Kayaking & Paddleboarding
The salt marsh, the Timucuan Preserve and the Talbot Islands are made for paddling — calm water, dolphins, wading birds, and a quiet way to reach beaches you can’t drive to. Here’s where to launch.
Updated June 2026
Where to paddle
Jacksonville’s east side is a maze of tidal creeks, marsh grass and barrier-island inlets — sheltered, flat and forgiving, which is exactly what you want under a kayak or paddleboard. A few spots stand out, whether you’ve got your own boat or you’re renting one for the morning.
Outfitters & guided tours
You don’t need to own a boat to do any of this. These local outfitters rent kayaks and paddleboards, run guided trips and teach you the basics — and a guide is the fastest way to find the good water, read the tides and reach spots like Boneyard Beach without a wrong turn. You can also book paddle tours through the big experience marketplaces below.
More on the water
Paddling is just one way onto Jacksonville’s waterways. Here’s where to go next.
The whole outdoors hub
Every beach, park and on-the-water guide on the First Coast, in one place.
Dolphin & sunset cruises
Let someone else captain — golden hour on the St. Johns with the dolphins.
Fishing charters
Inshore flats, the jetties and offshore — book a captain who knows the bite.
The Talbot Islands
Boneyard Beach, wild dunes and the best paddling destination near the city.
The Beaches
Where to base yourself, eat and stay between paddles — Atlantic to Ponte Vedra.
Common questions
Where is the best place to kayak in Jacksonville?
The Timucuan Preserve salt marsh is the heart of it: winding tidal creeks with dolphins, herons and spoonbills, all sheltered and flat. The Talbot Islands just north of the St. Johns are the most magical paddle, and they're the easiest way to reach Boneyard Beach.
Can beginners go kayaking or paddleboarding in Jacksonville?
Absolutely. The salt marsh is about as forgiving as flat water gets, and the 60-acre freshwater lake at Hanna Park has no current or surf, making it perfect for a first paddle or for taking the kids out. If it's your very first time, book a guided tour so someone reads the tide and wind for you.
How do you get to Boneyard Beach on the Talbot Islands?
Boneyard Beach, that stretch of sun-bleached toppled oak and cedar trunks, is far easier to reach by water than on foot. Paddle across the inlet from the Talbot Islands, beach your boat, and you'll often have the driftwood graveyard nearly to yourself. Outfitters like PADL run guided trips out there by water.
Do I need my own kayak, or can I rent one?
You don't need to own a boat. Local outfitters like PADL, Kayak Amelia and Black Creek Outfitters rent kayaks and paddleboards, run guided trips and teach the basics. Hanna Park also has seasonal on-site rentals for a grab-and-go morning.
When is the best time of day to paddle the Jacksonville marsh?
Go on an incoming tide so the current carries you home instead of fighting you, and watch the wind on the inlet flats so the water stays glassy. Outfitters like Kayak Amelia also run sunset and full-moon trips when the water goes silver.