10 Paddle Board Wildlife Tours in the New York Area

In General, SUP Activity Recommendations, SUP Location Recommendations by Perfect Paddles

Share this Post

Interested in a paddle board wildlife tour in New York? Then check out these top 10 spots to get out there!

New York, New York. The bright lights. The big city. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. But did you know, you can also paddle board here as well?

It's true! And not just in the city either. Sure, you can take in the cityscape from the Hudson on your paddle board. Believe us, it's worth your time for the views alone! But you can also reconnect with nature as well.

Essentially, you can experience the best of both worlds. A clash of the big city life with the chance to wander into waterways outside of NYC.

This is what makes New York such a unique place to paddle board. You can have your big city life as well as the natural world too.

Check out this list of the Top 10 Wildlife Tours in the New York Area to ensure you have the best time you can on the water.

Venture Out (Shelter Island, NY)

Venture Out is on our list of Top 10 Wildlife Tours due to its unique location on the east coast.

Shelter Island is a town and an island at the eastern end of Long Island in New York. The island only holds a population of around 2,400 people and is completely surrounded by water. In order to get to the island, travelers must take a ferry to reach its shores.

The inaccessibility of the island and small population make Venture Out’s tour one to be remembered!

There is a beginner lesson included if they are needed for any novice paddlers. But once the land lesson is taken care of, paddlers are ushered into the water where they will see the vast array of wildlife as well as receive a lesson on the history of the island.

In addition, participants will make their way along beautiful creeks close to the island where the tour guide will capture fun photos and videos of the group.

We highly recommend this unique tour where paddlers will be able to see wildlife native to the shores of Shelter Island. And you'll also be able to learn about a unique part of the United States and its history.

Venture Out Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

Moku Loa Paddle Tribe (Oakdale, NY)

Next on our list is the team at Moku Loa Paddle Tribe.

Moke Loa does not offer a traditional Wildlife Tour. However, they make up for it with their Wednesday night social paddles. As well as their tours around the Connetquot River.

Every Wednesday night paddlers meet up to paddle with fellow adventure seekers. There you can improve their paddling skills and make new friends. Some of which may extend farther than even spending time on the water.

As a bonus, you will also be paddle around the Connetquot River. This beautiful body of water is one of the longest rivers on Long Island. There you can expect to see various bird species including the famous bald eagles. And down below you can spot trout splashing through the shallow waves.

We suggest spending a Wednesday evening with Moku Loa to enhance your paddling skills. There you can meet new friends. And learn about the surrounding wildlife in the river.

Moku Loa Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

Flow Stand Up Paddle (Red Bank, NJ)

Flow Stand Up Paddle is located on the Jersey Shore in Red Bank, New Jersey. They make it onto our list due to the added benefit of offering vacationers a concierge service.

The process is simple. Just call the team, they will pick you up at your hotel, and bring you and your paddle board to the river. There you will enjoy a lesson and tour!

This experience is only sweetened by the fact that you will be led by highly trained SUP specialists. They will work to get you comfortable on a paddle board in no time.

Once you are able to stand, you will be guided on the water where the team at Flow SUP will give you a specialized guided tour through the Jersey Shore. In addition, they will point out various plants, animals, and wildlife native to the waters.

This may include gull species, eagles, osprey, stingrays, harmless sand sharks, as well as trout and other fish species.

Don't miss out on this one!

Flow Stand Up Paddle Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

The Kayak Foundation (Brooklyn, NY)

The Kayak Foundation comes up next on our list.

You shouldn't be fooled by the name. The Kayak Foundation has plenty to offer the SUP enthusiast. In fact, their SUP Wildlife and City Tour might be the best experience in all of New York!

And we are not exaggerating.

The tour begins in New York Harbor. There you will be kept close to the shore to avoid boat traffic with the wonderful views of the city in sight. As you paddle through the harbor you will be able to see a wide range of avian and aquatic species.

If they aren't on display, groups are guided to the shore where they can take a break, grab food, and explore the city.

From there, you will make your way around various parts of Governor’s Island, seeing the unique architecture, and then back to the safe shores of where the tour started.

The best word we can use to describe this tour is - unique! See the wildlife and city streets in New York to create memories that will last a lifetime!

The Kayak Foundation Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

Paddle Diva (East Hampton, NY)

Gliding onto our list next is Paddle Diva in East Hampton, New York.

Paddle Diva offers paddle board experiences on Long Island. They provide beginner lessons for the novice and refresher tips for the experienced paddler.

Labeled an Adventure Tour, these offerings start at 9:30 in the morning and last until around noon.

Their Adventure Tours start at 9:30 in the morning and last until noon. Your choice of tours includes a point-to-point Three Bay Trip from Shagwong Marine in Three Mile Harbor to Accabonac Harbor by way of Gardiner's Bay.   This trip includes a loop around Wood Tick Island and past rocks which are often open to a variety of water birds.

Other tours include a fast downwind run from Lazy Point to Montauk. As well as a Gardiner’s Island Paddle which involves a short boat ride to explore the ruins of the old artillery fort along the wester-most edge of the island. And last, a Shelter Island round trip similar to the one offered by Venture Out.

