Sunset and Bioluminescence in St. Augustine
Vilano Beach Boat Ramp
from $75
Book Now!Tour details
- Approx. 2 hours
- Age 8 and above
- $75
Sunset & Bioluminescence Kayaking in St. Augustine, Florida – See Dolphins, Landmarks, and Glowing Water
About this Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Excursion
Experience the best sunset and bioluminescence kayak tour in St. Augustine, Florida, combining scenic views, wildlife encounters, and glowing water at night in one unforgettable trip.
Unlike other Florida kayak tours that take place in remote lagoons, this tour launches in the heart of St. Augustine, where historic landmarks and coastal nature come together.
You’ll paddle past iconic sights including the Castillo de San Marcos, the Bridge of Lions, the Great Cross, and views of the St. Augustine Lighthouse as the sky transforms into a vibrant sunset.
Watch for dolphins gliding through the water and sea turtles surfacing nearby as the ecosystem becomes more active at dusk.
As the tour begins, we launch from Vilano Boat Ramp and paddle into open water for one of the best sunset kayaking views in St. Augustine.
Wildlife
Dolphins are often active at sunset, and sightings are common during this tour. You may also encounter manatees, sea turtles, rays, and a variety of coastal birds as the waters come alive in the evening.
See Bioluminescence at Night
As daylight fades, we paddle into prime viewing areas for bioluminescence in St. Augustine. Depending on the season, you may see glowing dinoflagellates (bioluminescent plankton) or bioluminescent comb jellies. During transitional months (March through June and November through December), it is sometimes possible to see both.
See the water light up and sparkle with every movement of your paddle as you kayak through the dark waters of St. Augustine.
This is a staff favorite tour and one of the most unique things to do in St. Augustine at night.
Bioluminescence ONLY Tour
During the summer dark skies weeks, this bioluminescent kayaking tour sells out – so we will add a bioluminescence only tour starting at 10:30 pm. Click the “Book Now” button to see if this time is available. If the tour you want is sold out, we can put you on a waiting list. Give us a call at 407-519-8711.
More About St. Augustine Wildlife
The waters surrounding St. Augustine are part of a rich coastal ecosystem connected to the Atlantic Ocean.
This area supports a wide variety of marine life, including dolphins, sea turtles, and seasonal manatees, along with numerous coastal bird species.
You may also encounter fish, rays, and other marine life depending on conditions.
During warmer months, bioluminescence becomes more active—microscopic organisms that glow when disturbed, creating a natural light display beneath your kayak.
What is so special about this St. Augustine Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour
Join your expert BK Adventure Bioluminescence eco-tour guide for a sunset adventure to remember!
BK Adventure is the world’s top bioluminescent adventure tour company with several locations around Florida. This in the ONLY summer bioluminescence tour in St. Augustine!
You get to see the best of St. Augustine from the beautiful view of the water at sunset. Then, you will experience the magic of bioluminescence along the backdrop of the Ancient City’s lit up monuments! Breath-taking!
When to go: We launch this tour from the Vilano Beach Boat Ramp at sunset. Hours vary throughout the year, so check the calendar and your confirmation email. Be sure to arrive 20 minutes prior to departure.
Midnight Madness! – In Summer we have an extra bioluminescence tour that starts at 10:30 and goes until midnight, so check for that as summer nights sell out fast!
What is included
- Kayak
- Paddle
- PFD
- Guides
What you should bring
- Insect repellent
- Towel
- Sunblock
- Water bottle
How to prepare for your eco-tour
- Check for emails
- Check directions – double check
- Wear quick-dry clothes
- Wear water/river shoes
- Bring cash (tips optional)
- Call for questions
- Be ready for fun
Weight Limit
550 lbs total for 2-Person Kayak (neither participant should weigh over 275); some participants may need to use the tandem kayak as a single person based on weight limits. Additional charge may apply.
What will the Bioluminescence Look Like?
How Bright Will the Bioluminescence Be?
Check the Tour Conditions – Here is our Bioluminescence Glow Update:
Reviews
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Haley Romjue
This tour was amazing! Our guide, Dan, was extremely informative and kind. There was never a dull moment between laughs, wildlife, and of course bioluminescent creatures! The sunset was incredible. ...
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Haley Romjue
This tour was amazing! Our guide, Dan,
was extremely informative and kind. There was never a dull moment between laughs, wildlife, and of course bioluminescent creatures! The sunset was incredible. We saw loads of manatee and not just from a distance, all sorts of native birds, and bioluminescent jellies and plankton, If you get to the area an hour early, you can check out the manatee observation area as well as take a walk around the cove as the area is beautiful! We were lucky enough to see dolphins in the area before the tour. I can’t recommend this experience enough and specifically at this location. My fiancé and I now have a beautiful memory to look back on.
