Happy Paddler Kayak Tours & Rentals - Lido Key Ted Sperling Park

This was such an incredible experience! Our tour guide, Jeff, was so knowledgeable about the wildlife. He was friendly, and we had such a nice time learning and seeing the mangroves. The sit-on-top kayaks were easy to maneuver and get on/off too! They also provided two different styles of dry bags we were able to use to keep our belongings in, which was great.

Nothing but great things to say. My girlfriend and I booked a self-guided tandem kayak this past week. I wanted to do some fishing so I called ahead of time and asked if it would be acceptable to bring my fishing pole - the man on the phone was super friendly and even encouraged me to. When we got to the park, the happy paddler employee (whose name I regrettably forgot) greeted me by name and was super friendly, giving us all the necessary information to have a successful trip. For context, I am a Kentuckian who know just about nothing about saltwater fishing and showed up with a crankbait on my pole. He said that I would have an awful day with that lure and went into his car and rigged up a lure for me and showed me the best fishing spots. Amazingly that lure got me on a nice red! After we got back he even gave me a few more lures for the rest of the week!

I can’t say enough great things about this company! Both times I have worked with them their staff have been extremely friendly and helpful. I work with individuals with exceptionalities and today we went kayaking! Kadin was so helpful and kind. Our non profit, Adventure For All, is looking forward to working with them again in the fall.

Great morning on the water with our guide Jeff exploring the mangrove tunnels! It was a picture perfect day, lots of sightings - manatee, dolphins, playful cormorants and varied fish and birds. Jeff was knowledgeable and fun. Thanks!

Kayaking in the mangroves was an awesome experience! Jeff was knowledgeable, humorous and very professional. Although we didn’t see any dolphins, we did see some manatees (one with her calf) and some pretty funny cormorants (one that popped up next to my kayak with lunch in its mouth!). I highly recommend this company and the staff. Thank you for making our last day in the area the most memorable of all!

This was our 5th time renting a kayak from Happy Paddler, and we have always enjoyed the experience. Shane is very helpful and accommodating, and the equipment is in good condition.

Our party had a great time kayaking the mangrove tunnels and around Otter Key. So many fish and dolfins. Great kayaks with back support. You just show up and go after a short and informative instructions. Such a fun day. Highly recommend.

Nice and educational experience. Even though we haven‘t been able to see all the wildlife possible, it was a fun trip. Our guide Jeff was fun and he knew his stuff. All in all good value for the money.

Friendly staff and good instructions. We rented four boats and guided ourselves through the mangroves. No big wild life seen but birds and crabs kept us busy for over three hours. Kids favorite thing we did while in Sarasota.

We had an amazing morning with our guide Patrick. He was knowledgeable and funny. You could tell he really enjoys his job and educating people on the mangroves and animals that live there. Check in was easy. No carrying the kayaks. They do it all for you. It was well worth the money and I would definitely recommend it! Ask for Patrick!

Joe made it super easy! We had an amazing time! we even kayaked to the Sandbar. Highly recommended !!

These guys were GREAT. We had a lot of fun on our Mangrove Tunnels tour and our guide was personable and just the right amount of chatty. I would not only recommend, but I would go again if the opportunity presented itself.

great activity! did the 9 am with Steffan, saw 2 manatees right by our boat, went thru two mangrove caves, fun, easy and outdoorsy , big recommend. Steffan was knowledgeable and entertaining!

My family and I came down from NY on a super windy day. We had toddlers all the way up to teens. We did a private tour, which I highly recommend. Our tour guide Kelly was so helpful, charismatic and constantly facilitating our trip. Highly recommend him and this company! It was so beautiful!!! The staff were efficient and so professional!!

Fabulous tour and history. Shade made the day even more enjoyable. Easy to get in and out with help and no prior experience necessary. So many cool animals to see even if the dolphins and manatees do not show. Jellies, rays, cormorant, gulls....birds swimming along side and under the boats was unexpected and fun!

I did a 2 hour kayaking tour with Joe as our tour guide. Going through the mangroves was an incredible experience, and Joe had lots of interesting information to share about the mangrove trees. It was nice that they provide waterproof bags to keep your phone in so you can take pictures if you would like!

This was the best! The kayaking, the animals, and the tour guide Kinsey was great! He gets 15 stars from the 3 of us!! To go through the mangroves in a kayak was amazing. We saw all kinds of ocean wildlife manatees, birds, snake , crabs, jellies, and a turtle! Kinsey was very informative about everything. We will definately be back! Thanks Kinsey for a great afternoon!!

