Generic packing lists for outdoor tours tend to miss the details that actually matter. Here is what Switchgrass Outfitters guests wish they had known before their tour, based on experience across hundreds of trips on the St. Johns River. Book your airboat tour or call (321) 900-2494 with any questions before your visit.
What should you wear on a daytime airboat tour?
Shorts and a t-shirt are the right call for warm-weather daytime tours. Comfortable closed-toe shoes or sneakers work fine. Nothing about the standard tour involves getting wet unless it rains, so there is no need for water shoes or anything waterproof under normal conditions. Feet stay dry on the boat.
Sunglasses are genuinely important, not optional. The combination of sun, water reflection, and wind makes eye protection necessary rather than nice to have. Skip the hat. At airboat speeds, a hat goes overboard almost immediately and it does not come back easily on a moving boat over open water. If you normally rely on a hat for sun protection, sunglasses and sunscreen on exposed skin are the practical substitute.
What should you leave in the car?
Hats, as covered above. Loose accessories that can become projectiles at speed. Beverages in open containers or cans that can spill when the boat accelerates or turns. The drink recommendation from Switchgrass Outfitters is specific: bring something with a twist-top lid. A sealed water bottle or similar stays put through a turn. An open cup does not.
What do you actually need to bring?
Sunglasses, sunscreen, a twist-top drink, and something to capture photos and video. The wildlife encounters on the St. Johns are the kind that people immediately want to show someone else, and not having a charged phone or a camera is a consistent regret among guests. Bring both if you have them. The captain will slow the boat and create space for photos at meaningful moments throughout the tour.
How does the packing list change for a sunset or night tour?
Temperature is the main shift. Florida evenings and nights are cooler than midday, and on an open boat moving at speed, that cooling effect is amplified. A long-sleeve shirt or light jacket changes the comfort level substantially on a night tour compared to going out in the same clothes you wore during the day. Switchgrass Outfitters recommends layering for any tour after sunset.
Bug spray is the other addition for evening and night tours. Insects are more active at dusk and after dark along the river. Switchgrass Outfitters provides bug spray at the boat, so it is not something guests have to source or remember independently, but knowing it will be available is useful for guests planning around what to pack. Contact Switchgrass Outfitters at (321) 900-2494 if you have questions about what to expect for your specific tour time and season.
Is there anything guests consistently wish they had brought?
A fully charged phone with extra storage is the most common one. The tour produces more photo and video moments than most guests anticipate, and running out of battery or storage partway through is a common disappointment that is easy to prevent. Bringing a portable battery pack on a day or sunset tour is never a bad idea.
The second one is bringing too much. The boat has limited storage and the experience is better when guests are not managing bags and loose items during the ride. The essentials list is genuinely short: sunglasses, sunscreen, a twist-top drink, and your camera. Everything else is usually better left behind. Book a tour with Switchgrass Outfitters and the booking confirmation will walk through any remaining preparation details.
