10 Best Bioluminescence Kayaking Florida Tours 2025

My Top 3 Picks: Bioluminescence Kayaking Florida

#1 TOP PICK

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bioluminescence Kayak Tour
✔️ 650+ 5 star reviews
✔️ 2 hours kayaking
✔️ Cocoa Beach

↳ Book it

#2 PICK

Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour
✔️ 2 person kayaks available
✔️ Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge
✔️ 1.5 hours

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#3 PICK

Manatees/Sunset/
Bioluminescence Tour
✔️ 2 hours kayaking
✔️ See lots of wildlife
✔️ Beautiful sunset

↳ Book it

1. Bioluminescence Kayak Tour

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (650+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours |
📍 WHERE: Cocoa Beach | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

The best and most popular bioluminescence kayaking tour in Florida is the Bioluminescence Kayak Tour with a staggering 650+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews.

Bioluminescence Kayak Tour will take you on an adventure through the waters around Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, to see the fascinating bioluminescence in the water.

As you paddle, the blue water will start to glow brighter, creating an enchanting atmosphere.

The water glows due to the dinoflagellates, also known as planktons, which are tiny microorganisms that react with an illuminating glow when moved. By moving your kayak, the glow will become bright and light up the water around you.

It’s like something out of a dream, as I said earlier, it’s up there with seeing the Northern Lights, and seeing it in real life is a true pinch-yourself moment.

Seeing the water glow as I moved my paddle is one of my favourite memories from my months in Florida.

In addition to the glowing water, a highlight of this tour is the possibility of seeing manatees or dolphins swimming about, as they are common in this area.

Taking this small-group tour is the best way to experience this intriguing phenomenon, as your tour guide is an expert at knowing which spots will have the best and brightest bioluminescence.

The guides are also great at spotting any dolphins or manatees in the water.

Florida is one of the few places around the world where you can experience bioluminescence while kayaking, making it an incredibly unique tour.

I’m so glad I added it to my Floridian itinerary, and I recommend it to everyone I speak to.

Bioluminescence Kayak Tour is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it’s more than worth doing on your next Florida trip.

2. Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

⭐RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (500+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 1.5 hours |
📍 WHERE: Merrit Island Refuge | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

A close second for these bioluminescence kayaking Florida tours is the Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge which also has more than 500 positive reviews!

Experience the rare phenomenon of bioluminescence by taking the Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and I promise you, you won’t regret it.

This hour-and-a-half guided tour will lead you to paddle through Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge which is a protected wetlands area.

This tour is a great option because it goes through the protected nature area, so there is very little light pollution.

The dark sky makes for the perfect atmosphere to see the bioluminescence glow brightly as you paddle along. Watching the water sparkle and glow a bright blue colour is truly mesmerizing and an incredible experience.

Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is great for all levels of experience, whether you are an expert kayaker or if it is your first time in a kayak as it’s not very strenuous, and is more about getting out on the water to see the bioluminescence rather than actually kayaking.

The tour includes a kayak, equipment, and an expert guide so that all you have to do is paddle through the water and take in the amazing illuminating lights.

Kayaking while the bioluminescence lights up the water is an indescribable experience, and pictures can’t do it justice. It’s really hard to take good photos at night time unfortunately, it’s the only downside to the whole experience.

If you’re looking to kayak through bioluminescent water, then look no further than the Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.

3. Manatees/Sunset/Bioluminescence Tour

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (150+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 3 hours |
📍 WHERE: Merritt Island | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

If you want to see Florida’s bioluminescence and love wildlife and sunsets, then Manatees/Sunset/Bioluminescence Tour is the tour you’ve been looking for.

The Manatees/Sunset/Bioluminescence Tour is an incredible way to experience three of Florida’s natural wonders from Merritt Island.

This 2-hour kayaking tour leaves before sunset, so that at the beginning of the tour you can paddle with the manatees.

Kayaking with manatees is one of many highlights of any trip to Florida. These massive mammals swim right up to your kayak, allowing you to get a really close-up look at them.