We wanted to get the full story regarding the Mangroves in Lido Beach area. We had a tour guide named DAVE who genuinely loves his job. Gave a full funny way explanation of the area and helped us who were less inclined kayakers. It was a well worth two hour tour for $59. We had a great time and even got a lesson on proper kayaking technique. A lot to see on this route esp the Mangroves tunnel. So tranquil and fun. We will be back. Congrats Dave in all your dedication to your job.

My family & boyfriend went on a 2 hour kayaking mangrove tour which was awesome! Our guide Hoppy made the trip so enjoyable and fun. I would highly recommend getting her as your guide. She's funny and knowledgeable. She picked up tons of sea creatures for you to hold and learn about. She kept everyone entertained the entire two hours.

First and foremost I have to say if you have never been kayaking or you have and love a beautiful adventure, this is the best group to tour the Sarasota mangroves with hands down. My friend has wanted to kayak for a long time and I was up for anything so after searching the web and yelp we found SRQ. The price was good and the location was perfect. We went through their website to book our tour and we were set. When we arrived a little bit before our tour time we were greeted by our tour guide Chris and he gave us our dry bags for our stuff, wallet, keys, phone...etc and asked us to hang out until the start time of the tour when we would head to the water to board our kayaks. There are restrooms so its a good time to use the facilities since its a 2 hour tour with no place to stop and go... I highly recommend wearing something you don't mind getting wet. Shorts and a t-shirt are good or a swum suit if you want but really not neccessary. You also want a change of pants or a towel to sit on in your car following the tour because your butt will get wet... Sunscreen is a Florida must even when its overcast and BRING WATER... Dont wait to hydrate. When it was time for the tour we were excited to see it was just us and a grandmother / granddaughter duo so not as embarrassing if we were to fall in the water or lose an oar. (None of which happened) All of the tour companies launching from this park kind of help each other out, which is awesome. All of the kayaks are open so its a little less intimidating, no white water rapids here. We were eased out into the bay one by one and the quickly met by Chris. He took us out a little way into the bay and gave us some paddling pointers as well as told us about the marine life and how to spot dolphins, sadly none were around but we were visited by many water fowl which was cool, especially the giant Brown Pelican that flew in landing close by. The journey over to the mangroves was beautiful but once we were inside the tunnels it was like being transported to a private sanctuary. I will say kayaking a photography is a tricky combo but I got a few shots that may end up on my wall. When we came to the end of the tour I was ready to go for more. My friend was wiped out but we both are excited to go again! Thanks Chris and the SRQ Gang, we loved it!

I participated in the SRQ Kayaking Tour through the Mangrove Tunnels in Sarasota and it was so enjoyable. No need to be an experienced kayaker - this is a family experience. Steffan, our guide, shared with us so much history about Sarasota and information on the wildlife we encountered. This is a great experience so when you head to Florida ..definitely look this company up and book a tour!

Highly enjoyed a kayaking tour with my brothers conducted by James K!!! His love of his job, knowledge of the environment and technical skills all helped us have a very positive experience!

James Kinsey was our amazing tour guide. We loved everything about this tour. James' experience in keeping a large group together really shows that he knows his craft. He expressed passion for the environment and was knowledgeable and respectful of both the creatures and landscape. This tour is a must while visiting the Sarasota area. The best two hours you will spend relaxing and kayaking through awesome mangrove tunnels as well as the sea grass areas where manatee play. He was an excellent spotter, showing us all the treasures the bay had to offer. This is great for singles, couples and families. A very easy and scenic kayak trip.

This was such a great excursion for the whole family. We had a beautiful morning and great tour. Our guide Patrick was funny and very knowledgable - you can tell he really loves his job! The mangrove tunnels were magical, and we got to see and learn a lot about the local critters, including Scuba Steve! Would definitely recommend.

The park onTaft is crowded with a number of kayak tours. I think the guides at Kayaking SRQ were the best at making sure everyone enjoyed their adventure. Jessie was our guide. He built our tour to avoid other groups. He designed the adventure to meet the skill level of the participants and he changed his position in the group during the tour to give each person attention. Jessie gave a wealth of information on the sea creatures and plants as we went through the mangrove tunnels and around the estuary. This tour would be good for all levels of experience in kayaking. When I called to make the reservation they suggested a day when the group was smaller since I'm an older adult with minimal experience. When we left, Jesse recommended a place for dinner which we found to be wonderful.