(I don’t have photos of the wildlife to share as we were trying to take it all in and pay attention)
Thank you so much BK! 😊
- Haley & Kevin from Rhode Island April 2023 -
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Jodi B
¡Tuve un increíble recorrido bioluminiscente y al atardecer el 3 de junio de 2024! Kyle y Martin fueron guías maravillosos que nos brindaron mucha información excelente sobre las vías fluviales, ...
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Jodi B
¡Tuve un increíble recorrido bioluminiscente y al atardecer el 3 de junio de 2024! Kyle y Martin fueron guías maravillosos que nos brindaron mucha información excelente sobre las vías fluviales, los animales que encontramos y, por supuesto, la naturaleza de los bioluminiscentes. ¡Muy guay! ¡Recomiendo encarecidamente este recorrido! Ya estoy planeando volver y traer a mi familia 😎👍🏻
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Megan Thayer
Our family of 3 did a sunset and bioluminescence tour. Our guide was Jay, and he was great! He was very engaging with the littles, and made the tour fun. ...
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Megan Thayer
Our family of 3 did a sunset and bioluminescence tour. Our guide was Jay, and he was great! He was very engaging with the littles, and made the tour fun.
For odd size groups, someone will be put in a single kayak.
For the sunset portion we paddled to various locations and were lucky to see manatees, dolphins and an alligator! Birds were also everywhere. There was plenty of opportunity to take photos.
After the sunset we returned to shore for a quick break and went back out about 20 minutes later. The bioluminescence started out a little slow but as you understood what to look for it really started to jump out!
Jay and the other guide were helpful giving tricks along the way to be able to “agitate” the bioluminescence to see it. They even caught some of the jellies and put them in a fish bowl so we could interact more closely.
Overall it was a super cool experience and highly recommend it!
Some tips:
- Bring sunscreen and bug spray!
- You WILL get wet and depending on the time of year it will be cold. (Bring a towel to drape over your legs!)
- Bring extra clothes for after (although there is no changing room)
- The bioluminescence is HARD to capture on film so put your camera down and just enjoy it! -
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Silvina Giraud
Sara una guía excelente que sabe muchísimo de las Jelly Fish, además de contarnos del entorno que estábamos viendo, incluyendo todo tipo de fauna. Una gran conocedora de su trabajo. ...
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Silvina Giraud
Sara una guía excelente que sabe muchísimo de las Jelly Fish, además de contarnos del entorno que estábamos viendo, incluyendo todo tipo de fauna. Una gran conocedora de su trabajo. Pudimos observar los azules de las luminicencias. Increible! Hermoso! Gracias Sara!
FAQ
Our tours rarely cancel due to weather. If it is raining the day of the tour, chances are, with Florida weather, it will clear up by the time your tour starts. Sometimes we will hold the tour by 30 minutes for the weather to clear. In the case of lightning, high winds, or some other reason that we cannot paddle, we will re-schedule all guests to the very next tour available, or at a convenient time for you. Rainchecks are valid for 1 year.
We recommend you do the "Sunset Tour" if you have time. That way you get to see dolphins, and possibly manatees and all the amazing birds. Then, take a break, and go out for the Bioluminescent Kayak Tour later. It's just $20 more and it's an amazing tour! Click here to book that.
For our single kayaks, the weight limit is 275 lbs. For the tandem kayaks it is 550 lbs. The night kayaking tours are done on tandem kayaks.
Some people are naturally athletic, and they pick up any kind of activity easily. If that's you, pick either launch location. If you are a beginner, or not sure about kayaking abilities, or have small children, you may want to choose the Haulover Canal kayaking location. You may also want to ask about our new rafting options where you join others in the raft for an easy paddle in a big boat.
Ram, the owner, likes to say, "You bring the spray, we'll bring the mosquitos!" We cannot guarantee there will be mosquitos, but there is a 99% change there will be. Some breezy nights have no mosquitoes. Some nights there are a lot. The other pest is No-See-Ums. The best way to keep them away is with Baby Oil. So, consider slathering on a layer of Baby Oil to any exposed skin. PLEASE BRING MOSQUITO SPRAY.
We can manage groups up to 50 people. We recommend you book weekend nights at least 45 days in advance for large groups. Weekdays is best, as those are easier to find spaces for. Please phone us for details, and we will be happy to get you and ALL your wonderful friends out for the tour! See more about See more about Group Tours.
We like to think so, but we cannot guarantee it. Here are the best conditions: hot weather, right after a rain storm, dark night. Sometimes the night is dark even when the moon is supposed to be bright. Sometimes a barely visible moon occurs on such a clear night, that even the slightest shine makes it seem bright. So, there are many factors that make the bioluminescence more/less visible.
