Manatee Season Guided Paddle Tour from Virginia Key
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Miami, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover Miami’s wild side on this group paddleboarding or kayaking experience. Avoid getting lost on the water as you follow your guide to some of the most scenic spots in the bay. Book between November and April for manatee season, or try the experience out of season to try your luck seeing some dolphins, great blue herons, spotted eagle rays, and more local wildlife.
- See Lamar Lake, Biscayne Bay, and the Atlantic coast, weather allowing
- Choose between a kayak or paddleboard
- Sightsee and get great exercise at the same time
- Great fun for locals and tourists alike
What's Included
- Paddle board or kayak rental, paddles, US Coast Guard approved life jackets, and a waterproof bag for your phone/wallet/car keys
- Paddle instruction and safety briefing
- Licensed tour guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 3801 Arthur Lamb Jr Rd, Miami, FL 33149, USA
Enter Virginia Key Beach park and follow signs for kayak and paddleboard rentals. There is adequate parking on site.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 28 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
Nicole_T
Parker was the best tour guide! Very patient, kind, and knowledgeable! Would definitely do this again and recommend to others.
Reviews
4.9
based on 66 reviews
Crystal_G, Mar 2026
We really enjoyed this experience. Like the other reviews said, you need to pay $8 to get in the park, and you could just rent a kayak or paddle board and head out on your own for less, but the guide really enhances the experience. Esteban was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wildlife and area. We didn't see any dolphins, but we saw a handful of manatees, many other fish and some iguanas. Definitely worth it!
Nicole_T, Mar 2026
Parker was the best tour guide! Very patient, kind, and knowledgeable! Would definitely do this again and recommend to others.
Robert_T, Feb 2026
Perfect for anyone like us - wanting to get out and experience nature and see manatees but not sure how to do it. Manny, our confident guide, made sure to point out the manatees and put us in close enough proximity to sit and be in nature and wait for them to show themselves. Could have done this on our own, of course, but would have thought "Is this the right spot? Maybe there's somewhere better!' so having a knowledgeable guide allowed us to be mindful and enjoy our time in nature.
Karen_V, Feb 2026
My boyfriend and I had the best time on this tour! We chose the paddle board option, and since it was our first time, we were a little nervous — but the tour guides were incredibly patient, thorough, and encouraging while teaching us everything we needed to know. They made us feel comfortable and confident out on the water.
Along the way, we saw manatees, so many beautiful birds, a stunning conch shell, and the most amazing views of the downtown Miami skyline. It was such a fun and memorable experience from start to finish. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone looking for something unique and special to do!
Kathi_C, Jan 2026
Highly recommend this tour! We opted to stand up paddle, and Parker was an excellent guide. He taught us how to paddle smarter, and he also pointed out the iguanas, dolphins, conch and manatees. You don’t need to bring your camera as he’ll take pictures for you. Note it costs $8 to drive into this beach/park.
Esther_R, Jan 2026
Beautiful day. Parker was a fantastic instructor. Several in our group were first time or lightly experienced. He gave clear, helpful instructions and improvements for experienced paddlers. He was very knowledgeable about the habitat and made sure we were all comfortable and confident
Elena_C, Jan 2026
Our tour with Parker was great. We noticed manatees even before the tour started. It was informative and interesting. We enjoyed the tour and Parker’s company a lot.
Family from Pittsburgh, PA.
Allison_S, Dec 2025
Excellent experience! Parker our guide was exceptional and we saw lots of wildlife and great views of the skyline.
Emily_N, Dec 2025
We were lucky and excited to see manatee while kayaking, however, we have not received our pictures that were supposed to be emailed to us. Parker was a great guide, very informative
Susan_G, Nov 2025
Parker was a great guide! We saw 4 manatees, a nurse shark, puffer fish, and a conch among other wildlife. We are experienced paddlers and he tailored the paddle to our abilities, even offering us some helpful tips.
The water and wind were very calm and we were easily able to reach a bay view of the Miami skyline.
Parker took many pictures of us and the other guide brought along a drone for some overhead shots. We haven’t seen the pics yet but are definitely excited to see how they turn out.
The manatees were just hanging out in the lagoon and were easily visible.
The other members of our group chose to do less paddling, so the guides were very flexible in matching the trip to your comfort level.
Allyson_M, Jul 2025
I saw a turtle and a some kind of shark lol. NO manatees 😢 my main reason to go. I took the kayak pretty easy to use. The view pretty. Guide nice and even pulled me for a while.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for paddling with us, Allyson! We're happy you had some cool wildlife on your tour - come back to paddle in October and our manatee families should be here full-time through the Spring. Thank you for your review.
