Paddle Jax Amelia
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Paddle Jax Amelia offers highly organized and engaging kayaking experiences, whether guided or self-guided, characterized by exceptional customer service, knowledgeable guides, and comfortable, well-maintained equipment. Parents can expect educational wildlife and history insights, practical paddling tips, and the unique bonus of guides taking photos/videos during the tour. The focus on comfort (supportive kayak seats, cushioned paddles), convenience (water provided, clean bathrooms), and safety creates a stress-free and enjoyable adventure for families.
Key Highlights
- ✓Guides (e.g., Zoe, Chris, Barney) are consistently described as on-time, friendly, knowledgeable about creek/wildlife/history, patient, and providing helpful paddling tips.
- ✓Booking process (e.g., Kerri) is noted as wonderful, friendly, responsive, including a confirmation after booking and a text shortly before arrival.
- ✓Kayaks feature highly supportive backs and paddles have cushioned grips, enhancing comfort for participants.
- ✓All equipment provided for tours/rentals is reported to be in 'nice condition'.
- ✓Each participant receives a complimentary bottle of water.
- ✓The launch spot is equipped with a bathroom that includes toilet paper.
- ✓Guides take photos and videos during the tour, with a summary video provided as an 'awesome bonus' (Review 1).
- ✓High likelihood of spotting wildlife such as turtles (many seen), baby alligators (safely far away), and birds.
- ✓Guides share engaging stories and local lore (e.g., '20 ft New York gators,' 'pirate lake,' 'Blackbeard's flaming beard').
- ✓Option for a 2-hour self-guided tour for families preferring independent exploration.
Standout Features
- ⭐**Knowledgeable & Engaging Guides:** Provide educational commentary on local ecology and history, offer practical paddling tips, and make the experience fun with engaging stories.
- ⭐**High-Quality, Comfortable Equipment:** Kayaks with 'most supportive back' and paddles with 'cushioned grip' significantly enhance comfort, especially on longer tours.
- ⭐**Complimentary Photo & Video Service:** Guides capture moments during the tour and provide a summary video, allowing parents to fully engage without worrying about photography.
- ⭐**Excellent Customer Communication:** Responsive booking staff, confirmations, and pre-arrival texts streamline the planning process for parents.
- ⭐**Guaranteed Wildlife Sightings:** Frequent reports of turtles, birds, and alligators enhance the natural experience for children.
- ⭐**On-Site Restroom Facilities:** A bathroom with toilet paper at the launch spot is a convenient and essential amenity for families.
- ⭐**Hydration Provided:** Each participant receives a bottle of water, reducing the need for parents to pack extra drinks.
- ⭐**Variety of Tour Options:** Offers both guided (2-hour, 3-hour cypress tour) and self-guided (2-hour rental) experiences to suit different preferences.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Consider a Guided Tour for Educational Value:** If your family enjoys learning about local wildlife, history, and wants paddling tips, the guided tours are highly recommended.
- →**Opt for the Self-Guided Tour for Independence:** If you prefer to explore at your own pace for two hours, this option is available with good equipment.
- →**No Need to Pack Water Bottles for Everyone:** Each participant is provided with a complimentary bottle of water.
- →**Utilize On-Site Amenities:** There's a bathroom with toilet paper at the launch spot, which is convenient before/after the tour.
- →**Relax and Let the Guide Capture Memories:** Guides often take photos and videos, so you can enjoy the experience without needing to bring your own waterproof camera.
- →**Book in Advance for Smooth Planning:** The booking process is described as responsive, with confirmations and pre-arrival texts, suggesting planning ahead is beneficial.
Price & Value
Reviews indicate it's 'a good deal for the cost,' including high-quality, comfortable equipment (supportive kayak backs, cushioned paddles), knowledgeable guides who provide education and entertainment, and unique bonuses like photo/video services. Bottled water and bathroom access are also included. No specific prices were mentioned, but the perceived value is high given the comprehensive experience.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations were mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Bottled water is provided for each participant.
- •No other specific food or drink policies were mentioned.
