Make the Most Of Kayaking Anna Maria Island With Happy Paddler Kayak Tours

During my search for kayaking on Anna Maria Island, I came across Happy Paddler Kayak Tours. I was looking for something that was family-friendly and their Coastal Island tour sounded like the perfect outdoor adventure! What better way to soak in all of that Florida sunshine than spending the day kayaking on Anna Maria Island.

❤️A special thank you to Happy Paddler Kayak Tours & Ecoventures for the discount we received for our family on the Coastal Island Tour.❤️

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Kayaking on Anna Maria Island

The weather during our stay wasn’t exactly “Florida-like.” All week it was in the low 60’s, with only two days when it was going to be in the low 70’s. When I saw the warmer days, I knew we had to be outside as much as possible before we headed home. Home meant back to reality, and reality meant temperatures hovering around 0 degrees.

Happy is an Understatement

Our family had ever been kayaking before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Before our trip, I had been communicating with Shane, one of the co-owners of Happy Paddler. He was very helpful, answered all of my questions, and put my mind at ease about kayaking with small children.

Coastal Island Kayak Tour 

We arrived at 9:40 a.m. for our 10:00 a.m. launch. They offered a dry box for our keys, phones, camera, or anything else that we didn’t want to get wet. Then we met our guide, Alan, who gave us a brief run-through before we launched. He went over things like what to expect, where we were going, and how to paddle so you don’t get blisters on your hands (Trust me, listen to him!). We got fitted for life jackets, were handed paddles, and made our way down to the water. 

Since there are five of us- two adults and three kids- we rode in two tandem kayaks. If you are worried about getting in a kayak without tipping, don’t be! They have a floating launch platform which is perfect for getting in and out of the kayak. It has a special section to slide the kayak in so you are able get in without tipping or getting wet. No trying to balance while you sit because there is a handle for you to hold on to as you get comfortable. After we all made it into our kayaks, away we went!

This is REAL Florida

As we set out on our adventure, we made our way through Bishop Bayou. Throughout the bayou we were able to see crabs, starfish, and seahorses in the shallow water below us. Native birds were perched watching our every move as we passed by.

Entering Sarasota Bay, which is part of the Inter-Coastal Waterway, we passed by a tree filled with Brown Pelicans, basking in the sun. It was amazing to see because when you think of pelicans you don’t envision them perched in a tree.

Even though we kept our eyes peeled for dolphins, we only saw one briefly out in the distance. As we continued out, we reached our final destination known as Beer Can Island. 

Beer Can Island, also known as Hooked Spit or Greer Island Park, is located at the northern tip of Longboat Key, at Longboat Pass drawbridge. It is undeveloped, untouched, and absolutely beautiful.

As we walked around the island, our children were excited to see so many shells in all different shapes and sizes. They were elated when another person in our tour gave them a sand dollar she had just found.

Even though we were just across the pass from Coquina Beach, it seemed like we were worlds away from everyone else. The old trees, some of which had fallen into the water, were covered in algae that swayed with each breaking wave.

The trees that were lucky enough to still be standing were wrapped with all different shades of colorful barnacles.

Every little thing added to the allure of this small untouched part of nature.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Before we knew it, our time on the island had come to an end. As we made our way back, we were now paddling into the wind. Alan hung back and offered help to anyone who might need it. We just kept paddling until we made the turn back into Bishop Bayou, then the wind wasn’t coming directly at us. 

All in all, the Coastal Island Tour lasted for about 2 1/2 – 3 hours. We had such a great time kayaking on Anna Maria Island. Alan was one of the best guides we have ever had the pleasure of being led by. He was born and raised in Sarasota, and has been on the water his entire life. He knew all about the wildlife we saw and answered any questions we may have had.

Our kids couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had and were already making plans to do it again before we even left the parking lot. Kayaking on Anna Maria Island will for sure go down as one of our family’s favorite adventures while in Florida. 

Check out our list of Over 30 Incredible Ocean Themed Books, Games and Resources

Know Before You Go

• Website: https://www.happypaddler.com
• Address: Happy Paddler launches from several locations including Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Lido Key, Bradenton and Sarasota. For our Island Coastal tour, we met at the Whitney Beach Plaza at the north end of Longboat Key.
• Email: info@happypaddler.com
• Tour Info: https://happypaddler.com/tours-anna-maria-longboat-key-sarasota-ami/ Happy Paddler offers a wide variety of Anna Maria Island kayak tours such as: Coastal Island Tour, Spectacular Sunset Tour, Mangrove Kayak Tour, and a Kayak Fishing Carter. Along with water activities like kayak and SUP rentals, and lessons.
• Social Media:Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
• Happy Paddler supplies you with clean, and non-tippy, kayaks, paddles, and life jackets.
• Use the restroom before you hop in your kayak!
• Make sure you “dress to get wet” because after all, you are in the water. You might want to bring a towel and/or a change of clothes for the ride home, just in case.
• Don’t forget to bring sun protection, drinks, and any snacks you might need. They did offer ice-cold waters if someone needed one.

Our Favorite Company for Kayaking on Anna Maria Island

People say that “Happiness is doing what you love” and I can assure you that everyone that works at Happy Paddler loves what they do.

If you are ever near Anna Maria Island, or Long Boat Key, make sure you book a tour with Happy Paddler Kayak Tours & Ecoventures. Tell them we sent you! We will for sure be booking another tour the next time we are in town. 

Don’t forget to read about our other Florida vacation adventures: 

• Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium (Sarasota)
• Sand & Sea Vacation Rental; family friendly! (Anna Maria Island)
• Bradenton Beach Marina; Eco Dolphin Tour (Anna Maria Island)
• EVOS Restaurant (South Tampa)
• How Our Family Of 5 Flew Roundtrip To Florida For Less Than $325
• The Ultimate Guide to ZooTampa at Lowry Park (Tampa)
• Top 10 Toddler Friendly Rides at LEGOLAND Florida (Winter Haven)
• Step Back In Time At The South Florida Museum (Bradenton)