John was a tour guide and was Great!! He took me and my family to some very cool snorkeling spots,…read moreand provided us with all the gear and water.

We had the best time ever! We saw tons of dolphins. Went to Egmont Key and then went snorkeling…read more The kids had a blast and our captain was so nice!

We had the greatest time with Captain Ethan today. He was knowledgeable and fun and he put on top…read moreof fish! If you are thinking about fishing in Anna Maria Island- do it! We had a great time!

From the owner: We offer private PADI scuba diving courses along with specializing in guided scuba diving &…read moresnorkeling ecotours in kayaks. We are natives to Bradenton raised on the waters of Anna Maria / Long Boat / Siesta Key area. We know the waters like the back of our hands! Let us guide you on unique ecotours learning about the beautiful native birds and amazing aquatic life. We offer local private scuba lessons, guided kayaking & snorkeling tours, along with guided dives all over Florida to natural freshwater rivers or springs.

Loved our midday excursion! Captain Beth was knowledgeable and kind as she showed us around. We got…read moreto create the trip just for us (hung out at the sandbar, went to another beach) and got to see a few dolphins. My husband kept finding shells and she could quickly identify them and tell us more. The boat came with a paddle board, snorkeling gear and a big circle float. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

The tour was "ok" at best. Our driver (I never even heard his name) was just kind of there. He…read moreasked what our interests were for the tour, to which we described and he drove the boat. That's it. No real conversation unless it was forced, no assistance when it came to explaining the best ways or areas to find sand dollars or starfish which was what our girls (10&11) were wanting to find and the whole afternoon just seemed to be a chore for him. The speakers on his boat were blown, (luckily we brought our own speaker just in case), the cooler that was provided had 1 large block of ice inside so chilling anything that we brought was nearly impossible and when 30 minutes before our tour arrived he couldn't get us back to dock soon enough. At one point the girls started to get a little too far away from the boat while paddle boarding and he told me to "get them back closer to us". When we arrived at the dock we weren't moving quickly enough to get off of his boat and he very rudely informed us that other boats were waiting for him to move so we needed to hurry up. Had I known that we would be riding on a glorified John boat with bean bags for seats and a boat captain that was a cold fish I would have definitely reconsidered spending the amount of money that we did or the time that we did.

Great experience! my daughter, son-in-law, grandsons, husband and I all agree it was everything we…read moreexpected and more. We highly recommend booking with Captain Bruce! Enjoyed the entire experience!

Bruce knows how to make sure his guests see dolphins. He was welcoming, friendly and made it a…read moredolphin boat ride to remember!!! Highly recommend!!!

My girlfriend and I had a great experience. The crew was highly accommodating and sweet. We were…read moreable to snorkel and see tarpon and other fish. In other areas there were sand dollars everywhere. Make sure and ask for the sun chill raft! Perfect chill pad to float and still be in the clear water.

The best way to explore Fort De Soto and Shell key is by going on a day cruise with Wayward Key…read moreTours. My husband and I had a wonderful time bouncing around to find different places to snorkel. We've never snorkeled in the area so we didn't know what we were looking for. The knowledgeable WKT crew had many suggestions and found spaces where we could enjoy the waters and sea creatures away from the crowds. The activities: We got to see the fort ruins, saw wildlife in the seagrass, and hung out in the sandbars where we found sand dollars and shells with every step. The ride: The World Cat was impressively stable on choppy water and operated smoothly. There is a sink and head to make those long outings comfortable. There is plenty of seating. A few people may be able to recline in the bow under a retractable bimini cover. The size of the boat made it possible for us to get into shallow areas and anchor wherever we wanted. If you're visiting the area or are a local looking for a private boat with a captain to give your small group a wonderful, custom tour, Wayward is the way to go!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED…read more My wife and I were in town on vacation and wanted to get out onto the water. However, we did not want to go with a large group or spend a lot of money. I came across Charter Finders and saw they were veteran owned. I contacted them via telephone, they answered all of my questions, and were extremely polite. They offer a discount for veterans and first responders which was nice and was a draw for us. We knew we were likely in good hands. The boat leaves from Sea Dog Brewery which was great for grabbing drinks to go and bring with! They make a good seltzer FYI. Dean and Tim had a cooler with ice on board where you could throw your own booze. There were only 6 other people on board and it made for a much better experience. We made friends and just sat back and relaxed. We were able to see dolphins up close on the way to shell key island and back. (See attached photo) Once we were at shell key advice was provided as to where to find shells. Some of us had high success. We were unable to snorkel due to visibility. The island is beautiful and not populated. The trip was roughly 3 hours long, but they were nice enough to extend it an hour so we got very very lucky. We highly recommend Dean & Tim and cannot wait to go again in the future.

