In the spring of 2004, PaddleFish launched it’s first sea kayak tour from the Bristol Marina in downtown Charleston. Today, the company offers sea kayaking tours from five locations in four states and expanded to offer boat tours and hiking excursions through Big Blue Boat Tours and American Hikes. In 2009, PaddleFish Kayaking and American Hikes began offering multi-day sea kayak supported expeditions into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Western North Carolina, Little Tybee Island Wildlife Preserve near Savannah, Georgia and the Everglades National Park just north of Islamorada in the Florida keys.
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| South Carolina |
Historic Charleston
Our first location on the banks of the Ashley River, just a short paddle to Charlestowne Landing State Park. The maritime history, heritage and culture hidden within the shadow of Charleston’s cobblestone streets, historic structures and holy santurarys. Take a trip into Charleston’s salt marshes and discover a secret world beyond the seawalls of the holy city.
PaddleFish Kayaking Tours: Guided Dolphin Kayak Nature Tours, Guided Kayak Sunset Tours and Guided Kayak Fishing Tours.
Folly Beach
Charleston’s true beach town and one of the top surf spots on the east coast, Folly Beach is a popular retreat for locals and summer vacationers. Several miles of tidal salt marsh separates the island from the mainland and it is teaming with fish, crabs, birds and atlantic bottlenose dolphin. Among South Carolina’s beautiful coast, this is one of the most exciting places to explore.
PaddleFish Kayaking Tours: Guided Kayak Nature Tours, Guided Kayak Sunset Tours, Guided Kayak Fishing Tours and Full Day Tidal Salt Marsh Excursions.
| North Carolina |
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
America’s most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to over 110,000 species of plants and animals, making it one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. It’s home to miles and miles of trails, streams and mountain ridges waiting to be explored. In this treasured place, American Hikes was born in 2007 with the mission of introducing this temperate rain forest to the park’s visitors. Come along with us and experience this reclaimed frontier first hand.
PaddleFish Kayaking Tours: Fontana Family Lake Kayaking Tours, Twilight Lake Kayak Tour, Full Day Paddle and Guided Hikes and Multi-day Sea Kayaking Expeditions.
American Hikes Tours: Yoga in the Park Tour, 75 Years of Discovery Tour, Smoky Mountains Discovery Tour, The Road of Broken Promises Tour, Waterfall Tour, Appalachian Ghosts & Legends Tour, Cherokee Myths & Lore Tour, Sunset Nature Tour Half Day Tour, Mountain Mills & Mystery Half Day Tour, Mountain Bald Nature Tour Full Day Tour, Stories from Cataloochee Valley Full Day Tour, Backcountry Family Camping Adventure and Fontana Lake Multi-day Wilderness Adventure
| Georgia |
Savannah & Tybee Island
Georgia’s Golden Coast provides a vision of America’s barrier islands before development scared the landscape. Sand dues tower above the maritime forest, birds nest in trees resting on the banks of the salt marsh and atlantic bottlenose dolphin strand feed on the pluff mud banks. Located half way between Savannah’s historic district and the area’s only beach, Tybee Island, the Bull River Marina is the perfect launching point to explore Georgia’s coastal ecosystems.
PaddleFish Kayaking Tours: Guided Kayak Nature Tours, Guided Kayak Sunset Tours, Guided Kayak Fishing Tours, Full Day Tidal Salt Marsh Excursions and Multi-day Sea Kayaking Expeditions.
| Florida Keys |
Islamorada in the Florida Keys & the Everglades National Park
Situated between the Everglades National Park to the north and America’s only coral barrier reef, Islamorada is a tropical paradise that has the distinction of being the sportfishing capital of the world. Although the area is known for its stunning displays of wildlife -- both above and below the water, the area also boasts a rich and colorful past. Spend the day, or a few, and you’ll discover the natural side of this treasured destination.
PaddleFish Kayaking Tours: Kayak Snorkeling Excursions, Backcountry Kayak Excursions, Backcountry Kayak Fishing Trips, Kayak Sport Fishing Trips, Kayak Tarpon Sport Fishing Trips, Indian Key Kayak, Snorkeling & Hiking Excursions, and Multi-day Everglades Sea Kayaking Expeditions.
| Inside Scoop |
Why Should You Go Exploring With Us?
We at PaddleFish take great personal pride in sharing the experience of exploring the places we love with our guests. We treat every guest like long lost friends and our passion for the outdoors is evident the moment you meet us. Nothing is more fun than spending time with us on the trail or on the water. Take a tour and you'll see why our guests return year after year.
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY: No experience? No problem! Everything from the gear to the guide is designed to make exploring easy for everyone. Before your trip you'll learn basic wilderness ethics and safety skills, giving you the knowledge you need to enjoy the experience. And your guide will be there along the way to give you tips and additional hands-on instruction if you need it.
ALL AGES WELCOME: Bring the entire family! We offer programs for all ages everyday. That's right, your three year old son can tag along on a nature paddle. Heck, the grandparents can comb the beach with the kids or cast a line in the surf. Engaging the whole family is an important aspect of every vacation. Create new memories and new friends with us.
MAP? WHAT MAP?: Every year unsuspecting vacationers venture into unfamiliar territory alone and get lost - or worse. It happens. We spend everyday out there in the wilderness. We know the area - backwards and forwards. When you're on a tour with us, focus on the things around you. We'll take care of reaching the destination and returning you, safely.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: The old adage still holds true. Over the years we've been offered many opportunities to setup shop in towns along the coast and throughout the Appalachian mountains. Only the best locations made the cut. Each offers bathroom facilities, free parking, easy access to the water, breathtaking scenery, and exciting wildlife viewing opportunities.
Most importantly, each location offers access to the places we love to share with our families, friends, and of course our guests. Come along and discover America's most treasured places. You'll be happy you did.
YOUR PERSONAL GUIDEBOOK: No need to lug along those heavy field guides. You'd need a library full of books to rival the first hand stories and extensive knowledge our guides share with guests on each tour. That's right. Our guides invested years learning about the history, culture, wildlife, plants and the local folklore. Their knowledge and experience combined with great personalities are the ingredients that keep our guests coming back year-after-year. In fact, it's also what keeps our guides coming back too.