20 essential kayaking spots in the Tampa Bay area

Fort DeSoto Park

The largest park within Pinellas County’s park system, Fort DeSoto consists of five interconnected islands and features a 2.25-mile recreational canoe trail. Launch points include Topwater Kayak Outpost in Fort DeSoto Park, where kayaks and canoes can be rented, and several other areas off the park road. You can also just park at the eastern beach, and launch from the shore.

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Lowry Park

Lowry Park is arguably Tampa's easiest place to drop your kayak in the water. Located on the Hillsborough River, Lowry Park offers a canoe and kayak launch area and a playground and picnic area on the park itself. A paddle of approximately 5 miles downstream will take you to the heart of Downtown Tampa from here. Just beware of weekend boating traffic.

Photo via Google Maps

Robinson Preserve

Robinson Preserve is a salt marsh offering several waterways for canoeing and kayaking alongside the mangrove forests and vegetation. Kayaks, pedal kayaks and paddle boards are available for rent. The main aquatic entrance to the preserve is located at 9800 Manatee Ave. West, Bradenton, where dolphins and manatees are spotted often.

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Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve

Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve features several paddling trails varying in length and difficulty, including Bishop Harbor Blueway trail, Frog Creek and Terra Ceia Paddling Trail. Launch points can be found at Bishop Harbor and Frog Creek. The trails are mangrove-filled and mostly shallow.

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Weedon Island Preserve

Weedon Island Preserve offers several kinds of canoe and kayak rentals from Sweetwater Kayaks for an hourly fee. The launch site is located adjacent to the Weedon Drive fishing pier and offers restrooms and a canoe wash station, as well. The South Paddling Trail, a four-mile loop best accessible at the launch site, travels through mangroves and seagrass flats, in between the preserve’s islands.

Photo via Sweetwater Kayaks Website

Alafia River

A half hour drive from Tampa, the Alafia River features a 12-mile canoe path, along which you can find several spots to get out of the canoe and wade, as well as picnic tables at labeled canoe stops. Because of the current and rapids, it’s said this is a river best enjoyed as a downstream paddle, so have a second car ready.

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Lettuce Lake Park

One of Hillsborough County’s most visited parks, Lettuce Lake Park lies on the Hillsborough River and is home to various aquatic birds and wildlife (including a ton of alligators). The park has a $2 entry fee per vehicle. Kayaks and canoes can be rented at the park’s entry station for an hourly fee or guests can bring their own to the park’s kayak and canoe launch station.

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Upper Tampa Bay Park

With a $2 per vehicle entrance fee, the Upper Tampa Bay Park offers kayak and canoe rentals and a launch site with access to both the nearby creek and bay. This conservation park is a protected natural area for nature study and recreation. Visitors often spot ospreys, otters, bottle nosed dolphins and manatees. This is an easy paddle, with plenty of great mangroves to explore.

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Chassahowitzka River

The Chassahowitzka Campground is a great launch spot, and offers kayak rentals and easy access to the the “Chaz." While paddling down the often clear, blue spring waters, visitors can expect to see manatees, dolphins, otters and birds. The Three Sisters Springs is located nearby and can be reached via a 5 minute paddle.

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Trout Creek Park

For a $2 entry fee per vehicle, you can visit Trout Creek Park, a part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. While kayak and canoe rentals aren’t available, Trout Creek flows into the Hillsborough river and offers a kayak and canoe launch area.

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Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park offers kayak and paddleboard rentals for its freshwater river kayaking trail, though you're going to need to plan ahead. Reservations are required for either the private launch or “Self Guided Adventure” package. Reservations times and pricing can be found on the Weeki Freshwater Adventures site. You can also try dropping in just down river at Rogers Park, and paddle up stream. But, fair warning, the parking lot here fill up fast and early on the weekends.

Photo via Florida State Parks Website

Rivercrest Park

The park features a canoe launch, picnic shelter and water fountains, but guests must bring their own canoes or kayaks to paddle the adjacent Hillsborough River. Be prepared to haul your kayak a few hundred yards to the launch.

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Lido Key

Lido Key Mangrove Trail is a paddling trail less than 2 hours long through the waterways of the Sarasota Bay. Manatee, dolphin and aquatic bird sightings are common throughout the mangrove pathways. The area’s launching site can be found at Ted Sperling Park, located on the southern end of Lido Key, minutes away from the Lido public beach.

Photo via Ted Sperling Park Website

Myakka River

For a $6 per vehicle park entrance fee, guests can paddle Myakka River’s 58 square miles of one of Florida’s oldest and largest parks. The Myakka Outpost offers canoe and kayak rentals (as well as a restaurant and souvenir shop) for an hourly fee. This spot is known to host large numbers of alligators and other aquatic life as well.

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Caladesi Island State Park

While only accessible by boat, Caladesi Island State Park offers paddling trails through its bayside mangrove forest. The trail begins at the park’s marina and cafe and extends through a series of “tunnels” formed by mangroves and other vegetation then exits into shallow seagrass flats. To travel the wildlife-filled trail, paddlers must bring their own kayaks, canoes or paddleboards.

Photo via Florida State Parks Website

Rainbow Springs

Known for its clear blue and cool-year-round waters, Rainbow Springs offers visitors a shuttle from the parking area to the paddling location of their choice. Various kinds and sizes of canoes, paddle boards and kayaks are available for rent and guests are also provided with life jackets. Because of its characteristically clear waters, the area is known to be a sighting spot for fish and other aquatic life.

Photo via Florida State Parks Website

Waterworks Park

Waterworks Park doubles as both a canoe and kayak hotspot as well as a children’s waterpark and playground. The park is located on the Hillsborough River and offers a launch point, free parking and restrooms. The kayaking and canoeing launch point offers access to the river, which is a great paddle for people watching on the Riverwalk.

Photo via Waterworks Park Website

Cockroach Bay

The Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park consists of a series of islands located in the Little Manatee River. There are two canoe and kayak paddling trails that travel through the aquatic preserve surrounding the islands, most of which consist of mangrove swamp. The islands don’t have any facilities for paddlers, so guests are advised to plan their visits accordingly.

Photo via Florida State Parks Website

Tarpon Springs

Tarpon Springs, fondly known as the “sponge capital of the world,” sits on the Gulf of Mexico just north of St. Pete. Here, kayakers and canoers can find a variety of rental spots along the Tarpon Springs Bayous, or they can launch from one of the several kayak and canoe launch spots along the Gulf that provide access to the several paddling pathways.

Photo via Google Maps