Hunter Springs Kayaks
Hunter Springs Kayaks
5
Eco ToursSelf-Guided Tours & RentalsStand Up PaddleboardingKayaking & Canoeing
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
We are your ONE STOP for all of your adventures. Here you'll find everything you need to enjoy your time on the water or at the beach. It doesn't matter if you're wanting to spend the day at the beach, out on the water, up in a tree or snorkeling with a manatee, Hunter Springs Kayaks can help you plan the perfect adventure for your entire family. Conveniently located right by Hunter Springs Park and next to the city parking lot. -Paddleboards, Single & Tandem Kayak Rentals -Guided Eco Tours -Guided All Clear Kayak Tours -Swim with the Manatees -NEW! Seek & Swim with the Mermaids!!
Crystal River, Florida
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Hunter Springs Kayaks
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravelers talk about
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
479 reviews
Excellent
414
Very good
37
Average
15
Poor
3
Terrible
10
Lisa & Joe
8 contributions
Jul 2020
Celebrated a pre-holiday activity with my daughter on Friday, July 3rd and we chose to check out Three Sisters Springs and kayak. The weather was wonderful (overcast & breezy) and we were excited to check out a new Springs on our list!
The staff at Hunter Springs Kayaks were very friendly (front desk and at the ramp).
A few things that I would recommend to them would be the following:
1) let folks know in advance that there is not sufficient parking in their lot and provide a few suggestions in advance of arrival.
2) If you're running behind on getting groups out for their designated reservation, please let them know and provide flexibility and/or discount. We arrived 15 min early and left for the excursion 30 minutes late; therefore, we sat around (with limited seating) for 45 minutes. If you're leaving later than designated time, it would stand to reason that you would return 30 minutes later without a special "exception" being made.
3) It would be practical & respectful to practice social distancing while watching the required instructional video inside your office, as well as require masks while inside the premises.
These suggestions would alleviate stress, provide flexibility, and keep us all safe!
Overall, good location, comfortable kayaks, and beautiful experience.
The extra plus was that we were able to see several manatees ... unexpected since it is not the traditional "manatee season".
The staff at Hunter Springs Kayaks were very friendly (front desk and at the ramp).
A few things that I would recommend to them would be the following:
1) let folks know in advance that there is not sufficient parking in their lot and provide a few suggestions in advance of arrival.
2) If you're running behind on getting groups out for their designated reservation, please let them know and provide flexibility and/or discount. We arrived 15 min early and left for the excursion 30 minutes late; therefore, we sat around (with limited seating) for 45 minutes. If you're leaving later than designated time, it would stand to reason that you would return 30 minutes later without a special "exception" being made.
3) It would be practical & respectful to practice social distancing while watching the required instructional video inside your office, as well as require masks while inside the premises.
These suggestions would alleviate stress, provide flexibility, and keep us all safe!
Overall, good location, comfortable kayaks, and beautiful experience.
The extra plus was that we were able to see several manatees ... unexpected since it is not the traditional "manatee season".
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the feedback. We will work on these things. Glad you had a good trip!
Written July 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amanda
Aragon185 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
We rented 2 tandem kayaks for 2 adults and 3 kids on a Saturday morning in June. They were very busy but the check in process went smoothly and the employees were very nice and informative. I would highly recommend booking the first available time in the morning. We rented them from 8-11 AM and it was very crowded on our way back in. We paddled to Three Sisters Spring. We saw 2 manatees in Crystal River. The spring was unbelievably beautiful. Bring pool noodles, goggles and a dry box ($10 at Walmart in the camping section). I would definitely rent from this company again.
Things I didn’t know: You have to walk 2 blocks to get from the check in office to the water. The parking is not great. It was fine at 7:30 AM.
We also went to Homosassa State Park and it was awesome as well!
Things I didn’t know: You have to walk 2 blocks to get from the check in office to the water. The parking is not great. It was fine at 7:30 AM.
We also went to Homosassa State Park and it was awesome as well!
Written July 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KiwiSeattle
Kirkland, WA3 contributions
Nov 2020 • Couples
We rented kayaks and wet suits here. We had our own snorkel gear so did not rent theirs. We were able to kayak to the springs and swim with the manatees without going on a tour. This was very helpful since we were short on time.