Reservation was easy and company made sure our timing was right based on tide. "Seabiscuit" our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable about the mangrove tunnels, wildlife and history of Sarasota. Our trip was super relaxing (not at all a workout) as we quietly drifted through the tunnels. Amazing that there are no mosquitos. Sometimes humans get it right and "design" things well - very nice to see and enjoy! Will definitely go again.

My family of 4 recently went on the 2 hour Lido Key mangrove tour with Greg. We did the 9am tour and was glad we decided to do the early time slot...it would have been extremely hot if we had waited until the afternoon. This was our first time kayaking and had zero previous experience. Our kids are 8 and 10, so my husband and I each paired up with one of the kids in a tandem kayak. My husband was with our 8 year old who was very little help paddling. You'll definitely get your arm workout in during this...but it's not difficult, even if your partner can't/won't paddle. You'll get a brief tutorial at the beginning and some time to learn the ropes before heading out. There are life jackets and airtight bags (for small personal items) made available for everyone. Be sure to either wear your swimsuit or bring a change of clothes as your butt will most likely get wet. You also will want to leave bags and purses in your vehicle. We kinda/sorta saw some manatee...their noses as they came up to breathe. We saw a blue heron, jelly fish, and some black crabs. I wish there had been more wild life but that's not something that can be controlled. The mangroves were the highlight and I'm so glad we did this. My 10 year old told me half way through that it was definitely worth getting up early for and she would 10/10 do it again. My 8 year old who is hard to please had a good time as well. Greg was a great guide. He told us stories and history of the the area and made sure we were all doing okay along the way. He even took pictures of our family while we kayaked and texted them after the tour. If you're looking for a laid back, unique experience you should definitely check this out. I was told they try to keep their groups smaller so that it's easier to manage and provides a better guest experience. We only had one other group with us but I'm sure during their busier season there would be more.

Awesome guided tour through the mangrove tunnels of Lido Key as well as the open bay. Everybody was really respectful of the fact that we were first time kayakers. Our guide, Dave, was really friendly, knowledgeable and funny. Get him going and he will serenade you! We were very lucky and saw a pod of manatees , as well as cormorants swimming with us and an osprey. Plus much more. If you are hesitant to do a tour due to lack of experience, go ahead and book one anyways. You can do it!

Our family makes SRQ tours a must event every year we visit AMI. Every guide is patient, informative and fun. We have been lucky to see manatee every year. They swam right next to our group this year! Thank you for a consistently wonderful trip through the mangroves.

Gotta say this was a great experience! Got to see the manatees and all kinds of wildlife and we had the BEST guide Gregg! I highly recommend him! Very knowledgeable and super nice. We did the 2 hr tour with him. Can't say enough good things about him and his crew! Everyone was professional and pleasant. Highly recommend this if it's your thing!

My granddaughters and I enjoyed our fabulous guided tour through the mangrove tunnels with our guide,Steve. We peppered him with many, many questions and found him to be knowledgeable and full of fun facts about the area and the sea-life (birds too). We plan to arrange for a private tour in cooler weather with our more elderly family members. This is a Sarasota highlight for the three of us and is a great must-do item for most any age group.

My wife and I along with our 8 year old daughter went out on a guided tour with Tyler. We had a double and a single. Everything was clean and ready for us when we arrived. We left promptly and got a great introduction to the kayaks and how to use them. We immediately saw manatee and Tyler worked to make sure everyone saw them but he also respected them and made sure we gave them their space and didn't chase them. We saw a couple more during our trip. He was a wealth of knowledge and made the trip very memorable. The tunnels were amazing and so were the animals we saw along the way. He described the black crabs before we saw them so my daughter did not freak out and think they were spiders. We couldn't have asked for better weather, better equipment or a better guide. Great family adventure.

What a great kayaking experience! Kim was wonderful, she arranged everything via phone and our kayaks were ready to go within an hour! We opted not to do the tour, but adventure on our own and it worked out! Kim provided laminated maps so we had an idea of where to go and we were able to explore on our own for four hours. We were able to see a couple of dolphins swimming in the Bay Area and a number of birds throughout the bay and the mangroves. We even saw a snake swimming! SRQ offers single and tandem kayaks and they help you carry them out to the water. They were easy to find and their kayaks are staged right on the water. Overall it was a great experience, but be sure to bring your own sunscreen and water as neither are sold there.

This is a fantastic company with great service! Dave was our tour guide through the mangrove tunnels and through the nearby interrcoastsl. He pointed out historic homes and had a wealth of knowledge of the history of Sarasota. He also was well versed in the flora and fauna around the mangroves. It waS not the season for manatees bUt he showed us many beautiful bIrds and seaa life. It was a breath taking kayak experience through thE mangrove tunnels with tour guide Dave!

