Silver Springs: Clear Kayak Rental with Wildlife & Treasure Map

4.91

(108 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’ll admit, I was kind of nervous about the whole “clear kayak” thing at first — it’s one thing to paddle, but another to see straight down into that weirdly blue water. But the folks running the rentals at Silver Springs State Park were chill (and actual Florida locals, which felt good). They gave us a quick run-through on how not to tip ourselves over, plus this hand-drawn treasure map that looked like something from summer camp. I still have it tucked in my backpack somewhere.

Once we pushed off (they actually helped us carry the kayak — no awkward dragging), it got quiet fast. You could hear these little bird calls bouncing around the cypress trees and then just… nothing but our paddles dipping in. The water is so clear you can spot turtles gliding under you, and sometimes a fish darts by and your heart jumps. We drifted near the bank where our guide said the monkeys sometimes show up — didn’t see any that day, but honestly I was too distracted by a fat manatee rolling right under us. My friend tried to snap a photo and almost dropped her phone in.

The sunken ship bit surprised me — there’s actually this old boat down there from some black-and-white Tarzan movie? It’s half-covered in algae now but you can make out bits if you squint through the glass bottom. We followed the treasure map markers (not sure we found everything, but it made me feel like a kid again). The whole thing took maybe two hours, but time gets weird out there. By the time we paddled back to the ramp, I had salt lines on my arms and my head felt lighter somehow. Still thinking about that slow-moving manatee.