Clear Kayak Sunset Glow Tour
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Austin, USA
- 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Going out on the San Marcos River at nighttime can be a difficult task if you don’t know the river well. This San Marcos River Clear Lighted Kayak Sunset Eco Tour makes it easy to explore in the dark with a guide leading the way in clear kayaks equipped with glow lights. Keep an eye out for fish, bats, deer, and more as your guide points out and tells you about the wildlife of the river ecosystem.
- Adventure out on San Marcos River in a kayak with a guide leading the way
- A clear kayak with glow lights illuminate the water for cool underwater views
- A dry bag is provided to keep your important belongings from getting wet
- Kayak, paddles, glow lights, and bug spray are all included
What's Included
- Clear kayaks
- safety equipment
- paddles
- dry bag
- glow lights
- seats
- bug spray
- Bottled waterNo food or drinks provided
- Parking (amount varies by date and duration, paid per car), up to$25.00 per booking
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- City Park, 170 Charles Austin Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
Please park in the City Park lot, then walk to the grassy area to the right of the Lion's Club. Your guide will be in a long-sleeved blue shirt. Paid parking is required for non-San Marcos residents. Rates range from $10–$25, payable via app or kiosk.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
San Marcos River
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Weight limit of 250lbs per seat and 425lbs per kayak (both criteria must be met)
- Each person under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older in a kayak.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Isaac_M
Trip was amazing! My partner and I had a great time. All the couples seemed to really enjoy it. Trip constantly checked in on us and would help if we felt like it was hard. Will definitely be booking again on our next visit!
Reviews
4.9
based on 186 reviews
Ashley_B, Mar 2026
Amazing! It was so cool to see the fish and turtles and beavers under water. Our tour guide Ryle was very helpful.
Elvira_C, Feb 2026
Viator should be clear about the distance from tour location from Downtown Austin. This is about a hour away from downtown Austin. I missed my tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Elvira,
We’re so sorry you missed your tour. We truly know how disappointing that is, especially when you were looking forward to it.
For clarity, our launch location is in San Marcos, which is typically about 33 minutes from Downtown Austin depending on traffic. On high-traffic days and during rush hour it can certainly take longer, which is why we always recommend guests check live navigation the day of their tour. The address is listed on the booking page and in the confirmation emails sent after purchase, but we understand travel timing can still be frustrating.
We also want to gently clarify that when you reached out prior to your tour, you were outside of Viator's cancellation window outlined in the booking policy. Because we didn’t receive confirmation that you would not be attending, we held your reserved spots and guides for the scheduled time.
That said, we never want someone to walk away feeling disappointed. If you’d like to reach out to us directly, we’d be happy to see if there’s anything we can do to help you experience the river on a future visit.
We appreciate the feedback and will continue looking for ways to make travel expectations even clearer for guests.
Noah_D, Feb 2026
It was exciting on the way back felt bad I couldn’t leave a tip it was nice would definitely recommend
Isaac_M, Jan 2026
Trip was amazing! My partner and I had a great time. All the couples seemed to really enjoy it. Trip constantly checked in on us and would help if we felt like it was hard. Will definitely be booking again on our next visit!
Judith_F, Oct 2025
We did the 9pm tour and it was absolutely wonderful! Journie did an amazing job sharing animal sighting and pointing out highlights along the way! We would 10/10 do it again and ask for Journie!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Judith, we love this! Thank you for joining us on a paddling adventure.
Maggie_B, Sep 2025
It was way better than I had anticipated.
We had an overcast day, so it got dark earlier than expected, which gave us more time with the LED lights. Our guide Journey was very pleasant and helpful, pointing out wildlife and points of interest. Our group was small and very personal
We didn't have to lift a finger. They took care of all the equipment for us. I probably took a 100 pictures. And she even took pictures of us together and emailed them to us. It was a very relaxing evening.The river took us downstream effortlessly.
What a way to celebrate my birthday.🤗🤗🤗🤗
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much, Maggie, for sharing such a wonderful review! 💫 We’re thrilled to hear your birthday celebration was everything you hoped for and more. Journey will be so happy to know she made your evening extra special with her guidance and photos 📸✨ We’re glad the glow of the lights, the relaxing flow of the river, and those unforgettable memories helped make it such a perfect gift from your son. We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure anytime! 🚣♀️🌙
Brian_R, Aug 2025
Had a great evening with family and our guide, Journey! Definitely recommend this.
Plenty of fish, birds, turtles, and bats to see.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for joining us for a sunset glow tour! 🌅 We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed the evening with Journey and got to see all the amazing wildlife along the way. 🐟🦉🐢🦇 We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure soon! 🚣♂️✨
Randy_B, Jul 2025
Great evening of floating down the San Marcos river in a clear bottom kayak. Saw lots of wildlife like turtles, a beaver, deer and raccoons. Max was informative and accommodating for us as my wife is in a wheelchair and help get her in and out of the boat and had a secure place for her wheelchair during the adventure.
Lots of fun and would recommend if you like the outdoors.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hey Randy! Thanks for the AMAZING review! We're so glad you had an awesome time with us! We're also SO happy we were able to accommodate your wife so she could experience the magic with ya!
