Happy Paddler Kayak Tours & EcoVentures

We had an absolutely perfect experience on our guided kayak tour at Longboat Key! From start to finish, everything was wonderful, including our guide, Brian. Brian was friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about what he does. He made the entire trip feel relaxed, fun, and special, while also sharing interesting facts about the local wildlife and the surrounding area. You can tell he truly loves what he does, and that energy made the experience even better. It was a gorgeous day on the water. We paddled through beautiful scenery, spotted wildlife, and even stopped at a sandbar and a small island, which felt like our own little slice of paradise. It was peaceful, scenic, and just an all-around perfect way to spend the day.

I had the most fun in the whole wide world three days in a row with Happy Paddler. I went out solo all three days and the water is amazing, the wildlife is Snow White levels of friendly, and, I mean, it’s kayaking. It can’t get better than that, right? A dolphin followed me for a half hour. Not even kidding! Shane and staff are cool dudes and were very gracious about the fact that the tour I booked the first day had to be canceled due to illness. Shane was timely in the notification and responsive after he gave me my options. They refunded me the tour cost and I still was able to get out on the water that day anyway. They did a great job of showing me where to go and how to navigate back to the canal on my own. My third day I set out solo the same time as a tour set out and it sounds like they’re fun! This vacation meant a LOT to me and getting to kayak was a huge part of that. Happy Paddler really, really delivered in making my vacation the best it could be. I absolutely will be back down there again.

My husband and I went on a tour with Alan! We ended up being on a private tour because no one else booked at the same time. It was my first time kayaking, and Alan made the adventure so fun! We got to see a momma manatee with a calf and an older calf that hadn't left her side yet! We got to see several dolphins hunting along the seawall and in the bay one kept swimming pretty close to my husband! It was like a scene from the Caribbean in a magazine!! The beach we kayaked to was absolutely beautiful! We ended up driving back to the beach to get more pictures. Alan was so friendly and took pictures for us! We can't wait to come back and bring our kids!! Thanks for a great time Alan!!

We had a fantastic time kayaking on a Happy Paddler guided tour! Don't hesitate - book your spot now (yes, really!) Our guide, Jeff was helpful, thoughtful, and funny. He also easily rebooked us when the weather wasn't in our favor. We saw a ton of birds and fish, and had the pleasure of watching a mother dolphin teaching her baby how to hunt. We made friends with cormorants and had a good time exploring the beach and sandbar. We didn't get lucky enough to see a manatee, but maybe next time, Longbay is beautiful - we'll be back!

Our group of 4 had a fantastic tour lead by Jeff from Happy Paddlers. It was causal and comfortable but well organized. I could tell Jeff was a veteran tour guide. He was filled with information about wildlife and the mangroves that we paddle thru. There were factual information, stories, and personal experiences that made the journey thru 3 mangrove tunnels a great experience. This will be an annual part of our yearly visit to the area

My husband and I rented kayaks 2 years in a row now, and we will definitely be back! Shane and Alan are the nicest guys and make the experience fun and easy. It’s a beautiful area to explore on your own or with the guided tour. 10/10 Highly recommend

Great paddle! Comfortable kayaks, launching from a dock with loads of help was easy and kept us dry. Jeff was very knowledgeable and shared all kinds of gems about birds and sea life. Shane was an excellent communicator and helped to set things up for a big group even taking calls over the Thanksgiving weekend as the booking was last minute. We have already booked with them again!

We enjoyed the coastal tour! Alan was a great tour guide! Shared LOTS of information about the homes, the mangroves, the islands and the animals we could see (unfortunately we didn't see any). Beautiful weather and some beautiful pictures make for wonderful memories! Thank you Alan and Happy Paddlers for a great day!

Our guide, Jeff, was knowledgeable, funny and professional. The tour started with seeing manatees (one with her calf) and some pretty funny cormorants. One cormorant surfaced next to my kayak with its lunch in its beak! The tour through the mangrove tunnels was unbelievable! Thank you Happy Paddler for making or last day in FL the most memorable.

