Kayak under a full moon for a peaceful adventure

Last updated on December 16th, 2024 at 11:04 am

Night-time can be a peaceful or romantic time to kayak. Many parks and outfitters offer full-moon kayaking and canoe trips. Some encourage participants to bring a bottle of wine; others end the night with a campfire and s’mores.

A twist on night kayaking is bioluminescent kayaking, where you paddle on the darkest nights (when there isn’t a full-moon) in order to see creatures that are like underwater lightning bugs. Here’s a Florida Rambler story on bioluminescent kayaking. 

Full-moon kayaking tours for night kayaking. Photo courtesy Kyle Peterson via Flickr.
Full-moon kayaking. Photo courtesy Kyle Peterson via Flickr.

Last full moon of 2024: Dec. 15

Full moons in 2025:

  • Jan. 13: Wolf Moon
  • Feb. 12: Snow Moon
  • March 14: Worm Moon
  • April 12: Pink Moon
  • May 12: Flower Moon
  • June 11: Strawberry Moon
  • July 10: Buck Moon
  • Aug. 9: Sturgeon Moon
  • Sept. 7: Corn Moon
  • Octo. 6: Harvest Moon (supe moon)
  • Nov. 5: Beaver Moon (super moon)
  • Dec. 4: Cold Moon (super moon)

The last three full moons of 2025 are called super moons, which occur when the moon is at or near its closest point to Earth in its orbit and causes the moon to appear slightly larger and brighter.

The names of the moon are rooted in Native American culture.

Full-moon kayaking in South Florida

If you have your own kayak, you can launch at your favorite spot and see it in an all new light.

Here is a sampling of places offering full-moon kayak trips. In addition to these, check for paddling outfitters and state parks near you; the popularity of night kayaking has made them common offerings.

Outfitters generally choose a Saturday night closest to the full moon for their night-time kayak trips.

Oleta River State Park, North Miami, every month, including for half moons. Visiting this park, in the middle of the bustle of Miami, is like a mini-vacation.

In Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise Paddleboards offers offers paddleboards or kayaks for monthly full-moon tours on the Middle River.

In Key West, the Marriott Beachside Hotel is home to an outfitter that offers night-time tours on illuminated glass-bottom kayaks. These are not limited to full moons.

In the Fort Myers area, Gaea Guides offers full moon tours as well as sunset and and other kayak adventures.

In the Naples and Marco Island area, Rising Tide Explorers offers a sunset tour through an active bird rookery, where you see flocks of birds come in to roost.

Night kayaking in Central Florida

At Sebastian Inlet State Park in Melbourne Beach, full-moon tours explore explore the Indian River Lagoon. Details.

In the Orlando area, there are full-moon tours on Shingle Creek, a beautiful bit of wildness surrounded by suburbia. More at the Paddling Center at Shingle Creek.

On the Indian River Lagoon, an outfitter offers moonlight kayak tours regularly. In the summer, if you paddle on a truly dark night, you can experience bioluminescence — when creatures in the water glow like underwater lightning bugs. Here’s more about night-time paddling A Day Away Kayak Tours in Titusville.

Adventure Kayak of Cocoa Beach  offers full-moon paddles on Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach.

Mote Marine Laboratory  takes paddlers on Sarasota Bay for full moons.

Near Tampa, Canoe Outpost Little Manatee River, offers full moon paddles, including shuttle service for those who bring their own kayaks or canoes. (The Little Manatee is a beautiful and wild paddle, unlike many options listed here.)

The Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach offers full-moon tours. For these tours, you can bring your own kayak or paddleboard and pay a reduced fee.

Full-moon kayaking in North Florida

In Homosassa, sunset and full-moon tours venture out on one of the least developed and wildest rivers in Florida, the Chassahowitzka. Details.

Near Tallahassee, long-time outfitters T-N-T Hide-A-Way offers full-moon tours on the Wakullah. It’s a leisurely one-way downstream paddle with a shuttle.

Note: Many other kayak and canoe outfitters all over the state offer full-moon kayaking, so check with your local outfitter or park. Most, but not all, require you to rent canoes or kayaks from them for the trips. Each outfitter is different, so call ahead. Most require advance registration and these trips do fill up during winter

Most night kayaking activities take place on weekends closest to the full moons. Other moonlight tours are offered throughout the month. Be sure to make advance reservations.

And let us know about moonlight kayaking events that aren’t listed here so we can update our listings and share them with others.

More Florida kayaking resources:

Visit our kayak channel for more than 100 kayak destinations in Florida.

Seven best towns for kayaking in Florida


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One Comment

  1. the camp bayou outdoor learning center does a few moonlight trips in the spring and fall. we do a loop paddle trip along the little manatee river in ruskin, florida. the next one is friday, april 12, 2019. you can find details at campbayou.org and on facebook.

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