Explore One of Sarasota’s Best Kept Secrets

One of Sarasota’s best kept secrets is Ted Sperling Park on Lido Key. It’s located on the southern tip of Lido Key, and the park provides many unique opportunities for nature lovers to explore both on land and by kayak. And if you’re looking to see dolphins and manatees, look no further, you’ve found your perfect spot!

Sarasota’s Best Kept Secrets

Sometimes, some of the best places to see manatees aren’t very publicized. That’s the case with Lido Key. Locals and tourists alike have discovered that this area is well liked by manatees due to its shallow grassy waters. If you’re out on a kayak tour, you can usually spot them. And these manatees definitely have no qualms about swimming right up to your kayak, they’re so used to seeing them at this quiet location.

Adventure Kayak Outfitters launch location on Lido Key is perfect for kayakers looking for adventure. Not only does it have the exotic mangrove tunnels offering a few different paths to explore. But it also has many picturesque views and of course many different types of native wildlife, both aquatic and airborne.

Sarasota’s Best Kept Secrets

Ted Sperling Park isn’t only home to manatees, but also native dolphins. They are often seen frolicking about, and they too aren’t shy. Many times they seem to be putting on a show for us or will follow our kayaks around for a bit. They’re so much fun to watch playing around in the water!

When you take a kayak tour with our experienced native guides, they can help to point out both dolphins and manatees, and take you to the spots you’re most likely to see them. While we can’t control nature, we usually do see them on our tours. It’s best to keep your eyes peeled and not miss anything. Our tours will definitely provide a memory to last a lifetime!

Kayak in Paradise with Adventure Kayak Outfitters

When you take a kayak tour with Adventure Kayak Outfitters along Sarasota’s Lido Key, you’re taking a little kayak in paradise. Sarasota is world famous for its Siesta Key Beach, but along the Gulf of Mexico is this hidden treasure called Lido Key, a beautiful little estuary in Sarasota Bay, which is home to many different types of wildlife, and we are proud to show it all off on our kayak tours.

kayak in paradise

Sarasota Bay is located between the keys (or barrier islands) which separate the Gulf of Mexico from the mainland of Florida, making it so popular for guided kayak tours. This is mainly due to the marine life that lives here and the many mangrove islands which protect it. In the local ecosystem you can find dolphins breaching, and manatees; that not only enjoy the shallow water and canal systems, but enjoy eating the sea grass the shallow water provides.

In addition to the manatees and dolphins, there are plenty of native birds such as pelicans, herons, egrets, osprey, roseate spoonbills, hawks and bald eagles. You can often see snook, sheepshead, pufferfish, sea stars and many other fish which these birds feed upon too.

Once you head into the protective and exotic mangrove tunnels, a whole other world awaits. It’s quiet and filled with nature at the same time. The shallow waters are filled with crabs, as well as crabs crawling upon the mangrove branches; there are fish and snails in the water too. It’s a learning experience for sure. Our experienced native Floridian guides will fill you in on all there is to see and learn about. By the time you’re done, you will become well acquainted with the creatures that call this ecosystem home!

The original Adventure Kayak Outfitters launch location on Lido Key in Sarasota is just minutes from Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice. Book your tour today, and don’t forget your camera!

End Of Summer Events

There’s no shortage of end of summer events in Sarasota. Even when summer is winding down, there are always plenty of fun things to do in and around Sarasota. Whether you are spending the day at the beach or out on a kayak, Sarasota is the place where summer never really ends!

 

End Of Summer Events

 

If you missed out on your chance to help the beaches with the most recent beach clean-up, there’s another volunteer based clean up event located at the Celery fields, and another at Oscar Scherer State Park. Both take place on Saturday September 22nd.

For those not familiar with the Celery Fields, it’s a place loved by locals for running due to its hill. The clean-up will focus on the mound (hill) by removing nuisance plants and weeds. Volunteers are encouraged to bring pruners, gloves, hats sunscreen, water and bug spray. For more information, check out the event here.

September 22nd is also a great day to take advantage of $7.00 admission to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.  Mote Marine is an independent, nonprofit marine research institution, with world-class marine scientists who are committed to the belief that conservation and sustainable use of our oceans is done through research and education.  Florida residents can enjoy discounted admission the whole month of September. Their research not only focuses on understanding the population dynamics of dolphins, manatees, sea turtles and sharks. But also on the conservation and restoration efforts which relate to these species and ecosystems.  Mote Aquarium is located at 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy., Sarasota, FL 34236.

