We regularly have Manatee sightings throughout much of the year, but especially from April through October. This two hour tour on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, east of Titusville, Florida, is on one of the most diverse estuaries in North America. Make contact with Florida's most endangered species, the West Indian Manatee. There are few places in the world where an endangered species will approach you. This is one. We also regularly see bottle nosed dolphin and many wading birds. Be sure to visit our photo gallery and facebook and read testimonials about this exciting tour.
Have your own boat? Click here to reserve this tour using your own equipment....
The diversity of life, paired with beautiful scenery, make kayaking this Florida location a must for vacationers and residents alike. Paddle the still mangrove backwaters as osprey soar overhead- perhaps carrying a freshly caught mullet. Cross expansive grassflats and perhaps see the lagoon's top predator- the dolphin- working the flats. Mangroves and seagrass beds create an environment very conducive to the marine life that support the osprey and dolphin, along with many other animals.
More than 4000 animal and plant species, including manatees, stingrays, sea turtles, seahorses, 700 species of fish and 310 species of birds call the Indian River Lagoon "home".
Looking for this trip from April-October. Choose the Manatee Encounter. It's basically the same trip, just more manatees during the warmer months.
Have your own boat? Click here to reserve using your own equipment....
We regularly have Manatee sightings throughout much of the year, but especially from April through October. This two hour tour on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, east of Titusville Florida, is on one of the most diverse estuaries in North America. Make contact with Florida's most endangered species, the West Indian Manatee. There are few places in the world where an endangered species will approach you. This is one. We also regularly see Atlantic Bottle-Nosed dolphin and many wading birds. Be sure to visit our photo gallery and guestbook and read testimonials about this exciting tour.
More than 4000 animal and plant species, including manatees, stingrays, sea turtles, seahorses, 700 species of fish and 310 species of birds call the Indian River Lagoon "home". The tour lasts 2-2.5 hours.
Looking for this trip from April-October. Choose the Manatee Dolphin Encounter. It's basically the same trip, just more manatees during the warmer months.
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During the warm summer months the waters of Florida's Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon come alive with Bioluminescence. Every movement in the water produces light! From the swirl of your paddle or the trail of a speeding school of mullet (which look like hundreds of blue-green underwater bottle rockets), to the ghostly glow of a slow moving manatee or sting ray, every movement is illumined. No need to travel to Puerto Rico to see this phenomenon. It's right here in sunny Central Florida. The tour lasts 1.5 to 2 hours and is a must see. Take the time to read some of the testimonials about this trip.
Due to the popularity of this trip, please plan for larger groups on the weekends, especially Saturday evenings. Week nights generally have smaller groups and less traffic around the launch area. Even with busy weekends groups are divided into three smaller groups for safety and manageability. Larger groups are actually great on the water since the more movement the more fish and the more bio can be seen!
Here's a video by Florida on a Tankful on our Bioluminescent Tours.
Bioluminescence MoonPhase Calendar
During the cool fall and winter months bioluminescent comb jellyfish congregate in the waters of the Indian River Lagoon. These little jellyfish put on quite the show when disturbed by a darting fish or a curious kayaker. Join A Day Away for a mystical tour that will intrigue your family and friends and keep you off the asphalt, out of long lines and heavy traffic. Evenings in late October through March can be very pleasant in Central Florida. This is generally our dry season and is often free of the storms and weather that can be unpredictable in summer months. Join us in your own boat with your own gear for a magical time on the water and be sure to check our schedule to see when these facinating tours will be available.
Use this activity if you plan to paddle your own boat boat with our Bioluminescent Kayak Tour at Haulover Canal. Otherwise, please go back to the primary launch site page. Your enjoyment, safety, and paddling experience are each very important to us. If you are making an online reservation, please check with our office to find out how intense is the current bioluminescence. Our guides are paddling the Lagoon nightly and provide detailed reports.
Bioluminescence comes in many forms. The Indian River Lagoon is home to two main bioluminescent organisms. During the warm summer months, we see the single cell dinoflagellates that glows a bright blue green when disturbed. When the water cools down a bit, we see Comb Jellies with their four rows of glowing cilia. We are currently are seeing both organisms, but if you have further questions, please call ouroffice at (321) 268-2655
During the warm summer months the waters of Florida's Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon come alive with dinoflagette bioluminescence. Every movement in the water produces light! From the swirl of your paddle or the trail of a speeding school of mullet (which look like hundreds of blue-green underwater bottle rockets), to the ghostly glow of a slow moving manatee or sting ray, every movement is illumined. No need to travel to Puerto Rico to see this phenomenon it's right here in sunny central Florida. The tour lasts aproxomately 2 hours and is a must see.
