Bonita Springs: Dolphin, Manatee & Sea Turtle Kayak Tour

4.80

(173 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing that happened was I dropped my paddle straight into the water before we’d even pushed off—so yeah, not exactly a pro start. Our guide, Chris, just grinned and fished it out for me like he’d seen it a hundred times (he probably has). The sun was already warm on my shoulders and there was this salty-green smell coming off the mangroves that reminded me of summers as a kid. We set off slow, everyone wobbling a bit on their kayaks or boards. Chris kept up this steady chatter about what to look for—dolphins sometimes show up early, he said, but manatees like to take their time.

We drifted past these stretches of beach with not a single hotel or condo in sight—just sand and those weirdly pink spoonbills standing around like they owned the place. At one point I heard a snort behind me and nearly jumped out of my skin; turned out to be a manatee surfacing right next to us. Its nose looked soft as wet clay. Someone further up saw a dolphin fin cut through the water and called out—everyone spun their kayaks around so fast it got kind of chaotic for a minute. It’s funny how quickly you forget about your phone or whatever else you were worrying about when there’s actual wildlife popping up around you.

Chris told us stories about how many tours he’s led (thousands? I lost count) and pointed out bald eagles circling overhead. There were little bursts of laughter whenever someone mispronounced an animal name—Li laughed so hard when I tried to say “roseate spoonbill” that I almost tipped over again. The whole tour felt relaxed but also kind of electric; you never knew what would happen next. By the end I had sand stuck to my feet and salt on my lips, which honestly felt right for Bonita Springs.