Black Hammock Adventures

We had a great time on our adventure. It was a first time for several that were with us. Our captain. Captain Ron was very good at his touring the lake and canals. He was able to spot two alligators which was hard to find since it was cold and they don’t move around much. We did see several native birds that was great and the true Florida. We zoomed across lake Jessup and across the grass lands. It was fun. Felt very safe and his intro made me feel safe that he’s a certified coast guard pilot. Having the ear muffs are a must a needed. A good time.

I love the food, but your carpets smell horrible and are torn up! They need to be taken out!

Great place to go to for airboat rides — captains are fantastic and deserve a great tip! Waitresses are very nice and accommodating!
If you plan on feeding the alligators please just buy one cup of food.
The gift shop recommended that we should buy three (one for each child) but that was not necessary.
This is the only reason why I did not give five stars!!!
We spent about $ 7 extra on something that was not necessary after spending already about $ 200 on airboat ride and food.
DO NOT BUY MORE THAN ONE CUP!!!

Great trip with captain Ron. Did not see many gators due to hunting season. Gave us our money’s worth in the ride.

The setting is nice since there is a neat bar and cool outdoor area with birds and gators, people are friendly and the captain was really awesome and informative.
The main issue was after checking in we waited 45 minutes past the stated airboat departure before we ended up asking someone what the hold up was. Turns out the guy working the check in counter didn’t put our names down or tell anyone we were waiting for an airboat ride. So basically we waited one hour and 10 mins from the time we paid to when we stepped on the boat. We also didn’t see a single gator on the lake but that’s really not their fault, just bad luck.
Overall it was enjoyable to see tons of birds and cruise on the airboat and they let us hold a small gator. It’s just disappointing because it could have been way better had things been more organized upfront.

A lot of fun for the whole family! Our captain was very nice. Eyewear and a hat are very helpful, make sure to bring them to counter the wind. The 30 minutes was just enough to see plenty of gators and the bird life was fantastic as well. I recommend it highly!

I was looking for a break from the Orlando traffic, a place near the country with some beautiful nature and a little adventure. My Dad and I made the trip to Lake Jessup from Orlando Int’l in about 40 minutes. We were greeted by beautiful Scarlet and Blue and Gold Macaws, gators, herons, wild Bald Eagles and airboats on arrival.
Lake Jessup is estimated to have between 9 and 12 thousand alligators and we saw over 11, three of which were over 10 feet long not including the live baby we held.
The 30 minute jetboat ride entered small channels teaming with birds, turtles and gators and thousand year old trees in the water with Spanish Moss hanging.
The captain was professional, informative and had a great sense of humor.
We really enjoyed our experience. See our pics and go!

My experience out on Lake Jesup is a memorable one. Captain Steve was awesome! Very knowledgeable and could tell he knew that lake like the back of his hand. Which in turn just made you feel safe. The sights were amazing. We saw a few gators and probably every bird species in the state of Florida. It was really cool to see the truly wild and untouched side of Florida. Amazing, amazing experience all around.

If you want to do something laid back, away from the attractions, in touch with nature — this is a great place to go. It’s not a theme park — it’s the real deal. So the gift shop is small, the place is rustic and while the Lake is the most highly populated in Florida — you may not see many. Other days you’ll see a lot. If you want a lot, do your homework. Right after hunting season they are skiddish s won’t be out much. If the water is too high, same thing. But I’ve taken visiting friends, family and co-​workers and they all loved it. Enjoy the air boat ride as an airboat ride — fast and breezy and exciting and unlike other forms of slower less flexible water vessels — on a beautiful lake, through natural habitats and on a good gator day — you’ll see plenty!
The Captains are funny and knowledgeable — a really good time!

Well the airboat ride was underwhelming. We saw no gators! It was very expensive and we were all bored, hot and uncomfortable.
Maybe we went on an off day, but it was lame pretty lame.
Word of advice if you do go, wear sunglasses or eye protection the boat goes very fast. Wind + eyes = :(
I gave this place 2 stars instead if 1 because the driver was nice and apologetic in regards to the non existence of gators.

I was really disappointed when I took my visiting family to see this place. The images on the website are REALLY deceiving. They advertize having a huge 12′ gator (Hammie?) for everyone to see and watch eat, but when I asked the clerk about it, they said «oh, he’s been dead for 2 years, now». I asked, «Then why is it still on your website, since it’s clearly been updated more recently than that», to which she couldn’t answer. I’m sure it’s because that’s the only reason anyone would drive out here in the first place. The tours are heavily overpriced and there’s nothing worth driving to see on their premises.