Reserve your trip here is you are looking for our Mondo-Combo Tour using your own boat...Sometimes you just want it all and it's the right thing to do! There is so much to see on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and often so little time available in our vacation plans or busy schedule. That is what this tour is about. We have taken the best of the refuge and structured a tour that allows plenty of time to enjoy it all in one single tour.
The fun begins in late afternoon with a search for manatees, dolphins and the occasional alligator, then heads to Mullethead Island for a birding extravaganza with thousands of nesting and roosting birds coming in to spend the night. We visit the island long enough to enjoy the wildlife, a beautiful Florida sunset and take a short break for a light snack. Then its time to head to areas that come alive in the night time with different forms of bioluminescence or the moonlight itself, as well as the glory of the Milky Way in the night sky shining in the darkness above. This is a trip you will remember for years to come and will connect you to creation in ways you have not yet experienced. Expect a trip that is about twice as long as our normal trips and includes all the best that the refuge offers in one focused time slot.
Meet times for your tour will be determined by the time of sunset on the day you choose to paddle.
Sunset is a magical time on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. There is movement everywhere. Dolphin are rounding up their dinner, manatee are heading out to the grass flats to find a comfortable spot to spend the night. Mullethead Island transforms from a fairly active rookery where over fiveteen different species nest and raise their young to a metropolitan meeting site with thousands of birds - locals and migrating birds coming in to roost in the evening. It is amazing how many different species come to roost and how many birds will actually fit onto this little two acre island. You can imagine the way it SOUNDS.....
This tour focuses on spending time seeing the wildlife especially around Mullethead Island and enjoying the cooler part of the day and the beauty of our Florida sunsets. The trip runs about two hours and finishes just after sunset. It is available year round on selected days or any day as a private tour.
Sunset is a magical time on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. There is movement everywhere. Dolphin are rounding up their dinner, manatee are heading out to the grass flats to find a comfortable spot to spend the night. Mullethead Island transforms from a fairly active rookery where over fiveteen different species nest and raise their young to a metropolitan meeting site with thousands of birds - locals and migrating birds coming in to roost in the evening. It is amazing how many different species come to roost and how many birds will actually fit onto this little 2 acre island. You can imagine the way it SOUNDS.....
Moonlight paddles are truly one of our favorite tours. We launch just before sunset in order to enjoy one of Florida's exquisite sunsets, then paddle for another ninty minutes enjoying the refuge in the coolness of the night. You will be amazed what you can see, even in the light of the moon and stars. Dolphins, manatees, night herons, and owls. Bioluminescent comb jellyfish arrive in cooler weather and light up each time your paddle touches one. In the summer and early fall months the entire lagoon is bioluminescent. Enjoy the beauty of the moon or stars on the water and you never know what you might be amazed to see. Bioluminescence pops up in the oddest times and bobcats, deer and pigs roam the refuge in the shadows.
Beauty, peace, breathtaking scenery. That's what this tour is all about. Check out our schedule for dates that will showcase the beauty of the creation on this exquisite Old Florida tour. You may want a tour that showcases a brilliant full moon, or you might prefer a tour with no moon that shows off the beauty of the stars and milky way above.
This Moonlight trip is Captain Ron's all time favorite paddle. He does it even if no one signs up to come...
Here is the plan. Meet at the Snowhill Road Launch and do a little juggling of cars, boats and trailers before sunset and launch kayaks well before dark. Then enjoy the beauty of the river as the sun sets and moonlight takes over. The beauty of the river in the moonlight is eerie and at the same time incredibly peaceful and refreshing. As far as wildlife, you never know what you might see... eagles, wild pigs, the occasional gator, bobcat, racoon. Whatever we see, the river is one of the most beautiful in all Florida.
Beauty, peace, breathtaking scenery. That's what moonlight tours are all about. Check out our schedule for hand picked dates that will showcase the beauty of the creation on this exquisite Old Florida tour.
Choose this tour if you want to paddle your own boat on our Moonlight/Starlight Tour.Moonlight paddles are truly one of our favorite tours. We launch just before sunset in order to enjoy one of Florida's exquisite sunsets, then paddle for another ninty minutes enjoying the refuge in the coolness of the night. You will be amazed what you can see in the light of the moon. Dolphins, manatees, night herons, and owls. Bioluminescent comb jellyfish arrive in cooler weather and light up each time your paddle touches one. In the summer and early fall months the entire lagoon is bioluminescent. Enjoy the beauty of the moon on the water and still see some level of our bioluminescence in the shadows.
