Panama City Beach is known for being an incredibly diverse vacation destination, capable of luring people of all kinds to hit the beach and experience our great city. Every season offers a little something for everyone. But, in the last decade, Panama City Beach and it’s surrounding areas have seen an increase in Eco-Tourism. From South Walton to Washington County, our area is filled with brilliant nature trails, creeks and springs that boast a ton of fun beyond the beach. Old Cypress Canoe Rentals, a new canoe and kayak business on Holmes Creek, plans to make that fun more accessible than ever.

Just 30 minutes north of Panama City Beach, Old Cypress Canoe Rentals provides kayaks, canoes and tubes to locals and tourists within range of Holmes Creek and Cypress Springs in Vernon, FL. Make a reservation, check in and within just a short, relaxed paddle you will be cruising one of the most secluded and majestic springs on Earth. Completely inaccessible to the public by land, Cypress Springs, is one of the origins of the fresh water flowing down Holmes Creek and surrounding water systems. Sandy bottomed aquamarine waters are ideal for swimming, snorkeling, tubing, paddleboarding, and, of course, canoeing and kayaking.

Creek Clean Up Grand Opening

Old Cypress Canoe plans to go beyond the business of rentals, and wants to keep the creek clean and beautiful by starting a Creek Clean Up Non-Profit organization. In fact, their “official” Grand Opening, will be a Creek Clean Up. The Creek Clean up will begin On April 29th, 2012 at 10am and will include free Canoe and Kayaks for the day as well as lunch and door prizes. So you can come, experience the creek and help keep our area clean.

Sponsor Your Own Canoe

You can even sponsor your own canoe and hit the creek anytime. For three hundred dollars, you can sponsor a new canoe and the bare sides will be yours for sticker advertising. Check out the link for more at http://gofundme.com/oldcypresscanoerentals. Donations are also welcomed on the site and will earn you coupons for future rentals.

You can visit Old Cypress on the web at www.oldcypresscanoe.com for reservations as well as pictures and videos of the area. Like them on facebook at www.facebook.com/oldcypresscanoerentals.

Make Your Reservation Now

Old Cypress is located at 2728 Traverse Drive in Vernon, FL 32462

Call them anytime for a reservation at (850) 388-2072.

Old Cypress Canoe Rental Pricing

Holmes Creek Tours:

Canoe rental: $40.00 + tax(price for 2 people, shuttle included)

Kayak rental: $35.00 + tax( price for 1 person, shuttle included)

Overnight camping: $60.00 + tax(price for 2 people, shuttle included)

Choctawhatchee Tours:

Canoe rental: $45.00 + tax(price for 2 people, shuttle included)

Kayak rental: $40 + tax(price for 1 person, shuttle included)

Overnight camping: $60.00 + tax (price for 2 people, shuttle included)

Half-Day and Group Rates may be Available: call (850) 388-2072 for more information.

Photos of the Creek

Shipwreck Island Waterpark is one of Panama City Beach’s most beloved attractions. And this season, they are giving you another reason to love going. Splish Splash has just arrived (photo above) and will be in construction this Spring to be ready for Summer.

Numerous guests to Shipwreck Island Waterpark have shared how much they missed the old skull and the waterfalls. The truth is, the stability of the old structures couldn’t be determined because the faux rock surface covered the rebar inside. Some of the rocks definitely had corrosive rebar, so the decision was made to tear down the old structures and replace them with fun, family attractions.

Last season Shipwreck added a tipping bucket and fort known as the Shipwreck Water Company. The Shipwreck team came up with a plan to redesign the existing kiddie slide, now called the Likity Split, and add dual racing slides next to the tipping bucket. The new attraction is called, “Splish Splash.” Not nearly as high as the “Pirate’s Plunge” racing slide, “Splish Splash” is a family racing where moms and dads can challenge their little guys, or vice versa.

The two hundred feet of fiberglass slides bow out widely with twists and turns as sliders race down at fourteen feet per second. The slides come together at the bottom where racers enter the splash pool. The slide structures were built by the largest fiberglass slide manufacturer in the world, White Water West Industries of Canada, and the design was a collaboration between the White Water and Shipwreck Island teams.

Check out the recently added, Tipping Bucket”

For more information about ticket prices and park open dates go to http://shipwreckisland.com or http://facebook.com/shipwreckisland