We had the best time with Betty and Jennifer. We told them about all the wildlife we hoped to see, and they took us on a detour where we got to see stingrays, conch, fish, and even a bonnet head shark. We saw dolphins, sea turtles, and to top it off a Mama and baby manatee. Both were so knowledgeable, kind, and funny. Betty even went in and got my nephew a sand dollar we spotted as we were cruising the shallows. Will absolutely go again if we're in the area! read more

My Mom and I took Island Boat Adventures' Egmont Key tour on a Saturday, and it was one of the highlights of our trip! From start to finish, Captain John and First Mate Jennifer were outstanding hosts. They made everyone feel welcome and ensured passengers boarded and exited the boat safely at every stop. The tour included two stops at beautiful Egmont Key. First, we had the opportunity to snorkel and swim in the crystal-clear, warm Gulf waters. The snorkeling was fantastic, and it's easy to see why this area is known for its abundant marine life. Our second stop gave us time to explore the island's pristine beaches, nature trails, and fascinating history. Egmont Key is a true gem of the Tampa Bay area, with stunning scenery and plenty to discover. Throughout the trip, Captain John and Jennifer shared interesting facts about the island, local wildlife, and the surrounding waters. They went above and beyond to make sure we had memorable wildlife encounters. On the ride back, they helped us spot several dolphins, and we were incredibly lucky to see three manatees! Captain John carefully maneuvered the boat to a respectful and safe distance, allowing us to enjoy the rare experience of observing these gentle animals in their natural habitat. What impressed me most was the crew's professionalism, knowledge, and genuine passion for showing guests the beauty of the Gulf Coast. After more than 15 years of leading tours to Egmont Key, they clearly know how to create a fun, safe, and unforgettable adventure. I highly recommend Island Boat Adventures to anyone looking for a memorable day on the water. We can't wait to come back and do it again! read more

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This was absolutely the best, our Guide John was so amazing!! They lady that helped me book this( I'm so sorry I don't remember her name) She was so awesome helping and walking me thru everything , we started just booking a tour and ended up not having enough for a reg boat so we did a private tour. OMG I couldn't have ben happier that it worked out that way. It was my sister in-laws birthday, she loves hunting shells and we found so many amazing shells in the island. John made sure we seen plenty of Manatees and Dolphins. I can not wait to do this again, I highly recommend!! 10/10 for sure! Also Don't forget John was the absolute best!! Thank you for making our girls trip one for the books!!! read more

Had an amazing time last night with Island Boat Adventures! Captain John and Captain Katie were wonderful guides who took the time to personally connect with us (and kept us hydrated with free cold water!). We were lucky enough to see a manatee and several dolphins--one was even hunting and chasing a fish! The stop at Shell Island was a highlight; my daughter and I found some perfect souvenir shells. Between the wildlife and a gorgeous, stunning sunset, we got so many incredible photos. If you're looking for your next adventure, look no further. Highly recommend! read more

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The staff was incredibly attentive, friendly, and made sure everyone had a great experience from start to finish. The atmosphere was fun, everything was well organized, and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a memorable day on the water. I can't wait to do it again! read more

Fabulous boat - clean and comfortable! John and Jennifer are polite, friendly, and very knowledgeable about nature in the area. We found so many great shells! My kids loved feeding her pet seagull too :) read more

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We highly recommend this tour! We bought the 4 hour tour to Egmont Key. The buying process was easy. Make sure everyone in your party signs their own waivers. After I bought the tickets it sent links to my email to share with everyone. The tickets can be printed or I downloaded them to my Apple wallet. The boat was easy to find with signs. I don't recommend if you have mobility issues because you will have problems entering the boat and won't be able to exit or reboard at the key bc you have to climb up and down a ladder to do so. The staff is super friendly and helpful. They did offer to help me but once I got to the top it was easier for me to crawl and pull myself up. The boat ride itself was fun and entertaining. We saw dolphins and the captain pointed out some local spots. We reached the one side of the key by the bird reserve and were allowed to snorkel and swim for about an hour. You can stand where they let us out. It was about 4' high. We reboarded and went around to the other side of the key. They let us out and gave us about another hour to explore. The lighthouse is in the middle of the area we we let out and the beach. There's picnic tables, a fort to explore. The beach is gorgeous! You can only get here by boat. Captain Tom and Tanner are fantastic and super friendly. Bring your own snacks, drinks and sandwiches etc. bring towels and suntan lotion. They provide sanitized snorkeling gear. read more