🚗Parking Info
- •Reviews mention meeting at a 'boat dock' or 'launch spot,' but no specific details regarding parking availability, ease, or cost are provided.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Reviews consistently highlight personalized experiences with specific guides, suggesting managed group sizes for guided tours. There is no information regarding crowd levels or peak times.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Guides are praised for making participants 'felt safe' (Review 3).
- •Alligator sightings are specifically noted as being 'safely far away' (Review 4).
- •Guides provide helpful 'tips to help us with paddling' (Review 3), contributing to a safer experience.
- •The overall positive sentiment and emphasis on guide professionalism imply strong safety practices.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Eco Easy Guided Kayak Tour
$60 per single kayak, $110 per tandem kayak, $160 per canoe, $20 BYOK (Bring Your Own Kayak)Duration: 2 hours approximately
Our most popular guided tour area with inland calm waters. Paddle through beautiful forested wetlands teeming with native wildlife (turtles, alligators, woodpeckers, hawks). Enjoy black water lined by cypress trees and other native flora, reflecting scenery like a mirror. Ideal for all skill levels.
Includes:
- •Use of kayak or canoe (not for BYOK)
- •Life jacket (not for BYOK)
- •Complimentary photos
- •Water
Eco Easy Self-Guided Rental
$45 per single kayak, $90 per tandem kayak, $130 per canoeDuration: 2 hours approximately
Explore Lofton Creek at your own pace through beautiful forested wetlands. This calm blackwater creek is suitable for all skill levels.
Includes:
- •Use of kayak or canoe
- •Life jacket
- •Exclusive Adventure App
Big Cypress Guided Kayak Tour
$80 per single kayak, $160 per tandem kayak, $40 BYOK (Bring Your Own Kayak)Duration: 3 hours approximately
Extended adventure to see the local legendary Big Cypress tree, thought to be over a hundred years old. Takes you deeper into native areas of Lofton Creek, which can be more challenging with narrower sections and natural obstacles like fallen trees. Enjoy black water lined by cypress trees and diverse flora.
Includes:
- •Use of kayak or canoe (not for BYOK)
- •Life jacket (not for BYOK)
- •Complimentary photos
- •Water
Big Cypress Self-Guided Rental
$60 per single kayak, $120 per tandem kayakDuration: 3 hours approximately
Explore Lofton Creek at your own pace to find the legendary Big Cypress tree. Navigate the blackwater creek through forested wetlands.
Includes:
- •Use of kayak or canoe
- •Life jacket
- •Exclusive Adventure App
Sea Life Adventure Guided Kayak Tour (Egans Creek)
$65 per single kayak, $125 per tandem kayakDuration: 2-2 1/2 hours
Explore a saltwater tidal creek and adjacent fertile spartina marsh rich with sea life (game fish, fiddler crabs) and coastal birds (egrets, pelicans, roseate spoonbills, bald eagles). Opportunity to see dolphins, manatees, crabs, turtles. Borders Fort Clinch State Park and passes Florida's oldest lighthouse. Availability dependent on high tide and weather.
Includes:
- •Use of kayak
- •Life jacket
- •Complimentary photos
- •Water
Sea Life Adventure Self-Guided Rental (Egans Creek)
$55 per single kayak, $110 per tandem kayakDuration: 2-2 1/2 hours
Explore a saltwater tidal creek and adjacent fertile spartina marsh rich with sea life and coastal birds. Availability dependent on high tide and weather.
Includes:
- •Use of kayak
- •Life jacket
- •Exclusive Adventure App
Creek Creepin' Night Guided Kayak Tour
$60 per single kayak, $120 per tandem kayak, $30 BYOKayakDuration: 2 hours
A fun guided kayak tour through the blackwater swampy wetland of Lofton Creek when the sun goes down. Look for nocturnal wildlife like beavers, alligators, or even the Swamp Ape. Guests are encouraged to bring glow sticks and other lights.
