
Orlando Canoe Spot: Explore the Wekiva River
Grab your friends, grab your picnic basket, and head for some gorgeous Orlando canoe fun.
November is the perfect month in Florida for canoeing. It’s warm by noon and balmy with cool air in the evenings. It’s the perfect season to be outside, and Orlando has several lovely spots to rent canoes and kayaks. My favorite is King’s Landing.
King’s Landing is near Rock Springs park in Apopka, (about 35 minutes north of Orlando.) It’s a great spot to jump in the crystal clear Wekiva River. It’s rustic and full of mostly locals.
Saturdays the water gets a little crowded near the initial drop in point, but you’ll quickly be on your own once you get going on the river. Any day of the week you’ll find plenty of privacy on the river and feel truly immersed in nature. In your boat, you’ll step back in time to when the Indians paddled through the forests of Florida.
What You’ll See: Beautiful Florida River
If you jump in and go down river, you’ll come to some beautiful wide open spaces on the river where your canoe will soar across pools of lily pads. Either way you go, you’ll find beautiful areas to explore and a jungle feel with abandoned trees and mysterious water tunnel areas.
Wildlife: Florida in Its Natural State
We’ve heard talk of alligators, but haven’t seen one in ten years. You will see plenty of birds and fish. Since there’s decent traffic, larger wildlife will mostly leave you alone as you paddle your canoe.The little blue herons, wood storks and other birds will be within arms length. (Be kind, and leave them alone.)
On the way back from your canoe trip, make sure to drag your canoe up on the sand bank, grab the rope swing and fly over the river and jump. Come on, you’re never too old for a rope swing, right?
All Day Option: For the Truly Ambitious
King’s Landing also offers a pickup service, if you want to (ambitiously) set out to do the full 8.5 mile long run. You need to arrive by 11am for this, and then the friendly staff will come fetch you at 2:30 or 4:00pm. (It’s about double the price for this all day deal.)
Pricing—What an Orlando Canoe Trip Costs:
Price to be independent and canoe & around however you like all day:
Canoe—$20 for a canoe for 3 people.
Kayaks—1 person $30 / 2 person $40
River Run Trip with pickup shuttle after you finish:
Canoe—$40 for up to 3 people
Kayak—$40 1 person
Kayak—$50 for 2 person
Address:
5722 Baptist Camp Road
Apopka, Florida 32712
(407) 886-0859
For Large Groups:
Please leave a Message at
(407) 886-0859
For Emergency Problems:
Bob Loomis – (407) 949-1866
Steve Loomis – (407) 467-8290
Hours:
Open Wed – Sun: 7 am – 6 pm
For an Orlando canoe trip you’ll remember for years, come to the Wekiva river. It’s more peaceful (and cheaper) than a big, busy, exhausting waterpark full of tourists.
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