Neal Preserve 2-Hour Pedal Kayak Tour
Pedal through seagrass beds and mangrove tunnels on a 2-mile Neal Preserve tour
Duration
2 hours
Includes
Guide, dry bags, pedal kayak
Highlights
Explore the waterways surrounding Neal Preserve on a guided pedal kayak tour. Cruise over seagrass beds and through narrow mangrove tunnel trails on an out-and-back route of about 2 miles.
- Pedal across open water with an ACA certified guide
- Explore shaded mangrove tunnels and shallow water trails
- Convert your pedal kayak into a traditional kayak in shallow areas
- Travel roughly 2 miles round trip in about 2 hours
- Choose single or tandem pedal kayaks for your group
What's Included
- Pedal kayak
- ACA certified guide
- Dry bag
Things to know
You must have full use of your legs to use the pedal kayaks. Children under 15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tours may be canceled or rescheduled due to weather.
Cancellation Policy
Full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Full refund if the operator cancels due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. No-shows will be charged the full price.
FAQs
Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled start time for a safety briefing and equipment tutorial.
Meet at the public boat launch at the east end of the bridge adjacent to Neal Preserve (an unpaved sand parking lot). Do not meet inside Neal Preserve. Look for a bright blue kayak trailer with a blue camouflage pattern.
No. There are no restroom facilities at the launch site. You can use the Porta Potty at the entrance of Neal Preserve before you arrive at the launch.
Meeting details
12378 Manatee Ave. West, Bradenton, FL 34209
More about Neal Preserve
Neal Preserve sits at the northern tip of Anna Maria Island, where the waters of Tampa Bay meet the quiet mangrove channels of Perico Bayou. This 120-acre coastal preserve is one of the most pristine stretches of natural Florida shoreline in Manatee County, a protected mosaic of mangrove forests, salt marshes, and shallow seagrass flats that shelter an extraordinary variety of wildlife. Paddling here means trading the busy beaches and beach bars for birdsong, the soft splash of your pedal kayak, and wide open views across the bay toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the distance.
The pedal kayak tour through Neal Preserve lets you glide hands-free through narrow mangrove tunnels and out into the open bayou, where dolphins often surface nearby and manatees graze on seagrass below. Because your hands stay free, you can keep binoculars or a camera ready as ospreys dive for mullet, roseate spoonbills wade through the shallows, and yellow-crowned night herons watch from the mangrove roots. Your guide points out the small details that make Neal Preserve so distinctive, including the oyster bars, the tangle of red mangrove prop roots that nurse juvenile fish, and the way the tide reshapes the channels hour by hour. The pedal kayaks are stable and easy to maneuver, which makes the slow exploration of these protected waters feel effortless even on a breezy afternoon.
This experience is ideal for nature lovers, photographers, families with older kids, and travelers who want to see a side of Anna Maria Island that most visitors miss. Couples looking for a peaceful morning on the water and active adventurers who prefer pedaling to paddling will both feel at home here. If you want a memorable, low-impact way to connect with the wild heart of the Gulf Coast, a guided pedal kayak tour through Neal Preserve is a beautiful place to start.