Includes:
- •Use of kayak (unless BYOK)
- •Life jacket
- •Regulatory white navigational light
- •One guide with spotlight
Private Boat Tour (Captain George Smith)
$275 for 2 hours for up to 6 people (additional hour rates available)Duration: 2 hours (standard)
Explore Amelia Island and Cumberland Island marshes by boat. Opportunity to see dolphins, manatees, wild horses, wild pigs, alligators, and coastal birds. Get a glimpse of Dungeness Ruins, Pippi Longstocking's house, and Fort Clinch. Sunset tours available.
Includes:
- •Boat tour with Captain George Smith
Charter Fishing Tour (Captain George Smith)
$350 for 4 hours for 2 guests ($25 additional for a total of 4 guests)Duration: 4 hours
Charter fishing tour.
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Haunted Halloween Paddle
Annual Halloween Night Kayak tour (since 2020)
BYO Kayak option available (implies a fee similar to Creek Creepin' Night Tour).
An annual spooky kayaking adventure on Lofton Creek with trick-or-treating along decorated docks. Guests can vote for their favorite decorations. Costumes and decorated kayaks are encouraged. Typically sells out.
International Coastal Annual Clean up
September 20, 2025
Special pricing for kayak rentals, free lunch, free T-shirt.
Help keep boat ramps and waterways clean.
🍎Food Policy
- • Picnic tables are available at Melton Nelson Boat Ramp and Leaders & Sinkers Boat Ramp for guests bringing their own food.
- • Free lunch (pizza) provided for participants of the International Coastal Annual Clean up and Keep Nassau Beautiful quarterly clean up.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Life jackets are provided for all participants using rented kayaks/canoes.
- • All kayaks for night tours are equipped with a regulatory white navigational light; guides carry spotlights.
- • Costumes for the Haunted Halloween Paddle must not interfere with Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs).
- • Guides are professional, experienced, and University of Florida Certified Advanced Master Naturalists.
📅Booking Policy
- • Most reservations for self-guided kayak tours require only a small deposit.
- • Special events like the Haunted Halloween Paddle typically sell out, so early booking is recommended.
🚗Parking Information
- • Designated parking areas are available at Melton Nelson Boat Ramp and Leaders & Sinkers Boat Ramp.
What People Say
What's Great
- Safe environment for children (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Jaime Kobin
2 weeks agoFabulous experience (and I've kayaked a lot). This excursion was very well organized and a good deal for the cost. Our guide, Zoe, was on time, friendly, knowledgeable and patient. We received a confirmation after booking and a text shortly before arrival. The kayak had the most supportive back I've ever used, and paddles had cushioned grip. As promised, each participant received a bottle of water. The launch spot had a bathroom (with toilet paper). I loved that our guide also took photos and videos of us and our surroundings as we went along, and the summary video was an awesome bonus. Highly recommend!!!
Maddie Lee
11 months agoBeautiful kayak tour! We opted for the self guided tour, so we just had to check in with the staff to get our equipment, and then they sent us on our way. You get two hours out of the rental, and the equipment they give you is in nice condition. We saw a few turtles and one baby alligator that was sunbathing on a dock. It was very peaceful and the nature we beautiful!
April Abarca
6 months agoThis excursion was amazing! Chris was warm and welcoming. He gave out tips to help us with paddling. I felt safe with him as our tour guide. My husband and I had a great time, we highly recommend and we will definitely do this excursion again.
Stephen Seftchick
a year agoMy daughter and i did the 3 hour cypress tour. It was a great experience. Zoe was our guide and was so knowledgeable of the creek, the wildlife and the history. They met us on time, had nice equipment, and were super! We got lucky and saw the train pass, lots of turtles and even an alligator (safely far away)!! We would highly recommend to anyone trying to decide which tour company to use! Paddle Jax is the best!!!!
Olivia Gonzalez
3 years agoKerri was wonderful throughout the entire booking process and was friendly and responsive. We met she and Barney our tour guide at the boat dock for 2 hours of fun and play on the water. My family enjoyed hearing all about the turtles, birds and 20 ft New York gators, pirate lake and black beards flaming beard! We had a blast and we will definitely be back! Thank you guys for such a wonderful experience!