Wekiva Island

Wekiva Island sits on the Wekiva River just north of Orlando in Longwood, on a piece of land that has been a gathering spot since 1960, when a fish camp first opened there. The Weinaug family bought the old Wekiwa Marina property in 2008 and reimagined it as Wekiva Island, a family-owned and operated riverside hangout built around three stated priorities: sustainability, education, and art. It shows in small ways, like the native landscaping and the stated goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030, and in bigger ways, like how the place still feels more like a low-key community spot than a commercial operation despite pulling in visitors from well outside Longwood.

The main draw is straightforward: rent a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard and spend a few hours on the Wekiva River, a spring-fed, cypress-lined waterway that is genuinely one of the more scenic paddling routes in Central Florida. Rentals are first come, first served, with no reservations taken, and pricing runs by the day rather than the hour. A single kayak is $47 before 4pm or $35 after, a tandem kayak runs $57 or $45, and canoes and paddleboards are priced similarly. If you already own a vessel, launch fees are $10 on weekdays and $20 on weekends. Wildlife along the river is a regular sight, including turtles, wading birds, and the occasional manatee depending on the season.

Beyond the water, the property has grown into a real hangout, with the Without a Paddle Cafe for food and the Tooting Otter for drinks, plus regular live music, corporate and private event space, and cabana rentals for people who just want to sit by the river without paddling anywhere. There is also a small education center on site and a homeschool program, part of that broader focus on teaching people about the spring-fed river system rather than just renting them a boat and waving goodbye. Hours run late compared to most outdoor recreation spots, staying open until 9pm Sunday through Thursday and 11pm on Friday and Saturday, so it works as an evening destination and not just a daytime paddling trip. Seasonal promotions on vessel rentals show up fairly often too, so it is worth checking current specials before you go.

For anyone looking to get on real Florida water without booking a formal tour, Wekiva Island is about as easy as it gets from Orlando: show up, rent a boat, paddle at your own pace, and grab food or a drink when you get back. The family ownership and the sustainability focus give it a different feel than a typical rental outfit, more like a local institution that happens to also rent kayaks.