Overview
GOHA BriefCatboat Escapes runs guided self-drive catamaran tours on the Clermont Chain of Lakes, near Orlando, where you steer your own small two-seat boat while a guide leads the group. The company says it suits solo adventurers, couples and families looking for a hands-on way to see the lakes.
Tours start at Cypress Cove Marina on Lake Minnehaha in Clermont. Before heading out, guests get a safety briefing of about 15 minutes, then take the wheel of their own catboat. Each boat seats two people, and a guide stays in a separate lead boat, narrating over the radio as the group follows along.
The route runs past open wetlands, cypress trees and Spanish moss, then crosses Lake Minneola and heads into the Crooked River. The lakes along the way include Lake Louisa, Lake Minnehaha and Lake Minneola, and you can spot the Citrus Tower in the distance. Boats in the group also play a fact-finding trivia game with each other over walkie-talkies during the ride.
Each boat has a cooler, dry storage for your things and a bimini top for shade. Back at the landing, you can wade in the water, lie in a hammock or have a drink. For a meal afterward, the company points people to the Lake Minneola Inn Tiki Bar for outdoor dining with a lake view.
Written by GOHA from public sources
- Type
- Tour
- Area
- Clermont