SARASOTA · DOLPHIN WATCHING
Good dolphin watching tours fill up in season and the great ones go first. Below: the 7 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Review of the Anna Maria Island dolphin tour, with wildlife sightings, island views, practical tips, pricing, and advice on who should book.
“The captain was wonderful. Very informative. We really enjoyed and had a great time. Would recommend”
Watch wild dolphins, local wildlife, and an Anna Maria Island sunset on a relaxed two-hour cruise from Holmes Beach.
“Perfect night, Chad knows his stuff and was spotting wildlife a very far distance away. We got to see groups of dolphins- some were swimming up to the boat. 2 hours goes by quickly, so sad to see it come to an end. Will definitely be signing up for another tour, when I am back in Florida.”
Paddle Sarasota’s calm waters at sunset, spot wild dolphins and manatees, and enjoy a friendly two-hour kayak tour for $60.
“Our guide, Tommy, was very knowledgeable, informative, and extremely capable at kayaking and guiding. The best memories were the many dolphins we saw (many very close to our kayak), fish jumping out of the water, and pelicans swooping down to grab fish. The sunset and associated pictures were also beautiful. The trip expense was reasonable and the experience was well worth the money. The trip requires some exertion to paddle the kayak but it's well worth the effort.”
Review of Sarasota’s private Siesta Funship cruise, with dolphin watching, sandbar swimming, tiki bar stops, BYOB coolers, and practical tips.
“Booked though Viator and owner said he doesn’t work with them ! So we were at the dock ready for pick up when we thought we were going out for a fun Expensive experience we were told he knew nothing about it , as we booked 4 days ago , makes no sense that it is advertised that you have to book with this company but the owner didn’t know he had a trip planned ! Highly dissatisfied and will NOT recommend, sad that you ruin our day that we had planned for .”
Review of Anna Maria Tours’ private dolphin cruise near Anna Maria Island, with route details, onboard comforts, pricing, and booking advice.
“David was wonderful and went above and beyond for my family! We had a great time touring around and did see some dolphins!”
Review of Gulf Water Tours in Sarasota, a private sandbar, beach, and dolphin cruise with snorkeling, wildlife, and flexible routes.
“As promised, the crew was on time. The captain was very knowledgeable about the area and very attentive to our needs”
Review the Siesta Key eco and dolphin boat tour, with wildlife stops, sandbars, historic sights, Captain Jim, pricing, and booking tips.
“We had 8 adults and one 2 yr old. We went out on Black Friday (Nov 29th). The weather turned out to be not as sunny and warm as earlier predicted and a cool front was blowing in. Captain Jim still managed to keep us mostly dry and entertained and with interesting facts about the area. We were all from Texas, so it was neat learning about the Sarasota Bay area. We would love to go one another cruise when the weather was warmer to do some snorkeling and swimming!”
Pick a coast, or pick the kind of morning you want.
