Jacksonville’s Wildest Salt Marsh Tour

With an array of animals like nowhere else in North Florida, Jacksonville has hidden backwaters that offer a glimpse of what the wild of Florida is really all about. The Dutton Island Preserve Salt Marsh Tour is more than just a kayaking tour. It’s a chance to experience the Atlantic Bottle-Nosed Dolphin in its natural habitat, along with a variety of birds, turtles, and maybe even some manatees. It’s thought to be one of the most coveted Jacksonville tours, and a fantastic kayaking experience.

The Dutton Island Preserve is set nicely into Atlantic Beach and rests east of the Intra Coastal Waterway, or ICW. There are immaculate tributaries that offer a winding adventure into miles of exquisite estuaries, and here, paddlers are bound to see wildlife. As one paddles through the radiant ecosystem, all manner of life peek out of and dive into the beautiful waters. In fact, the Dutton Island Preserve Salt Marsh tour is one of the only Jacksonville tours that leads paddlers through the same areas that the Atlantic Bottle-Nosed Dolphin uses to teach their young to hunt and feed. There is also an opportunity to glimpse the rare Bald Eagle and the West Indian Manatees as they lazily munch on the vegetation along the shores. Birds are plentiful, as in many parts of Florida, but rarely does one see such a variety of osprey, herons, wood storks–and so much more.

This tour is the epitome of what Florida is really all about. It provides pristine waters for rowing without having to travel the same waters twice, fun for the whole family, and a look at Florida’s wildlife in its natural habitat. It’s not just a tour; it’s the real Florida experience.