Discover 9 Fantastic Family Boat Rides in Orlando To Sail Your Worries Away
Discover 9 Fantastic Family Boat Rides in Orlando To Sail Your Worries Away
Orlando offers many family-friendly activities, from theme parks and zoos to unique attractions like hayrides. Still, Orlando is famous for its scenic boat rides, which adults and children love equally!
Whether you want to see Florida’s majestic wildlife, enjoy its stunning natural wonders, or explore the underwater life of its crystal-clear waters, you can find a family boat ride in Orlando to make your sailing dreams come true.
9 Best Family-Friendly Boat Rides in Orlando
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Florida Airboat Ride at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo
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Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures
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Wild Florida Airboat Tours
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Marsh Landing Adventures Airboat Tour
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Sea Screamer Dolphin Tour in Clearwater
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Kennedy Space Center With an Airboat Ride
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Private 2-Hour Sailing Tour on Lake Fairview
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Silver Springs Clear Kayaking Tour
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Wekiva River Kayak Tour
Admire gorgeous sunsets, see fantastic wildlife, or have fun kayaking with your entire family because these nine amazing boat rides will make your next Orlando vacation the best one so far!
1 | Florida Airboat Ride at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo |
Make your stay at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo even more thrilling by taking a 40-minute Florida Airboat Ride on the beautiful Kissimmee River! The ride is suitable for kids aged three and up, so your entire family can enjoy the boat ride of a lifetime!
Get comfy in the airboat and prepare to see Florida’s diverse wildlife as you sail through the river. You can encounter alligators, turtles, bald eagles, snail kites, hawks, and numerous rare birds!
During the tour, you’ll be equipped with headphones so that you can learn about the area’s fascinating history.
Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo also offers the best family-friendly boat cruise in Orlando, Florida. The one-hour Kissimmee Queen River Cruise is the perfect way to connect with your family as you explore Florida’s wildlife and stunning scenery on a 40-foot pontoon!
WHERE: 3200 River Ranch Blvd, River Ranch, FL 33867 │WHO: 863-692-1321
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2 | Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures |
If you want to explore Central Florida’s unaltered territories and fascinating wildlife, you’ll love airboat rides at Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures! This 32-acre park offers fun family activities, including exciting airboat rides that take you exploring Florida’s wetlands and wildlife.
Get ready to sail through narrow and shallow passageways and zoom across open water. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles, alligators, bald eagles, and other incredible wildlife of the Kissimmee River!
The park offers airboat rides from 30 minutes to one hour. You can experience Florida’s most breathtaking sunsets by taking the Sunset Tour, or come face to face with nocturnal animals on the Night Tour. Plus, you can choose a private trip for some family bonding time!
WHERE: 2001 E Southport Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34746 │WHO: 407-344-9550
3 | Wild Florida Airboat Tours |
Are you interested in seeing alligators up close? Wild Florida Airboat Tours will take you on an epic adventure through the Headwaters of the Florida Everglades. You’ll have a chance to explore 4,200 acres of beautiful marshes, rivers, and swamps while looking for wildlife!
During this thrilling boat ride, you’ll be surrounded by untouched nature. With the help of an experienced captain, you may spot adult and baby alligators and numerous birds native to the area. This tour is also a fantastic educational experience for adults and kids!
You can take half-an-hour or one-hour tours and opt for private or evening boat rides for a unique experience of the swamp. Plus, you can dedicate half a day to Wild Florida Park and have a memorable adventure, taking the one-hour airboat tour and walking through Gator Park.
WHERE: 3301 Lake Cypress Rd, Kenansville, FL 34739 │WHO: 407-957-3135
4 | Marsh Landing Adventures Airboat Tour |
If you’re a gator lover looking to get as close as possible to alligators in their natural habitat, Marsh Landing Adventures Airboat Tour is an excellent choice. Thanks to small airboats, this tour can take you closer to Florida’s wildlife than any other and get you into places that larger boats can’t reach!
Ideal for smaller groups, these airboats offer close views of nature and wild animals, regardless of your seating arrangement. You can observe and take incredible photos of diverse wildlife and plants as you explore the swamps.
During the ride, the captain will tell you stories of the swamp’s history and answer any questions you have, turning this thrilling adventure into a fantastic learning experience!
The tour welcomes passengers of all ages, but children under six are required to wear a life jacket.
WHERE: 2830 Neptune Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34744 │WHO: 407-572-3561
5 | Sea Screamer Dolphin Tour in Clearwater |
Prepare for a full-day family adventure as you take the largest speedboat on the U.S. East Coast to see dolphins and explore the waters of the Gulf of Mexico! Sea Screamer—the 72-foot-long speedboat—is the fastest in the world and travels at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour!
During this one-hour ride, you can see dolphins at play as they jump the waves created by the boat! You’ll also pass through Clearwater Harbor and see celebrity waterfront homes and historic locations. The ride then takes you to the white-sand Clearwater Beach, where you can spend the rest of the day swimming and relaxing.
While the Sea Screamer tour offers a one-of-a-kind experience for all ages, kids particularly love riding the boat, so this ride is a must if you’re on a family vacation with kids! The tickets for kids are more affordable, and children under four can ride for free.
WHERE: 25 Causeway Boulevard, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767 │WHO: 727-447-7200
6 | Kennedy Space Center With an Airboat Ride |
While airboating among wildlife and exploring the high-tech world of the Kennedy Space Center may seem contradictory, you shouldn’t miss this unique combination. You’ll get to meet an astronaut, learn about the U.S. space travel history, and hop on a 30-minute airboat ride up the St. Johns River.
