Winter Haven: Pontoon Pub Crawl on Chain of Lakes

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/51

Duration3h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Winter Haven lakeside pub crawl by boat with stops at waterfront bars and restaurants

You’ll float across Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes by pontoon, hopping between lively waterfront bars with a local guide steering the way. Expect quirky drinks, friendly faces, maybe even an alligator sighting if you’re lucky. Cooler and ice are included — just bring your favorite snacks or drinks along for the ride.

Step-by-step itinerary

Pontoon pub crawl on Winter Haven lakes

Board pontoon boat
Enjoy ride through Chain of Lakes
Visit five lakeside pubs and restaurants
Observe local wildlife and alligators
Return to starting point

The Experience

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect the water to feel so calm that afternoon. We climbed onto the pontoon just off Winter Haven — me, two friends from college, and a couple who’d never been on a boat before. Our guide (I think his name was Mike? Or maybe Mark — he had that Florida drawl) handed us a cooler packed with ice and grinned like he’d seen this all before. The air smelled faintly of sunscreen and fried fish from somewhere across the lake. I kept thinking, “Is this what locals do on weekends?” Turns out, yeah — it kind of is.

The first stop was this bar with a rickety dock and plastic flamingos everywhere. I tried something called a ‘Swamp Water’ (don’t ask me what’s in it), and the bartender winked when I made a face after the first sip. We drifted between five spots in total, each one louder than the last — country music at one place, then old Motown at another. At some point, someone spotted an alligator sunning itself near the reeds. Nobody panicked; our guide just pointed it out like he was showing us a mailbox or something. That still cracks me up.

By sunset, we were talking to strangers like old friends and sharing fries with a couple celebrating their anniversary (they’d come down from Atlanta). My hands smelled like lake water and cheap beer. I remember thinking: there’s something about floating from bar to bar that makes you loosen up faster than usual — maybe it’s the breeze or just not having to worry about driving home afterward (the guide mentioned they can help book an Uber if you need one). Anyway, I still think about that last stretch across the lake, when everything went quiet for a minute except for someone laughing behind me. It felt good.

What’s included

Your day includes a pontoon boat ride through Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes with stops at four to five lakeside pubs and restaurants; there’s a cooler with ice if you want to bring your own drinks or snacks along for the ride. Guides can help arrange safe transport home if needed.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Briscoe's Ride Center Inc.