St. Augustine: Dolphin & Manatee Kayak Tour with Wildlife

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration2h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Paddle into Florida's Wildlife: Dolphins and Manatees from Your Kayak

You paddle St. Augustine's shallow waterways with a guide who knows where dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles congregate. The tour includes your kayak, paddle, and life vest, plus a stop on a beach where your guide covers local history while you're in the water. Most departures run 2 to 3 hours, and the company has been running these tours for 17 years, so the route and timing are locked in.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kayak wildlife tour in St. Augustine

Paddle down St. Augustine waterways
Spot manatees, dolphins, and sea turtles
Observe bald eagles and pink spoonbills
Stop at beach to see starfish and conch shells
Learn history of St. Augustine and Florida

The Experience

You push off from the shore and the kayak glides into the shallow waterways of St. Augustine, paddle dipping quiet into the water. Within the first few minutes, your guide points toward a cluster of mangroves where manatees often gather in the cooler months, or where dolphins surface without warning. The pace is slow enough that you're not fighting the current, but fast enough that you cover the areas where wildlife congregates — the guide knows the routes after 17 years of running these tours, and it shows. You're not paddling blind or hoping to see something; you're being taken to where the animals actually are.

The kayak tour down St. Augustine's waterways includes stops where starfish and conch shells line the sand, and your guide talks through the history of the area while you're standing in shallow water, catching your breath. Bald eagles, pink spoonbills, sea turtles — the wildlife list is long, but the guide doesn't rattle it off like a checklist. You see what shows up that day. Some departures bring pods of dolphins; others are quieter. The company has run over 70,000 tours across Florida and was featured on the Travel Channel, which matters less than the fact that they know which channels to paddle down and when. They've also landed in Trip Advisor's top 10% globally, which tells you the experience holds up to scrutiny.

Your kayak, paddle, and life vest are all included, so you show up and get in. The tour runs 2 to 3 hours depending on what you encounter and where the wildlife is that day. Groups stay small enough that the guide can actually talk to you, not just point and move on. If you've never kayaked before, the shallow waterways and the slow pace mean you're not learning to paddle while panicking — the guide handles the routing, and you handle the paddle strokes at your own speed.

What’s included

Your kayak tour includes the kayak itself, paddle, and life vest.
Your guide leads you through the waterways of St.
Augustine for 2 to 3 hours, stopping on beaches where you'll see starfish and conch shells while learning about the area's history.
Wildlife sightings — dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, bald eagles, and pink spoonbills — are part of the route, though what you see depends on the day and season.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Three Brothers Boards Dolphin and Manatee Paddle Board Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Florida's wildlife without arranging your own boat or spending hours searching for animals — the guide's 17 years of experience means you're paddling the routes where they actually congregate, not guessing where to go.