Complete Guide to Visiting Florida's RAINBOW RIVER

[@Explorcation]

Hi everyone, thanks for exploring Rainbow River with us, what do you think, would you want to visit the river? Let us know in the comments!

[@bennk7767]

I love your channel, My wife and I are planning on moving there from Canada, your guides have been so helpful in understanding the Tampa Bay area, which is where we are planning to move. Keep up the excellent work, your videos are getting better all the time.

[@Explorcation]

Thank you so much for the kind and thoughtful comment! We hope your eventual move goes smoothly and that you enjoy Florida every bit as much as we do!

[@christiejune]

We love Rainbow River. Thanks for the extra tips!

[@Explorcation]

You and us both, Christie! Thanks for watching!

[@souns1510]

Thanks for your videos that support wellness and keep us exploring! (Also deep condolences from Soun and Mya)

[@Explorcation]

Thank you so much. It can be hard to stay motivated to keep making these videos, especially during times like these, but the support of people like you keep us going. We are so appreciative of your extreme kindness and generosity!

[@walkingj.m9132]

It is so beautiful place to swimming or Paddleing!! I want to go there and enjoy it!! Thank you for sharing this my new friend!!😍😍👍👍

[@Explorcation]

Thank you so much for your support. Rainbow River is indeed a beautiful place, and we hope you get a chance to see it in person some day!

[@rhondalyn100]

Y'all are always so much fun to hang out with on Saturdays, even if only for a short time We have a lake house close by so I finally bought my first paddleboard recently. Wish I would have waited as these Hapfan boards are gorgeous! As always, love it when you post a map of the area you are recording and, of course, I love the food shots. Both restaurant choices here look like great places for yummy meals. See you next week ! 🙂

[@Explorcation]

We're so happy to be part of your Saturdays, Rhonda! We're so happy to hear that you bought your first paddleboard. We are so excited to now have boards that are so easy to carry and transport, and we're hoping it results in us getting out on the water much more often! Regarding the food, it's hard to find good Cajun around Tampa Bay, but we've now found two great options up in the Nature Coast. Who would have thought?!

[@LeonhardTube]

Amazing and enjoyable to watch the amazing activity in the Rainbow River. Thanks for sharing my friend!

[@Explorcation]

Thank you so much for watching, Leonhard. We're glad that you enjoyed this one!

[@LucasWorldTravel]

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a river with water that clear. It's gorgeous! Really loved your paddleboard upgrades too. I can't even imagine lugging around 40lb boards. These new ones look much easier to transport and carry.

[@Explorcation]

It may be possible to find another river with water that clear, but I don't see how it could possibly be any clearer! And yeah, lugging around 40lb paddleboards may be a good workout, but it is not very enjoyable 😂. The new ones are sooo much better for transporting.

[@TheWalkingRabbit]

What a paradise... Thanks for sharing this amazing video of yours!

[@Explorcation]

Our pleasure. Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to comment!

[@happysoul...]

Watching From India❤

[@Explorcation]

Thanks so much :)

[@ronturner6411]

Another great video thank you for sharing another one of your great adventures.

[@Explorcation]

Thanks, Ron. This one sure was an adventure, and we're glad you enjoyed it!

[@BobCarlson]

I adventured many years with my inflatable kayak. I kept it in my second bathroom in my 2\2 condo. I have a hard one now In a garage and have barely used it. Those paddle boards look like my next thing to try.

[@Explorcation]

We've never tried an inflatable kayak, but would love to someday. We were always skeptical about the durability of inflatable paddleboards. But we they kept getting cheaper and cheaper and we kept hearing consistently positive reviews on them, so when we received the collaboration offer from Hapfan, we couldn't say no. So far, we honestly love them. Of course only time will tell on the durability, but if we get a couple solid years out of them, they'll have been worth the price!