This was an awesome experience for my first time every kayaking thanks to our guide, Joe. Highly recommend the mangrove tour. Be sure to wear a hat and sunglasses! Joe was very knowledgeable and shared a lot of great history as well as info on local wildlife throughout our excursion. We had a great time and would definitely recommend SRQ and Joe - a veteran and great tour guide

We had a private tour with them and it was terrific! Bo could not have been a better guide. He was knowledgeable and took great care of us. Highly recommend!

If I could give these guys a 6 star rating, I would. In a time where everyone seems completely disgruntled with their jobs and everything else in life, it is refreshing to see people completely love what they are doing and passing that joy along to their clients. My daughter and I were visiting Siesta Key for the first time on Spring Break. I was referred to SRQ by another paddle board company that wasn't doing tours. Justin immediately returned my call and got us all set up for the next day. We were greeted with enthusiastic faces as we pulled up in our Uber. It only took about 10 minutes and off we went with our guide, Lew. My daughter had used a paddle board before, but I had not. As I spun in circles for the few moments of our tour, Lew was very patient and a great coach to help me get comfortable. He gave an detailed tour and included fun facts along the way. The private beach was awesome. He went out of his way to make it memorable for my daughter and I. You are missing out if you don't include this tour on your visit to Siesta Key! Thank you SRQ!

We went on the Lido Key mangrove tour today with "Hoppy" as our guide. She was fun, lively, and very entertaining. She had the perfect personality to make our guided tour enjoyable and informative. The water at Lido Key was shallow and clear. We saw so many jellyfish and starfish. Navigating through the mangrove tunnels was a new experience for us novice kayakers, but it was easy once we got the hang of it. It was a lovely slow pace so we could take in the beauty of the woody vines above and all around us. Towards the end of our 2 hour journey, we stopped at a sandbar to stretch our legs. I highly recommend this company and our tour guide, "Hoppy."

What an interesting tour. We learned a lot about the history and environment surrounding the Sarasota area. Steffan was a great guide. Nature is metal!!

My husband and I chose this company because of the small group size maximum of 12 as opposed to other companies that had maximum of 20. I'm so glad we did. I don't know how any guide could have handled 20 kayaks throughout the tour. Our group had 7 and it was a feat getting us through the narrow mangroves. Dave was our tour guide and was personable, knowledgeable and patient as some of our group were rookie kayakers. Somehow he remembered and called us by our names as he wrangled us through the marrow passages. We loved hearing the history of Sarasota and of the mangroves which were really man made. I especially loved hearing about the biology of the mangroves. I would highly recommend this tour for singles, couples, or even families. We had a great time!

Kayak SRQ is the best of the best when in Sarasota. We were taken out by Greg the Owner and he knew that whole area so well from growing up there as a kid. We were able to see six manatees and six dolphins in our hour tour. Three of the dolphins actually swam right up to our kayaks which was an unbelievable sight. I plan meetings and events and this is for sure going to be my number one recommendation of things to do in Sarasota but only with this company. We learned so much and had a blast going in the mangrove tunnels. I hope to go back soon.

Went with a group of 7 and had a great time. Saw manatees, dolphins, and navigated through the mangroves. Kim and Greg were helpful guides and knew all the right spots to be. Would recommend going early morning to beat the heat.

Had a fantastic time kayaking for the first time. My guide, Tyler, was informative, friendly, and funny. I got some great views and memories.

We had such a great time. We arrived to have everything ready for our adventure. We requested singles and chose to go with out a guide so we could go at our own pace and rest as needed.....we're not young anymore....we're somewhere in the middle of young and old. Our Kayaks were in great condition, we were given vests, and a very clear map of the surrounding mangroves and sand bars. Greg was kind and ready to calm my nerves as it was our first time to Kayak. It was easy paddling and mostly in the shade within the beautiful mangroves. Our 4 hours was 99% in water we could easily stand up if needed. We stopped on one of the sandbars and walked around....to give our fanny a break. Of course with wild life you can never guarantee what you'll see. But, we were very lucky to see several birds to include Great Blue Heron, Yellow crowned Night Heron, Little Blue Heron, Cormorant, Brown Pelicans, White and Glossy Ibis and more. We saw a total of 6 dolphins playing in the straight....it was great! We will be coming back and bringing any and all guests. I think it will be great for our grandchildren as they have 2 person kayaks as well. I recommend a water bottle, a good hat, sun shirts over bathing suits and your camera...they gave us a dry bag to use and I'm glad I used it!!!!