Beauty, peace, breathtaking scenery. That's what this tour is all about. Check out our schedule for hand picked dates that will showcase the beauty of the creation on this exquisite Old Florida tour.
Choose this tour if you want to paddle the Econ Moonlight Tour in your own boat...This Moonlight trip is Captain Ron's all time favorite paddle. He often does it even if no one signs up to come...
The Indian River Lagoon is an amazing place. It is home to many very interesting creatures, including dolphins, manatees, lots of birds, and lots of marine life. Our motorized tour on the Lagoon launches from Sand Point Park, near the new bridge in Titusville. This area is a great area for seeing dolphins, manatees, birds, and other marine life. This relaxing tour lasts about two hours and is best done early in the morning to avoid later afternoon winds that occur at different times during the year.The tour generally follows the coastline north to the marina to look for dolphin and manatee. After visiting with available wildlife, the tour continues further north along the coastline searching for more wildlife and enjoying the interesting coastline. At the turning basin the tour turns east and heads for an Island about 3/4 of a mile away, just the other side of the intercostal waterway. At the island we take a break and do a bit of exploring, depending on the age of our group. The options include, searching for small marine creatures and shells, just enjoying the beauty of the lagoon, digging for clams or just taking a long breath and relaxing.After our Island time, we load back into our kayaks for the trip back to the launch site. This is a great time to do some seat shifting to allow drivers and passengers to exchange spots if they like or even try a different boat. Indian River Lagoon tours are always interesting because you never know what you might see.
The best part about motorized kayaking is that we can also cover the entire distance without even breaking a sweat. Here's a video of a Motorized moment on the Indian River
Our three hour Motorized Kayak Adventure is now offered from C.S. Lee Park on the St. Johns River. This is truly one of our favorite tours. This trip can be done at any time of day since it is protected from the wind except on extremely windy days. Still the early morning or late afternoon times are the favorite. After a quick lesson to make sure everyone is comfortable with the kayak controls, we launch to the southwest in the St. Johns River and head upstream for about a half mile looking for the entrance where the Econ River joins the St. Johns. The St. Johns River is a very beautiful river with many different paths to offer. There is plenty to see and many creatures call the river home. Yes, there are alligators, eagles and lots of wading birds that call the St John's River home. The scenery is very marsh like for the first mile with few trees and lots of tall marsh grasses. At the entrance to the Econ everything changes. Marsh gives way to a slow meandering tree-lined river. The old growth trees are beautiful as are the hills along the river. Here is where every rounding of a corner brings another chance to see something new. One corner contains a nesting pair of Bald Eagles, the next a group of sleeping alligators, a raccoon, deer, otter, wild pigs, osprey, Spoonbill, and perhaps even a Crested Caracara ....all are possible visitors on your trip up the river.A the halfway point we exit the kayaks for a brief break to stretch the legs and have a drink, and possibly explore a bit of the river bank. Then it's back in the kayaks to make the return trip to our launch site.Customized adventures and itineraries are always available upon request.Here's a video of a motorized tour on the Econ River.
The Little-Big Econ is one of the unique rivers in North America that flows North, is filled with swimming holes, rope swings and meadows in which to picnic. This is the true old south swimming hole-experience combined with the beauty of the Florida Hammock. We typically see eagles, deer, otter, wild pigs and so many of the peculiar critters that Natural Florida is home to. The tour lasts 4 to 5 hours but the trip can be extended up to 7 hours depending on the schedule and desired activities en-route.
Here is a video of a kayaking trip on the Econ River.
Choose this tour if you are looking for a private tour but want to paddle your own boat and prefer to use your own gear.This is A Day Away's "Have it Your Way" tour. On a Private Refuge Tour you have up to three hours to do exactly what you want enabling moments like the photos above that you, your friends and family will remember forever.
We offer itinerary ideas but you call the shots. If you like the idea of...
...then a private tour is just the thing for you.More awesomeness to consider...
You will need to call the office at (321)268-2655 to book your Private Refuge Tour as it is a custom tour it is unavailable for online booking. Private tours are available year round seven days a week
This is A Day Away's "Have it Your Way" tour. On a Private Refuge Tour you have up to three hours to do exactly what you want enabling moments like the photos above that you, your friends and family will remember forever.
You will need to call the office at (321)268-2655 to book your Private Refuge Tour as it is a custom tour it is unavailable for online booking. Private tours are available year round seven days a week.
