Venture Outdoors Reviews 

TJ was knowledgable, relaxed and made the whole experience a great one. Thanks

I did a solo kayaking lesson the other day. Astrid was thorough helpful and I had a great time so would recommend!

We booked the Manatee Discovery Tour with Venture Outdoors and would really recommend it. Our tour guide TJ was very knowledgeable about the manatees and about wildlife in general at Blue Spring State Park. We spotted several manatees as well as blue heron, alligators and yellow-bellied turtles. It was a thoroughly enjoyable tour - many thanks.

Wonderful location. Guide was very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. There was just the two of us booked onto the kayaking experience and the only other beings we came across were the locals - alligators, birds, a snake and a turtle. We had an amazing time and would thoroughly recommend.

Astrid took us on a 2 hour kayaking adventure looking for wildlife. Sadly we didn’t see manatees but we found alligators and wonderful birds. She was a wonderful knowledgable guide who made us feel safe. We would highly recommend.

TJ was a brilliant guide, made us all feel comfortable as first time kayakers, we managed to see some native birds, a few gators and some manatees. Thank you TJ for making our trip to the US that more special :)

Had an amazing time with Venture Outdoors, paddling around Blue Springs. We spotted several manatees, various native birds and even a small gator! Astrid was our guide and did a fantastic job informing us about all of the local wildlife. During our paddle we got a couple sun showers which made it that much more magical.

Highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to be immersed in the natural side of Florida. We will definitely be doing this again!

The company was extremely communicative prior to our scheduled outing, which was most helpful as the weather that day was not the best and we were driving up from South Florida for the excursion. We met Astrid our guide at the docks and she was very personable and informative. She set the expectations for the experience. As it turned out we were only a group of three so the flow of the trip was excellent. Conditions turned out to be outstanding and Astrid went out of her way to ensure that everyone had a great experience. I would definitely not hesitate to take another trip with Astrid in the future.

I would give 10 stars if possible! Astrid our guide was spectacular and the bioluminescent lagoon was extraordinary! The water was great and inviting. The night magical and so relaxing. A great end to a perfect day and best anniversary yet! A must see and do event, everyone that is able should do this, I will def recommend to all I know!! A++++

Signed up solo while the hubs was in meetings all day. This is a 3 hour guided kayak tour. Astrid, our guide for the 8 of us, was fantastic! She was knowledgeable, patient, and took the time to assist anyone that needed more assistance, as there were a couple kayak newbies in the group. She took lots of pics and videos which was awesome bc I didn’t have to keep pulling my phone in and out of the waterproof bag except for when the manatee came right up to my kayak and I took that shot! The picture package was reasonably priced there were SO many great shots and now I can share the whole experience with my friends and family. If you are on the fence. DO THIS TRIP!!! Such a great afternoon with nature!!

Our guide, Astrid, is knowledgeable of the area and of its inhabitants. We never felt like we were being rushed from place to place and could take our time to look at all there was to see…manatees, gators, and turtles! A wonderful experience!

From the initial contact, full communication, what to bring, accommodate changes, equipment, but most of all Astrid and Jimmie. This is a top notch operation, and love supporting independent operators. The St. John’s river is amazing here at the springs. Lots of wildlife, easy paddling. Manatees, bald eagles, gators of course, turtles, and many different species of birds. This was a wonderful day. Adults and kids alike enjoyed the heck out of it! I highly recommend.

This kayak adventure was a Christmas gift, and I must say we enjoyed it immensely. My wife had never kayaked before, while I had once kayaked several miles of the Marne River in France.

Blackwater Creek gets its name from the color of the water, which looks very much like freshly brewed tea. The creek source is Lake Norris, which is spring fed. However, the abundance of Cypress trees and plant life that comprises the swamp which, where navigable is called Blackwater Creek, gives the creek its name due to the tanin content of the water.

We put the kayaks in the water near the entrance to a county park near Eustis, Florida, and began paddling against a very slight current as we headed upstream toward Lake Norris. It was fairly effortless but, novices that we are we had to learn to work together to steer as we worked our way toward the lake against perhaps a 1 mile per hour current. At 9:00 AM it was still cool so we didn't see any gators on the way to the lake. Once we exited the swamp (Blackwater Creek is really just a channel through a swamp that is perhaps 10 feet wide, with trees and plants all around) and made our way into Lake Norris, we were immediately drenched in sunshine, a balmy breeze and unlimited vistas of Cypress Trees lining the shores of the lake. We explored the shoreline near the creek mouth and after about a half hour headed back to the creek.

It's surprising what a difference paddling downstream is compared to paddling against the current. Because so little paddling is required except to steer, it is incredibly quiet. The temperature had warmed considerably as the sun climbed higher in the sky, and as a result we saw several alligators, a few turtles and far more bird activity than on our way upstream.

Our Tour Guide, Astrid, was a pro. Having abandoned advanced degrees as a software engineer, her motivation is to share the importance of habitat and wildlife preservation as she encourages her kayakers to enjoy the amazing natural beauty of Florida.

This is an excellent and very safe adventure, and Blackwater Creek is quite beautiful. I highly recommend it to people of all ages. We plan to kayak on the Wekiva River to see the manatees next.

Such a wonderful experience! Astrid was both professional, knowledgeable, and super fun! We took a very pleasant tour along the river, saw some gators, lots of cool birds, and of course that bunch of manatees! 12/10 recommend!

We had an AMAZING Bioluminescence kayak trip with Astrid! We are a family of 10 (6 adults, 2 teens, and 2 children). We had both tandem and single kayaks. Astrid was SUPER professional and knowledgeable! She guided us to a nice beach, told us about the history of the area, and taught us about the science of the bioluminescent plankton. Astrid was checking on all of us and helped those that were a bit behind. We felt very safe with her. Thank you Astrid for the amazing experience!

We had a great , memorable experience. The scenery was breath taking. We saw many different animals , trees, flowers etc..Astrid our tour guide was fantastic.From the first moment she made us feel good and comfortable . She was very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. We really enjoyed her company and hope to have her on the next kayaking trip.I’ll highly recommend this adventure. Specially with Astrid.

The bioluminescent kayak tour is amazing and unforgettable. Thank you to Astrid for providing great information and being a kind and considerate guide.

Wauw- what a Day with Astrid. We had the most beautiful Day in a 8 mile tour in a kayak. We Saw so many differend birds, alligators and was so lucky with manatees. The Nature we sailed was stunnig.
Astrid is a very competent guide. Highest recommentions from us.