Clear Kayak Tour of Shell Key Preserve and Tampa Bay Area
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Adventure through Shell Key Preserve in your 100% clear kayak! See crystal-clear water, diverse marine life, and the underwater world below your clear kayak.
You’ll paddle along mangroves, enjoy white sand beaches and sandbars, and explore a secluded beach. If the tide is high, your guide will lead the way through a hidden mangrove tunnel. Shell Key Preserve is located in Tierra Verde, FL near St. Pete Beach in the Tampa Bay area.
Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, manatees, pelicans, crabs, and more while enjoying the preserve’s picturesque mangroves, beaches, and sandbars. Be on the lookout for a manatee or the beautiful pink Roseate Spoonbills in the summer months. White Pelicans call the sandbars of Shell Key Preserve their home during the winter months! Throughout the year, dolphins frolic in the crystal-clear waters and cormorants love to swim alongside your kayak. Chances are that you’ll see a variety of wildlife, but sightings are random and not guaranteed.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
We require one adult per each child under age 12.
We require two adults per each child 3 years old and under.
For your safety, we have a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest, and a combined limit of 425 lbs for two people in a tandem kayak
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Your guide will welcome you and provide brief paddling and safety instructions. Then, you’ll be off on an adventure as your tour guide leads the way around the mangrove islands, through the shallows, and to the beach. If the tide is high, your guide will lead the way through a hidden mangrove tunnel. You’ll also take a break at Shell Key's beach, where you can collect shells, take in the views, and be surrounded by nature. Your guide will be happy to take photos and make sure you have fun along the way! Be on the lookout for a manatee or the beautiful pink Roseate Spoonbills in the summer months. White Pelicans call the sandbars of Shell Key Preserve their home during the winter months! Throughout the year, dolphins frolic in the crystal-clear waters and cormorants love to swim alongside your kayak. Chances are that you’ll see a variety of wildlife, but sightings are random and not guaranteed.
What‘s Included
Safety equipment including lifejackets and whistles
Equipment including tandem kayaks, paddles, seats, and dry bags
Gratuities
While we have bottles available, we HIGHLY encourage guests to bring REUSABLE water bottles!
Options
Clear Kayak Tour
Reviews
5,693 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Conch patrol
U6974KIcarlk,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a wonderful tour with Alessia as our giude. She was knowledgeable and helpful. We saw rosy spoonbills, white pelicans, and several live conch on our tour. Was a beautiful day.
Great first time kayaking experience!
adbhutg2019,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great first time kayaking experience! Alessia was a great guide giving us detailed information of the area and the wildlife! She was also generous enough to take some pictures using her phone and Meta glasses! The shell key preserve is pristine and calm, and perfect for kayaking. Would totally recommend!
So fun
P1708GZpatk,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Less was amazing so knowledgeable great day. Saw lots of wildlife . Was super fun . Kayaking was easy don’t hesitate with small ones
Don’t miss it!
SusanD173,,Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a fantastic tour! Our guide was so knowledgeable and so enthusiastic! We saw a variety of birds, a dolphin mother teaching her baby how to leap and turn, and a snail in its gigantic shell, which our guide pulled from the bottom of the bay. Learned so much about the whole ecosystem. Highly recommend!
Amazing tour and exceptional tour guide!
nancylF2536PW,,Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing trip! The views were gorgeous- saw lots of white pelicans and tons of different egrets, osprey, and other birds. The shells were really cool. The best part of the trip was our guide, Less! She taught us so much. I am a biology professor - and was really impressed by her knowledge and all the information she shared. I would highly recommend the tour- and the guide, Alessia!
Use Get up and Go when you want a fun and informative kayak tour.
skigirl0559,,Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is the second time I have taken a get up and go kayak tour. They are a fantastic company with very informative guides. I would highly recommend any of their tours.
UNFORGETTABLE
O9349QEmariar,,Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was such an awesome tour!😃 Our tour guide Jenna helped make it a very memorable experience. I loved all the information and knowledge of history she knew and gave about the area. Also loved the information about the animals we saw . I know that it was a 2 hour tour, but it didn’t even feel that way, because it was so beautiful and even shell island. I came with three of my daughters for their birthday & it couldn’t have ended any better, to end the tour seeing a family of dolphins 🐬 So awesome. Thank you Jenna. Your great personality was amazing and so friendly and warm. I would love to go back again or refer friends ♥️ Oh and our tour was $80 per guest.
A beautiful experience.
xalynnr,,Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour guide made Jenna made this experience very enjoyable. We learned fun facts about the wildlife and preserve. We were able to explore the beach and see the sunset. I would love to do it again!
Knowledgeable Guide and Beautiful Scenic Views
929maribethc,,Dec 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a great experience! Our tour guide, Raven, was very knowledgeable and it was a great bonding experience for my son and me. We saw many marine animals and enjoyed our beach time. I would definitely recommend it to others!
11/10 experience, fun, informative, and feels like an adventure
Jessica T,,Dec 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour is so good that I’ve done it twice. This time I had Alessia and I absolutely adored her. As a wannabe marine biologist, I felt like I was living the dream through all the facts she was sharing about all the birds, marine creatures, and about the Shell Key Preserve. I did the 9am tour and the weather and water were beautiful, and this was a fantastic way to start the day. We were immediately greeted by two bottlenose dolphins, and it didn’t stop there. We saw a bald eagle and an osprey in a fight, many brown and white pelicans, so many varying birds, decorator urchin, massive shells, and more. The actual kayaking through the area is beautiful and an approachable arm workout (and obviously fun to see the sea floor through the clear kayak). When you get to land, the amount of incredible shells is CRAZY. I brought a mesh bag and filled it up with large and small incredible finds. Long story short, my face hurt from grinning so hard. 11/10 experience and a lot of that is due to Alessia (and of course the interactions we were gifted by Mother Nature).
From US$79.00
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Operated by Get Up And Go Kayaking - Tampa Bay