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Great tour and was not rushed but fun and relaxing. Found some great shells!! Thanks for a smooth trip captain! read more

Island Boat Adventures - Huge shell find! - Tours Near Me - Gulfport, Florida

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This was a wonderful trip. The captain, John, was funny and engaged the boat with knowledge about surrounding areas and Katie made us all feel like old friends with stories and laughter. They took us to a great spot for shells! We had such a great time that we booked a 2nd trip for their afternoon snorkeling cruise! We would 1000% recommend them!! read more

Absolutely wonderful tour. We had such a great time. They were very accommodating. They allowed people with mobility to board at the pier and picked the rest at the beach near the condominiums. We saw many dolphins and a beautiful sunset. Captain John was awesome. He did a wonderful job navigating the boat and was a wealth of knowledge. His playlist was great and everyone had a blast singing and dancing. It was delightful to meet such a kind, respectful young man. We are hoping to make this a yearly event. read more

We had such a wonderful time on our sunset cruise! The Captain of the boat and his Mom were not only very welcoming, friendly and fun but very knowledgable about dolphins and the area! We would definitely recommend this trip!! read more

Good time for someone looking for an inexpensive boat trip. The crew of two was great, boat is clean with plenty of seating for at least 25 people. Although the snorkeling was less than ideal because of stormy weather, it was still worth while and relaxing. We were able to spot a few dolphins along the way and a manatee once we got to the island. After snorkeling we went ashore to explore the ruins if you chose or walk along the beach. Bring your own snacks and drinks on this trip. Snorkeling gear is provided. read more

Captains Tanner & John did a great job ensuring we had a great first experience at Egmont Key. Nice snorkeling adventure and the onto the island to explore. We saw several dolphins, a few manatees, and some turtles as well. Highly recommend these folks for a great group of people to Egmont key. read more

Island Boat Adventures - 4 hour tour - Tours Near Me - Gulfport, Florida

Enjoyed Shell island tour on a Sunday. Captain and crew did a nice job and we would consider it again

John was an amazing tour guide. So generous with his time and knowledge. So worth the cost and amazing dolphin viewing at the end. read more

Island Boat Adventures - Tours Near Me - Gulfport, Florida

Great crew, great tour. Is is the best part of my trip to Florida. I feel like I'm with friends going sight seeing and they bring us to the best places for looking for shells read more

This is the last place I would recommend. My wife and I spent $150 as an expectation to go snorkeling. After the hour long boat ride out to the spot, it was infested with fishermen coming dangerously close to the boat, it was 3 feet deep and you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. After 20 minutes of that, we proceeded to head to a beach where we sat beached the remaining almost 2 hours of our trip, unable to snorkel. You would've seen more wildlife in the puddle in your backyard. read more

John and Tanner exceeded all our expectations! They made sure to point out the dolphins and manatees that we encountered on our tour, situating the boat so that we could view the animals without disturbing them. Once we were ashore on Egmont Key, they exhibited extensive knowledge of the history of the island as well as the marine life surrounding it. They were very well prepared for tourists who were minimally prepared for a hike ashore, supplying sunscreen and insect repellent, and later, first aid for mosquito bites and sunburn. A great day!! read more

We had such a great time! Captain Tom made the ride so enjoyable with all of his knowledge of the area and safe driving when the waters got a little choppy. This was the most fun I've had in a long time. We will definitely be riding with them again when we come back to Gulfport with our kids! read more