Also on September 22nd is free admission to the Ringling during the Smithsonian’s annual Museum Day!  For more information and to print your tickets follow this link.

Now’s your chance to check out the amazing Sarasota Ski-A-Rees! They’re back in action for their fall season beginning on September 30th! They have free shows which take place every Sunday at 2pm, you don’t want to miss it, and they’re spectacular!

We Love What We Do and It Shows – See Our Reviews

Adventure Kayak Outfitters is the most experienced outfitter for kayak tours and kayak rentals in Sarasota, Bradenton, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island and Venice.

Check out what some of our clients have to say about their experiences with us.

Best Kayak Tour

Adventure Kayak Outfitters Tours & Rentals Google Reviews 4.9 out of 5 stars with 102 reviews.

After doing much research on kayaking places while vacationing in Longboat Key, we decided on the Adventure Kayak Outfitters tour. This tour offered everything we wanted to do. We have a large family, a 17-year-old girl, 14-year-old boy, 11-year-old twin boys, and a 10-year-old boy. And this was by far the cheapest place by almost $100.00!!! We had three tandem kayaks and one single. We had Dan as our tour guide and he was very knowledgeable, laid-back, patient and fun! We unfortunately did not see any dolphin but we did see some Manatee along with lots of birds. We took the 2 pm tour, so I’m sure that had something to do with not seeing dolphins. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants to do some kayaking in the mangroves of Florida and see some wildlife and saving tons of money!!!– Kelly A

Five of us had a wonderful tour with Dan! We came from all over the country, including Florida, and our group included expert and less experienced boaters. We had a great time and learned a lot. The highlight had to be seeing a manatee with her two babies!– Roseanne C.

Amazing! I’ve been kayaking a few times before but this was hands down one of the best experiences. We kayaked through mangrove tunnels, watched cormorants dive around us, and saw a momma and baby manatee in the bay! Our guide was very knowledgable about the area we were kayaking in and the wildlife. – Ali M.

These and many other Google Reviews just like it for Adventure Kayak Outfitters Tours  & Rentals can be found here.

Adventure Kayak Outfitters Yelp Reviews 5 out of 5 stars with 8 reviews.

Dan was a great tour guide. Very efficient process, immediately saw pods of manatees, comorants and Covina. Mangrove tunnels are unique experience. Went through 3 tunnels. Dan was very knowledgeable and concerned for the environment. – Susan S.

Incredible tour! Our guide, Dan, was very knowledgeable and spent the extra time to stop and look for manatees and dolphins. We went in May which was the perfect weather and a perfect tour group size. – Meg S.

These and many other Yelp Reviews just like it for Adventure Kayak Outfitters can be found here

Adventure Kayak Outfitters loves what we do and it shows in our fantastic tours by our expert guides. Give us a call at (941) 779-7426 or book a tour online today!

February Events in Sarasota

February is an exciting month full of events in Sarasota! After you’ve enjoyed yourself kayaking on the beautiful waters of Lido Key, explore the island with these fun things to do!
Sarasota Events

The Sarasota Ski-A-Rees are back for another exciting season with their water ski team! Free shows take place on Sunday’s at 2pm. The Sarasota Ski-A-Rees a non-profit organization. Membership in the organization is open to youth interested in learning about and developing skills related to water skiing and water safety, and to adults who desire to educate, coach and supervise these youth.

The 30th Annual Downtown Sarasota Festival of the Arts takes place Saturday February 10th and Sunday February 11th from 10am -5pm on Main St. in Sarasota, FL. Admission to this outdoor art show is free! Sunshine Artist Magazine consistently ranks this as one of the top 100 Fine Art Shows and is one of the area’s biggest and best art events. Meet some of the best artists in the nation, displaying life-size sculptures, spectacular paintings, one-of-a-kind jewels, photography and more.

Thunder by the Bay is rolling back into Sarasota from February 15-18. This event continues to honor veterans, active duty military and first responders at this 2 day festival. It is full of events around Fruitville, the Sarasota Fair Grounds, and Main Street. This year, there is also full service camping available at the Sarasota Fair Grounds.  From a wide variety of live music, to bike shows, food vendors, and block parties, there is plenty to do all weekend long! Check out the schedule of events here.