AMAZING!!!! Second time we did a tour for my moms bday and everyone is so nice and the kayaks are great!

Had such an amazing day out on the water today!! Got to see so much wildlife and get so many huge shells! The service was incredible and extremely friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend this spot!

We had the absolute BEST experience. Beer can beach is far too beautiful for that name, we could have stayed there for hours! Our guide let us roam after our time was up and it was PERFECT! Many manatees said hello!

This is a great place to kayak whether you're novice or experienced. Really super guides, fun and knowledgeable.

What a fun morning! Not going to lie, my arms are jello after our 3 hour guided tour but it was well worth it. This is my first time to the area and really appreciated our tour guide Mike. I would definitely do this tour the next time we are here.

This is what every experience with a small local business should look like. Shane was super friendly and accommodating. He went out of his way to give us directions and tell us what to look for on our little paddling adventure. He even gave us some paddling pointers. I can't think of a better way to see the north end of LBK.

Loved the experience and our guide Alan! Will definitely be booking again next time in the area!

Shane and his fellow outriggers and guides are my favorite and, being a resident, I do kayak with them often. They are knowledgeable, helpful and will go out of their way to make your trip as safe and comfortable as possible. I have seen manatees and dolphins several times on my adventures.

We had an excellent time! I would highly recommend this company. The customer service is top notch. We did the 3 hour coastal tour and saw plenty of wildlife (dolphins, manatees, many species of birds, sea urchins, & crabs). Our guide was very knowledgeable and kept a good pace for our group.

What an amazing day on the water with Casey! This place truly a top notch kayaking company. Casey was very personable, professional and knowledgeable. Our comfort was his number 1 priority so don't be afraid to try it- even if you are new to kayaking. We saw many interesting plants and animals including manatees, sea urchins, sting rays, a bonnet head shark, and even a dolphin! I can't say enough about this tour- we will definitely be returning for other tours in the future. Highly recommend!

My wife and I are planning on moving to the area and would like to take on kayaking. We thought it would be best to go on a tour our first time out and after reading the reviews decided to go with happy paddling. We couldn't be happier! We had had been kayaking before and there were people who had never done it. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the area and the species and would stop to point things out and answer questions. Because it was recently after hurricane Irma, things are still a little off but we still managed to see a dolphin!

5/5 kayaking experience. My fiancée and I did a tandem rental and had a blast. Super low key, great location, and high quality kayaks. The online booking experience was way easier and more convenient than other area kayak rentals. We even had brunch next door afterwards. We will definitely be back again!

Great tour today! Capt KC was awesome and knowledgeable about all the wildlife and sea creatures. Tour lasted roughly 2.5 hours.

We had a great experience with Happy Paddler when visiting Longboat Key, Fl. It was beautiful!

We went out with Nick today for a Kayak Tour. Nick did a great job and made the trip even more fun!! Definitely recommend!

My wife and I did a private guided tour with Nick. He was hilarious and engaging! Highly recommend if you are looking for something to do in the AMI LBK area.

Awesome awesome awesome!! The water is so blue and clear, very scenic. We did the coastal island tour saw manatees and dolphins! Everything was so well organized we were a large group of 16 they had all the kayaks prepared before we got there, provided water and snacks. Alan was a great guide, stayed out there longer with us to take photos and videos of the dolphins. The tour was about 3 hours.

Second time we have rented From them in the last few months awesome experience each time. Shane could not have been more helpful, when it was too windy one day he let us rebook for another day and what a great day it was! We saw Manatee, dolphins and the day could not have been any better. We went out alone but they do offer tours too

Great experience kayaking Longboat Key! Alan was an amazing tour guide. If you get a chance to book a trip with Alan, do it! We saw sea turtles, dolphins, manatees, and birds aplenty! We stopped at a secluded beach for pictures and exploring. Worth the early morning hour drive from Madeira Beach. Alan even suggested a lunch spot for after our tour that was wonderful!