Dave and John were fantastic. The perfect 4 hrs to see dolphins, ride on a boat, see the island and snorkel. Left marina at 9- stopped by a snorkel spot near the island near some ruins. I didn't see too many cool things (not like Hawaii LOL). If u don't want to snorkel u can stay on board. We snorkeled for about 30/45 mins. Went around to north of the island and was let loose to explore the island for 1 hr ( just enough time to view the ruins and walk to the other side to see the beach. The boat stays with you the whole time and has a bathroom on board. We left the island at 1130 and took the long way back (different route) to the marina. Tried to spot some dolphins on the way back. The men were funny and played music. They were super nice to the kids on board and even let the kids drive the boat. We had a blast! read more

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We booked a trip to Egmont Key a month in advance to celebrate a boy's 10th birthday wish to go snorkeling for the first time. After booking, we then booked our flight, hotel, took time off work with the expectation of this "adventure." Less than 24 hours before our scheduled trip to Egmont Key, I was contacted and told that the excursion was canceled due to "not reaching the number of minimum passengers required." Keep in mind if YOU cancel with less than 24 hours notice, they keep 100% of your funds. All this in addition to the fact that they couldn't book enough people on a busy Saturday? I'm sure that I'll never know the real reason for the cancelation, but I'm guessing that they must have just had something better to do. Side note: We were able to book the ferry from Hubbard's Marina for significantly less (less than half) and they were amazing. They went out of their way to make the birthday boy feel special and saved the day. We saw dolphins, snorkeled, explored the Key, weren't forced to tip (which you're not told about until you pay with Island Boat Adventures), AND we got to spend an extra hour on the Key because their trip is longer. By the way, it was absolutely packed, so I know that Island Boat Adventures didn't have trouble booking enough passengers. Do yourself a favor and book your excursions with another company. They could have given enough notice for us to book another trip elsewhere, they could have offered something like a discount on a future trip, or they even could have reached out to other companies and tried to help us find other options. ANYTHING at all would've shown they cared. They did none of this; Betty only apologized for the "inconvenience." It is abundantly clear that they only want your money with no care or concern for you or your time and are willing to lie to skirt any responsibility. I'm sure there are plenty of other companies that will actually get you there and actually want your business. read more

Island Boat Adventures - Tours Near Me - Gulfport, Florida

Not only is the adventure perfect and affordable, the crew was exceptional! Captains Tom and Tanner had great info mixed with corny jokes but never crossed the line to vulgarity. Super family friendly. The Captain said up front that this would be a safe environment, free from profanity, which makes IBA a rare gem today. read more

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We visited Florida a week after a Tropical Storm and the water around the inlets/beach wasn't its normal blue so we were hesitant to book a boat adventure. We decided we would make the best of it regardless and booked with island boat adventures and had the best day!! Our captains were informative and entertaining! They made sure we saw dolphins and made sure to bring us to the best spot that they could with the water conditions so we could snorkel and see fish and sea urchins! We then got to explore Egmont island where the water was the nicest we've seen since the storm and we found some beautiful shells! We already said we will book with them when we come back! 10/10 experience! read more

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This adventure was better than expected. our captain, John, was very attentive to the participants, had great knowledge of the islands, shells and shared fun facts about the dolphins. He made every effort to find dolphins and did! The Shelli g was really great - we found so many beautiful ones. Reall a great time. Thank you! read more

The guides were super nice and genuine and shared good info. They were very professional and safety conscious. They easily accommodated our 12 person group. The tour itself was amazing. Dolphins, sunset, bridge. My out of town guests loved it. read more

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We had an AMAZING day with Captains John and Tanner! They were fun and informative. The tour was perfect! Snorkeling, swimming, exploring, dolphins. You can't go wrong with a day on the Calypso Cat! read more

Book an adventure with this company, don't second guess it. So much fun, everyone was so friendly! It was like going out in a boat with your own family! Next time We're in Saint Pete we will join then again! read more

John and Tom were so nice! The weather was perfect for the trip! We did some snorkeling and then went to a island where we saw turtles and dolphins and went shelling. I found some amazing shells and sand dollars. They were so knowledgeable and kind. I got a little sea sick at one point and John was quick with some advice and motion sick meds! We loved our time on the boat and will hopefully be back during our next trip! read more

Island Boat Adventures - Shells I found! The sand dollar broke - Tours Near Me - Gulfport, Florida

