Want to hear what everyone is talking about?
Have you heard of the best kept secret in the Florida Panhandle?!
Florida boasts beautiful beaches, state parks, and springs, but have you heard about a widely kept secret that even some locals haven’t heard about?
Hidden away in Marianna, Florida is a clear spring run called Merritt’s Mill Pond. The name helps conceal what it actually is, an adventurer’s paradise!
Due to difficulty accessing the spring, the best way to explore it is with Get Up And Go Kayaking! They provide a clear kayaking eco tour that takes you to all the best places to jump in and explore the caves.
Read what people who have experienced the springs are saying about Get Up And Go Kayaking – Merritt’s Mill.
“This tour has completely exceeded our expectations! Merritt’s Mill Pond is a hidden gem just a few minutes away from Florida Caverns State Park, and its natural beauty is consciously & amazingly explored by the Get Up and Go Kayaking team – some great folks who really cherish this unique place and are glad to show you what they love about it! HUGE shoutout to our tour guide Sean, who went above and beyond to provide my husband and I with the most amazing experience as we talked not only about this rich habitat but also about travels, volunteering, nature, fun stories, and so on! Be ready to paddle through cypress trees and clear spring waters, to see underground and underwater caves, and to spot fishes, turtles, and all kinds of birds – including a bald eagle if you are lucky as we were!” -Luísa Z.
“Highly recommend!!! We had the BEST experience!! Our first booking had to be rescheduled due to weather and Luke was so great to work with on that!! Luke and Brooke were our guides on the tour and it was wonderful. They were very knowledgeable and helpful the whole time. My family of 6 had a wonderful time and the 3 hours was just long enough!!” -Kim M.
“My Girl’s BSA Troop earned our Kayaking Merit badge this afternoon on this tour. The nicest people and GORGEOUS spot. The guide Sean had so much patience and really made the trip interesting with his knowledge of the area and the sport. Everyone wanted to keep going!!” -Renee B.
“Such an amazing experience! Our guide was awesome and the water was beautiful. Kayaks are well cared for and very nice! Every single person who works for the company was so friendly and helpful I cannot recommend doing this enough! What a great day!” -Reva B.
“Absolutely fantastic! Had a great time in these unique clear kayaks. The guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the history and wildlife on the water. Got to see really cool caves and swim into one. I highly recommend this tour, you will not be disappointed!” -Michael A.
“What an awesome experience! Merritt’s Mill Pond is so beautiful. The water is crystal clear and being in a clear kayak made it that much better. Brooke and Luke were our guides. Talk about fun! They are so skilled and knowledgeable about the ecology and history of the area. They took us to explore the caverns and the swim through rock formation. We didn’t have to fumble with our phones to take pictures, They documented the trip so we didn’t have to and sent us all the pictures. We just had to show up and have fun. It was a blast!” -Lucky
“What a cool, fun experience! The water was so clear you could see underwater caverns and fish swimming right underneath the clear kayaks. We also got to get out of the kayaks twice to swim in the beautiful, clear waters. The tour guide was very knowledgeable bringing up interesting and fun facts about the springs and the ecosystem. It helped me develop an awe and appreciation of natural springs. My absolute favorite part of the tour was getting to swim underwater through a small cave entrance and resurfacing inside the cave where the tour guide was. I then exited the cave by swimming back out underwater. I felt completely safe as the tour guide was present giving safety tips. We also got to climb up on a tree branch and jump off into the water below which was an exhilarating experience. We were on this tour for 3 hours and with all the nature above and below the spring water, there was never a dull moment. It’s so much fun, and I can’t wait to go back and do this again on a return visit to Florida!” -Jono O.
Feel free to read more by checking out their reviews, or go experience it for yourself!