You set the pace — no guide talking over the wildlife, no fixed schedule — just you, the water, and whatever you want to explore in Estero Bay and the Gulf.

The self-guided kayak and SUP rental includes a PFD, a dry box for your phone, and a marked map of the island that the team walks you through before you launch. The routes take you past mangrove tunnels, secluded beaches where you can stop and shell, and the kind of shallow water where dolphins and manatees actually show up. Standard kayaks are stable and track well; the CLEAR boats let you watch the marine life instead of just paddling over it. If you're new to paddlesports, tell them when you arrive and they'll explain what you need to know.

The business has over 500 five-star Google reviews and won a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award in 2022 — top 10% worldwide. That's not hype; it's what happens when a family-owned operation spends a decade learning the water and the people who want to paddle it. They're open seven days a week, so you can show up when the light is right and the bay is calm.

CLEAR kayaks do have a weight limit of 400 pounds per boat and 225 pounds per seat, so check that before booking if you're concerned. Standard kayaks handle heavier loads and track better in chop. Kids as young as three can go, though parents should bring a fitted PFD for anyone under 50 pounds. The whole thing is wheelchair accessible, and service animals are welcome.

What’s included

Your rental includes a personal flotation device (PFD), a dry box to keep your phone and keys safe, and a well-marked map of Big Hickory Island with paddle routes through Estero Bay, mangrove tunnels, and shelling beaches. The team briefs you on the map and safety before you launch, and you return the boat whenever you're done paddling.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePets welcomeNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Paddle Naples

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to explore the water at your own pace without a guide or a group schedule — you get the mangrove tunnels and shelling beaches, but the freedom to linger or move on whenever you want.