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Beyond Naples

Guided Island EcoTour: CLEAR/Standard Kayak, SUP - Bonita Springs

Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Naples, USA
High interest
Booked 2 times today.
  • 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9
·
· Morgan_K ·
Jun 2026
We had such a great time! Our tour guide Victoria was so knowledgeable. We loved hearing about the different types of shells, mangrove trees, and birds in the area. It was also really cool to go to little hickory island, where we swam for 20ish minutes. We didn’t see any manatees or dolphins but of course that’s common. Hopefully next time we get to see them!
· Kathy_D ·
Apr 2026
Grear for all levels, lots of birds up close in Mangroves, great beach to find shells. Our guide Mike found a starfish. Fun kayaking.

Overview

    What's Included

    • PFDs, dry boxes, map + wildlife guide
    • Complementary tour photos
    • Free Parking
    • Gratuities

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • Paddle Naples - CLEAR & Standard Kayaks & SUPs - Bonita Springs
      Big Hickory Island, Bonita Springs, FL 34134, USA

      Meet-up is at the public kayak launch in the middle of Big Hickory Island. Load "26.366976 N, 81.856623 W" into your phone map to drop a pin and directions! Look for the WHITE PADDLE NAPLES VAN & trucks flying the AMERICAN FLAG. Free Parking. Gratuities appreciated by your hard-working guides!

    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
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    • Most travelers can participate
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Featured review

    Rachael_C
    Nick was an amazing tour guide! He was very knowledgeable. It was my boyfriend and I first time in Bonita Springs. It was a little colder or a day but he took his time and made it a great experience. We will definitely be back in the warm weather to do it again. Overall great time and great experience!

    Reviews

    4.9
    based on 891 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

    Fun and Sun, worth the price

    Omar_B, Jun 2026
    It ain't for sissies. It's mostly slow and relaxing, but 2 1/2 hours of anything physical will take it out of you if you are not used to it (which I definitely am not). But don't let that deter you, my wife and I did this as part of our 24th anniversary celebration, and we lived through it :-) and we would definitely like to do it again. Luke was our guide. He was very informative and patient with us slower, less experienced folk. The area is beautiful, and you will get some comic relief going through the mangrove tunnels. I have no qualms about recommending this activity.

    Nick was a great and informative tour guide. Sand and broken shells we walked barefoot across for a long time.

    Tiana_G, Jun 2026
    Informative and a fun experience. We went at 1pm & it was too hot then. Nick was informative. I would definitely recommend watershoes as the long walk mid kayaking along the secluded beach was very uncomfortable. Nick describes we could call ahead and ask best time (such as weather and tides) but I could never get in touch with anyone when I did try to reach out before booking (if you figure it out it will be helpful as too low tide kept us beached on the kayak a bit and less marine life to see. But shelling was great. Next time I would go early to avoid the heat in June. Nick was super informative about the ocean, wildlife, shells and eco system and also how the hurricane changed the landscape. He took fun pictures he shared right away. I definitely recommend Nick as the tour guide

    11/10 experience!

    Libby_H, Jun 2026
    We had a great time! Highly recommend the morning before the heat sets in. For my science teacher husband, this was a perfect, family friendly experience that blended a tour of the mangroves and local wildlife with a beach session at the island towards the end. We were lucky enough to get a dolphin sighting at the beginning! We will most definitely be doing this again with our daughters and other friends and family who come to visit. Luke was a great, knowledgeable, laid back and kind tour guide!

    Lovely kayaking morning

    Morgan_K, Jun 2026
    We had such a great time! Our tour guide Victoria was so knowledgeable. We loved hearing about the different types of shells, mangrove trees, and birds in the area. It was also really cool to go to little hickory island, where we swam for 20ish minutes. We didn’t see any manatees or dolphins but of course that’s common. Hopefully next time we get to see them!

    We had an amazing time on...

    Kristie, May 2026
    We had an amazing time on our kayak experience. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and made it so fun. Unfortunately we didnt see any manatees, but did see dolphins.

    Response from Host, Jun 2026

    Thx Kristie! Great to hear you had a fun time.

    So fun!

    Erica_S, May 2026
    Great tour, fun experience! Took our kids aged 11 and 14 and they loved it. Hannah was a great tour guide!

