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Chain of Lakes Tour: Explore Historic Lakes and Wildlife
4.9
213 Ratings
Winter Haven
Explore Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes on a 2-hour pontoon tour. Capture wildlife photos, learn local history, and enjoy true southern hospitality.
Explore Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes on a 2-hour pontoon tour. Capture wildlife photos, learn local history, and enjoy true southern hospitality.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Chain of Lakes Park - We will cruise by the famous Chain of Lakes Park where the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians once held their spring training.
- Cypress Gardens - Take a tour past the historic Cypress Gardens and famous Florida shaped pool from the movie “Easy to Love” with Esther Williams. You will get the history and catch a glimpse…
- Chain of Lakes Park - We will cruise by the famous Chain of Lakes Park where the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians once held their spring training.
- Cypress Gardens - Take a tour past the historic Cypress Gardens and famous Florida shaped pool from the movie “Easy to Love” with Esther Williams. You will get the history and catch a glimpse of what remains from the water side.
- Winter Haven - You will explore Winter Haven Florida’s famous Chain of Lakes. Home to over 50 lakes with over 24 connected and known as the Water Ski capital of the world! You will even visit the lakes where Elvis Presley, Johnny Carson and many more have skied!
What's Included
- Bottled water provided
- Guests can bring their own food and drinks
- Lunch or Dinner reservations at Harborside restaurant available upon request
- Bottled water provided
- Guests can bring their own food and drinks
- Lunch or Dinner reservations at Harborside restaurant available upon request
Additional Information
Join an award-winning tour of the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven! This tour has been honored with the Certificate of Excellence and Travelers’ Choice awards annually since 2018. Experience genuine southern hospitality as you explore the authentic Florida landscape aboard a brand-new pontoon boat, guided by a local expert with over 40 years of…
Join an award-winning tour of the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven! This tour has been honored with the Certificate of Excellence and Travelers’ Choice awards annually since 2018. Experience genuine southern hospitality as you explore the authentic Florida landscape aboard a brand-new pontoon boat, guided by a local expert with over 40 years of experience. Your guide will lead you on a unique adventure through the stunning beauty and rich history of 5 to 7 historic lakes in the renowned Chain of Lakes. Capture breathtaking photos of the wildlife and lush tropical scenery that adorn the shores of this abundant resource. Potential sightings include alligators, otters, blue herons, turtles, ospreys, anhingas, and more! Additionally, you’ll learn about the history of Cypress Gardens and enjoy a nostalgic view of the famous Florida pool as you glide by, catching a glimpse of a historical moment where southern belles once graced the iconic Cypress Gardens bridge. This tour is ideal for both history enthusiasts and nature lovers!
- We can accomodate one non-transferrable wheelchair guest per tour. Pick up location would change to the boat launch next door to restaurant for wheelchair access. YOU MUST CALL TO BOOK A WHEELCHAIR GUEST BECAUSE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS MUST BE MADE WHICH INCLUDES ENSURING AVAILABILTY OF A SPECIFIC BOAT AND AN ALTERNATE PICK UP LOCATION. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILTY CANNOT BE BOOKED DIRECT WITHOUT CONTACTING US TO ENSURE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE.
- Traveller tip: In the summer months from late May to September it is recommended to book in the morning when the wildlife is most active and the temperature is more comfortable. Summer is rainy season for Florida and rains are more likely in the afternoon.
Location
Harborside
7th Street Southwest
Your tour will depart from the dock at Harborside restaurant. Please proceed to the dock. DO NOT check in w/restaurant as they will not have any information about your tour. Restrooms do not open until 11:30am so please plan accordingly. Lunch or dinner reservations are available upon request.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(213 Ratings)
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Earlr478
Jul 9, 2025
Entertaining chain of lakes tour - Our boat ride on the chain of lakes was thoroughly enjoyable. Captain Darrel was excellent in every way: so very knowledgeable regarding the history and interesting facts of the area, on time, personable and prepared.
