Things to do / Travel Guide
Kayakers love traveling ocean waterways, rivers, inlets, and lakes. You can find many of these bodies of water in northeastern Florida and the Panhandle, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities to paddle away!
Northeast Florida
In the area of Daytona Beach, a great place to kayak or paddle is Halifax River. The river is actually part of the Intracoastal Waterway, which makes its way from Boston, Massachusetts all the way to the Texas-Mexico border. On this strip the Waterway separates the barrier island from mainland Daytona. There are places to rent a kayak or canoe along the strip, including in Ormond Beach and farther up north in Flagler Beach.
You can kayak or canoe up the slow-moving St. Johns River; imagine yourself a cicada moseying down a drainage pipe. Particularly good places to paddle along the river are near Hontoon Island and Blue Springs, located west and slightly south of Daytona Beach. While paddling along you can see lots of the region's indigenous birds, as well as manatees. There are also alligators in the water. You can find people in these parts that say “put the alligator to sleep by rubbing their tummies.” Needless to say, don't listen to them.
Jacksonville Area
Moving down the river (north, in other words), the Jacksonville area is a source of endless kayaking and paddling adventure. The big thing around this city is what people call “yak fishing,” or fishing from a kayak. The fish are so plentiful in these parts that if you bring a rod and tackle, you can fish right out of your kayak! In this regard you can seek out all the streams and inlets connected to the Intracoastal Waterway, kayak up one, down another. In these inshore water routes and marshlands you can angle for spotted sea trout, redfish, black drum, flounder, sheepshead, stripers, and snook (if you're lucky).
The same reasons that make the Jacksonville area's paddling and kayaking so good make these activities good also around Amelia Island. There are a number of good outfitters on the island, which also provide tours and guidance in the waters around the area. There are a good many inlets and islets for you to explore, and you can easily catch a glimpse of the many fish swimming in the area.
Nature Coast
Back on the other side of the state, Nature Coast has two great kayaking and canoeing spots that you'll love. Number one: May we introduce Cedar Key, an outcropping off Florida's west coast due west of Daytona Beach. Here you can bring your own kayak or canoe, or rent at one of the local outfitters. Among the great places to visit on kayak are the three islands off the coast, where you can spot dolphins. There's a lighthouse on the middle island, called Seahorse Key.
The other good place to kayak and paddle on the Nature Coast is on the Salt River, off Crystal River and Homosassa River. This is the Nature Coast Canoe and Kayak Trail. Though somewhat marked, you can get a guide to navigate for you. You can see white pelicans and storks in the winter, and dolphins in some of the bays. There is also kayaking and paddling on the Santa Fe River and the Suwannee River near Gainesville.
The Panhandle
Around the bend to Emerald Coast, you can, without a doubt, kayak and paddle in most of these areas. Spying on nature and admiring the beautiful white beaches are the big draws on this up-and-coming coastline. There are many places to rent and buy equipment from in all of the destinations on the Coast.
Santa Rosa County, which Navarre Beach falls under, is called the “Canoe Capital of Florida.” The area, in between Pensacola and Fort Walton, contains the most canoed rivers in Florida. Take a trip down the Blackwater River, the Sweetwater-Juniper River, and the Coldwater River for smooth waters, peace and quiet, and lots of sandbars for picnicking and other nature breaks. There is no shortage of places to rent canoes in the area.
In Pensacola you can explore all the inlets of Santa Rosa Sound. A great destination is the Big Lagoon State Park, where from a kayak or canoe you can meet dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, and an assortment of shorebirds.
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