    Response from Host, May 2026

    Thx so much Erica! Great to hear your kids enjoyed their kayaking with Hannah. Thanks for choosing us for your fun day on the water!

    The guide was awesome!...

    Laura_J, May 2026
    The guide was awesome! She was funny and very knowledgeable about the animals, shells and ecosystem! Definitely will book again if we bring our kids back next time.

    Response from Host, May 2026

    Thanks so much Laura for the awesome review! Great to hear you had a wonderful time on tour with us. We certainly hope you will come back with your children next year. We appreciate you choosing us for your paddling adventure.

    Great experience ¡good...

    Peter_C, Apr 2026
    Great experience ¡good job Nick.¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thank you very much, Peter!

    Disappointed

    Shana_H, Apr 2026
    We enjoyed the kayaking and it was fun to go through mangrove tunnels and passageways and learn about the area. However, it is advertised as a dolphin and manatee tour and we didn’t see any of either… we recognize this isn’t something that can be controlled, but it also didn’t seem like the guide cared much or was trying. Also, it is advertised that photos of the experience will be included. We wrote down our email, but 2 weeks later have still seen nothing despite 2 requests for them. Also, you go through some pretty high traffic areas and have to try to stay together as a group. Overall, while the birds and the kayaking were nice, I don’t feel it was worth the cost for the tour and more could have been seen in other settings.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    We are sorry to hear you didn’t have a good time on your tour. We do state on our website that we cannot guarantee wildlife sightings, but we do our best and usually see dolphins on most of our tours. Manatees are usually here this time of year, but we have only seen a few so far. I’m sorry you didn’t receive your pictures. I had asked my guide to send them over to you and he said he would so I don’t know what happened.

    Our tour guide was Ryan...

    Brianna_W, Apr 2026
    Our tour guide was Ryan and he was great! From showing us how to paddle(we were all beginners) to talking about the ecosystems and different wild life, you could tell he was really knowledgeable and passionate about what he does.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thank you for the five star review! We hope you enjoyed your first time on the water and will continue kayaking! It’s a great way to enjoy nature with friends and get a bit of exercise as well.

    Fun and Healthy Exhaustion

    Frank_S, Apr 2026
    Fun and interesting . You might get a little wet but that’s part of the fun. Hannah was knowledgeable and attentive.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thx Frank for the five stars! Great to hear you enjoyed the tour with Hannah. We appreciate you choosing us for your day on the water!

    This was a great...

    Kevin_O, Apr 2026
    This was a great excursion we really enjoyed it was our first time kayaking and our guide Luke was great.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thanks so much, Kevin for letting us know how much you enjoyed our kayaking tour! Great to hear Luke took good care of you guys. We appreciate it!

    Kayaking,, Shelling and Beautiful Bird sightings

    Kathy_D, Apr 2026
    Grear for all levels, lots of birds up close in Mangroves, great beach to find shells. Our guide Mike found a starfish. Fun kayaking.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thank you, Kathy for the great review! We appreciate you choosing us for your paddling adventure

    A fun morning kayaking

    Carol_T, Apr 2026
    Even though it was a windy day and the route was shortened, we enjoyed learning about the area, vegetation, birds, shells, spending time on the beach and seeing dolphins. Hannah also did a great job helping out when my partner fell in! It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed the experience, definitely worth the money.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thanks so much, Carol for the awesome review. Unfortunately, we have had a lot of wind this year, but we make the best of it so we are happy to hear you enjoyed the tour. Glad to hear Hannah saved your partner! She is a great tour guide.

    Definitely recommend this tour

    Sheila_M, Mar 2026
    Elizabeth was a great guide, she provided information on and pointed out wildlife, mammals and ecosystem. I especially liked the dolphins and large snails. The route was just long enough and the pace was very doable as this was our first kayaking experience. We stopped on an island for a rest and collect shells.

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thank you very much Sheila for the awesome review! So glad to hear Elizabeth did an amazing tour for you. We truly do have an amazing area for kayaking. We appreciate the recommendation!

    Absolutely horrible!!!!!