The instructions and directions were thorough. They were fast, efficient, kind and helpful.
The equipment was all in good working order.
The walk to the launch site was only one block.
The guys at the launch site were super helpful getting you in and out of the kayak and launching you with out getting your feet wet or tipping over ( if that concerns you)
I recommend them.
The instructions and directions were thorough. They were fast, efficient, kind and helpful.
The equipment was all in good working order.
The walk to the launch site was only one block.
The guys at the launch site were super helpful getting you in and out of the kayak and launching you with out getting your feet wet or tipping over ( if that concerns you)
I recommend them.
Written November 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dnaugh9722
Troutville, VA71 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
I wanted to see manatees. I knew it was the endo of the season, but we rented 5 individual kayaks for 2 adults and 3 teens age 12 thru 15. The place you arrive has very limited parking, so we parked across the road and walked over. Inside the room was packed, so I told the lady my name and waited outside until she called. I was waiting a while and had to go back inside to remind her we were still waiting. Finally they had us watch a video and told us we had to walk a few blocks to the kayaks. I saw others with a map and had to ask for one. We walked to the launch and were provided 5 kayaks and they launched us. We started following the crowd to the warm springs when my daughter said her kayak was filling with water. She and my husband stopped on a bank and inspected her kayak. She took his and he remained in the bank with a kayak with a huge hole in the bottom. A passing sherrif's boat offered him a ride back. We went on without him to the springs- no manatees. We paddled back and stopped at some mangroves where my son saw something. We sat quite and suddenly started to see the manatees surface to breathe. They're very quite and only surface for a second. If you sit in a quite spot and are patient you will see them. When we got back, my husband explained that the sherrif dropped him off and the guys on shore were apathetic about the hole. They offered no other kayak for him to use nor did they even apologize. I went back inside and was refunded the price of his kayak, minus a processing fee. Overall I just felt like no one really cared- the place is run by a bunch of apathetic 20 somethings who can't imagine how stressful a kayak filling with water and your daughter in it could be. You're very much on your own here. Three hours was just about right for us, the paddle out to the springs only takes 45 min each way if you're in no hurry and we chose to take our time.
Written April 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris
Camden, TN3 contributions
Aug 2020 • Friends
Being our first time kayaking we really didn't know what to expect. Hannah B and Jamie T really made our experience such a pleasure. We showed up late because we didnt know to arrive 30 min early but they pushed our time back so we could get the full amount that we paid for. They also gave us some really great insiders so we could see manatees!! If it wasn't for those 2 girls behind the counter I seriously doubt we would have seen the baby manatee and enjoyed our experience so thank you ladies!!! Even with the little hiccups we definitely will be back!!
Written August 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anna P
1 contribution
Aug 2020
Hannah Baker was absolutely amazing!! she went above and beyond to deliver impeccable customer service. She handled the chaos of 30 screaming people calm and collectively while still delivering very informative safety tips.
Hanna Baker for President 2020!!!
You rocked girl!!!
Hanna Baker for President 2020!!!
You rocked girl!!!
Written August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lee
South Carolina29 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
We did the tandem kayak rental for three hours. Hunter Springs is not exactly close to 3 Sisters Springs but a doable trip. 3 Sisters was not allowing Kayaking in the springs on the day we went. We did swim inside the springs but not much going on without the manatees present. This is not the fault of Hunter Springs but something you should be aware of before purchasing. We actually found more manatees closer to Hunter Springs than down toward 3 Sisters.
Hunter Springs Kayaking was very helpful and provided good equipment. All kayak places are busy during this time of year, so make sure to book early as several were turned away while we were there.
Hunter Springs Kayaking was very helpful and provided good equipment. All kayak places are busy during this time of year, so make sure to book early as several were turned away while we were there.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jennifer r
Grand Rapids, MI1 contribution
Dec 2020 • Family
We did the 5 hour kayak with a clear bottom kayak. We did not have a guide to show us around we did it on our own and I thing that was the best decision. While the guides are nice their is something unique about being in your own. We rented 2 kayaks for the 4 of us (kids ages 6 and 7) and all the smim equipment (witch is required to rent if you want to swim with the manatees). What an amazing experience! Their are many places like this in the area but hunter springs did a great job getting us all set up and getting us in the water. It's a beautiful kayak through the water and we saw and swam with many manatees. If you're thinking about doing this I would highly recommend you do it. Well the clear bottom kayaks were nice you couldn't really see through the bottom during most of the kayak so a regular kayak would work just as well. Will be back!