Not worth it! After doing some online research this seemed like a nice place to check out with my daughter. Live alligators and bird exhibits? Count me in! We drove 35 minutes from our hotel and when we finally got there all I could think was «This is it?» They had 3 small alligators in tiny caged areas. I mean TINY! My daughter’s splash pool is bigger! The «bird exhibit» consists of 2 birdcages with a few parrots and budgies. The bar and restaurant were closed (and look rundown), and the gift shop is about the size of my dining room table.
I briefly considered going on a 30-​minute airboat ride, but they are $ 26 for adults and $ 20 for kids 10 and under. Wow!
Don’t be fooled by the pictures on their website. I can only guess that the shots were taken with a wide-​angle lens about 30 years ago. We won’t be back…

I took my better half here for a surprise date. It was SOOOOO much fun! Everyone that works there is very warm and friendly. We had lunch after a FANTASTIC airboat tour and it was yummy! If you’ve have never been to Black Hammock, GO! You won’t regret it!

We had a great time with Captain Steve on the lake and the scenery was beautiful. The gators were out here & there so we saw a few but nowhere near the reportedly 9500 ones that are out there!
Captain Steve stopped here and there to tell some of the history of the lake and even show off and talk about some of the more recognizable gators in the lake like Bubba. It’s kinda hard to hear over the giant fan behind you but, that’s why you’re on an airboat! He’s skilled with maneuvering and it was pretty cool to ride over some of the plant life and slide with acceleration!
This was totally worth it and even my video gaming 11-​yr old had a good time which is always a plus!
They give you tickets which have a 10% discount tab on them for the restaurant. The restaurant has very reasonable prices and a decent amount of choices. Locals were there eating as well as the handful of us who were there to take an airboat ride — which is a good sign.

I take all of my out of town guests to Black Hammock for an airboat ride but the other day I realized that my own boyfriend had never set foot on an airboat! Sacrilège!
From the moment we got to Blck Hammock I could see him light up– this was the old florida authentic experience he was looking for! As we waited for the captain we noticed a large gator lounging in the sun not 20feet from us… Disney this was not…
The airboat ride is a blast right out the gate! Before we ever set eyes on another gator we where all laughing giddily with excitement and adrenaline from the fast ride across Lake Jesup. When we slowed down the captain used his incredibly spotting ability to get us close to some amazing prehistoric giants. We ended up seeing multiple gators up close and a few babies and everyone was grinning from ear to ear.
Make sure not to bring a hat that isn’t secured as we lost one on the way.
Afterwards, head over to the bar for some hush puppies and fried gator bites (writing it now seems a bit morbid…).

This review is specifically for the «Adventures» portion of the Black Hammock offerings. I brought my brother and his new fiancé from Texas out to the Black Hammock for a taste of the real Florida back in October. We started out with a few drinks at the outback bar and headed over to the air boats for a tour. If you tell the bartender you’re getting on the boat they’ll give you your drink in a plastic cup to take on the boat.
Price is about $ 30 per person, but it is an awesome ride. The captain knows the lake and every nook and cranny. After about 20 minutes on the water the lull of the boat almost puts me to sleep in a calming comforting way. We saw tons of wildlife including baby gators, birds, etc. late afternoon just before dusk in October is a perfect time to take in the setting sun and gorgeous wildlife.
Take a few extra $$ to tip the captain, you’ll want to after his outstanding service.
Gator sightings are not guaranteed, my first time out last year yielded zero sightings. It’s all up to mother nature.
The girl at the concession counter gave me a little bit of an attitude, like she was bothered that she had to help us, but I did not let it deter from our fun day. Never had a problem with service prior to that or again after. Maybe her boyfriend just broke up with her, or she didn’t get enough sleep the night before.
The location is way out in the back woods of Oviedo. (Insert obligatory Deliverance reference.)
Love this place, it can get pricey but definitely worth a day of fun in the real Florida.