Great trip with Nick ! Saw dolphin and manatee! Just the right amount of time on the water!

WHAT A FLIPPING BLAST!!! I can't say enough nice things about our experience. We absolutely looooved our time with Happy Paddler! Jake was adorable and super friendly. The atmosphere was laid back and welcoming. Fantastic experience from start to finish. Can't wait to go back!!

The Happy Paddler Kayak Tour was so much fun! My boyfriend and I did the Coastline Tour at 8am. We were staying in Anna Maria Island, but it was only about a 20 minute drive to get to the kayaking site. It was the perfect way to spend a morning. If the winds are high, it's definitely a little bit of a workout when paddling into the wind, but we didn't mind the exercise. Our tour guide, Casey, was very knowledgeable about all the wildlife in the area. He took us to a beautiful island where we had some time to explore, take pictures, and go for a swim. I would recommend the Happy Paddler Kayak Tour to anyone looking for an outdoor adventure!

I seldom write reviews but my wife and I so enjoyed our kayak tour last Monday that I feel a thumbs up should go to Happy Paddler. Shane was wonderful working with us and our reservation which we had to change. Also he was very accommodating when we called to say we were running late. Nick was a great guide. Very personable and knowledgeable about the sea life, birds, dolphins, manatees, shoreline architecture, etc. Having come to Longboat Key since 2004 and only experiencing the area from land it was wonderful to see the area from the water. We highly recommend the Happy Paddler when in the Sarasota/Bradenton area.

Made a last minute decision to go for a sunset kayak trip. Emailed and had a reply from Shane within an hour. We arrived early to the shop and were greeted by our guide for the evening Cary (Shane's brother) After some instruction of safety and what / were we would be going we were off. Carys knowledge of the area was really good. Showed up lots of marine life and bird life. The sunset was great. The trip was about 3 hours in total. Highly recommend this company. Really positive experience with them.

We rented a 2 person kayak from Happy Paddler and get excellent customer service and value! Shane is great to deal with and we were very happy with our experience. We will definitely return! Thanks again!

Had visitors from out of town, out of state, in fact, out of this country come to visit this past week. The idea of taking a kayaking tour seemed to be a good one. I have been kayaking ONCE before in my life and it was a year ago at Fort Desoto Park in St. Petersburg. Although for the first time it was fun, there was no prep, and certainly no guided tour. So, off I search on Yelp...and I find Shane and his new business of the Happy Paddler. In a nutshell, Shane is an absolutely wonderful guide and his knowledge of the local area waters was superb. Shane works to the skill level of his clients and was completely patient with everyone in the group, in spite of some of the language barriers. We were shown several areas along Longboat Key and Shane was able to show us and teach us about the ecosystem and how it all survives and thrives in the area. There was a break in the paddling where we walked along the beach on the Gulf for a half hour or so. Upon returning to our kayaks, we were all treated to five or six dolphin that were heading out into the Gulf, with some of them coming right next to our boats. Shortly after, a manatee appeared right beside one of our kayaks and that just completely made the entire experience worthwhile. I cannot say enough nice things about Shane and the Happy Paddler. I highly recommend taking a tour with Shane, even if you are an experienced paddler. Shane has much to offer and can teach us all a thing or two about the natural habitats of Florida. **Now if I could only talk him into taking me on a fishing tour. ;)

Went on a kayak tour with Casey and had an amazing time! He was friendly and helpful and told us a lot about the marine life and birds we saw during our tour. Will definitely do again next time we're in Longboat!

Wonderful private tour for 9. Great guide, stories, not rushed...did a beach visit, bird island, lot of local history, tons of fun for ages 14-50

This is a five star company for sure! Affordable, friendly and accommodating. This is definitely an educational guided tour about the area and wildlife. If that isn't your thing you can always paddle ahead or behind and just enjoy the tranquility of the sea and nature around you. We were able to see quite a few types of birds- pelicans, cormorants, white ibis, osprey, blue herring to name a few. We also saw dolphins and manatees on our trip! My favorite part was a group of pelicans flying by about 2-3ft from me! So cool!