Similar to dolphins, manatees are super friendly and curious mammals that will come up close to people. And speaking of dolphins, you can see them too. When they swim in the water, they literally glow blue. It’s amazing!

Kayaking with the manatees is a spectacular experience and one of my all-time favourite things to do in Florida.

However, the experience doesn’t stop there, you will continue to paddle along past Bird Island during one of Florida’s beautiful sunsets. Few places in the world come close to Florida in terms of sunsets in my opinion!

Birds tend to be more active at sunset, so you are likely to see a variety of birds chirping and flying around at this time.

Once the sun goes down, you get to experience one of the coolest phenomena in the world, the illuminating bioluminescence and since you’re on a kayak, you light up the water as you paddle through it.

Manatees/Sunset/Bioluminescence Tour is a great option for anyone looking to experience bioluminescence kayaking but also see manatees up close in their natural habitat.

The tour is a fantastic way to experience a few of the top things Florida has to offer all in one go.

If you love nature and animals, Manatees/Sunset/Bioluminescence Tour is the best tour for you.

4. Florida Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour | Haulover canal (Titusville)

⭐RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (250+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 1.5 hours |
📍 WHERE: Indian River Lagoon | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

Florida Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour is another really solid option for taking a Florida bioluminescence kayaking tour. Again, it has an abundance of positive reviews, more than 250 in fact.

Bioluminescence kayaking is a spectacular experience, and Florida Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour will take you on an hour-and-a-half guided kayak journey to see the water all lit up, creating a magical ambience for you to take in.

Bioluminescence is a rare phenomenon that occurs in Florida and is a must-do activity when visiting the sunshine state. And there’s no better way to do it than by taking a tour.

One great aspect of this particular kayaking experience is that it is possible to do the bioluminescent experience year-round. Usually, when you visit other places, such as the bioluminescence at Cocoa Beach, it’s limited to parts of the year.

But not here. The illuminating lights in the warm summer weather are caused by dinoflagellates, which make the water glow as you paddle through it.

However, in the wintertime, the dinoflagellates aren’t present, but instead, you will be able to see the Bioluminescent Comb-Jellyfish.

These Jellyfish glow a bright blue and green colour as they swim through the water, creating yet another unique bioluminescent experience. And no, they don’t sting.

This tour is the best option for anyone travelling to Florida in the winter, as you will have the opportunity to see the Bioluminescent Comb-Jellyfish at that time of year.

It is important to note that Florida Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour books up quickly, so make sure to reserve your spot in advance!

5. Bioluminescent Kayak Tour: Fin Expeditions

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (150+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 1.5 hours |
📍 WHERE: Cocoa Beach | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

Bioluminescent Kayak Tour: Fin Expeditions is well renowned as one of the best bioluminescence kayaking tours Florida has to offer. I loved it, and the rest of the reviews speak for themself.

Bioluminescent Kayak Tour: Fin Expeditions is perfect for anyone visiting the popular Cocoa Beach area. The tour meets at the Cocoa Beach Country Club and then you start your kayaking adventure to the Banana River Lagoon.

The Banana River Lagoon is also home to the West Indian Manatees, which are large and friendly sea mammals.

When paddling through the Banana River, watch in awe as the water lights up with a sparkling glow. It is such a unique experience that makes you feel like you are on another planet. Seeing the bioluminescence seems so surreal it feels like a dream.

One special thing about Bioluminescent Kayak Tour: Fin Expeditions is that it includes a net to allow you to catch and release the Bioluminescent Comb-Jellyfish, allowing you to interact more closely with the small Jellyfish.

It’s pretty epic playing with the water in your hands and seeing it glow. The kid inside me was going nuts about how cool it was! And as I said earlier, this kind of Jellyfish doesn’t sting and instead creates a dazzling glowing effect.

Another highlight of this tour is that it is limited to a small group. Small group tours are always much better than big group tours if you ask me.