The calm shallow waters of Fox Lake Park are an ideal location for giving children their first introduction to kayaking. Instruction and all equipment are provided. Both single and tandem kayaks are available. Our ACA certified instructors will give your child a great first experience with kayaking and prepare them for a great future in paddlesports.
The Silver River is a beautiful, crystal clear river for its entire length and a prime example of pristine Florida. It has a history that has left it famous, yet unscathed... twenty-four movies have been filmed there. The best known are the Tarzan movies of the 1930s and 1940s, and some of the original James Bond movies starring Sean Connery. Along the run you can still see wild Rhesus monkeys left from the 'Tarzan' days as well as a ship that was sunk for one of the Bond movies. This is a beautiful and wild river that originates from clear springs that are now surrounded by a theme park called Silver Springs. On this exciting trip we will paddle up the Silver River, enjoy a snack from our kayaks along the way,then finish with a short paddle into the theme park. Then, after a bit of exploration at the spring head, we allow the gentle current to give us an easy paddle back to the launch site. This is an all day trip for most groups beginning around 10:30AM and finishing around 4:00 PM. On special nights we can arrange to paddle up the river in the daylight and return under the light of a full moon, an awesome experience!
Thank you for your interest in purchasing Gift Certificates from A Day Away. They are the perfect unique gift for Christmas, birthdays, retirement or just to tell someone you are thinking about them.
Note: You will receive a confirmation showing your purchase, however, your physical gift certificates will be sent via mail.
To purchase a gift certificate online:
1. Choose one of the highlighted days on the calendar on this page. (These days are chosen for our system and in no way affect the date the gift certificate can be used.)
2. There are 3 primary options: a regular tour* (value 34.96/adult), a private tour (value 58.30/adult), or $10 increments. There are, also, options for a child's seat on either the regular or private tour. (Tax is included in these options.)
3. Enter the number of seats (Quantity) per option you would like or the number of $10 increments you would like.
4. Click "SHOW AVAILABILITY".
5. Click "SELECT" next to any departure date that appears. (Again the departure date is only for our software and does not affect the date the gift certificate can be used.)
6. Continue with the booking process.
7. You will receive an email confirmation.
8. We will promptly send your gift certificates to the address you specify.
* The regular tours do not include the summer time bioluminescent tours. However, the gift certificate is always good for the value of the tour purchased toward ANY of our tours. Regular tours include: Moonlight, Sunset, Manatee Encounter, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Comb Jelly tours.
If you would like the gift certificate sent directly to who it was bought for, then put a check mark in the box next to "Do you have any special requests?" Please include name, address and any other information that we would need to mail your gift certificates.
If you would like to purchase multiple gift certificates put a check mark in the box next to "Do you have any special requests?" and let us know how many seats are on each gift certificate.
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologists Lorne Malo, Maria Zondervan and A Day Away for a birding adventure by water. Meet at Cameron Wright Park before dawn as wading birds begin to rise from their roosts and fly overhead en route to their feeding areas. From there we'll paddle northward on the St. Johns River to Thornhill Lake and Brickyard Slough within the Lake Monroe CA. This trip is recommended for beginning and experienced paddlers in good physical shape. Numerous wading birds and raptors are expected. American Bittern, Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned Night-Heron, Wood Stork, Bald Eagle, Cooper's, Sharp-shinned and Short-tailed Hawk, Crested Caracara, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Barred and Barn Owl, Purple Gallinule, King and Virginia Rail, Limpkin and Sandhill Crane are possible. If the weather is too rough for kayaking, we will hike instead on higher ground in search of Wild Turkey, Florida Scrub-Jay, raptors, marsh birds, warblers and sparrows. Please bring water and snacks.
We all have a favorite paddle. One that energizes us a little more than most of the others. This trip is Captain Ron's energizing paddle. He loves it so much he does it once every few weeks whether we have a tour or not. It does not matter which section. Both are grand. The middle section is 7 miles (3 - 5 hours) and the lower section is 12 miles (5 - 7 hours).
We launch just before sunrise as the animals begin to move; some waking for the day, others hitting the hay after a long night of feeding. Eagles, alligators, wild pigs, deer, otter, lots of wading birds and songbirds are all residents of the river. But the real beauty is the river itself as the day dawns. It is wild and pristine with very few intrusions by civilization. This adventure is definitely worthy of an early wakeup call!
The last portion of the Little Econ. It starts out much like the Middle portion of the river, protected hammocks and meadows filled with every shade of green then opening up onto the flats of the St. John's River basin where the terrain changes completely. Twist and turn through the flats and marsh area where local live-stock and deer feed with the trip conclusion at a local fish camp and C.S. Lee Park on S.R. 46.