Mary_K, May 2025
THIS REVIEW IS FOR VIATOR not the glow kayak company. Our experience was horrible. 8 of us booked, but when we arrived VIATOR had not communicated our reservation for two of our floaters. The company wasn't able to allowed them to float anyways because they did not have enough kayaks (because VIATOR did not communicate our reservation). After an hour of panic and phone calls, they refunded 1/2 of our group BUT that was after we spent 100.00 in Uber fees because Viator listed the activity in AUSTIN but it was 40 mins from downtown Austin. BOOK DIRECTLY!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hi Mary, we are very sorry for the experience your group had. While it's rare, it’s incredibly frustrating when the reservation doesn’t come through properly, and we hate that it impacted your plans. We do our best to accommodate every guest and exceed expectations, but in this case, we didn’t receive the booking details and didn’t have the extra kayaks available.
We understand how disappointing that is, especially after the travel time and added costs. After extensively fighting your case with Viator on the phone, we were able to secure your entire group a full refund and we’re working closely with our booking partners to help prevent this kind of miscommunication in the future. Thank you for your feedback, and again—we're truly sorry things didn’t go as expected.
Peggy_C, May 2025
I had a great time, but it is a test for relationships to see if you can work together. Enjoy it very much so.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
I am glad your relationship stood the age-old test of kayaking! Definitely helps you work together and work on communication haha. We are thrilled you both had a great time and hope to host you in the future!
Elizabeth_D, Mar 2025
Our guide, Kaya, was great. She was patient, knowledgeable and made it a great experience for us. We got to see some cool things like raccoons, bats, birds and turtles while going down the river and the lights on the clear kayaks made it easy to see everything in the water.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you for your kind words! We’re glad you enjoyed the tour and wildlife sightings. Kaya will appreciate the shoutout—hope to see you on the water again!
Douglas_I, Mar 2025
It was the best part of a 3 day trip. Trey was a great guide and very helpful. He offered a lot of information and answered all of our questions. He also made sure we didn't miss any of the wildlife. The boats were easy to maneuver although a bit of a workout on the way back upstream. The lights made it easy to see in the water. This was the best experience we had during our trip. We can't wait to go back and try a daytime trip instead of after dark.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Douglas, we are so happy your adventure with us was the highlight of your trip! Thank you for the review! We can’t wait to host y’all on a future paddling adventure! Feel free to reach out to us for a discount on your next adventure with us that we provide repeat guests!
Gisele_S, Mar 2025
It was a real fun experience! The water was so clear and it was cool to be able to see the fish and plant life beneath you.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you, Gisele! We're so happy you had a fun experience and enjoyed the clear waters and underwater views! It truly is a magical way to explore. Hope to see you on another adventure soon!
Paige_H, Jan 2025
we thought we were just doing a kayak experience, more of a wildlife adventure on the river! beavers, raccoons, turtles, tons of fish and even otters!
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you for the review! We are so happy you had such a great time on your clear kayaking adventure us! Hope to see you again!
Shawn_c, Dec 2024
For the time of the year we had an amazing experience. Water was still warm and the guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Would recommend this trip to anyone looking for a different adventure and experience. Looking forward to doing this again on our next trip here.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Shawn, thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you had an amazing time and enjoyed the warm water and our friendly, knowledgeable guide. It’s wonderful to hear you’d recommend the trip and are already planning to join us again on your next visit. We look forward to welcoming you back for another adventure!
Reggie_K, Nov 2024
Our guides Trey and Max were great! Made the experience pleasant and kept us at ease. They were very knowledgeable of the area. We loved the atmosphere along with the nature inhibiting the area. Highly recommended, and we can’t wait to do this again!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that Trey and Max made your experience so enjoyable. It’s always great when our guests can connect with the beauty and atmosphere of the area. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to seeing you again soon!
Lisa_B, Nov 2024
We loved this adventure. Very cool clear kayaks. The guide was very helpful getting us in and out. The tour was cool. Would like to try during the day sometime!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Lisa, thank you for the wonderful review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the adventure and the unique clear kayaks. It’s great to hear our guide could make getting in and out smooth for you. A daytime tour would definitely offer a different experience—we’d love to have you back to explore it!
Lisa_S, Oct 2024
We were visiting family in Austin. Unfortunately, our experience was canceled. We were super disappointed as we wanted to take part in and activity as a family. Customer service was great, and I received my refund promptly. We will try again in the future. Thank you.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you for your understanding and kind words! We’re truly sorry for the disappointment and that we couldn’t share this experience with you and your family. As soon as we became aware of the potential issue over two weeks in advance, we reached out to offer a refund or reschedule. You had opted to wait in case we were able to secure a guide, but unfortunately, we were unable to secure a guide for your scheduled tour time. We’d love the opportunity to welcome you all on a future adventure—hope to see you again soon!