We decided to book with Charter Finds for a snorkeling and dolphin-watching tour. When we arrived…read moreat the docks, the captain Troy met us there and was very friendly throughout the trip! However, the boat itself was older and showed quite a bit of wear and tear. Unfortunately, we were very disappointed with the experience overall. Our kids were especially excited about snorkeling and finding seas shells but when we arrived at Shell Key island, it was so crowded that the boat wasn't able to dock anywhere. The captain took us to a different location, but the snorkeling there was very poor, and we were only able to stay about 45 minutes because our time was almost up. Overall, the trip did not meet our expectations. I wish I would have done a little more research and booked with a different company.

When you book with Captain Joey Sweet know that you will be receiving a true local's tour of Anna…read moreMaria Island / Longboat Key. I booked a 90 minute dolphin tour because I was afraid my children might get bored, but I promise you that you that even the smallest child will be entertained the entire time. Captain Joey is an incredible storyteller and his Coast Guard and Mote Aquarium background means that he is incredible knowledgeable about all of the aquatic treasures and beautiful homes the area has to offer. Truly everyone on our tour age four to seventy had a great time. My very finicky nine-year old daughter's review: "I know it's his job to tell us stuff but he does it in a really fun way." The boat was very comfortable, communication was seamless, and I felt like we got a personalized tour versus a big box experience. Sweet Sunsets & Dolphins Tour is veteran-owned AND locally-owned. It really doesn't get better than that!

Joey was a great guide! The boat was comfortable, everything went very smoothly including…read morecommunication prior and booking was easy. We had an amazing time, the waters were crystal clear for snorkeling. Couldn't have asked for a better outing!

Had a great time and definitely recommend. saw lots of dolphins, found cool shells, and did tons of…read morebeautiful snorkeling. Anne is a great captain, tour guide, and host. You won't be disappointed!

Anne's calm water charters was amazing and Anne is a real gem. Can't wait to go back again…read more She has been in the area since 1979 and knows everyone around. Made for an even more adventurous time on the water. Her knowledge was amazing and the scenery was outstanding. Highly recommend using her. Rates were great. Easy to do business with. Just a lot of fun as well. We did a few hours in the afternoon with her. Did the critter tour and dolphins and manatees. Which we did see lots of dolphins.

Had a great time during girls weekend. Captains Bobby and Melissa were fantastic. Highly recommend…read moreif you are looking for an amazing day on the water.

Such a wonderful trip! Captain Mike delivered seeing dolphins and a breathtaking sunset. Really…read moreenjoyed this experience. Excellent communication and customer service. Highly recommend the Island Hopper Boat Tour.

Our family cruised with Spirit Cruise Anna Marie Island this April and it was a wonderful…read moreexperience. The weather was perfect and Captain Tim took us all over the bay to see dolphin, manatee and many other wildlife. We had dolphins swimming in the wake right behind the boat and it was awesome. If you are looking for adventure make sure you contact Spirit Cruises AMI. The Burlingames and Fergusons West Virginia.

From the owner: At Spirit AMI we’re family oriented. From the ‘big’ kids to the small, we have you covered. Let’s…read morefind a shallow island, snorkel and search for beautiful shells, stingrays, and sand dollars. Spirit AMI specializes in a variety of water sports. We tour the fisheries and always on the move for Manatee and Dolphin. Every charter is customized to your needs, our 22ft., spacious Spirit Tritoon provides shade, cushioned seating and accommodates up to 6 passengers. For your convenience we provide ice and cooler. If your vacationing with young children, we’re happy to structure your day appropriately for their ages. We appreciate your business and look forward to getting you off the Island and into the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.