My family and I were on vacationon Anna Maria Island and planned a kayaking tour our guide was Casey he is very knowledgeable of the area and it's wildlife, he is very conscious of the environment and keeping it clean for all see life.my daughter got to see a manatee and we saw a couple of dolphin pods it was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

Shane and his wife Holly are so knowledgeable about the area, wildlife and ecosystems. We kayaked and used paddle boards and enjoyed the variety in the difference options from where to launch. I'm still sending Shane pictures of interesting things we have found on the beach for identification! Totally recommend Happy Paddler!!

We just finished a sunset Eco-tour with Shane and Happy Paddler and it was amazing. Shane is so great at teaching you about the area and the wildlife around. We saw so many things. Even though we didn't see a Manatee it was still great. If you are looking for a fun, relaxing and physical escape try this out. Our group of 10 (4 adults, 2 teens, and 4 kids) all loved it and want to do a morning tour now.

We took the coastal kayak tour. Our tour guide was Casey and he was great. Very knowledgeable of the areas and the wildlife. We were able to see manatees, dolphins, sea urchins, fighting conch, and we found many shells. Casey was able to name them and give info on each. Shane was the person who signed us up. I sent a message and he contacted me within 30 mins. He gave us all the info we need to enjoy our day. This tour was well worth the money and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the island. The tour was set up for groups that r fit and those of us who r not. We stop to rest just in time before anyone need a tow. Tow were offered many times if anyone need it.

We recently went on the coastal kayak private tour over the new year's weekend. It was a fantastic outing for all 9 of us. We had a range of folks in our group from 13 years old to mid-40s (all relatively inexperienced kayakers), although in decent shape. We also had a 6-year-old who had a great time paddling tandem with his mom. And the trip was a perfect balance of enough activity and relaxation that everyone could enjoy. The 3 hours was an ideal amount of time. Alan, our guide, was informative, entertaining and super-friendly. The landscape was beautiful and waters calm. There's some cool scenery along the way, and we especially liked seeing the sandbar and visiting the private beach. We only saw one dolphin while on the private beach (given the weather and time of year), but that wasn't a big deal to us. The owner Shane also made it really easy to book and was very responsive. The pricing was comparable to renting kayaks on our own without a guide. I'd definitely recommend this as a highlight of our trip to Anna Maria Island.

third trip to Long Boat Key and fifth visit to the Happy Paddler. Shane and his marine biologist wife own this wonderful company and were born in the area, as are most who work there. I always book a tour even though I could paddle on my own. For the second time, Casey taught me more about the fish, birds and sea mammals than I had known before. he knows where to look for the dolphins and the 8 year old on our tour found a whelk this time - a big one. 5 stars to the business and 5 stars to Casey.

Our first trip to the area. Picked this business because it's the only one in the region that has well trained and certified instructors. This is so important to our family, because fun and safety are our prime considerations for the kids. We dealt with Shane, and he was very generous with his time as we planned our trip to Bradenton. We're experienced paddlers, and the equipment was a level above what one would normally find at a tour/rental company. However, the prices were actually lower than the other places we considered. Overall, a quality company, and a guaranteed good time for individuals, couples, or families looking to get out on SUPs or kayaks. We'll be back, Shane!

My wife and I did 3 hour tour with Mike as our guide. The dolphins and mansatees didn't cooperate, but a great day out. We had an eclectic group of various ages, and Mike kept us interested in what was around us, birds, plants, sea life. He must have been a biology teacher in a past life. Would recommend to anyone, even if you are "on the fence" and don't think you can do it. Mike was able to keep a group of different skill levels moving along comfortably and I can honestly say everyone enjoyed it.

