Viral travel trend has vacationers flocking to hot spots where water glows in the dark
2025-02-08
Category: world

Bioluminescent kayaking appears to be having a moment in the travel spotlight. Whether the outdoor activity is bubbling up on your&nbsp;TikTok feed or a pal just returned from a bayside kayaking outing in, say, California or Puerto Rico, you might be curious to learn more about the natural phenomenon or even try it yourself. In nature, bioluminescence refers to certain organisms like jellyfish, fireflies and plankton, which can emit a glowing light.&nbsp; HOT TRAVEL TREND HAS PEOPLE SEEKING QUIET ESCAPE AND PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION When you’re on a so-called bioluminescent kayaking tour, each time you move your paddle, a fish swims below you or the kayak creates a ripple as you float along, the water’s surface takes on a mesmerizing blue hue. Here are six evening kayaking tours to book for an experience that’s equal parts tranquil and ethereal.&nbsp;  WaterTreks Eco Tours Bioluminiscent Night Tours - Jenner, California  Founded by Suki Waters, this Sonoma Coast outfitter will bring you where the Russian River and the Pacific Ocean commingle.&nbsp; Specifically, WaterTreks’ glowing plankton and wildlife kayak tour, as it's known, may be worth planning a trip around: Running seasonally from June to November, paddlers embark on a bioluminescent night paddle through Tomales Bay, where tour guides tell us "each stroke reveals a radiant glow."&nbsp; Along with that glow, you may get to spot local species like harbor seals and herons on your outing as you learn about the area’s marine and wild animal ecosystems.&nbsp;&nbsp; HOT TRAVEL TREND HAS PEOPLE PRIORITIZING WELLNESS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES: 'KEEPS ME MENTALLY SHARP' Book or learn more at&nbsp;watertreks.com.  Shore Excursions Group El Yunque Rainforest and Bio Bay Kayaking - San Juan, Puerto Rico The U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico is a hotbed for bioluminescent bay activity.&nbsp; A trek with Shore Excursions for the El Yunque Rainforest and bioluminescent bay kayaking tour offers an experience that combines the beauty of the rainforest with the surreal tranquility of twinkling waters.&nbsp; First, you’ll head to El Yunque Rainforest,&nbsp;the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System, where a short hike will lead you to a waterfall pool. HOT TRAVEL TREND HAS PEOPLE HUNTING FOR VINTAGE TREASURES ON VACATION From there, you’ll enjoy lunch at a local haunt and then hit the water on a twilight kayaking ride through mangrove channels to Laguna Grande. Tours run year-round, weather-permitting. Book or learn more at&nbsp;shoreexcursionsgroup.com&nbsp;  Monterey Bay Kayaks Bioluminescence Guided Tour - Moss Landing, California This two-and-a-half-hour Elkhorn Slough river tour weaves you through a National Estuarine Research Reserve during night hours to experience California.&nbsp; For your outing, you’ll be under the helm of certified wildlife stewards who teach you about some of the native wildlife you may see firsthand, like sea otters, harbor seals and birds.&nbsp; As the water illuminates, rest assured you’ll be comforted by warm gear and hot chocolate that Monterey Bay Kayaks provides. NEW TRAVEL TREND HAS AMERICANS CHASING FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH These tours are offered on select dates every month, so make sure your vacation timing aligns with the company’s offerings.&nbsp; Book or learn more at&nbsp;montereybaykayaks.com.  Napa Valley Paddle Tomales Bay Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour - Marshall, California  For another unique California experience, check out Tomales Bay for a bioluminescent kayaking tour. In the dazzling bay, you’ll board a two-person kayak with a loved one for an underwater light show. 'HURKLE-DURKLING' IS THE VIRAL TRAVEL TREND THAT INVOLVES LYING IN BED ALL DAY The tour is offered on the darkest nights from July to October, and kicks off before nightfall, so you can catch the sunset. Book or learn more at&nbsp;napavalleypaddle.com.&nbsp;  Glow Row in Texas (various locations) With Glow Row, the Lone Star State offers operations in 10 Texas cities, including Corpus Christi, Austin, San Antonio and Galveston.&nbsp; Tours can be scheduled any day of the week in March through November, and guests can brace themselves for a one-of-a-kind experience aboard translucent kayaks illuminated by colorful LED lights under the starry Texan sky.&nbsp; For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle On your evening trip, guides will lead the way and narrate as you paddle through landmarks, catch glimpses of wildlife and get schooled on local history. Along with the chance to spot numerous types of fish, crustaceans and birds, in some locations, you might even see a submerged object or two.&nbsp; CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER If you’re 21 years old or older, you're welcome to bring an alcoholic beverage to sip on during the tour.&nbsp; Book or learn more at&nbsp;glowrow.com.  Yak N Sup Full Moon Glow Paddle - Scottsdale, Arizona A bit different from kayaking glowing waters, though in the bucolic Canyon Lake, Yak N Sup offers weekly Saturday evening "light up the night" excursions.&nbsp; You'll journey to the Boulder Recreation Site, a fish-habitat structure installed in Canyon Lake hosting large bass and other fish species.&nbsp; CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Each kayaker will be given glow necklaces for the adventure, and kayaks and paddleboards are outfitted with LED lights. Book or learn more at&nbsp;yaknsup.com.