Best Paddle Board Spots in Florida

I’ve been paddle boarding for about fourteen years and I absolutely love it! While the Atlantic Ocean is my most visited spot for paddle boarding, I have been to numerous spots in Florida and I’ll share some favorites and even some spots I’m eyeing and wanting to try!

Check out some of my favorite paddle spots in Florida!

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Where to Paddle in Florida

Easily one of my favorite things I’ve done in Florida. However, there is a right time because my first try a long time ago in June sucked. In Puerto Rico I had done it and knew the magical experience it could be and it was nothing. Fast forward and I kept hearing we did have bioluminescence but I couldn’t fully believe it. That didn’t stop me from trying to recruit friends to go hunt for bioluminescence. No one was feeling as adventurous as me but one fateful day a friend told me of a tour she heard was good.

Two friends and I booked the tour, which if you brought your own kayak or paddle board, it was free (not counting the tip)! The experience was out of this world! Our bioluminescence is a blueish color instead of the bright yellow I experienced in Puerto Rico. However, the whole experience felt like a scene out of avatar! As we paddled over schools of fish, the water would light up as they darted around and I’m still not over it! I could not wipe the smile off my face for the entire tour!

Our bioluminescence is a blueish color instead of the bright yellow I experienced in Puerto Rico.

That guide told me the BEST spot to check out and since then I’ve gone to that spot in Titusville numerous times and taken other friends as well! Beacon 42 was recommended and I can confirm, the spot is amazing and consistently delivers! At least it delivered the last two years! Though no other outing has felt as magical as that first successful tour thirty minutes north of Beacon 42. I just haven’t gone back since I heard the guide say it was the best he had every seen it, which causes me to always choose the top spot for more of a guarantee.

Tips for Bioluminescence

The hotter it is the better! So July and August are the best times to see it! You don’t want a lot of light, so try and avoid a full moon. End of July and August the bioluminescence might be strong enough regardless, but if you are trying at the non prime times, consider the the moonlight.

I suggest long sleeves and pants and PLENTY of bug spray (mosquitos are brutal)! Get some glow sticks (though some tours might provide them) so you can see everyone and so they can see you! Don’t use a flashlight as you won’t see the magical water if you do. Florida law requires a life jacket on your paddle board and kayak (for intracoastal waters, rivers, and lakes), so be sure to have that on your board. This area gets crowded, especially on weekends so keep that in mind as well! If nothing else, take a tour and return on your own once you’ve got a lay of the land.

**I took my paddle board to see the bioluminescence earlier this month (August 2024) and it was a 1 out of 10! We have had a lot of rain so I think that was the issue. If you are driving a ways, consider reaching out to a tour guide for some feedback.

King’s Landing

King’s Landing has taken off on social media it seems, but I can confirm from personal experience the photos are accurate! It’s absolutely beautiful, but it can get crowded. You can rent or take your own paddle board. I did have to pre-book when I went, but their website is down at the time of writing this so I’m not able to confirm if that is still the case.

Some people pack a cooler and enjoy a picnic lunch on the water. All springs in Florida are cold (in my opinion) and this area is no exception. However, it can feel refreshing once you’ve worked up a good sweat. Last point is gators are not common when it’s crowded, but any freshwater in Florida can have a gator! Though the water is clear so you will see it coming!

Silver Springs

Most springs will offer some type of paddle option, but I really enjoyed my paddle at Silver Springs. You can take your own paddle board or rent when you get there. Since it was a bit of a drive, my friends and I opted to rent. One rented a kayak and two of us paddle boards. While you can paddle in a circle and end where you started, which I have also done with my cousin and her kids, I really love the five mile paddle! It’s all downstream so you can take breaks and simply float, admiring the beautiful scenery. The rental fee for this specific paddle includes the shuttle pickup once you finish.

The water is clear and a breathtakingly beautiful scene. There are monkeys at Silver Springs and I was disappointed I didn’t see them. However, I was told the monkeys are mean because they expect humans to feed them. PSA: please don’t feed wild animals!

I saw so many gators! In fact, when we started our paddle, my friend on the kayak accidentally ran into a gator! They were both startled and just continued on their separate ways. The area this happened was toward the beginning before the clear water portion.

However, once we paddled to the clear water, I spotted numerous gators on the river’s edge. They had no interest in us and we admired them from a distance. If you aren’t used to spotting them in the wild, you might not even notice them!

Intracoastal Mangroves

There are numerous areas to paddle through a mangrove maze. In the intracoastal you can encounter wildlife including dolphins or manatees! While sharks are possible, I have only ever seen dolphins and manatees! I recommend the areas of the intracoastal where you paddle in and around the mangroves as it’s more secluded and peaceful.

Canaveral National Shore is a great option for paddling, but you have to bring your board and pay the fee (unless you have a National Parks pass). If you don’t want to pay, but are interested in this area, launch from Bethune Park (there are usually manatees in this area) or you can rent from JB’s Fish Camp.

If you are down in the Keys, paddling the mangroves at Pennekamp in Key Largo is beautiful! There are signs that gators are around, but I never saw them. Mainly just saw some beautiful birds, but the mangroves were fun to paddle through.

Winter Park

I did this a long time ago, but I remember it being so beautiful! You are basically in Orlando, but you can paddle through the canals admiring the extravagant homes and beautiful scenery.

Enjoy some gelato on Park Avenue after your paddle!

Florida is such a massive state, but these are the best paddle board spots in Florida. Our landscape is beautiful but not necessarily diverse, so you can probably find similar types of paddles for the intracoastal or springs in various locations. Though the bioluminescence and zoo are location specific.

Regardless of where you choose to paddle, getting outside is so good for us and there’s so much beauty to admire in this world!

Check out some of my favorite paddle spots in Florida!