ORLANDO
Orlando’s best days out.
The 15 most popular wildlife tours around Orlando, from the theme-park gates out to the spring runs and the Space Coast. Prices, run times and who to book each one with.
Wild Florida near Orlando: 30–60 min airboat through 4,200 acres, live alligator demo, and wildlife park admission.
Most Popular“I really loved it. The tour guide was great. I learned a lot about alligators and saw them in their natural habitat. I also enjoyed the zoo, and I saw many alligators very close.”
Ride the Banana River eco tour from Cocoa Beach for dolphin and manatee spotting, narrated by a naturalist, with a restroom on board.
“We saw a lot of dolphins and manatees. Also the captain and crew were great. A beautiful day for a boat ride.”
Paddle through the Banana River at night and watch plankton glow in the dark on a small-group bioluminescence kayak tour.
“If u like nature and the stars. It's a beautiful experience. Seeing the bioluminescence is beautiful to c.”
2-hour clear kayak in Silver Springs for $80. See manatees, turtles, and wild monkeys with a guide.
“Steve and the team is great. We get close to nature and see many wildlife. We see other groups that are 8 boats per guide but we are 3 per guide, which is a great plus”
A small-group 2-hour pontoon cruise through Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes with wildlife spotting, local history, and photo stops.
“We saw 7 beautiful lakes with nature at their best. Our tour guide was awesome explaining history behind the landscape and different varieties of birds. We left around 10am little windy and chilly so couldn’t see too many alligators but had an awesome experience and would come back in May.”
A 90-minute airboat ride through the Orlando Everglades with small-group wildlife spotting, a creek-origin story, and gator and eagle chances.
Kayak the spring-fed Silver River on a clear kayak. Spot manatees and monkeys with a small-group guide in about 2 hours.
“10/10 Highly Recommended!! The water is so clear!! Even in over 30 feet of water you can see the bottom of the spring. We saw lots of manatees, gators, some sea lions, turtles, fish, turkey and other birds. Even if we didn’t get to see the manatees, the tour was beautiful. Aly was our guide…”
Kayak Haulover Canal for manatees and dolphins on Florida’s Space Coast. Small group wildlife spotting, gear included, calm water.
“We had a wonderful time with our tour guide Brian! It was very fun, peaceful, and beautiful to kayak around surrounded by nature, the flora and fauna.”
Cocoa Beach manatee and dolphin kayak or paddleboard tour through mangroves. Small group, gear included, photos sent after. 90 minutes.
“Wonderful experience and Captin Mike was very knowledgeable about wildlife and fauna. We saw dolphins, cone jellies and Horseshoe crabs on our kayak trip.”
A 1-hour private pontoon cruise through Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes for wildlife, local history, and spring-training lore.
“The boat captain was incredibly nice and very informative. The pontoon was very comfortable to ride on and a great way to slowly enjoy the beautiful nature scenery as well as the houses in the area. We all had a wonderful time and would absolutely do it again.”
Self-guided clear canoe at Silver Springs. Paddle the Silver River, spot manatees, gators, turtles, and maybe rhesus monkeys.
“Relaxing sighting seeing kayaking with many different wild animals including herons, turtles, fish, cormorants, ibis, and manatees.”
30-minute Kissimmee airboat ride through Everglades headwaters, with wildlife spotting, safety gear, and a chance to hold a baby gator.
A one-hour Everglades wildlife airboat tour from Kissimmee with a max-8 group, included ear protection, and a family-run feel for $58.50.
“Amazing experience with friendly and knowledgeable staff”
Sunset kayaking or SUP in Cocoa Beach’s wildlife refuge for possible dolphins, manatees, mangroves, and great photo ops. Small group.
“Beautiful scenery throughout this tour, especially the sunset. Guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the ecosystem and the wildlife. Thanks for a great time Logan Montague.”
Kayak Silver Springs with a small guided group to spot wildlife like manatees in clear spring water. Gear included; state park fees extra.
“I can’t recommend this tour enough! Tania is such a wonderful person – eco-conscious and passionate about sustainability, especially when it comes to preserving Silver Springs. We had an amazing time kayaking with her and spotting manatees, birds, turtles, and fish, all while learning about the history of the local flora and fauna. Tania is…”
From the springs to the Space Coast, and every way to spend the day.