Don’t miss the 24th Annual Siesta Key Craft Festival on Saturday February 24th and Sunday February 265th from 10am -5pm on Ocean Blvd in Sarasota, FL. Take in the sand and sea as you discover beautiful creations from over 100 crafters exhibiting and selling their work in this outdoor gallery which is sure to be a spectacular festival!

Fun Events in Sarasota in January

There’s no shortage of fun events in Sarasota during the winter months, or in “season” as the locals like to call the winter months. January is a month full of festivals and events to get the New Year started off right. With average high temperatures between 71-75 degrees during winter months, it’s the perfect time to take in some festivals.

Spring Training

Single game tickets for all 16 games at Ed Smith Stadium are on sale now! Ed Smith Stadium, the spring training home to the Baltimore Orioles, will have their opening game in February.  If the Oriels aren’t your team, right down the road in Bradenton are the Pittsburgh Pirates at Lecom Park. Both teams kick off spring training with games on February 23rd.

3rd Annual Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival

The Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival will be held the weekend of January 20th. The event takes place on Gulfstream and Main, near JD Hamel Park. General admission is free, as well as downtown weekend parking.

There will be plenty of seafood dishes to choose from such as grouper, mahi-mahi, stone crabs, oysters, shrimp, soft-shell crabs and more. It is also meat and vegetarian friendly as well. Plus there will be an array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Some of Florida’s top musical groups will be performing live onstage in such genres as R&B, rock, soul, jazz and Caribbean to entertain us as we dine!

Festival hours are 10am-6pm both Saturday and Sunday.

15th Annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival

Every year the Annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival is listed in Sunshine Artist Magazine’s top art shows in the country. The festival has a large gathering and has easily become a favorite in Sarasota County.

Admission is free. The event is located in St. Armands Circle in Sarasota, FL, and takes place Saturday January 27th and Sunday January 28th from 10am – 5pm.Fun Events in Sarasota

Happy Customer Review We Just Had To Share

We love what we do, and love that our clients can see our enthusiasm. We got this review in our inbox and thought it would be great to share it!

review

Jennie O
“Review on your great kayak tour guide Dan
Sorry this is a few months late but wanted to let you know what a great tour my 22yr old daughter & I had in mid August at your Taft Dr. location. I also put a review on tripadvisor today…
We didn’t have reservations but lucked into it being a quiet morning (Florida kids just returned to school I think) and Dan being available to take us on a great tour of Sarasota Bay near St. Armands/Lido area. He was not only fun, but gave us great info about the bay, its plant and sealife and much more. We lucked out that day and not only saw 2-3 manatees up close (they came to us) at the entrance of one of the inlets that goes through Lido key near St Armands but also a 25 min display of dolphins “sharking” a school of fish. Dan made sure we kept far enough back to not disturb the manatees or dolphins but had a running commentary on what was going on and was just as excited as we were.
My parents have lived full time in Sarasota for 30 years and just moved to a retirement community near St. Armands and I’ve never had such fun on the water. Please tell Dan how much we enjoyed his interesting and informative tour and hope to see him again on future visits to do more kayaking. That day is one of those “We’ll remember this the rest of our lives” times!

I’ll also recommend your company to my many family members who love coming to beautiful Sarasota.”

review

Kayaking is a great way to get up close and personal to some of nature’s most beautiful creatures and locations. We are lucky here in Sarasota Bay to have dolphins, manatees, as well as beautiful native birds and gorgeous landscape. See some of our other reviews on Trip Advisor and Facebook. To schedule a kayak tour, visit us online and save $5.oo.

kayak review

 

Things to do in Sarasota (Part 4)

Are you looking for fun things to do in Sarasota during the Fourth of July weekend? Sarasota is the place to be, there’s plenty of fun filled events, including fireworks, and boat races!

Sarasota Grand Prix Events

Thursday – June 29

Celebrate the Grand Prix with their Festival Kickoff Party. The party takes place from 6-10pm at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens.

Friday – June 30

Powerboats will be on display throughout downtown Sarasota in the “BOATS ON MAIN” Downtown Block Party. Visitors have the chance to meet the race teams; there will also be food, drinks, and music!