    Rebecca_B, Mar 2026
    Horrible experience. Unorganized, gave my 12 year old a toddler life vest and rolled his eyes when I requested the right size. Guide was so far up couldn’t hear him explain anything. Before we even left the guide said if you are drowning I won’t be the one to save you, the coast guard will. 🤬 Felt very unsafe with my son in a kayak going into open waters with huge boats zooming by and creating huge waves. Picture was so misleading on the booking site. Shows manatees. Didn’t see them nor did we see anything but a few birds. The guide even cut the excursion short an hour because his side hurt. The rest of the staff was equally rude when we got back to the loading location. Nowhere did it say we would be kayaking in open waters and it said beginner friendly. And to top it off, two grown men in one kayak repeatedly thought it appropriate to make sure at all costs that this mom and her 12 year old son didn’t get ahead of them and cut us off not once but 5 times! While one of the jerk’s wife was struggling behind us with two little ones. My son was getting sick in the kayak and was crying because he was scared in the open water but the guide was too far ahead to even catch up to to tell. Horrible experience.Waste of money. Feel completely ripped off!!!!!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    This is not a truthful review in the least bit. Your tour guide grabbed a jacket sized 50-90 pounds, not a toddler jacket. We take safety very serious and happily size up our guests correctly. Your guide did not say the coast guard would save you instead of him. I have reviewed our camera footage from the parking lot as well as speaking to your guide and that was not said. We don't take our guests into open waters with boats zooming by us. It is a safe and beginner friendly route that we've been taking since 2014 with no accidents. During March there's more boat traffic than usual in the boat channel, but we never cross the channel or go near the boats passing by in the Bay. We stay near the mangroves in less than 3 feet of water. All of our pictures are 100% real and from the exact location and tour route you took. We can't guarantee any marine life which the listing clearly says before you book. I have time stamped footage showing the tour was at least 2 hours and it was not cut an hour short. Yes, the guides side hurt as he had told the whole group mid tour since his pain came out of nowhere. He is a human and unfortunately started suffering severe pain from his appendix. He still did not cut the tour an hour short. My staff is not rude. Every one of them loves their job and is there to help out as a team. Our reviews clearly prove this remark wrong as well as your review as a whole. As far as the others on your tour not allowing you to pass them, you were in a small group tour with a total of 6 kayaks counting the 2 from your group. The guide was never far from anyone... There are other outfitters in the area that send 20 + kayaks and paddleboards with one tour guide which would never happen with us. The other two groups on this tour tipped the guide and enjoyed the tour.

    Nice family afternoon

    Stefanie_C, Mar 2026
    Overall would recommend. A little slow to start as they were busy with multiple groups. Accommodated us changing from morning to afternoon due to a chilly forecast. Nice equipment and knowledgable guide. Took photos of us on our tour and texted them to us later on, complimentary, which was very nice since I didn't want to risk bringing my phone. No manatees yet since waters were still chilly but we saw birds and dolphin!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks, Stephanie for the five star review! Sorry you had to wait a bit but this is our busiest time of year. Glad you enjoyed the guide and your photos. Thanks for the recommendation.

    Kayaking fun!

    Cara_K, Mar 2026
    Elizabeth was a great guide!! we chose the clear bottom kayaks and I think in hindsight we would’ve chosen the regular kayaks because the clear bottom ones were a little harder to maneuver and we couldn’t see anything through the bottom anyway.

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks Cara for the great review. Glad you had fun kayaking with Elizabeth. Yes, our Clear Kayaks are a bit harder to maneuver and water clarity makes a big difference on what you can see. We appreciate your business!

    Good equipment, beautiful...

    Sally_S, Mar 2026
    Good equipment, beautiful surroundings, good guide but no dolphins or manatees in the winter months. We saw a few birds.

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Hey Sally, sorry you didn’t see any Marine life. We unfortunately can’t control the wildlife. However, some of our customers see dolphins every day but of course we can’t guarantee they will pop up while you’re on the water. Manatee season starts in April and are commonly seen in the warmer months. I do have all of this listed in the description as I’m not trying to be misleading to any potential customers. It is listed as an educational Eco tour which is what I can guarantee, so I hope you learned a lot.

    Luke is the man!

    Lorrie_T, Mar 2026
    Luke was a wonderful guide. We had so much fun through the mangroves and walking the beach for shells. Thank you for a memorable vacation experience!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks so much for the great review and letting us know Luke did an amazing job for you. We appreciate the shout out!

