Kings Landing is one of my favorite places to paddle board. The springs that are located in Kelly Rock flow through Kelly Rock Park down through a roughly 2-mile stretch of crystal-clear river known as the Emerald Cut. The Emerald Cut section of the river has tons of tree cover and every time I’ve gone there has been interesting fish, turtles, and birds to view. There are plenty of places to take in a nice view and relax. The park does get VERY busy in the summer and it’s best to book at least a week in advance.
There is a much longer paddle down the river that slowly turns into a darker water. The darker water is home to more wildlife (including alligators). I’ve seen a small gator in the Emerald Cut, but for the most part they prefer to stay out of the way.
I have a video paddling the Emerald Cut from last year.
We had a friend in town that was looking for something to do that is quintessentially Florida. While most people think of Florida as either a beach paradise or think of the parks of Disney World and Universal, there is another side to the state. The State, national, and private parks in Florida are usually fantastic. The paddle took us about 3 hours, but we did stop along the way a couple of times for snack and lunch breaks. The park doesn’t allow alcohol, but a cooler with some wraps, nuts, and water kept us topped off for the paddle.
Kayak Rentals Rock Springs | King’s Landing | Apopka, FL (kingslandingfl.com)
If you’re going to be in Central Florida around Disney or Universal and you have an extra day, I HIGHLY recommend checking out King’s Landing. They have kayak, paddle board, clear kayak, and canoe rentals. The shop also has all kinds of fun accessories like waterproof phone cases and dry bags. If you are looking for a dry bag, I recently purchased one from Amazon that I really like. They have different sizes for different needs and the larger bags include straps for a backpack style bag.
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