They allow you to maximize your time, clearly hear the guide, and in this situation, also increase your chances of seeing marine wildlife as larger groups may create more noise that scares off wildlife.

So all in all, Bioluminescent Kayak Tour: Fin Expeditions is an amazing tour and I highly recommend it.

6. Thousand Islands Bioluminescent Kayak Tour with Cocoa Kayaking!

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (100+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours |
📍 WHERE: Cocoa Beach | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

Thousand Islands Bioluminescent Kayak Tour is another of my personal favourites. The below review summarises it perfectly. The guides go above and beyond- genuinely some of the best tour guides I’ve ever had for any tour anywhere in the world.

Thousand Islands Bioluminescent Kayak Tour is a fantastic option for anyone that is staying in the popular Cocoa Beach area of Florida. A Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour is sure to add something incredibly unique to your beach vacation, providing unforgettable memories.

It is a great option for solo travellers, couples, or the whole family! That’s why I always recommend a bioluminescence kayaking tour in Florida- there’s no one who won’t love it!

The kayaking tour will guide you around the Thousand Islands area, which is a 338-acre preserve that is next to Cocoa Beach. As you paddle through the water, once again, you will experience the magical bioluminescence which will light up the water creating quite the spectacle.

Thousand Islands Bioluminescent Kayak Tour is a great option for families because it is one of the tours that is open to all ages, so kids are welcome to join.

For anyone doing the tour with kids, a tandem kayak is used to ensure safety. This is the fancy name for a kayak with space for two people rather than individual kayaks.

Kids are sure to love watching the magical waters light up around them while riding in the kayak. It is an awesome experience that both kids and adults are sure to enjoy.

I guarantee it! For the thrill of seeing bioluminescence for yourself, book the Thousand Islands Bioluminescent Kayak Tour.

7. Bioluminescence Clear Kayak or Clear Paddleboard Adventure Tour

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (40+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours |
📍 WHERE: Indian River Lagoon | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

If you love the idea of bioluminescence, you’re going to love the idea of kayaking on a clear transparent paddle board! That’s exactly what Bioluminescence Clear Kayak or Clear Paddleboard Adventure Tour offers.

Bioluminescence Clear Kayak or Clear Paddleboard Adventure Tour offers the opportunity to paddle in a clear kayak or a paddleboard for an incredible adventure through the bioluminescent water.

Having the choice between kayaking and paddleboarding is also great, as you can choose either or depending on how you feel.

At sunset, you will start your kayaking or paddleboarding trip by paddling out to Horseshoe Crab Island. This is a small, uninhabited island off the coast of Titusville.

Once on the island, your guide will lead you on a short hike where you can choose to participate in one of Florida’s popular pastimes, crabbing. Crabbing involves searching for Blue Crabs and is a popular Florida activity along the coast.

Even if you aren’t interested in crabs, keep an eye on the water because you may see other marine life like dolphins swimming around at sunset.

After sunset, you will get back on your kayak or paddleboard to experience the highlight of the trip, which is paddling through the water as it illuminates the darkness of night.

Make sure to really take in the situation and watch in awe as your paddle lights up the dark water with hues of glowing blue and green colors. It’s one of those moments where you’ll really appreciate life.

Bioluminescence Clear Kayak or Clear Paddleboard Adventure Tour is the perfect tour for anyone who wants to paddleboard rather than kayak, as that is an option with this specific tour. But also for getting an amazing look at the bioluminescent water, as the clear bottom allows you to see everything.

8. Clear Kayak Bioluminescence Tour

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (100+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours |
📍 WHERE: Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

Clear Kayak Bioluminescence Tour is another really good Florida bioluminescence kayaking tour which offers transparent kayaks.

One of the best ways to enjoy a bioluminescence kayaking tour in Florida is by going in a clear kayak. And this is exactly what Clear Kayak Bioluminescence Tour offers.

A clear kayak is different from the typical kayaking experience, as it allows you to see through the kayak and into the water, which results in amazing views.

