Rainbow River Water Taxi
A pontoon-boat shuttle at KP Hole Park in Dunnellon that carries tubers, snorkelers and divers about a mile up the Rainbow River so they can float or dive back. We could not confirm it is still operating, so call before you go.
Call before you go: status not confirmed
When we checked on Oct. 21, 2026, the operator's website still loaded but showed no dates, prices or season, and Google Maps had no business listing for Rainbow River Water Taxi. It may have stopped running. Call 352-427-0457 or email ontherainbow2@yahoo.com to confirm before you drive to Dunnellon.
If it is not running, Marion County's own rentals at KP Hole Park include a return shuttle (see below).
How the Rainbow River Water Taxi works
The water taxi runs upriver. Instead of floating down and needing a ride back, you start and finish at KP Hole: the boat takes you up, and the current brings you home. These steps come from the operator's trip page.
- 1Meet the boat at KP Hole Park, 9435 SW 190th Ave. Rd., Dunnellon. Call 352-427-0457 first to schedule a departure time.
- 2Ride the pontoon about 1 mile up the Rainbow River.
- 3Tubers step off the boat onto a tube and float back to KP Hole, which the operator says takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. Snorkeling is allowed; check whether you need a dive flag.
- 4Divers on a certification dive get off where their instructor decides; certified divers get off where the captain decides. The operator does not have or rent dive equipment.
What the operator says about the service
- Pontoon shuttles for diving, snorkeling, tubing and sightseeing boat rides, plus night diving.
- Boats are Coast Guard inspected, and captains are Coast Guard-certified merchant marine captains.
- Vessels operate seven days a week; call to schedule a departure. All group sizes. Call for winter hours.
- It does not have or rent dive equipment.
- Located at KP Hole Park but not affiliated with Marion County Parks.
Sources: the operator's home, about, trip and contact pages. The site lists no prices.
KP Hole Park rules and fees
The water taxi leaves from a county park, so Marion County's KP Hole rules apply on shore and on the river. These are from the county's KP Hole Park page. Ask the operator whether the park entrance fee is included in your trip.
Hours and fees
- Summer (April 1 to Sept. 30): 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Winter (Oct. 1 to March 31): 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Entrance: $7 plus tax per park user
- Divers: $30 plus tax each
- Motorized vessels: $20 plus tax
River rules
- No alcohol at KP Hole or on the Rainbow River.
- No food or drinks in disposable containers on the river (Marion County Code Sec. 5-52; $50 fine).
- The whole river, including KP Hole, is a no-wake, idle-speed zone all year (Sec. 5-54).
- Personal tubes are not permitted at KP Hole Park.
- Children must be at least 3 years old to tube.
If the water taxi isn't running: KP Hole's county shuttle
Marion County's own rentals at KP Hole work the other way round: you float or paddle downriver and the county shuttles you back from Blue Run of Dunnellon Park. Renters must be 18 or older. Prices are before tax.
Tubing package
- $30 per person; $25 each for groups of four or more paying together
- Includes park entry, tube rental and the return shuttle
- April 1 to Sept. 30, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or until the park is full
- Average float: about 4 hours
- Life jackets available on request
Paddle craft
- Downriver rental with return shuttle: single kayak $40; double kayak, canoe or paddleboard $50
- Shuttle for your own boat: single kayak and one person $20; double kayak, canoe or paddleboard $25; each extra person $10
- Hourly upriver rentals: $10 to $12 an hour
- Shuttle sales end at 12:40 p.m. (April to Sept.) and 10:30 a.m. (Oct. to March)
Rainbow Springs State Park also runs tubing from its own tubing entrance in season; see our Rainbow River tubing guide and Rainbow River kayaking guide. For the river itself, its access points and its rules, see the Rainbow River guide, and for the rest of town, things to do in Dunnellon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Rainbow River Water Taxi?
The Rainbow River Water Taxi is a privately run pontoon-boat shuttle on the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Florida. Its own website says it is located at Marion County's KP Hole Park, 9435 SW 190th Ave. Rd., Dunnellon, FL 34432, that it is not affiliated with Marion County Parks, and that it offers shuttles for tubing, snorkeling, diving and sightseeing.
How does the Rainbow River Water Taxi work?
The water taxi takes you upriver, and you come back on your own. According to the operator, tubers ride the pontoon about 1 mile up the Rainbow River from KP Hole, step off onto a tube, and float back to the park in about 2 to 2.5 hours. Divers ride upriver too; for a certification dive the instructor picks where students get off, and for certified divers the captain picks the drop-off point.
Is the Rainbow River Water Taxi still operating?
We could not confirm it. As of Oct. 21, 2026, the operator's website still loads but carries no dates or prices, and Google Maps has no business listing for it. Call 352-427-0457 before you drive to Dunnellon. If it is not running, Marion County's own tube and paddle-craft rentals at KP Hole Park include a return shuttle.
How much does the Rainbow River Water Taxi cost?
The operator's website does not list prices; call 352-427-0457. Separately, Marion County lists a KP Hole Park entrance fee of $7 plus tax per park user and $30 plus tax per diver.
Can I bring my own tube?
Marion County does not permit personal tubes at KP Hole Park, and children must be at least 3 years old to tube. Ask the water taxi how tubes are handled when you book.
What can I do instead if the water taxi is not running?
Marion County runs tube rentals at KP Hole Park from April 1 to Sept. 30, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The $30-plus-tax package ($25 plus tax each for groups of four or more paying together) includes park entry, the tube and a return shuttle from Blue Run of Dunnellon Park; renters must be 18 or older, and the county puts the average float at about 4 hours. The county also rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards year-round, with downriver packages that include a return shuttle.
By the Only In Ocala team. Checked Oct. 21, 2026 against the operator's website and Marion County's KP Hole Park page; a Google Maps search found no business listing for the water taxi.
Correction, Oct. 21, 2026: an earlier version of this page said the water taxi carried floaters back upstream to their cars after a downstream float, gave the springs' flow as 400 to 600 million gallons a day, and suggested group rates. The operator describes an upriver shuttle with a float back, it lists no rates, and the flow figure is on our Rainbow River guide.
AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing. See our editorial guidelines.
Rainbow River Water Taxi en Dunnellon
Rainbow River Water Taxi es un servicio privado de traslado en bote pontón con base en el parque KP Hole del condado de Marion, 9435 SW 190th Ave. Rd., Dunnellon, FL 34432 (teléfono 352-427-0457). Según su sitio web, lleva a quienes van en neumático aproximadamente 1 milla río arriba para que regresen flotando al parque, en unas 2 a 2.5 horas, y también traslada a buzos y practicantes de snorkel. No está afiliado a los parques del condado de Marion. Al 21 de octubre de 2026 no pudimos confirmar que siga operando, así que conviene llamar antes de ir. El parque KP Hole cobra $7 más impuestos de entrada por persona, y el condado alquila neumáticos del 1 de abril al 30 de septiembre por $30 más impuestos, con entrada y traslado de regreso desde Blue Run of Dunnellon Park.
Explore More Ocala Springs
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