Being Florida it is very hot on the lakes, but our captain provided water and sunscreen if needed. We would return again in the future.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daynabryant
Jul 7, 2025
Beautiful relaxing boat tour - We enjoyed a 2 hour morning cruise with Captain "D" (Darrell) and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Beautiful sights and lots of birds to see. Captain D was very knowledgeable about the entire area which made the tour not only beautiful but very interesting! Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patrick
Jul 5, 2025
Relaxing beautiful trip - I booked this trip months before we came over and we were so looking forward to a nice chilled morning after a manic first week and it didn’t let us down. Captain D was extremely welcoming and friendly from the outset, his knowledge of the lakes is superb and has great rapport with his passengers! The lakes are beautiful. I would 100% recommend this trip
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Safari667911
Jun 30, 2025
A morning out on the lake - My family and Ioved this tour! Captain D was awesome! My kids loved the birds we saw. And everyone enjoyed the history Captain D gave us. We are locals. And we are looking forward to booking another tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pamela
Jun 30, 2025
Go, Go, Go! You will thank yourself many times over. - My mom and I took a 2 hour morning excursion with Captain Rue. We had such a wonderful time! Captain Rue was extremely knowledgeable and, needless to say, we learned a lot. Next time (and there will be a next time), we’ll bring my dad and whoever happens to be with us when visiting Florida. We were in Central Florida visiting a cousin and, outside of the time spent with him, this was the highlight of our trip. I HIGHLY recommend it! Not only was Captain Rue wonderful, his wife was also super helpful and friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sean_s
Jun 29, 2025
Very enjoyable the driver... - Very enjoyable the driver was amazing and kept everyone on board engaged
I will definitely go again soon
Review provided by Viator
Georgeb4566
Jun 28, 2025
GREAT DATE NIGHT! - My wife and I had an absolute BLAST! Our captain, Saige, had excellent knowledge of the chain and was a delightful host…highly recommended…we’ll definitely be back!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nesly_g
Jun 26, 2025
Amazing - Very relaxing, The tourist guide was very profesional and knowlegable. I loved the trip. I will recommend to my friends.
Review provided by Viator
K6684hjamyl
Jun 23, 2025
“A Relaxing and Memorable Day on the Water” - We had an amazing time on our Chain of Lakes tour with Sage! She took great care of us. She provided unlimited cold water, hats, and she put up the Bimini top when the sun got too hot. After an hour on the water, we stopped for lunch. The food was delicious (a little pricey, though), and it was the perfect break before heading back out.
We saw so much wildlife including birds, turtles, and even an alligator! Sage was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience feel relaxed and fun. Definitely a day to remember! 🛶🌿☀️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deborahfd5968mg
Jun 21, 2025
Sunset Cruise our Serene Journey - Living Water Boat Cruises was absolutely amazing!
As soon as we finished dinner at the Harborside Restuarant, our boat had already pulled into the marina and was waiting to greet us! We were welcomed by the sweetest captain who immediately greeted us with compassion and courtesy!
Our 8-year-old daughter, who happens to be an identical twin is recovering from a bone marrow transplant (January 2025) after beating leukemia. Captain Saige was phenomenal! The first 10 or 15 minutes onboard it drizzled, but Captain Saige made sure we had everything we needed in place. She dried off every single seat and table. She placed towels down, gave my twins raincoats with hoods. She also provided towels to cover our laps, hats, and umbrellas so we wouldn't get soaked! She was extremely attentive to our family's needs and that was extremely touching.
Thea team was also extremely understanding regarding our daughter's current immunocompromised state. They went above and beyond to accommodate our family's needs with such empathy. They provided us with a private sailing so we could keep her safe and extended a discount as a courtesy due to our unique situation. The cruise itself was great, but it wasn't just about the cruise alone. Our daughter has been isolated at home for months to keep her safe, so to have a company or business of complete strangers go out of their way to create a safe space for her meant the world to us.
We were able to laugh, joke, take selfies, celebrate, but most importantly keep our daughter safe!! The views of the sky, scenery, and water was completely breathtaking. Captain Saige took time to answer questions and point out the wildlife all around us. We spotted several Anhingas, bass, and gators hiding amongst the trees and shrubs, she helped us see it all. She laughed with us and took photos of our family in front of the beautiful sunset. She was perfect! And the next time we go, we will definitely request her or wait until she is available!!!
This truly wasn’t just a sunset boat ride, it was a piece of normalcy and healing we all desperately needed. The crew at Living Water Boat Cruises will never fully understand the depth of how their acts of kindness, truly blessed us giving us back some normalcy in our lives again.
I would HIGHLY recommend booking a sunset cruise with them. I am already checking dates to see when we can go again!! Thank you all again so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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