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Florida

Back to Nature: Kayaking the Waterways of Florida

Program No. 22647RJ

The Florida coastline boasts beautiful nature reserves and some of the finest kayaking in America. Kayak through mangroves and wetlands to search for wildlife with expert naturalists.

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Protecting the Environment

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6 days

5 nights

13 meals

5B 4L 4D

Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation

Cocoa Beach, FL

Nature Talk, Kayaking Thousand Islands Conservation Area

Cocoa Beach, FL

Kennedy Space Center, Night Paddle

Cocoa Beach, FL

Indian River Paddle

Cocoa Beach, FL

Paddle Turkey Creek, Farewell Dinner

Cocoa Beach, FL

Lecture, Program Concludes

Cocoa Beach, FL

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At a Glance

The mangroves, wetland canals and abundance of wildlife make Florida’s Space Coast one of the premier kayaking sites in America. Join expert naturalists and kayak instructors to explore this sublime wilderness on a kayaking adventure suitable for all skill levels. Search for an array of wildlife and learn what makes this unspoiled ecosystem such a thriving habitat. Kayak through wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves, including the remarkable 1,000 Islands and the Turkey Creek Sanctuary. Discover why this region of Florida is known as the Space Coast with a visit to Kennedy Space Center.

Activity Level

Outdoor: Spirited

Walking up to 2 miles a day and kayaking 3-4 hours a day in breezy conditions on coastal paddles. Kayaking is appropriate for beginner and intermediate levels.

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

Kayak with naturalists through Florida’s mangroves to view wading birds, dolphins, ospreys and manatees.
Bask in the gentle glow of Cocoa Beach's comb jellies by moonlight during a nighttime paddle.
View the Saturn V rocket and watch a re-creation of the Apollo 11 moon landing on a field trip to Kennedy Space Center.

General Notes

Due to a limitations in the number of kayaks we can provide, we kindly ask couples and friends to kayak together in tandem kayaks. Single kayaks will be reserved for solo travelers. Everyone will be in tandems during the evening paddle.

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Anita Allen

Anita Allen grew up in Indiana and now lives in Coral Springs, Florida. She earned her BA in zoology and MAs in environmental science and geography. She worked for many years in environmental protection and water management along with assisting with sports specialty travel groups around the world. Anita now leads groups for Road Scholar in Florida. When not leading groups, she enjoys running, kayaking and taking photographs.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Anita Allen View biography

Ashley Konan View biography

Ashley Konan, a dedicated advocate for nature, has called Florida home for a decade. Having earned a B.S. in animal science from the University of Vermont, Ashley has traversed a diverse professional landscape, serving as a zookeeper at three different zoos, leading kayak adventures on the Indian River Lagoon, and contributing to the preservation of the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River system. Ashley's academic pursuits continue with a master's degree through Project Dragonfly at Miami University.

Gabbie Milch View biography

Gabrielle Milch works for the St Johns Riverkeeper, a nonprofit advocate for clean water. She is also a supervisor for the Seminole County Soil and Water Conservation District. She has worked as an outreach and program coordinator for the St Johns River Water Management District. She is a graduate of Rollins College with a B.A. in environmental studies; she also did master's work at the University of Florida in agricultural education and communications. She loves paddling Florida’s waters, photography, and nature hikes.

Ashley Konon View biography

Ashley Konon has traversed a diverse professional landscape, serving as a zookeeper at three different zoos, leading kayak adventures on the Indian River Lagoon, and currently contributing to the preservation of the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River system. She earned a B.S. in animal science from the University of Vermont and a master's degree through Project Dragonfly at Miami University. Whether caring for wildlife, guiding on the water, or championing conservation, Ashley's passion lies in fostering a connection between people and the natural world.

Suggested Reading List (6 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

Search for a Title

Back to Nature: Kayaking the Waterways of Florida

Program Number: 22647

Canoeing & Kayaking Florida

by Johnny Molloy

ompletely updated yet again, the latest edition of Canoeing & Kayaking Florida is the most comprehensive guide to the best of Florida's unique streams, springs, creeks, and rivers. Engaging and concise, yet filled with carefully selected details vital to any successful Florida paddling adventure, Canoeing & Kayaking Florida spares readers encyclopedic fluff in favor of practical, no-nonsense information. With expanded regional maps and revised river maps, Canoeing & Kayaking Florida is simply the best and most informative Florida paddling guide available.

Birds of Central Florida: A Guide to Common & Notable Species (Quick Reference Guides)

by Larry Manfredi

Birds of Central Florida covers the area from Ormond Beach south to Sebastian on the east coast and from Crystal River south to Punta Gorda on the west coast. This waterproof guide beautifully illustrates 124 species of birds that can be found in Central Florida. Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Florida Scrub Jay, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Wood Stork, Snail Kite, Limpkin, Mangrove Cuckoo, Gray Kingbird are some of the “specialties” included in this guide. This pocket-sized guide features color photos in a side-by-side format that makes it ideal for field use. It includes common and scientific names, length, wing span and season when these birds can be seen. Nature enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy using this guide.

A History of the Kennedy Space Center

by Kenneth Lipartito

This first comprehensive history of the Kennedy Space Center, NASA's famous launch facility located at Cape Canaveral, Florida, reveals the vital but largely unknown work that takes place before the rocket is lit.

Explorer's Guide Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach & Florida's Space Coast

by Dianne Marcum

Visitors and residents alike will enjoy exploring Brevard County, a recreational paradise where the high-tech space program exists alongside amazing natural areas like the Indian River Lagoon estuary; the most diverse marine estuary in the U.S. Comprehensive listings make this your most informative and entertaining vacation-planning tool. Full-color photographs throughout

North Brevard County, FL

by John T. Manning Ed. D

The early pioneer settlement of LaGrange Community in Brevard County in 1858 pre-dated the missile launches on North Merritt Island by just one hundred years. During that span of time, the northern part of Brevard County underwent significant growth and development--homes were built, land farmed, businesses established, and churches built. The citrus industry provided North Brevard with a productive agricultural economy that remained strong until the advent of the space age. With the federal government's purchase of the land north of the port of Canaveral in the 1950s, the Cape Canaveral Missile Test Center was established. Later, when more land was needed, the Kennedy Space Center was built on North Merritt Island. Many North Brevard towns, communities, and homesteads disappeared when the governmental acquisition of land forced residents to relocate, but it was this new era of technology that helped shift North Brevard from the farm age to the space age.

Cocoa Beach, FL (TAN) (Then and Now)

by Wade Arnold

Cocoa Beach welcomes millions of visitors every year, but the city has always managed to keep a small town atmosphere. In 1940, it was a cozy little waterfront town with less than 50 people. A few years after World War II, America’s space race began, and the city was never the same.

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Back to Nature: Kayaking the Waterways of Florida

Enroll with Confidence

Protecting the Environment

At a Glance

Best of all, you’ll…

General Notes

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