Place-Based Learning in the Great Outdoors
Experience Florida River Wildlife!
Evening Events & Entertainment
on the River
Inspiring. Meaningful. Adventure.
Paddle Florida, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation organized to support canoeing and kayaking in Florida. Supported, multi-day paddling/camping adventures in each of Florida's five water management districts showcase the state's natural beauty and rich cultural heritage while promoting water conservation, wildlife preservation, springs restoration, and waterways protection. Paddle Florida also seeks to promote Florida as an international destination for nature-based tourism.
Paddle Florida scouts trips in advance to ensure waterway conditions and shoreline campsites are safe, comfortable, and showcase nature's best view. Meal plans and gear shuttling eliminate the need to weigh down boats with food and camping equipment. Florida-based entertainment and educational programming is provided each evening by regional artists, musicians, authors, and naturalists. Partnerships with local outfitters provide paddlers with canoes, kayaks, and other paddling gear to rent as needed. With this level of support, paddlers of all ages and skill levels can explore and enjoy the REAL Florida!
Help us continue our mission of protecting Florida's waterways. Since '08 we have staged 81 multi-day trips in 25 of FL's most spectacular river and coastal environments, hosted over 300 speakers & clean-ups, and connected over 38,000 paddlers to nature and each other. And there is more to come!
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Our 2025-2026 Season of Environmental Education Paddling Adventures
Florida Keys Challenge NEW format - ALL CABINS Basecamp!
January 12-18, 2026
Suwannee River Paddling Festival
March 20-22, 2026
NO BOATS UNDER 12 FT. (14 FT. IS BETTER). 15 FT+ FOR COASTAL TRIPS
Please see the equipment requirements for each trip
Join the notification list
Spots fill quickly for our guided kayak trips across Florida’s rivers and coastlines—join the list for your desired trip to secure priority notice when we publish our season release or if a new departure is added. Signing up is the best way to stay informed about our annual season release or if we should add a new trip. Our season is released May 1st each year and signing up will make sure you’ll be first in line to paddle, learn about local ecosystems, and support conservation efforts.
Take a peek at a couple of our most popular paddling adventures on the Great Calusa Blueway and Florida Keys.
Paddler Testimonials
Paddle Florida is proud to be Silver Level certified by the Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism. Florida SEE encourages awareness and stewardship of Florida's natural and cultural heritage by endorsing compliance with federal, state, and local laws, providing environmental education, and promoting professionalism and integrity.
Paddle Florida is proud to have completed the Save the Manatee Club's Guardian Guides Certification education program, which promotes the stewardship of manatees and their aquatic ecosystem. The goal of the Guardian Guides Certification is to eliminate to the extent possible disturbance to manatees from commercial manatee-viewing activities. Manatee-viewing tours can be a platform for the education, appreciation, and conservation of this imperiled species.
Supporters of Nature-Based Tourism
Refund Policy: Due to the financial outlay and costs incurred by Paddle Florida during event planning, any force majeure, which includes but is not limited to water levels, inclement weather and any other Acts of God not mentioned herein, shall not result in the refund of any fees paid to Paddle Florida. All payments are non-refundable .To protect your investment against unforeseen circumstances, we strongly recommend purchasing travel cancellation insurance.
Policy Breakdown
Recommendation: You are strongly encouraged to purchase trip cancellation insurance to ensure reimbursement if you cannot attend.
Reasoning: High volumes of early sign-ups and sold-out trips have prompted Paddle Florida to prioritize safety and trip planning rather than managing manual refund requests.
Provider Information: Paddle Florida does not provide the insurance itself; you must use an external company.