[@vagabarnes6088]

Love the video. Yes, we really want to explore the river. We are currently looking at the inflatable boards you have to purchase for ourselves. We have wanted some to always have with us when traveling but that don't break the bank to buy.

[@Explorcation]

We sure do hope you get a chance to explore Rainbow River for yourselves sometime! And for what you are looking for, we do think that the Hapfan Paddleboards would fit the bill quite nicely! Thanks so much for watching.

[@PilotWanderlust]

Thanks for the share, guys!

[@Explorcation]

Our pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@mdenisen]

Ha, running into you guys again on the Tube of U. I commented on your Goodland video the other day, we were the folks that lived in Goodland for 6 years. We moved up here (citrus county) 7 years ago. I ordered a couple paddle boards the other day so Ive been researching areas to SUP around here. Ive watched over a dozen videos on the rainbow river and yours was the best hands down. Great quality, great content and very informative (even for a local). Maybe when you come back to do the 11 mile run we can hook up and tag along. I’m thinking the Blue run launch fits us best as we like to bring a few adult beverages when we’re on the water. Great content, liked and subscribed.

[@Explorcation]

Yup... once you watch one of our videos you just can't get away from us 😂 We were both kind of curious about where you moved to after living in Goodland, and now we know! As far as we're concerned, the best spots to paddle in Florida are in your area and to the north. Ranbow River, Ichetucknee, Crystal River, and Weeki Wachee are all amazing paddles, and you can see so much more on a paddleboard than in a kayak due to the improved vantage point. We are hoping to get back up that way for some more paddling sooner or later... It's one of our favorite things to do during the summer when the cold spring water feels so refreshing. That would be really cool to meet up with ya when we make it back for that 11 mile paddle!

[@BeingBedingfield]

Love the style of this video. Skylar seemed to get so close to that gator at one stage 😳😅 Can’t believe how clear the river water is, it’s amazing! Swampy’s looks like an awesome spot to grab some food, the portions looked massive 😅

[@Explorcation]

I (Skylar) honestly never got less than 30 feet from that little gator, but that was about 50 feet to close for Jamie's liking 😂 The river water is amazingly clear, especially right near the headsprings. I would not hesitate to drink it if we would have run out of water. A lot of companies around here actually get their bottled water from the Florida springs! And yes, Swampy's portions were massive, and it was a great place to cap off our day!

[@BeingBedingfield]

@@Explorcation haha, I agree with Jamie, that’s still too close to the gators 😂😂

[@Explorcation]

@@BeingBedingfield right? I (Jamie) don't care how small it is, i still want to be far away LOL

[@reginaldorabelo4497]

Eu gostei do nosso passeio ontem no Rainbow River😊

[@Explorcation]

We're glad you had a good walk! It's a very beautiful place!

[@chrispham7064]

We love your video. Thanks for sharing this amazing video. Have a wonderful weekend you guys.

[@Explorcation]

Thanks so much, Chris. This was a fund adventure and we're glad you enjoyed watching it!

[@DavidandSarah]

this looks like an amazing place to do water activities! thanks for showing us around 😍

[@Explorcation]

It definitely is. Thanks for watching, guys!

[@TheAverageTourist]

This looks like a beautiful river to paddleboard on - but I don't know if I would be brave enough to go knowing there are alligators there! I think we need a pump like that for our inflatable kayaks - definitely worth it to save the time manually pumping them up! And your food looked delish - especially that sandwich.

[@Explorcation]

We are starting to think that the reason some people prefer kayaks here in Florida is because they prefer to be oblivious to the alligators that are swimming right next to them 😂 We really do love the higher vantage point that our paddleboards offer, but sometimes you may see things you don't want to see! If we had the room for them, we'd certainly own kayaks too though, as they definitely have some advantages. And yes, we would highly recommend the inflatable pump if you can find one that will work with your kayak!

