Canoeing and Kayaking

The Pensacola Bay area is known as the "Canoe Capital of Florida," and the pure sand-bottom Blackwater River is a particularly nice place to paddle. You can rent canoes and kayaks from a number of local companies as well as from outfits on nearby Perdido Key, home to the picturesque Perdido Watershed.

Adventures Unlimited. If you want to get away from it all (cell service is spotty) and have outdoor fun, drive about an hour north of Pensacola to Adventures Unlimited. This outfitter on Coldwater Creek rents canoes, kayaks, tubes, and stand-up paddleboards for adventurers to explore the Coldwater and Blackwater rivers in the Blackwater State Forest. Though prime canoe season lasts roughly from March through mid-November, Adventures Unlimited rents year-round. There is also nearly a mile of ziplines, some reaching 65 feet in the air. There are campsites and unique cabins, including the "Lorax Loft," a treehouse cabin with a branch running right through the kitchen. 8974 Tomahawk Landing Rd., Milton, Florida, 32570. 850/623–6197; 800/239–6864; www.adventuresunlimited.com.

Blackwater Canoe Rental. Canoe, kayak, and tube rentals for exploring the Blackwater River are available from this outfitter in Milton, located northeast of Pensacola off Interstate 10 Exit 31. 6974 Deaton Bridge Rd., Milton, Florida, 32570. 850/623–0235; www.blackwatercanoe.com.