I have lived in Florida for over 15 years and this is the first time I have been on an air boat ride. I know, sad! Well, let me tell you, it was pretty damn cool. We had a living social voucher for a 30 minute air boat ride for two.
We made reservations for a Saturday, which seems to be there busy day. I recommend calling early for your reservation time and getting there at least 20 minutes early to «secure» that time slot. When we first arrived to check in the girl working the counter seemed a bit frazzled and took a while to get to us, but after that it was smooth sailing.
The boat left promptly at 12. Our tour guide was very informative and filled us in on the history of the lake. The ride itself is very fun, but load. You will see lots of Florida wildlife including, gators, cranes and even bald eagles. Each tour is obviously slightly different. Since it was getting warmer, we didn’t get to see many gators, but it was still very cool
This is definitely worth checking out if you are visiting, a Florida native, or a transplant like me!
#Yelp100

I once followed a family around the airport like a creeper when I overheard they were going to Orlando just so I could tell them to go here. It’s AMAZING! I did Disney, but this was by far my favorite thing! At Black Hammock you get to hold gators, se gators, take an awesome airboat ride and eat gator! The prices were also good and the staff informative and nice. I would do this over and over! GO DO THIS.

If you’re looking to get away from the touristy areas of Orlando, this is it — definitely the «old Florida» vibe, as you have to drive down one nearly dead-​end road after another, and you almost feel as if you’re lost, so bring your GPS (or a really, really good map).
Once there, you may still feel as if you’re lost because the gift shop may even be empty, of both other patrons and even staff. Luckily there are a couple of birds outside, so that’s nice. Not the Enchanted Tiki Room, but still nice. When your tour time approaches, there is some chance that the boat will be ready. Ours wasn’t, and there was no mention of when it might be ready, being that the one person who took our money disappeared quickly afterwards.
About half an hour past the appointed time, another tour (presumably the prior one), came in, and the captain promptly strode past all the people waiting to do something — get another boat, have a drink, who knows — and barely spoke a word to anyone. Eventually we took our tour, and as we flew past one solitary baby gator sunning on a log, he didn’t even appear to notice. I get that they can’t guarantee gators, so that’s okay. But you think he would have noticed the one that was there.
There were plenty of birds, and it was a nice day on the lake. If you want to take an airboat ride and get away from the crowds, this is a solid tour. If you want some decent information about the lake (such as how many gators you are apparently not seeing), also not a bad choice. But if you want personality or even service? Not so much. I also understand they have coupons. Try and get some. Also, save your tickets if you want a discount in the restaurant, as it can save you some money.

No disrespect to Mikey G, who didn’t see a gator on his trip, but I’ve done quite a few eco tours/​boat tours/​wildlife tours in my time. No one will guarantee that you’ll see your gators/​dolphins/​manatees/​sea turtles/​whales/​puffins on the respective tour. They troll you out to the high wildlife activity places and hopefully you’ll see some cool stuff. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and sometimes it’s a nice ride– but fruitless in the way of cool animals.
Hopefully, whether or not you see the advertised wildlife, the ticketing staff is nice, the on-​board staff is well trained and informed, the equipment is in good working order, there are enough life jackets, the safety equipment is up to par, the vessel is sea worthy and the on board accommodations are comfortable. Black Hammock Adventures succeeded in all of those areas. They also had nice, clean, safety sound suppressors (looks like head phones) so we all left the tour with our hearing in tact.
Our tour guide and airboat captain, Captian Jamie, was personable, friendly and a safe captain. The last part is kind of important, as a lake with 9,500 gators is not where I want to be swimming. Especially on a cool, windy day in the winter months. With my visiting 65 year old father in law.
We saw lots of baby gators sunning, big turtles, great blue herons, white herons, along tons of ducks and lots of other water fowl in the shallow grassy areas adjacent to shore. The Air boat allows you to get into the shallows where there are only a few inches of water, impossible in a regular boat without your prop up or risking running aground. We cruised around the shallows by Black Hammock and then crossed Lake Jessup to hit the shallows on the north side, before circling back across Lake Jessup around Bird Island and then back to the Black Hammock rec area and boat launch. All in all, a very nice ride even on a breezy and cool day. If you missed out on seeing some «big» gators, they have several 6 footers penned together and then «Hammy» off by himself, who looks to be about 12 – 13 ft. He’s big.
I’m rating Black Hammock a 5 stars, as there is no 4.5 stars. I do think the regular tour price is a bit pricey. We had a discount which made the trip a 5 star experience. Be sure to keep your air boat tickets to enjoy a 10% discount off lunch or dinner at the restaurant that day. This is a fun experience for locals and visitors alike. If you want a chance of more gators, go when it’s warm and not too breezy.