St Augustine: Airboat Safari St Johns River & Wildlife

The St Johns River at full throttle: alligators, manatees, and a guide who knows where they hide

You board an airboat and spend ninety minutes moving through the shallow creeks and tributaries of the St Johns River, listening to a guide through a headset while scanning the banks for alligators, manatees, eagles, and herons. The boat goes where larger vessels can't, and the fixed route covers Trout Creek, Six Mile Creek, and the Bayard Conservation Area. You're back at the dock within two hours of arrival.

Step-by-step itinerary

Airboat tour on St Johns River

• Arrive 30 minutes before departure
• Start airboat tour at departure point
• Pass by Outback Crab Shack
• Explore Trout Creek and Six Mile Creek
• Ride through Bayard Conservation Area
• Observe wildlife and vegetation

The experience

The airboat is already idling when you arrive. You've got thirty minutes to get there before departure, and the engine's low rumble tells you this isn't a pontoon. You'll strap on a headset so the guide's voice cuts through the noise, and then the boat accelerates hard into Trout Creek, the bow lifting slightly as you move from the dock into the western tributaries of St Augustine. The St Johns River system sprawls across this side of town, and the airboat is built to go where regular boats can't: shallow creeks, narrow channels, right up against the cypress banks where things actually live.

What you're actually looking for out here are American alligators sunning on the banks, West Indian manatees moving through the deeper water, and if you're lucky, a bald eagle perched in the trees. The guide knows the creeks (Trout, Six Mile, and the Bayard Conservation Area), and points out turtles, herons, egrets, wild boar moving through the palmettos. The vegetation matters too: cypress trees, lily pads, the whole ecosystem that makes the St Johns different from the coastal salt marshes. You're not on a sightseeing loop. You're moving through actual habitat, and the airboat's shallow draft means you see animals that tourists on bigger boats never get close to.

The whole thing runs about ninety minutes, and the pace is fast enough that you feel the speed but steady enough that you can actually hear what the guide is saying through the headset. The Outback Crab Shack marks one of the landmarks you'll pass, a reference point in the landscape rather than a stop. By the time you're heading back to the dock, you've covered the main freshwater wildlife corridor that St Augustine sits on top of: the part of Florida that most visitors never see because they're downtown looking at colonial buildings.

What’s included

Your tour includes the airboat ride itself, a headset so you can hear the guide's live commentary over the engine noise, and ninety minutes of guided travel through Trout Creek, Six Mile Creek, and the Bayard Conservation Area. The guide provides real-time information about the wildlife and landscape as you move through the St Johns River tributaries.

Information

Lasts 1h 30m, runs Tuesday to Sunday, 4 start times, from US$ 79.95 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDepartures at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00Another day? ›

GroupUp to 28

Live guideEnglish

Audio 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 (1 to 17 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Sea Serpent Tours Inc

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the wildlife and waterways that St Augustine is built on without arranging your own boat or spending time searching for animals. The guide knows the creeks and the airboat's shallow draft gets you into habitat where the animals actually are.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 17 years).

How long is the airboat tour?

Approximately 1.5 hours on the water, plus thirty minutes to arrive early and get settled.

What wildlife might I see?

American alligators, West Indian manatees, bald eagles, herons, egrets, turtles, wild boar, and deer. Cypress trees and lily pads are common too.

Do I need to arrive early?

Yes, you must arrive at least thirty minutes before your scheduled departure time.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

The tour is wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces at the facility are accessible. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries.

What's included in the tour?

The airboat ride, a headset to hear the guide's live commentary clearly, and the guide's knowledge of the creeks and wildlife.

Which creeks and areas does the tour cover?

The tour passes through Trout Creek, Six Mile Creek, and the Bayard Conservation Area, all on the western side of St Augustine.

Is there a sunset tour option?

Yes, sunset tour times vary by season to accommodate daylight savings time. Check availability when booking.

Do I need any special skills or fitness level?

No, the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.