Kathleen_G, Mar 2025
Great day trip activity to see another side of Miami. Our guide, Andy, was fun and made the trip even better!
Hayley_S, Feb 2025
Wonderful experience thanks to Parker, who was such a lovely, patient and knowledgeable man.
The kayak was easy to row for beginners, the setting was absolutely perfect.
Which only 1 out of 3 of us saw a manatee, we did see iguanas and flying fish and have a genuinely peaceful and memorable time. We'll be back for sure. Thank you
Nina_S, Feb 2025
Had a blast with our tour guide! Not only was he super fun, but his knowledge genuinely enhanced our experience. He shared so many great tips with us too.
Scindia_M, Feb 2025
This was a great experience for both myself and my 2 kids. I was able to spot manatees several times, in addition to iguanas and birds. Frank is very knowledgeable about the the history of the area, as well as the local flora and fauna. Andrew and Frank were friendly and helpful and gave us ample time out on the water. They also started on time which is important.
Georgii_L, Feb 2025
Amazing views, insane feeling of swimming 5 feet away from manatee, and a great guide - the one who really knows what he is talking about. I think it’s one of the best things thaT you can experience in Miami.
Lynn_E, Jan 2025
You don't have to be a professional kayaker to enjoy the experience. A fantastic way to spend an afternoon learning about the local wildlife. We would do it again. We saw 7 or 8 manatees in the lagoon! An amazing once in a lifetime experience! Our guides were very knowledgeable about the local wildlife and ecological impact in the area. We were super lucky to be in a small group of like-minded travelers.
Julie_f, Jan 2025
Frank was our guide and he was great. He started with a brief intro about the area and the basics of kayaking. We hopped in the kayaks and were on our way. Within three minutes we were seeing manatees! We spent about two and a half hours on the water. There is a paddle that is a little longer but anyone could do it. We got fun info about the area and great views. This is a great way to see the Miami skyline from the water. Very relaxing and a lot of fun!
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Happy New Year Julie & Crew! Thank you for kicking off your new year with us. So happy you enjoyed your experience.
Jonathan_D, Dec 2024
Our guide Parker was great. He got us setup and out on the water quickly and provided a lot of information about the manatees and the area. We saw several manatees and other wildlife. We had great weather and the waters were calm. An fun day paddling around a beautiful spot
Steve_S, Dec 2024
Saw glimpses of several manatees as they surfaced for air as we floated around in a small cove. Then spent substantial time paddling into stiff breeze to a beach that had nothing to do with manatees before returning to the same cove to float around some more. Guide was knowledgeable. But overall not worth close to the $80 per person charge. Better to rent the kayak and go on your own. Also, no waterproof container was provided for phone as advertised, and completing release forms on phone just prior was a snafu.
Jessica_S, Dec 2024
We spent a beautiful afternoon paddling around Virginia Key North Point Park with Frank, Andy and Ryan from PADL. We saw manatees, birds, iguanas, and Frank was so knowledgeable about the creatures and their environment. Kayaking through a mangrove tunnel was super cool, as was spending some time at a "secret beach." Our group of 9 had 4 elementary aged kids and Andy and Ryan were so fun and patient with them. Ryan's new puppy came along for the adventure and everyone loved the puppy snuggles and kisses on the kayaks.
Jenna_D, Apr 2024
My family had a great time on this tour and got up close experience with several manatees. My kids (10 and 12) were able to handle the single kayaks and enjoyed having a little freedom to explore. Kelil was great tour guide and took great pictures for us that he shared after the tour. Entire staff was great and accommodated us even after we arrived late. Tip- Apple Maps will take you to the wrong location at the very end of the key so make sure your app gives directions to the location marked on the website map. Was a great experience and highly recommend!
Connie_R, Apr 2024
We had a great time kayaking. We did not see any manatees, but still had a good time. Parker is a great guide.
Sonia_L, Apr 2024
The nature is amazing. Saw manatees up close. The guide was very knowledgeable and engaging. Also super
Relaxing to be paddling on the water. Can’t believe this is only a 20 minute ride from central Miami.
Caleb_D, Mar 2024
Andres our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable about the local wildlife. Although we did not see any manatee he made the tour fun and shared his knowledge about the local area. We saw many different species of birds and fish. The views were amazing from paddling through mangroves to beautiful beaches. I highly recommend this tour.
Nadja_C, Apr 2025
Es war ein unvergessliches Erlebnis, die Manatees in freier Wildbahn zu erleben. Dazu noch mit einem super Guide, ein großes Dankeschön an Andrew!
From $80.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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