The BEST TIME for glowing algae (dinoflagellates) brightness is usually July to October. But we see it all year round, and in November, we see amazing flashing comb jellies! So, don't miss out because your vacation does not fall during the summer months.
This depends on your launch site: either Kelly Park is near Port Canaveral right off of Hwy. 528 (about 45 mins from Orlando), or in peak-season also, Haulover Canal in Titusville, Florida (1 hr; 15 mins from Orlando). Kelly Park near Cocoa Beach is the closer launch site to Miami.
Lots of people who love kayaking with their dog have asked about this tour. We do not recommend this one for dogs, as it is a night kayaking tour. Maybe chose the manatee tour or the monkey tour instead of bioluminescent kayaking if you want to have a great experience with your favorite pooch!
Our recommended age for paddling is 5+ years old. Each tandem kayak, has a small middle seat, that a younger child could sit in. Price is per person regardless of age, or number in kayak. We recommend only for small children who are able to sit still for at least 90 minutes.
Because of wildlife and environmental protection we have a limited number of kayaks we can launch at one time. So, we use 2 person tandem kayaks in order to get all of our guests out to see the bioluminescence on the dates they want. That does not mean you will be in a large group. Only 8 boats go out with 2 guide boats at one time.
BK Adventure's office is about 50 miles from Orlando, and just 15 minutes away from Kennedy Space Center. Guest will meet at our Titusville office and then be driven to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge (about 10 miles away).
Because of the limited availability of our equipment, they tend to book up quickly. Please call us if there is a time/day you would like that is not available for online booking. We may be able to get you on.
This kayaking tour is not recommended for smaller children. 10+ is a good age for this tour.
Though we do not guarantee wildlife on any of our tours (Mother Nature makes no guarantees!), we usually see alligators, ospreys, herons, river otters and deer on this tour.
We can manage groups up to 15 people for this tour. We recommend you book weekends at least 45 days in advance for large groups. Weekdays is best, as those are easier to find spaces for. Please phone us for details, and we will be happy to get you and ALL your wonderful friends out for the tour! See more about Group Tours here.
Some people are naturally athletic, and they pick up any kind of activity easily. If that's you, pick either launch location. If you are a beginner, or not sure about kayaking abilities, let your guide know when at the beginning of the tour.
Because of wildlife and environmental protection we have a limited number of boats we can launch at one time. There will be 6-10 people in your raft depending on the size of the boat.
This tour is better for small children. We recommend only for small children who are able to sit still for at least 90 minutes. Please bring USCG issued life vest for toddlers to be sure it is a good fit. We do have child size life vests available for 3+.
This depends on your launch site: either Kelly Park is near Port Canaveral right off of Hwy. 528 (about 45 mins from Orlando), or in peak-season also, Haulover Canal in Titusville, Florida (1 hr; 15 mins from Orlando). Kelly Park near Cocoa Beach is the closer launch site to Miami.
We can manage groups up to 22 people for rafting. We have 3 rafts to accommodate this. We recommend you book weekend nights at least 45 days in advance for large groups. Weekdays is best, as those are easier to find spaces for. Please phone us for details, and we will be happy to get you and ALL your wonderful friends out for the tour! See more about our Group Tours here.
The weight limit for 1 raft is about 2400lbs. We can accommodate people of varying sizes in our rafts. Be sure you can get in and out of the raft on your own.
Because of the limited availability of our rafts and clear kayaks, they tend to book up quickly. Please call us (407-519-8711) if there is a time/day you would like that is not available for online booking. We may be able to get you on. But, generally for bioluminescence tours it is best to book 30 days in advance for New Moon and Dark Skies weeks, and about 2 weeks in advance for all other tours. This will help ensure you get the time and tour that you want.
Yes, especially in the summer months, bioluminescence is visible during the full moon. But on the buffer seasons like spring or early fall, it may be hard to see bioluminescent plankton (dinoflagellates). However, the comb jellies are usually visible during all moon phases. The less light that reflects on the water usually makes the bioluminescence appear brighter, but it is always still there.

Why book with us
- Safety first
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- Expert & professional local guides
- Fair prices
- Fair cancellation policy
- We run our own trips
- We're a passionate bunch
- Rated 5-star on TripAdvisor
- Guaranteed trips
Por qué reservar con nosotros
- Seguridad primero
- Turismo sostenible
- Guías locales expertos y profesionales
- Precios razonables
- Política de cancelación justa
- Realizamos nuestros propios tours
- Nos apasiona lo que hacemos
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