With all of these options, you will be able to pick and choose an adventure to fit your style.  And you are guaranteed to see plenty of wildlife along the way. We recommend Paddle Diva if you are looking for unique options to experience on a paddle board with highly qualified instructors!

Paddle Diva Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

Manhattan Kayak + SUP (Manhattan, NY)

Making its way next onto our list is Manhattan Kayak and SUP!

They offer two different tours, where you will make your way onto the famous Hudson River in New York City.

We recommend both trips only fo experienced paddlers. The Hudson River can be a busy waterway with boat traffic, wild winds, and a rushing tide.

Do you meet these requirements? If so, you can choose from a Sinatra Beach tour where you can expect to see birds, crabs, and oysters. And as the tour continues, you will make your way across the river and into Hoboken to see the famous hangouts as well as the home of Frank Sinatra.

This leads us to the second option - a Training and Wildlife Tour paddle. It is here where you will be able to see the wildlife the city has to offer. Groups are expected to follow each other under an open sky, allowing the tidal currents to take them wherever they may end.

Just be sure you are an experienced paddler before taking this option as fighting the tide and current on the way back can be difficult!

Due to their unique offerings and incredible location, Manhattan Kayak and SUP end up as one of the top choices to experience a wildlife paddleboard tour in New York!

Manhattan Kayak and SUP Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

Paddleworks (Manasquan, NJ)

The next shop on our list is Paddleworks located in Manasquan, NJ.

The Jersey Shore is famous for its beautiful beaches, bustling nightlife, and generous food offerings. The simple coastline offers paddlers a calming backdrop to any SUP tour you may choose on your next vacation.

While Paddleworks offers basic beginner lessons and up to 4-hour rentals, they also take paddlers on guided tours through the waterways found along the Jersey Shore.

It is on these guided paddleboard tours where participants can expect to see various ocean-dwelling birds such as pelicans and gulls.  And if you are lucky, you can spot the occasional sea ray or harmless sand shark!

Paddleworks is operated by highly skilled instructors and guides, ensuring your trip to the Jersey Shore will be one to be remembered!

Paddleworks Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

South-End Surf N’ Paddle (Beach Haven, NJ)

South-End Surf N’ Paddle is in Beach Haven, New Jersey.

Here you can experience a different area of the Jersey Shore while you paddle through the marina. Stop and gaze at docked boats and the natural world around you.

Tour participants are guided around Mordecai Island where you will spend two hours seeing the sights. There you can spot wildlife such as turtles, stingrays, and birds nesting in the trees along the shore.

This relaxed tour around the island is perfect for beginners, experienced paddlers, and families. South-End makes it onto our list for their accessibility for all skill levels and ages.

Pocono Paddle Board and Fitness (Lake Harmony, PA)

Pocono Paddle Board and Fitness is our next stop. Their location takes us farther inland and away from the shore.

The tours are held on the serene shores of Lake Harmony in Pennsylvania. There you will be led through a beginner lesson before heading onto the open waters of the lake.

A tour guide will lead you through a two-and-a-half-hour tour around the beautiful shores. Keep your eye on the horizon to see Bald Eagles, various species of deer, and the occasional freshwater fish.

In addition, tour guides will provide paddlers with historical facts of the lake while guiding them through the calm, relaxing waters under a hot sun.

Pocono Paddle Board and Fitness make it to our top list due to its unique location, expert guides, and picturesque lake.

This is an experience you must participate in if you find yourself in the Pocono area.

Pocono Paddle Board and Fitness Wildlife Paddle Board Tour

Resilience Adventures (Hoboken, NJ)

Our last Wildlife Tour in New York belongs to Resilience Adventures located in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Why do they make it onto our list you ask? Well, that’s simple - their options!

Resilience Adventures has tours that include a Statue of Liberty SUP tour, what they call a Frying Pan SUP tour, Intrepid Cross River SUP tour, Brooklyn Red Hook SUP Tour, Governor’s Island tour, and a Manhattan Moonrise SUP tour.

The Governor's Island Tour is perfect for a nature and wildlife tour.

The small island houses beautiful trees, lush grasses, and plenty of opportunities to spot crabs, oysters, clams, and a variety of water-dwelling birds.

If you are an action junkie we recommend a tour with Resilience Adventures. Their paddle board tour is a perfect way to experience the wildlife, city, and everything in between on a SUP!

Conclusion

New York is one of the most exceptional places on planet Earth. Visitors can experience both the noise and excitement of the bright lights as well as the natural world from the shores of the Hudson River.

You can also take a trip down south to the famous Jersey Shore. THere you can see beautiful beaches teeming with wildlife, excellent fishing, and plenty of chances to get on a paddle board and explore.

It is our hope at Perfect Paddles that we may guide you in the right direction for which activities you are searching for to experience on a SUP.

New York is worth exploring with your paddle board. It's even better to participate in a tour of both the wildlife and the city. This way, you will be sure to have experienced all it has to offer.

However, if you are still not sure what company or outfitter to contact, sign up for our membership, shoot us a message, and we will happily point you in the right direction - before and after you get on the water!

About the Author
Perfect Paddles

Perfect Paddles

admin

Share this Post