There’s something in the water on Florida’s space coast: dinoflagellates. But these glowing, microscopic plankton are not as scary as they sound. They make the waters in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, about an hour’s drive from Orlando, light up. A Day Away offers 90-minute nighttime bioluminescent kayak tours of the Indian River Lagoon, where, with any splash or disturbance, dinoflagellates turn everything under the water visible. Dip your hand in and watch it glimmer blue-green. Peer over the side of your kayak and see glowing manatees, or watch mullet fish leave little pools of blue light as they jump in and out of the water. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a glow-in-the-dark alligator. Before booking, check A Day Away’s website for the moon’s phase: the darker it is, the better the show.

(US$24 to $39 per person)