[@FourLeafGroverRL]

it’s really not a problem here, I live like 20 minutes away and we never see alligators on the river when tubing. If you do see them, they are pretty small and avoid you. Most of the time we just float right on by and they don’t do anything lol

[@TheAverageTourist]

@groverrl interesting!! As a Canadian is definitely not a regular occurrence for me to see one - actually I've never seen one in the wild. But we do see bears camping every now and then up here. ..

[@gladysgriffin7347]

Wow I did not know about this place. Will be part of our next trip. Thanks

[@Explorcation]

We're so happy that we've been able to introduce you to some new places!

[@CLFigueroa5]

Hi. I have a question. I plan on staying at Rainbow River Bungalows. According to them, I am allowed to launch my kayak for free at The kp hole since I’m a guest there. They told me I could kayak to head of springs or Indian Creek and swim there. Does that make sense ?

[@Explorcation]

We're not aware of guests at any specific properties being able to launch at KP Hole for free, but that doesn't mean it's not legit. If it is, that would be a really great perk! If this place has an AirBNB listing, I'd recommend reading some of the reviews to see if anyone else makes any mention of the free kayak launch. Our understanding is that if you want to swim in the head spring at Rainbow River then you'd have to enter at the north entrance and pay the fee there.

[@BackroadExploits]

The Rainbow River has to be one of the most confusing places to visit for all the reasons you listed. If you don't do your research first, you will be sadly disappointed. I was there in July and I can tell you at 7am Blue Run Park was half full already. The State Park Tubing Launch on the east side of the river had a line of 20 cars already. It was on the weekend. I've been down it several times and never saw a gator, but then again I wasn't standing up either, I was tubing. KP is run by Ghestapo, LOL, they run a very tight ship. I tried to get out of the water there with my nephew during a lightning storm and they tried to prevent me unless I paid the park entrance fee!! Word to the wise, pay attention to the weather forecast before tubing on this river as there are very few, if any, places to get out of the water during a storm. Having said all that, it is an amazing experience that I do whenever I get the chance and Swampy's is where you go when you're done!! You guys did a great job explaining all the options and rules!! I learned a thing or two. But seriously, gators are not an issue here despite the catchy thumbnail ;-)

[@Explorcation]

We're so glad to hear that we aren't the only ones who thought so! After visiting about 14 different websites and reading 5 different vlogs, we finally felt like we had a pretty good grasp on how things work up there... but even then we still had a few surprises! We really hop that this video can help a few Rainbow River vacationers' day go smoothly. That's a pretty crazy story about them not letting you out of the water during a storm. They definitely do run tight ship at KP Hole. It doesn't surprise us that you've never seen a gator... as I don't believe that any of the kayakers saw the ones that we saw either. That's the thing we love most about paddleboards... the improved vantage point. Of course SUP boards have some drawbacks compared to kayaks as well. And I suppose some folks might prefer NOT to know when a gator is swimming right next to them! 😂

[@BackroadExploits]

@@Explorcation LOL, right. My wife would never get in the water if she knew there could be gators. I think most that are seen here are small though. Not a lot of fish/wildlife that I saw compared to other springs.

[@Explorcation]

@@BackroadExploits yeah, the gators we saw were 4 foot tops, and while we did see quite a bit of fish, they were all on the smaller side.

[@AquariusTraveller]

I find it so unbelieveable how clear this water is, you would almost think that there was no water at all. Definately a great spot for swimming, or however you enjoy the water. I love the idea that if you only want to go the one way, there is a shuttle bus to take you back to your car :) I have been interested in these blow up paddleboards for sometime, but not on the cards yet. Maybe one day when we are around a lot of places we can use it, but I love the idea :) on space and weight. Your gaters are probably much like our fresh water crocodiles...they will leave you alone most the time ( unless they feel threatened) .

