Private Mangrove Tunnel & Manatee Kayak Tour — Lido Key
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Sarasota, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Enjoy a fun-filled, active excursion—and get up close and personal with Lido Key's spectacular mangrove forests—on this stand-up paddleboarding tour. Pick from several morning and afternoon start times, meet at the departure point in Ted Sperling Park, and set off after a brief introduction. You'll paddle out on Sarasota Bay; will head into the Lido Mangrove Tunnels; and will look out for wildlife like dolphins, manatees, and bald eagles.
- Enjoy a workout and sightseeing excursion on this two-in-one tour
- This beginner-friendly tour offers hands-on guidance and instruction
- All paddling and safety equipment is provided for your convenience
- Explore mangrove tunnels, and look out for manatees and dolphins
What's Included
- Safety Equipment (Life Jackets, Leashes)
- Kayak (Single or Tandem) or Stand Up Paddleboard
- Paddles
- Dry Bag (for phone and keys)
- GratuitiesOur guides appreciate gratuity if you enjoy the tour.
- Bottled waterPlease bring your own water.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 190 Taft Dr, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
Once you enter the park, you will see kayak companies on the left hand side. We will be the last two trailers, directly across from the restroom building. You will be looking for SURFIT USA.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Lido Key
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infants must sit on laps
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Nadine_A
It was cool in mangroves .. guide was very good at teaching kayaking to the teens.. n very informative about area
Reviews
4.9
based on 82 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Allison_K, Jun 2026
It was a blast and worth it. I didn’t know I booked a private due to my lack of reading but I would rather the private.
Hobart_R, Apr 2026
A super-friendly, top-notch guide and four cool mangrove tunnels topped the list of pluses. Highly recommend.
Nadine_A, Apr 2026
It was cool in mangroves .. guide was very good at teaching kayaking to the teens.. n very informative about area
Mychal_M, Apr 2026
Late start, I was fine with it though. Went out with a big group of 15-20 which slowed things down quite a bit. Regardless, we made up our lost time at the end. Based on recent reviews I was under the impression we would see much more sea life ie. dolphins, manatees, etc. there was absolutely nothing. I’d also say that This is for an experienced kayaker. There are lots of braking, backing up, pivoting, and maneuvering around stumps, branches, etc. in tight and compact mangroves. Not hating, it was a good time on the water (the mangroves were cool-we went through 4) but my expectations were a little higher and it wasn’t all that impressive.
Rachel_B, Mar 2026
Excellent experience! Very knowledgeable and interesting guide. We saw a manatee and lots of wildlife.
Scott_J, Mar 2026
Definitely a nice relaxing experience with lots of wildlife viewing. JJ did a great job as a guide 👍
William_C, Mar 2026
Joe was an excellent tour guide. Loved the Native Floridian stories. Didn't see manatee or dolphins because it was a little early in the year, but his mangrove stories made it interesting.
Karen_C, Mar 2026
Experienced guide. Felt very safe. He kept a watchful eye on all of us. There were 6 of us in group. All ages, and beginner levels. We had a great time.
Fiona_B, Oct 2023
We were lucky enough to see both dolphins and manatees. Our guide Chris is knowledgeable and very helpful, we had a lovely time thanks
Dawn_W, Apr 2023
All ages and skill levels could do this. Great activity that kids would enjoy. Very knowledgeable and personable guide. Would do again!
Latrisha_F, Apr 2023
Tour guide was excellent for me and my friend and very patient as it was our first time paddleboarding.
Tara_H, Mar 2023
Absolutely gorgeous day. Chris was a great tour guide. I would highly recommend for family and friends.
Teri_M, Dec 2022
Christopher was very knowledgeable in the history and wildlife of the area. Very good at instructing about how to best use a paddle board safely. I loved learning and going through those tunnels was super cool.
Mary_G, Aug 2022
Wonderful morning on the water with surf fit! Thanks to our guide for all of his knowledge of the area and helping us spot the incredible wildlife!
Ari_Z, Jul 2022
Awesome experience in Sarasota! SurfIt was super organized and Phil was an incredible guide! It was our first time Paddle Boarding and we had such a fun time on the water! Phil was knowledgeable about the area and marine life which added a lot to the experience. We had a mixed group of kayaks and SUP’s and thoroughly enjoyed the time! Totally recommend and would do it again!
Colleen_S, May 2022
The tunnels were fun and awesome! Our tour guide Sam, was informative, personable, and gave us a good experience.
Overall, the Company SURfit was great and very accommodating.
Karen_A, May 2022
Beautiful day. Good tour director. Would have liked more time on the tunnels and less on the bay. Didn’t get the photos I wanted sadly. But I will do it again for sure!
STACIE_H, Apr 2022
Our guide was a wealth of knowledge. It was so interesting to hear about the wildlife and ecosystems!
Robyn_G, Sep 2021
Seeing the manatees floating by the SUP was amazing. Our guide Mark was not only fun but informative. So many fun facts.
Response from Host, Oct 2021
We have been so lucky to have so many manatees around lately. I'm glad you got to see them---they are really special. Thanks for the review!
Mitsue_C, Aug 2021
Great staff and especially our tour guide “Sam” was very knowledgeable and professional.
We had to stop the tour at a half of the tour time because the bad weather. But we enjoyed so much!!
We will go back to the tour again when I visit Sarasota 😃
Response from Host, Sep 2021
Yes, I am so sorry that the tour was cut short. Hopefully, you called the office for a refund. Sam is a great guide--I hope you have a chance to finish the tour the next time you are in Sarasota.
Christina_K, Jul 2021
Very fun trip through the mangroves. Informative guide and we saw a manatee! The mangrove crabs were cool as well. Highly recommend.
Jacki_D, Nov 2020
We did a 1:00 tour with Aaron and he was wonderful. Very knowledgeable about the area and took us to the right places. We saw a herd of manatees and they actually came up to us and rubbed our feet. It was amazing. They hung around for 30 min or so. Then we went to the mangroves tunnels which totally cool. Great trip !
From $85.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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