You can cruise in one of our boats designed for cruising, while you watch beautiful dolphins in the wild and swim with them.
Our guides have spent many years studying dolphin behavior and are proficient at finding them and instructing guests how to get into the water to observe them in their natural environment. Your captain will also snorkel with you, showing you starfish, pufferfish and welch conchs.
Seeing and swimming with the dolphins in their natural habitat on your trip aboard super-comfortable boats. Our boats are actual dive boats so the children will love finding and seeing the dolphins and having the opportunity to snorkel in the water just like a real SCUBA diver.
The captain will show you numerous options so you can get the most from your dolphin tour. One of the options is snorkeling in the grass flats on Shell Island or at the jetties. Enjoy a walk on sand to find starfish, crabs starsfish, fish & birds. This amazing eco tour is a great way to get out and about.
Manatees are also often seen in the water. You may be allowed to swim near manatees if the conditions are right, but we always observe them passively and avoid getting close.
After many years of watching dolphins in their natural habitats, our guides are skilled at locating them and safely instructing our guests how to enter the water to see them. You will be accompanied by your captain to snorkel alongside starfish, pufferfishes, welch cones, sanddollars and other sea creatures.
It was wonderful! Christian, our captain was an excellent choice. The group consisted of children ranging in age from 2 to 81. It was a great experience for all. We had fun on the boat ride, touched cannonball jellyfish and saw dolphins. Christo was very friendly, knowledgeable, and polite. Christo will be our captain. We will certainly return. Lagoon Pontoons staff were friendly and easy-going. They answered all our questions, and even offered suggestions to accommodate seniors and toddlers. 5 stars!! !
These friendly local captains have decades experience in the waters of this area and are knowledgeable about dolphins, manatees, as well as other marine life. They love to customize your trip and show you the natural beauty of this special place.
This trip is for you if you want to have a personal encounter with the dolphins. It's not just a sightseeing tour. You get to choose the activities and how much time you spend on the tour.
Captain Jack was phenomenal. He was extremely knowledgeable. He let us decide what was important and we selected dolphin sighting for the majority of time.”
Your privacy will not be compromised on your private dolphin cruise. Only you, your friends, or group, will be aboard the boat, as well as the captain. Keep in mind, the Coast Guard limits the number of passengers on the boat to 6. Children of all ages are welcome.
If the conditions permit, guests can jump in the water with dolphins nearby if they are allowed. Safety is our top priority. Your captain will show you how to safely snorkel among marine mammals.
The second leg of the excursion will bring you the best of St Andrews Bay's wildlife. These include birds like pelicans, ospreys, starfish, and underwater marine life such hermit crabs. Shell Island offers sand dollars as well as shells. Also, you can snorkel on grass flats along the Gulf of Mexico and visit St. Andrews Bay.
We will swim parallel to the dolphins, rather than swimming towards them or reaching for them (which is also illegal), and we will let them come to us (best, most ethical way).
Snorkeling is a fun and easy activity for people of all ages. One of the best things about Shell Island is that the calm shallow water behind the jetty is ideal for first-time snorkelers.
When is the Best Time to Visit Florida to See Dolphins? The best time to see dolphins is from late May to early August. You're most likely to see them between 10 a.m. and noon, and then again between 2 p.m. and dark.
If you and your family enjoy fishing, eating seafood, golfing, a vibrant nightlife, and shopping, Destin is the place to be. However, if you want a more relaxed family vacation with excellent waterfront lodging and a variety of children's activities, Panama City Beach is the place to be.