Saturday – July 1

The Grand Prix Fan Fest will take place in the Van Wezel Parking Lot. There you can see the teams preparing for the race, and watch the race live from underneath a tent. There will be food, music, a full bar and many vendors. And the Miss Powerboat P1 Swimsuit Contest begins at 1pm.

Qualifying Races run from 9:30am – 3:30pm at Lido Beach.

Sunday – July 2

Sunday features another Grand Prix Fan Fest, this one is at Centennial Park and includes food, music, a full bar and many vendors as well as the ability to view the races from underneath a tent.

Powerboat races run from 9:15am- 4:00pm with the best viewing on Lido Beach.

The full schedule of events can be found here.

Fireworks

Sarasota Fireworks

Tuesday – July 4

The Bayfront Fireworks Spectacular begin around 9pm; this marks the end of the Sarasota Grand Prix Festival. Fireworks can be viewed from anywhere downtown.

The 27th Annual 4th of July Fireworks on Siesta Key begin around 9:15pm. They are launched from the north near the volleyball courts, so viewing is best south of the Public Beach, and on Crescent Beach. Of course either of the Sarasota fireworks displays can be viewed from the Gulf, or the Intracoastal Waterway. Keep in mind that these are popular events, so plan ahead for crowds.

You can always ditch the fireworks and fanfare and spend time with family, at a cookout, on America’s Best Beach, or better yet, hop on a kayak and spend a beautiful day on the water! You won’t be disappointed.

We wish you all a safe, and fun filled Independence Day!

 

Things to do in Sarasota (Part 3)

Valentine's DayThings to do in Sarasota (Part 3)

Many visitors feel that Sarasota is a place to get away from it all and relax. Yes, that might be true for some, but others, love our beautiful area for all it has to offer. We have nightlife; you can relax at the beach, we have shopping galore, and plenty of water sports.

After a fun filled day on the water, what else can you do some may wonder. Located in close proximity to downtown Sarasota is Siesta Key Village. The village is everything you’d expect from a beach town. It is quirky, quaint and fun. There are plenty of places to stop and get a drink, eat, and of course, plenty of shopping!

If you’re going to be in Sarasota for Valentine’s Day, you won’t want to miss their Valentine Stroll. On February 14th, EVERYONE GETS A KISS. Yup, you read that right; all you have to do is look for pink and red balloons at participating merchants. There will be live music throughout the Village, and those merchants participating will be distributing candy kisses! There’s no need to worry about parking, there will be a pedi cab as well as golf carts taking you from the Siesta Public Beach parking lot to the Village.

A little later in the month, head on down to Ocean Boulevard and Beach Road to take part in the 23rd  Annual Siesta Key Craft Festival. The festival features more than 100 crafters showing and selling their work in an outdoor gallery. If you want it, you can probably find it with everything from jewelry to artwork. You don’t want to miss this. The festival takes place on the weekend of the 25th.

 


		


				


	



	

			

					
Things to do in Sarasota  (part 2)

		
		


		
				

			

		

			
Having fun doesn’t have to cost money. There are so many things to do in the Sarasota area, and since you can’t put a price on happiness, here are a few things you can do in Siesta Key that are free!


Go to the Beach!Siesta Key Beach Sarasota


Our beaches are free! There is no charge to get into the beach, or to park your car in the lot. This is

pretty amazing because Siesta Beach has some of the finest, whitest and in the world. The water is also very calm and clear which makes it perfect for swimming. Grab your sunblock, a towel, a good book and anything else you need to complete your perfect beach day. Stay through till the evening to see one of the best sunsets on the west coast!


Collect Shells


Anther fun thing to do is to collect shells. Turtle Beach on the south end of Siesta Key will have the most shells on the island. Shells can be found on all of Siesta Key’s beaches (Siesta Beach, Crescent Beach and Turtle Beach), but Turtle Beach has more due to its location, and because it’s much less crowded than Siesta Beach.


Go Diving


Also located on the southern end of Siesta Key is Point of Rocks. This is arguably the best place on the west coast of Florida for snorkeling. There are more than 100 yards of limestone ledges to explore. The calm waters make for a perfect beginner dive. Parking can be difficult, so it is best to go in early morning and get a spot at beach access No. 12. Parking spots are limited and are usually filled by mid-morning.


Stay tuned to catch our next edition of “Things to do in Sarasota”.

		


				


	


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