Had a great kayaking experience with Shane. The scenery was beautiful. We saw some dolphins. The whole thing was very educational as well. Shane knows his stuff, and will explain in detail anything you see under the water, in the air, or on the beach! I recommend having some arm strength if you are going in a solo kayak if the winds are high. Also don't forget to put sunblock on (especially your legs!). :D

Alan took out our family of 5. We did a combo of singles and a tandem. Probably a 3 mile kayak overall and the kids did great. Beautiful waters and history of area. Highly recommend!

Great, great, GREAT experience!! Knowledgeable, polite and professional guides. Had a great time with Shane and Alan. Definitely worth the time and $. Please keep in mind: there are no guarantees of dolphins, etc, but the kayak tour is just a great way to spend 3 hours being active and enjoying a peaceful morning on the water.

Had a great morning with guide Casey , saw different wildlife and he had good knowledge. Then we also got to see dolphins and manetees by the beach where were stopped for a snack and to stretch our legs. I can surely recommend Happy Paddler and their crew for a nice paddling trip. Thank you from the Swedish family.

Shawn is awesome!!! We had a wonderful time. We did the evening trip from 6 pm to 9 pm. We had momma and baby Dolphins swim up right next to our kayaks. Shawn showed us all kinds of fantastic sea life he just got out of his kayak and pulled them out of the water: Sea anemone, crabs, giant snails. We also saw all kinds of birds including a rare roseate spoonbill. The kayaks were super easy to paddle and you can go at your own pace. We had ages 70 to 12 in our group. To top it off we watched the sunset on beer can island an amazing place with big chunks of driftwood and tons of shells. We paddled back to the dock just after sunset with the Dolphins following us. Shawn is a super nice and laid back. He loves the area and nature and you do too!! The best adventure I've been on in a long time. Highly recommend!

Absolutely wonderful experience. The owners have degrees in the trade and along with the wife, who is a marine biologist. Shane explained a lot of interesting facts from the area during the tour. He's lived here his whole life. This included various wildlife. As soon as you walk in the door you're greeted with a smile from a family own business. I couldn't image a better experience. The tour lasted around three and a half hours. Thirty minutes was walking a beautiful secluded beach. We saw dolphins, crabs, and other creatures that are actually in the sand. Our guide dug his feet in the sand and bam, they came up. They aren't everywhere, but are living in some healthy ecosystems like this beach. Gear is great. There store is extremely nice. It has nice accessories too. Thanks for the memories!!!!

Fantastic trip, Shane is interesting and keeps you engaged with his wildlife and AMI knowledge. My husband and I had a wonderful time and especially enjoyed the little remote island trip (definitely wouldn't have known to go there as a non-local.) 10 stars!

Amazing tour! Alan was our guide he was so nice and knowledgeable about all of the wildlife and answered any questions we had. We saw dolphins, sea turtles, manatee and many different birds. Alan even brought up a conch and a crab from the bottom so we could get a closer look. We stopped at an awesome beach where we got to walk around. This is a very mellow tour we had ages 5-55 and everyone had a great time. The tour is very scenic even if you don't spot any animals. This is a great tour with awesome tour guides. Would recommend to anyone looking for a cool adventure!

We had a great experience renting kayaks from Happy Paddlers. We rented from the location on Long Boat Key. When we arrived the kayaks were ready and we were greeted by a friendly employee. We were given a really helpful tutorial about how to use a kayak paddle and helpful tips for spotting wildlife. I would highly recommend renting from Happy Paddlers. Next time we are in the area, we will absolutely use them again.

Awesome experience with this operation! Shane was quickly responsive to my online inquiry, and our booking was completed in a flash. Alan was our guide-- he is very professional and easy-going with both kids and adults. Although we didn't see any manatees, the paddling itself was great fun. We all felt safe, and we learned a bit about the surrounding area while we paddled around the north end of Sarasota.

Loved our experience with our day kayaking. Very helpful people who seem to love what they do. Can't wait to go back next time we visit