[@Explorcation]

Yeah, it really is unbelievably clear. Some of the water companies actually source their bottled water from the Florida springs, and I've read that it is generally safe to drink close to the headspring. The water is definitely a little chilly, but on a 90+ degree day, it feels amazing! I still don't think I'd be too comfortable knowingly swimming in water right next to an alligator, but I don't mind paddling near them at all. They do generally seem to have no interest in people unless you are bothering them or have something that they want to eat (like a fish or a small dog).

[@AquariusTraveller]

@@Explorcation I agree, I've never swan with a fresh water Croc either - But I have paddle boarded nearby...still makes me a little uneasy LOL

[@samo8204]

Another great vid!

[@Explorcation]

Thank you, Sam!

[@stevenewhouse9824]

Nice video just booked 2 nights at the campground for mid-June, 2023. Very difficult to find 2 nights.

[@Explorcation]

Glad you enjoyed the video, and that you were able to find a spot, Steven. Thanks for watching!

[@ScullyPop]

Another stellar episode.

[@Explorcation]

Thanks so much, Scully! It was a brutally hot day, but the Rainbow River is just to beautiful not to enjoy regardless of the weather.

[@PrimeTimeTravelers]

Great vlog! Tubing this whole route sounds awesome but gators would scare us. Swampys for lunch looks incredible!

[@Explorcation]

Thanks so much! We agree that tubing down Rainbow River would be fun, but I'd definitely be doing my best to keep my legs out of the water!

[@OurTravelPlace]

oh wow, I thought the idea of getting in the water with gators would be really scary. Have you ever seen a really big gator when you've been out on the your boards? I would love to stay in one of those houses by the river! Good tip about the food container, and swampy's looked perfect :D

[@Explorcation]

We would probably get a little bit nervous if we saw a huge gator swim up next to us, but we have only seen a few small gators on our paddles. Thankfully the waters where we see gators are usually very calm, and we can keep our bodies out of the water if we need to! And yeah, no better way to end a day on the river than at Swampy's!

[@OurTravelPlace]

@@Explorcation keeping bodies out of the water is a good point... I fancy the idea of tubing but maybe not so much having my bum hanging in the water with gators around! :')

[@FourLeafGroverRL]

@@OurTravelPlacehere isn’t that many gators there, they are all small and avoid humans. We just float right by, I’ve swam the whole way before and they don’t mess with you at all 😂 I grew up here for reference.

[@OurTravelPlace]

@@FourLeafGroverRL Good to know, thanks! :)

[@BransonFamVlog]

OUR Jayme would absolutely love kayaking here! We need to plan another Florida trip soon ♥️

[@Explorcation]

We're sure she would! Anyone that is at all into kayaking would love Rainbow River. We sure do hope you guys get a chance to plan another trip down to Florida soon!

[@kerrydennard4921]

This has nothing to do with this video we're in Venice Florida this morning we ate at the croissant company on your recommendation mind blowing it was a pleasure going there we got two danishes that we split and I'm here to say the only problem with this place is that I only got two danishes LOL keep up the great work we're going to watch this one when we get home thank you for all that you do

[@Explorcation]

You can comment about Croissant & Company on any of our videos that you wish, Kerry 😂 That place really is amazing and we're so happy to hear you had the chance to enjoy it! Thank you so much for your support!

[@timandrew1091]

Are very small boats w/ small motors allowed?

[@Explorcation]

The entire river is a "no wake zone", but small motors are allowed in most of it, although certain parts are off limits to motorized vessels of any sort.

[@doLLia05]

@explorcation Hello, Through where can I purchase the shuttle back to kp hole if I do not wish to paddle back once I’ve reached blue run?

[@Explorcation]

We booked ours through the Marion County website, but if you go on the website now, it says that shuttles are only available from April 1-Sept. 30. You may still be able to book some sort of shuttle through a third party during the offseason, but we don't know for sure.

[@23janneter]

How many minutes did it take you to paddle from kp hole to rainbow springs?

[@Explorcation]

It took us around 2.5 hours, but we were really taking our time (stopping several times to film and for water/snack breaks). If you were just focused on paddling it would likely be much quicker.