As part of the tour, you will venture around the Indian River in your clear kayak as you watch the bioluminescence light up the water around you.

The clear kayak will allow you to see fish swim underneath your kayak as the water glows a mystical blue and green colour.

Make sure to watch for marine life such as fish because as they swim beneath you they will create the same glowing light in the water, which is incredible when viewed from a clear kayak.

There are lots of amazing animal experiences in Florida such as taking a Tampa dolphin tour or visiting Busch Gardens, but this is one of my favourites because it’s so unique. Not to mention the possibility of seeing manatees and dolphins.

Clear Kayak Bioluminescence Tour truly is a bucket trip experience and is well worth doing on your next trip to Florida. I 100% recommend going with a clear kayak as it is fascinating to be able to see the glowing water underneath you.

9. Sunset Bioluminescence Tour

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (80+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours |
📍 WHERE: Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

The penultimate tour on this list is the Sunset Bioluminescence Tour but the standard of these tours is amazing, and it makes for a wonderful tour, even though it’s so far down the list. Remember, these are the 10 best out of 100s of tour options!

Sunset Bioluminescence Tour is a great option for anyone wanting to kayak in the bioluminescent light, but also have the opportunity to see wildlife and watch the beautiful sunset from the water.

This 2-hour kayaking tour leaves right around sunset so that you can relax as you paddle through the calm waters and enjoy a sunset that fills the blue sky with hues of pink and orange.

Florida is famous for its stunningly beautiful sunsets, and one of the best ways to watch these amazing sunsets is out on the water in a kayak.

Sunset is also a fantastic time to see wildlife, as much of the marine life tends to be more active at this time. Watch as the dolphins swim and play in the water while the gigantic manatees swim past your kayak as they head to their home in the nature reserve.

When the sun sets, you’ll experience the best part of the tour, the illuminating water that glows fluorescent blue and green colours.

As you paddle along your guide will show you the areas with the best and brightest bioluminescence, ensuring that you have an amazing experience.

And if you’re lucky enough to see any more wildlife at this time, well, the experience speaks for itself. It’s indescribable.

Sunset Bioluminescence Tour provides lifelong memories that you will cherish forever. It guarantees an evening not to forget.

10. Thousand Islands Mangrove Tunnel & Bio Comb Jelly Sunset Tour

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars (70+ reviews) | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours |
📍 WHERE: Thousand Islands | 🚣🏽‍♂️ BOOK NOW

Last but by no means least on this list of bioluminescence kayaking tours in Florida is the Thousand Islands Mangrove Tunnel & Bio Comb Jelly Sunset Tour. And it really is a case of “last but not least”, as it has a 5/5 star rating.

Thousand Islands Mangrove Tunnel & Bio Comb Jelly Sunset Tour is a small-group tour (win!) that will lead you to sunset around the beautiful mangroves.

Mangroves are picturesque trees that grow from the water and serve as a natural protectant of the area. It’s one of the things Florida is famous for, as the Everglades (where you can take alligator tours), is the largest continuous mangrove forest in the western hemisphere.

Don’t worry though, you’re unlikely to encounter any alligator problems, and the mangroves create peaceful and calm waters, which makes for an easy and relaxing kayaking trip.

And of course, you can admire the beautiful Florida sunset while on your kayak. And as always, be on the lookout for wildlife such as fish, birds, manatees, and even dolphins.

Once the sun has set, paddle to some of the best areas to experience the bioluminescence in the water. Experience the rare, glowing bioluminescence phenomenon as you paddle around, which is an incredible sight to be seen.

Make sure to watch closely as you may see dolphins and fish swimming through the water which will create the same magical bioluminescence effect as they move through the water.

The bioluminescence kayaking tour is a spectacular experience. It is a must-do tour for anyone looking to do something different and exciting on your trip to Florida.

And booking a Thousand Islands Mangrove Tunnel & Bio Comb Jelly Sunset Tour is the perfect way to experience it for yourself.