Even tho we had a storm roll through and the waters are getting a little warmer our guide Seabiscuit still made our first time kayaking enjoyable. We got to hear alot of information about the area and most importantly about nature. The kayaks and paddles were all in good condition. We had a cloudy day so it wasn't too sunny to see the creatures under the water.

So much fun!!! We rented a tandem kayak and spent about three hours out on the water. We saw a manatee, jellyfish, small fish, and tons of birds. The mangrove tunnels were beautiful and such a cool experience to go through. Water was really beautiful and good weather. Also, Greg was very helpful and professional. Highly recommend renting from them!

Great experience before and during our kayaking adventure. The facilitators were very helpful and explained to us what to expect and the best areas to check out. The mangroves were really something special to see!

Had a great time, Kim made our reservation and then Greg, Kim's husband, took us out on the water for a fun 2 hour tour. If you plan to be in the Sarasota area, I suggest that you give them a call... Very easy to manage the kayak and Greg knows the area really well and will share interesting local history and valuable information during the tour that will make for an enjoyable experience.

Had such a blast! Our tour guide Greg was great! Really nice guy, super knowledgeable, and very welcoming. All the kayaks and equipment is in excellent shape. Supplied us with dry bags for our phones, sunscreen, keys, and other personal belongings. Offered us and had water available too. It was our first time kayaking through the beautiful mangroves. Such a peaceful and tranquil experience. Loved it. From start to finish we had so much fun paddling and winding through the key. Got to see some wildlife which was really cool. Greg as a local had such interesting information about the incredible Sarasota area. Kim is wonderful and booking was simple and easy. Free parking, restrooms, and outdoor showers are available and easily accessible. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an awesome experience at a great cost!

We decided to kayak through the mangrove tunnels on Lido Key. So, we made reservations with Kayaking SRQ. Bo was our tour guide. He is super friendly and very knowledgeable about the area. We lucked out and got to see to a lone manatee! Great experience!

Had a great kayak today with Chris and Jeff. Manatee and more! Highly recommend this outfit for friendliness, knowledge of local flora and fauna, and overall fun vibe.

We really enjoyed our kayak excursion with Jessie this past weekend. It was a great experience for all of us, including our two kids (ages 8 and 9) and their grandparents. It was amazing to see the number of jellyfish in the shallow water, learn about mangroves, and see lots of wildlife both in and out of the water. Kayaking through the mangrove tunnels was fun and the length of the excursion was perfect. We brought a bottle of water for our family to share (if it's a hot day, definitely don't forget your water!), and Kayak SRQ offered us a dry bag for our cell phones, which was nice although we didn't need it. Overall, highly recommend this as an activity if you're in the Sarasota area!

Had a great time today with Greg as our guide through the mangroves of Lido Key. The experience was fantastic for all members of our family and we were lucky enough to see a manatee. I highly recommend Kayaking SRQ and, ask for Greg!

I was pretty terrified to try paddle boarding. I love the beach but ocean life is terrifying for me. Our tour guide Bo really eased my fears. I'm SO glad I took the chance! We got to go at our own pace and stopped at some pretty cool sites. The mangroves are GORGEOUS! Seriously make some time to try it out! I'm sure kayaking is just a beautiful.

Had a great afternoon on the paddle boards with Greg. He took our family on such an enjoyable tour - we all had a fabulous time!

So my husband, 2 year old, and I love adventure so we decided to take on kayaking and we are thrilled we found SRQ tours and rentals. Stephan and Dave were so gracious and patient with us (we are major kayaking rookies). We got there with very little time before their 1pm tour but they quickly got us registered and helped us out with our rentals and we were able to join the rest of the group going out on the 1pm tour. Stephan was our tour guide and we couldn't have asked for a better one. Very knowledgeable with Sarasota history and fun facts, you can tell he truly loves what he does. He helped us master the paddling and was super patient with the fact that we had a 2 year old with us. We decided to get a tandem kayak with our 2 year old and we all had a blast. If you love the outdoors and adventure we highly suggest you go Kayaking with this company. Their tour took us through some awesome hidden treasures such as the Sarasota mangroves where we got some awesome nature knowledge and we even spotted dolphins, and other marine wild life. It was truly amazing!

Had a blast this morning! Our guide Gregg was not only very knowledgeable of the history of the area, but he put us super close to a bunch of manatee and dolphin. Saw a ton of sea life on our tour. It was also my nephew's first experience kayaking and Gregg was super patient with him and helped teach him how to paddle. I would definitely recommend SRQ to anybody looking to see the wildlife and the mangroves of Sarasota!!