As you sail through the longest river in the Sunshine State at 45 mph, you’ll see the most amazing natural wonders of Central Florida. You may spot alligators, turtles, birds, and other wild animals that live in and around the river, as well as exotic plants and flowers.
Besides the airboat ride, you can experience the unbelievable Space Shuttle Launch simulator and walk underneath the enormous Saturn V rocket at the Kennedy Space Center!
WHERE: Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953 │WHO: 855-433-4210
7 | Private 2-Hour Sailing Tour on Lake Fairview |
If you’re looking for a picturesque place for a family gathering or a romantic getaway with your significant other, the Private 2-Hour Sailing Tour on Lake Fairview is the best choice. Bring snacks, get comfy on a 25-foot MacGregor sailboat, and let your guide do all the work!
This boat is fantastic for sightseeing, soaking up the sun, and watching the most beautiful sunsets. It can fit up to four adults in the cockpit and features additional seating and storage in the cabin, but the guests must be five or older to ride.
Since an experienced sailor operates the boat, you can relax, listen to music, and enjoy your favorite food and drinks as you admire Florida’s breathtaking scenery. You can also learn the basics of sailing by helping trim the sail or holding the helm!
WHERE: 2200 Lee Rd, Orlando, FL 32810 │WHO: 407-758-2730
8 | Silver Springs Clear Kayaking Tour |
Take the Silver Springs Clear Kayaking Tour to see the pristine waters of the Silver Springs State Park from a unique perspective. As you explore the stunning Silver River on this two-hour tour, you can see manatees swimming under your kayak, and you may even spot wild monkeys!
This park is home to rhesus monkeys that can rarely be seen in Florida, so you could be among the lucky few to spot one! You may also encounter turtles, birds, and various fish, as well as sunken artifacts and Hollywood props from movies filmed at Silver Spring Park.
This isn’t a typical boat tour—it’s a unique family kayaking activity that will wow kids and adults! Each kayak can hold up to two people, and the visitors must be older than four to ride. If you’re coming with a larger group, you can also opt for a private tour.
WHERE: 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs, FL 34488 │WHO: 407-205-3631
9 | Wekiva River Kayak Tour |
Searching for the most scenic boat tour in Orlando? Wekiva Wildlife Kayaking Adventure Tour should live up to your expectations. Located only 30 minutes from downtown Orlando, the Wekiva River boasts some of the most amazing wildlife in Florida.
During this four-hour ride, suitable for anyone aged three and up, you’ll paddle ten miles through the Seminole State Forest, Wekiwa Springs State Park, and the Sanford Black Bear Wilderness. Halfway through the tour, there’s a lunch break with homemade cookies, banana bread, and guava typically on the menu.
While you paddle, you’ll have a chance to see fascinating wildlife, including bears, bobcats, alligators, and otters! The area is also home to eagles, woodpeckers, ospreys, limpkins, and ibis, as well as stunning plants and flowers.
Since this is a long tour, you won’t have to paddle back—you’ll be shuttled to your car instead!
WHERE: 3208 East Colonial Drive #261, Orlando, FL 32803 │WHO: 407-924-3375
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Use Our Handy Map To Find These Scenic Boat Tours in Orlando
Frequently Asked Questions About Boating in Orlando
What is the most scenic boat tour in Orlando?
Wekiva River Kayak Tour is one of the most beautiful tours in Orlando. During your 10-mile paddling trip, you can spot bears, alligators, and wading birds.
What is the best glass-bottom boat ride in Orlando?
Silver Springs Clear Kayaking Tour offers a unique boating experience in an all-clear kayak. During the tour, you can see manatees, wild monkeys, turtles, birds, and fish. You’ll also see various underwater artifacts and Hollywood props left behind from movies filmed at the park.
What is the best boat cruise in Orlando, Florida?
The Kissimmee Queen River Cruise at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo is the best boat cruise in Orlando for the entire family. The cruise lasts for one hour and is a fantastic opportunity to see Florida’s wildlife and gorgeous landscapes while relaxing on a 40-foot pontoon.
What are the best night boat rides in Orlando, Florida?
Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures offers a unique chance to see alligators and other nocturnal animals in their natural habitat during nighttime. They also offer sunset tours, so you can check out Florida’s beautiful sunset.
Which speed boat rides in Orlando are the best?
Sea Screamer is the largest and fastest speedboat on the U.S. East Coast. It’s a 72-foot-long vessel, and it travels at a speed of up to 35 miles per hour. You’ll be able to see dolphins play in the water while the boat takes you to the sandy beaches of Clearwater.
What is the best family-friendly private boat ride in Orlando?
While most regular boat tours in Orlando offer private boating services, the Private 2-Hour Sailing Tour on Lake Fairview is the best private boat ride in Orlando for the whole family. The boat is operated by a seasoned sailor, so you can have a fun family time and enjoy sightseeing.
Orlando—A Perfect Getaway for the Entire Family
Whether you’d like to spend your vacation horseback riding, having fun on a rodeo, airboating, or glamping, you’ll love Orlando! This area is recreation and relaxation with your family, friends, or significant other. For more information on Orlando hotels and attractions, visit our Westgate Resorts Travel blog.
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At Westgate Resorts, when you Check-In, there’s a LOT to Check-Out! Your Orlando vacation awaits! Explore our Branson resorts today or talk with a vacation planner at 888-852-2959 or 407-355-2690.
* Aside from Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo, Westgate Resorts is in no way affiliated with the attractions featured in this article. Items or places listed are current as of the publishing date of this article. Please call or visit the respective website for the most up-to-date offerings and details.
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