Clear Kayaking in Destin: Paddle Limestone Springs

You can see straight through the kayak to the bottom.

Clear kayaking near Destin is a guided paddle through limestone springs where you operate a transparent kayak, swim into underwater caves, and watch wildlife from above and below the waterline. The tour runs 2 to 2.5 hours and includes the kayak, life jacket, paddles, goggles, guide commentary, parking and oil-free sunscreen and bug spray applied by the operator. Children from age 3 ride with an adult. Weight limit is 250 pounds per seat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Clear Kayaking and Nature Exploration

• Meet your guide
• Paddle among limestone bluffs and cypress trees
• Discover underwater caves
• Swim in refreshing springs
• Observe fish, turtles, and wildlife
• Listen to guide's facts and bird calls
• Pass by Florida Caverns State Park
• Pass by Blue Springs Recreational Park

The experience

You meet your guide at the spring and paddle into a landscape of limestone bluffs and cypress trees. The kayak itself is the whole point: 100% clear, so you watch fish, turtles and crawfish move beneath you while you sit above them. The springs stay cold and refreshing year-round, and your guide points out the underwater caves you can swim into, plus the limestone formations and fossilized shark teeth visible from the water. Bring nothing for sun or bugs. The operator applies oil-free sunscreen and a kayak-safe bug spray before you launch.

As you paddle, listen for the birds your guide names: herons, ibis, woodpeckers, warblers, cardinals, blue jays, mockingbirds, hawks, eagles, owls and vultures. The route takes you through Florida Caverns State Park and Blue Springs Recreational Park, two protected areas where the water clarity and wildlife density make the paddle feel like moving through an aquarium. Your guide handles the facts about the springs and the ecosystem. You handle the paddle and the moment.

The location is outside Destin proper, so look up the address in GPS before you book. Infants sit on an adult's lap. Children from age 3 ride with a parent. The weight limit is 250 pounds per seat and 425 pounds total per kayak. Service animals are welcome.

What’s included

• Clear kayak, life jacket, paddles, goggles and dry bags.
• oil-free sunscreen and bug spray applied by the operator.
• guide commentary on the springs and wildlife.
• parking fees.
• access to Florida Caverns State Park and Blue Springs Recreational Park.

Information

Lasts 2h–2h 30m, runs every day at 09:00, 12:00 and 15:00, from US$ 75 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 12:00 and 15:00Last departure this season: 31 DecAnother time? ›

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Get Up And Go Kayaking - Merritt's Mill

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and delivers facts about the springs and wildlife as you paddle, so anyone comfortable following a live guide in English can follow the tour. Children from age 3 ride with an adult, and the paddle suits all fitness levels: the guide sets the pace and you control the kayak.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What can I see through a clear kayak that I'd miss in a regular one?

A clear kayak lets you watch fish, turtles, crawfish and fossilized shark teeth on the bottom while you paddle, and you can see into the underwater caves before you swim into them: the whole point of the transparent hull is the view below the surface.

Can I swim in the springs during the kayaking tour?

Yes, your guide takes you to favorite swimming spots where you jump into the refreshing spring water and can swim into underwater caves as part of the paddle.

What's included in the tour price?

The clear kayak, life jacket, paddles, goggles, dry bags, guide, parking fees, oil-free sunscreen and bug spray are all included. The operator applies the sunscreen and bug spray before launch.

How long does the kayaking tour last?

The tour runs 2 to 2.5 hours from the time you meet your guide at the spring.

What wildlife might I see while paddling?

Watch for fish, turtles, crawfish and fossilized shark teeth in the water, plus herons, ibis, woodpeckers, warblers, cardinals, blue jays, mockingbirds, hawks, eagles, owls and vultures in the trees and sky above.