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Everything was awesome!!! Staff were friendly and informational (shout out to tanner and john). They helped us find good fish and sea shells!! We swam with manatees, fed seagulls, and held sea urchins. Such a fun time and would highly recommend for anyone. read more

Had an amazing time, went out on the 4 hour snorkeling, dolphin sighting tour and saw a few dolphins going out to the island to do the snorkeling and found a few keepable seashells! 45 minutes ride to the island, 45 minutes of snorkeling, about 2 hours to explore the island or swim in the ocean, and 45 minutes back to the marina. The captains were very nice and had great jokes to keep everyone on their toes. They gave good advice for touring the island have coolers on the boat for drinks and food if you'd like to bring lunch and drinks. Definitely would recommend this to anyone wanting to enjoy some family time and looking for seashells. It is not guaranteed that you will see dolphins but keep your eyes open and yell when you see one, the captain will turn around and look for them! read more

I expected more. We saw one dolphin in the way way background and no manatees. There were no cool shells to collect as all the shells we saw were shells that were on the local beach. The snorkeling was the best part about this adventure. I would not consider this a "shelling" adventure. I do understand that they can't control the wildlife. The crew was awesome! Very helpful, kind, and made the experience worth it. I enjoyed the trip but felt it was lack luster compared to how it was portrayed on the website. read more

Had a great time with the crew! Lots of fun. Snorkeling was fun, they provide all the gear or you can bring your own. The island is fun, lots of shells! Lots of life. Turtles are all over and it's fun to watch them and listen to them chomp on grass. Seagulls are flying overhead and you can feed them. Very enjoyable trip! read more

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We had a wonderful time, the water wasnt clear, but snorkeling and the crew made it fun and very informative saw lots of dolphins, and learned alot about fort and turtles , Highly recommend, Bettie made booking easy. read more

Captains John and Tom great! My gf and I had so much fun on are cruise in May. 45 mins snorkeling was just enough and our time in Egmont Key spent exploring the beach. read more

This was a good experience for our family. We had fun and could tell they knew what they were doing. Found dolphins, although they didn't surface much. Good value for the price. Was on Memorial Day so I think that limited the fish during the snorkeling. The island was neat. read more

This was so much fun!! I highly recommend the adventure, totally worth it and then some. Found a huge conch shell, several pretty hermit crabs, a baby octopus, and a starfish. The captains were very nice and knowledgeable, playing music and providing great information about everything along the way. Highly recommend the experience!! read more

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We had a great time the crew was excellent and they worked really hard to make the experience fun. They provided all the snorkeling gear for adults and kids. The Egmont Island we stopped at was incredible we saw turtles and some pretty amazing ruins. The crew also took us to see dolphins and fed the seagulls which my kids loved. Also we stopped at the middle of the ocean were they had a cage with some catch. Inside was a crab a dragon fish and another random fish. The crew took the catch out and had the kids touch the fish. My kids also loved this. They let you bring a cooler with lunch and alcohol if you want. My family really enjoyed this awesome trip. Definitely recommend this as a must if you are in saint Pete read more

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BYOB-they have Ice to keep food/drinks cold. So much fun! The weather wasn't the most perfect but our two Captains knew how to make the most of it!!! Definitely will recommend and hopefully come back!! read more

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Head on over to Trip Advisor to see more in depth reviews, the tour staff said they are near 1000 reviews on trip advisor. Anyways, this activity is family friendly and for all ages, as you're younger children 7 and younger may be hesitant or scared, they will eventually find some fun in this trip. To start the first stop is in the middle of the water as you are given the freedom to swim and check the fishes and other animals in the water. The second stop is an island where you can roam around and more clear water, not so snorkeling friendly. You see dolphins, manatees, sharks(possibly) but the whole trip is eventful and packed with a ton of cool stuff. What really makes this trip though is the tour staff employees, extremely friendly people, packed with a ton of knowledgeable, will be able to answer anything. They engage in conversation and really put the icing on the cake. This a great family friendly activity for the day in a beautiful area, if you need something to do with the family or visiting from out of state this is a great thing to do. read more

Had a great time. Captains were both friendly and informative. The ride, swim and exploring were just the amount of time needed.