Minecrafty_G, Oct 2024
It was a nice trip. The river is so clear, beautiful scenery and guide was great! The only thing I would do different is to reserve each of us separately. We both own our own kayaks and like to kayak separately and they put us together in a tandem kayak, as well as our friends, who also enjoy kayaking separately. I thought when I reserved and paid full price for 2 people, that meant we would each have our own kayak. It will be helpful if this were mentioned during booking.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you so much for joining us and sharing your experience! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the trip, the clear river, and the beautiful scenery. We also appreciate your feedback about the kayak setup; we’ll make sure to clarify this during the booking process to help everyone get the experience they’re looking for. Looking forward to seeing you back on the water!
Michael_R, Oct 2024
My daughter and I had a blast kayaking! So beautiful and lovely to experience. Highly recommend to everyone to enjoy.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you for the lovely review! We’re so glad you and your daughter had a blast kayaking and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. We appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you both again soon!
Heather_E, Oct 2024
So freaking fun! Wonderful guide and great atmosphere! Wonderful weather they had all of the extras you need bug spray and batteries for your lights in the kayaks! It was a great time!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Hi Heather!
Thank you so much for the enthusiastic review! We’re thrilled you had such a fun time and enjoyed the atmosphere. Glad we could provide the extras to make your experience even better! Hope to see you on another adventure soon! :)
Shyanne_L, Oct 2024
Did not get to experience due to being over the 250 limit but they did fully refund me I was very sad. I did not get to have fun or experience. They said the kayak holds or ways for 450. But they would not allow So plans had to get canceled
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Hello Shyanne, we’re truly sorry to hear that you were unable to experience our kayaking service due to the weight limit. We understand how disappointing that must have been.
Please note that our weight limit of 250 lbs per individual is clearly stated in our listing prior to booking. This policy is in place to ensure safety, as recommended by the kayak manufacturer. We prioritize our guests' safety and appreciate your understanding.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please feel free to reach out.
Randy_K, Oct 2024
Fun time. Guide Max needs to figure out how to communicate info loudly and to the whole group of kayakers while cruising.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you so much for your feedback! We’re thrilled that you had a fun time with us. We’re sorry to hear that communication during the tour could have been clearer, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Max is a newer guide, and we’ll be working with him to ensure he can share information more effectively with the entire group. We’re always striving to improve, and we hope you’ll join us again for an even better adventure in the future!
Ricardo_R, Oct 2024
Hello,
My boyfriend and I really enjoyed this Kayak experience. It was my second time in over 8 years and his first. We were pleasantly surprised with the ease of the first lap and physical exertion of the second lap. Kaya made us feel comfortable and safe, guiding us all the way through. We definitely recommend this experience.
Thank you
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Ricardo, thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled to hear that you both enjoyed the tour, especially since it was a new adventure for both of you. It’s great to know that Kaya helped make you feel comfortable and safe throughout the trip. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you on the water again soon! :)
vera_r, Oct 2024
It was great!! The nature was beautiful and our guide knowledgeable. We liked timing of the tour 6:45pm.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Vera, thank you for joining us! We are so glad you had an awesome paddling adventure with us. We appreciate the review!
Sydney_K, Sep 2024
We almost sunk the kayak….it was funny afterward! We had Trey as our guide and he was helpful and did not judge us when almost sinking the kayak!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Sydney, thank you so much for sharing your experience! We're glad to hear you were able to laugh about the close call afterward. Trey will be thrilled to hear that his calm and helpful guidance made your adventure enjoyable, even during the unexpected moments! We look forward to welcoming you back for another paddle soon!
Alex, Sep 2024
It was an amazing experience! We loved it. We got to see different animals and fish along the way and enjoyed a very informative commentary by our tour guide Jake, who was incredibly kind and fun, and not to mention very knowledgeable. We can't wait to go again.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Hey Alex!
Thank you so much for the glowing review! We’re thrilled to hear you had an amazing time and that Jake made the experience even better with his fun and informative commentary. It sounds like you got the full wildlife tour! We can’t wait to have you back for another adventure!
Destiny_L, Sep 2024
My girlfriend and I had a wonderful time. Very cutsy very meaningful very demure. Max was a great tour guide. A fine young chap one might say he was very knowledgeable on the surroundings and answered all of our questions. Overall 1000000/10
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Hi Destiny!
Ah, the elusive 1000000/10 rating—the stuff of legend! Sounds like Max has ascended to “tour guide deity” status. I can only assume he answered your questions with the wisdom of a sage and the flair of a Broadway star. "Very cutsy, very meaningful, very demure"—if there were awards for ambiance descriptions, this one’s taking home gold. Haha, but seriously, thanks for the review! We’re glad you both had a great time! :)
Michelle_M, Sep 2024
This was so fun and our tour guide Trey was awesome. If you're on the fence on whether you should do this trust me just do it! You won't regret it
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you so much for the review and recommendation, Michelle! We are thrilled you had a wonderful time with Trey! We hope to host you again soon!
Jocelyn_C, Sep 2024
It was an amazing, beyond expectations! Michael did great job guiding us through tour. I would recommend it to my friends.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Jocelyn, thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that your experience exceeded expectations. Michael will be delighted to know that his guidance made your tour memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you and your friends on future adventures!
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Clear Kayak Sunset Glow Tour
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