Lovers Key State Park
- Nicholas Clark
- Dec 28, 2024
- 2 min read
Lovers Key: A Kayaking Adventure in Paradise
Lovers Key State Park is a beautiful gem located on the Gulf of Mexico in Bonita Springs, Florida. Famous for its pristine beaches and abundant wildlife, the park offers over five miles of hiking and biking trails that wind through lush mangrove forests, salt marshes, and coastal dunes.
Lovers Key Adventures
provides rentals for bikes, kayaks, paddleboards, and beach gear like chairs and umbrellas. They even offer wedding ceremonies on the beach!
The Ultimate Kayaking Experience
For me, the coolest activity at Lovers Key is kayaking. The park boasts roughly 2.5 miles of designated kayak trails. Check their website https://www.loverskeyadventures.com/ for current pricing and information on guided paddleboard and kayak tours. While guided tours are a great option, I prefer the freedom of self-guided rentals. They offer both single and tandem kayaks, and I've rented both in the past.
Manatee Magic
The chance to see manatees is what truly makes kayaking at Lovers Key an unforgettable adventure. In my experience, I've never kayaked at Lovers Key without encountering these gentle giants. The key is to look for their noses and mouths breaking the surface as they breathe air. During my earlier visits, I found the manatees towards the end of the kayak trail, which requires a 2.5-mile one-way paddle.
Manatees are truly gentle giants, and it's not uncommon to see playful younger ones nudge your kayak or peek out of the water to say hello.
A Rich Tapestry of Wildlife
Beyond the manatees, the trails offer a rich tapestry of wildlife for those who take their time and observe their surroundings. You might spot iguanas, snakes, turtles, and a variety of birds, including pelicans, spoonbills (which resemble pink flamingos), ospreys, and many other fascinating South Florida species. The underwater world is teeming with life as well. I've seen tarpon and snook chasing fish, and if you're lucky, you might even encounter a dolphin venturing into the trails.
A Note on Visibility
Keep in mind that the water in Lovers Key is brackish. During the rainy season, the increased freshwater inflow can make spotting underwater wildlife more challenging.
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