[@5senses871]

Do they have spots where you can drink fresh spring water

[@Explorcation]

We've heard that the water is generally safe to drink if you're close enough to the headspring, although we've never tried it.

[@hiramrodeiguezjr.8815]

Does the water flow from rainbow springs to blue run?? Im Trying to go with the flow lol if so I'll make a trip from kp hole to blue run and pay for that ride back.

[@Explorcation]

Yes, it does, Hiram. We don't blame you one bit for trying to go with the flow! It's nice to just float along and take in the views!

[@jnbryan2]

Where did you stay?

[@Explorcation]

It's pretty close to where we live so we were able to do it as a day trip.

[@Flamadiddle2]

How is the water so clear? And more importantly, have there been any gator attacks on humans?

[@Explorcation]

The water in the river is so clear (especially closest to the head springs) because it is naturally filtered through layers of rock and soil underground. We've never heard of any gator attacks at Rainbow River. We wouldn't say it's impossible, but definitely extremely unlikely.

[@AliDeshi]

Very nice sharing my dear respected friend full support and Big likes from Ahmed Ali Nizamani ❤️💕💕🥰🥰💖

[@Explorcation]

Thanks so much for your support, Ahmed. We really appreciate it.

[@saralynn518]

so what are you supposed to do if an alligator comes over, and you're in something that can pop. I'm from Ohio and I will be visiting in a month. I would like to tube, but kayaking sounds a bit safer (and easier to see the fish and plants). I love wildlife, but it can stay a respectable distance.

[@Explorcation]

I've seen people just poke the alligator in the face with their paddle when one gets too close... which usually seems to work. I'd imagine the odds of an alligator biting through your inflatable board while in the springs are extremely low. Regardless, it could still happen and it's good to have a plan in case it does!

[@stevepodraza6363]

How are the paddle boards holding up ? 😃

[@Explorcation]

So far so good, Steve. Granted, they've been used for a couple months, but overall we're still quite happy with them!

[@amymarie3337]

Any manatees there? Just got back from Crystal River!

[@Explorcation]

Hi Amy. There definitely are manatees in the Rainbow River... especially during the colder months, but not near the level of Crystal River from our understanding. Thanks so much for watching!

[@toniavasseur9574]

I only go to the river I go to the Comal San Marcos and there’s no alligator swim in that water

[@Explorcation]

That's great to know. Thanks for sharing this the information!

[@toniavasseur9574]

@@Explorcation yeah it’s over there by new Braunfels Like an hour from San Antonio

[@toniavasseur9574]

And it’s spring fed and it’s cold and clear so it’s it feels amazing I go every year with my dog

[@Explorcation]

@@toniavasseur9574 sounds gorgeous 🤩

[@therealmarshalldavis]

Sounds like a local 😂😂,, I appreciate the video could be helpful to some folks. Just a bummer when monetized videos from out of towners attracts even more people to the already crowded areas. 😢

[@Freshy_Jones]

It’s not that crowded, stop being a loner.

[@wickedlady4180]

First

[@stereothrilla8374]

River mafia is real.

[@Explorcation]

😂 no joke

[@rocknjbindad3707]

There are religious scholars who have theorized in the distant past that Rainbow Springs may have been near the site of Eden.

[@Explorcation]

Very interesting, we had heard that one of the Florida springs was the location of the Fountain of Youth, but weren't sure which one. Thanks so much for watching!

[@jameshines6486]

The rules are so strict and it's so crowded you feel like your in a prison. Then the gators show up and surprise you.

[@Explorcation]

😂 The rules are strict no doubt about that! But if it helps keep the place clean, quiet, and beautiful, then I guess we're alright with it... even though I could have really gone for a cold beer on that paddle!

[@ryansmith3865]

It’s called Nalgene bottles. One with water / one with vodka. Haha.