    Great experience!

    Helen_B, Mar 2026
    Elizabeth and Jack did a great job leading our tour! I would highly recommend to everyone! The 10:30am was the perfect time!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thx Helen for the five stars! Glad you had a fun time!

    Big highlight!

    Jeannie_d, Mar 2026
    OK, I really didn’t want to review because I want to keep this secret and special. But I can’t not share. First time to Bonita and wasn’t sure what to expect from this little business on the side of the road. My sisters and I all have bad shoulders so we were delighted to take this quite short kayak trip to the most amazing secluded stunning beach. (There was a longer option for those wanting exercise.) we were Gaga over this beach! We saw a baby shark, a family of ospreys nesting up high right on the beach and very few people – the best part! We rented a double clear kayak cause it sounded intriguing, but the canal water was brackish so couldn’t see anything cool and the width of the kayak was cumbersome so I would rent a regular kayak next time. Take this sweet little tour. It’s so anffordable and wonderful!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks so much for the great review! So glad you enjoyed our little slice of paradise on Big Hickory Island. Our little secluded island is one of my favorites as well. Glad you enjoyed your time with us.

    Date day

    Michelle_S, Mar 2026
    Had a great time with beautiful weather. Victoria was a great guide. She was knowledgeable and helpful! Would definitely do it again!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks so much Michelle for the great review and the shout out on this platform! We hope to get you back out there again sometime.

    Had a great day on the water!

    Cheri_M, Mar 2026
    We had a great day, we stopped on the beach and got to explore. The tide coming in made kayaking a little more difficult along with the wake from boats. The guide was very nice!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thank you so much Cheri for the nice review.

    Great experience!...

    Jacqueline_L, Mar 2026
    Great experience! Elisabeth our guide was wonderful. Took photos of us and videos and and then shared them with us at the end!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks so much for the great review! Great to hear Elizabeth did a wonderful job for you on tour. We appreciate your business!

    We had a very nice...

    Dolores_L, Mar 2026
    We had a very nice outing. It was organized and the area was beautiful. We stopped at a beach to walk around and kayaked through mangrove tunnels. The guide was very friendly, but got a little turned around with our route so that was a little unsettling, but it all worked out fine. All in all it was a fun experience that my whole family enjoyed.

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks Dolores for the nice review. We have a couple of new guides that just started working for us so we are sorry your tour guide got confused on the route. It can be very confusing going through those mangrove tunnel sometimes when we have someone new to our crew.

    Nice experience kayaking

    Adam_K, Mar 2026
    Fun experience with a very personable and helpful guide. The water level was down so a little murky which they can’t control. But still a very unique experience for all. I had a group of ten and they were ready to go when we arrived. Well done and thank you.

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks Adam for bringing your group out to kayak with us! We appreciate your business and hope to see you again in the future.

    Kayaking tour

    Joy_P, Mar 2026
    Elizabeth was a fantastic guide, full of great information about the area we were paddling. She even took pictures of everyone paddling and then shared it with us on the end of the tour. Great experience.😊

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks so much Joy for the great review! We are happy to hear Elizabeth did a wonderful tour for you and we hope you enjoy the pictures. Come see us again if you’re ever in the area.

    Beautiful and Informational

    Logan_C, Mar 2026
    Tour guide was extremely accommodating. Views were beautiful and even got to collect shells and swim in the ocean after a short trek over sand. The mangroves really made it feel like paddling through tunnels. Guide also had a ton of intresting facts about the area and vegetation!

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks Logan for the five star review! It’s great to hear you enjoyed your time on the water with us. Glad you enjoyed those mangrove tunnels as they really are super special to paddle through.

    Our guide Nick,(?) Mon...

    Rebecca_B, Mar 2026
    Our guide Nick,(?) Mon March 2 was very informative, local who knows alot about wildlife,water and even shells

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thanks for the review, Rebecca. Nick sure does know a lot and enjoys sharing his knowledge with everyone. We really strive to provide a 5 star experience for our customers. If you would please let me know what we could have done better, it will help us to improve where needed. Kurt@paddlenaples.com 239-301-8888
    Likely to Sell Out

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    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 11 days in advance.

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