Written January 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rachelwest8
Charlottesville, VA59 contributions
May 2020
My friend and I headed out to Crystal River yesterday to kayak for the first time on the river. We booked with Hunter Springs Kayak the day ahead of time for 11:30 but were not told we needed to be there early or anything. Upon arrival, there was no parking anywhere in the vicinity (which, again, we were not warned of ahead of time), so it took us about 10 minutes to find parking. When we got there a few minutes late, we were told that it wasn't their problem and that we still would only have the 3 hours from when our reservation time was. Fine, 10 minutes is no big deal. However, from there it took them more than 45 minutes to get us out on the river, so by the time we were actually kayaking, it was already an hour past our reservation time. It was completely unorganized, they kept sending us in different directions and no one seemed to know what was going on. Apparently they were supposed to have given us a white card with our information on it to give to the person in charge of the kayaks down at the beach, but we weren't and so when we got down there and didn't have it, we had to wait even longer for it to be verified (it seems as though they had dropped ours on the ground and forgotten to give it to us). All in all, the kayaks were nice and the area was beautiful, but it felt so disorganized and chaotic that we paid for 3 hours when we only got to spend 2 actually kayaking. Also, they are not even kind of encouraging social distancing whatsoever so we weren't really pleased with that; we ended up trying to dodge people in the lobby they 20+ minutes we were in there.
Written May 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aaron S
New Port Richey, FL91 contributions
Jun 2021
Great location. Very friendly staff. Springs were nice. We saw lots of Manatees.
Our only complaint was the paddleboards. We learned paddleboarding a couple weeks prior at Weeki Wachee and we did 6 miles there with no issues, however these paddleboards (Scout) were very unstable and we never felt comfortable standing because we couldn't keep our balance.
We ended up sitting or kneeling the entire time so we cut our trip shorter than we would have liked. Really wanted to explore a little more.
Our only complaint was the paddleboards. We learned paddleboarding a couple weeks prior at Weeki Wachee and we did 6 miles there with no issues, however these paddleboards (Scout) were very unstable and we never felt comfortable standing because we couldn't keep our balance.
We ended up sitting or kneeling the entire time so we cut our trip shorter than we would have liked. Really wanted to explore a little more.
Written June 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello we will be going in August....is it better to book the 10 am or 2 pm? Wondering how often the afternoon gets rained out?
Written July 6, 2021
Definitely 10 am. It is so busy at the launch site and yes, you may encounter the pm summer rain storms.
Written July 6, 2021
Are tours still happening with this whole covid thing?
Written October 16, 2020
How long is the guided tour, and how long do you get to spend snorkeling with the manatees?
Written January 24, 2020
If I have a small child can they ride between to adults on a double kayak?
Written January 1, 2020
Bonjour,
Nous préparons notre prochain voyage en Floride en avril 2020 . Nous sommes un peu perdus quant au choix des springs à voir. Il y en a tellement! On compte y passer 2 journées et dormir à Ocala. Nous avons vu Blue Spring, Silver Springs, Juniper Springs et Three Sisters Springs. A vous lire on pourrait déjà y passer une journée complète. Selon votre expérience, que nous recommanderiez vous? Y en a t il d'accessible gratuitement? et enfin combien de temps compter par site?
En vous remerciant pour votre retour,
Véronique (Namur) ;)
Written October 28, 2019
Michelle, it varies by tour and age. You can call them or go to their website and go all the way through to "book this tour" and it will show prices.
Written June 27, 2019
If it's not manatee season, can I still see manatees?
Written October 18, 2018
Taela S
Crystal River, Florida
Great Question!
We have a local population of manatees that live here all year long allowing the consistent possibility of a manatee siting
Written October 19, 2018
Showing results 1-7 of 7