Captain Jim is a great host and guide. He is so nice and lots of fun. He had a vast knowledge of…read morethe area and the history. We took the fun lunch at Cabbage Key trip. The ride was smooth with several stops along the way to point out wildlife and points of interest. He allowed us enough time on the island to enjoy lunch and thoroughly explore. If we are back in the area we would definitely do another tour with Pine Island Boat Tours.

We had a fantastic time with Captain Jim. He is extremely knowledgeable about all the local…read morebeaches, and history of the area. He knew exactly where to take us and show us where all the dolphins and manatees were. My kids loved Captain Jim. They thought he was very friendly. I would highly recommend this boat ride. The 4 hour trip is the best value , as the day flew. I can't give enough praise . 5 stars isn't enough. This was definitely the highlight of our vacation.

Capt Nick is extremely informative of the Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound area. we saw…read moredolphins, had them jumping in our wake, manatees up close. we never knew what a great area it is for boating. we went to Gasparila Island, Boca Grande, Cato Costa Island, north Capto a Island, pass Useppa and the old fishing shacks. Lots of history. his boat offers a comfortable ride. we stopped and had opportunity to walk on the island to the Oceanside, while we stopped we ate our picnic lunch. The whole trip was first class. we will definitely be taking this trip exploring with Capt Nick again!!!!!!

Captain Nick was very easy to work with. This charter was reasonably priced and customizable…read more Captain Nicks boat YOLO was in immaculate condition. My family had an amazing time.

Caveat Emptor - Extremely Disappointing Experience with Tropic Star (Pine Island, FL)…read moreIf you're considering booking a "private nature tour" with Tropic Star, I strongly suggest you think twice. On March 23rd, my group paid $350 for what was clearly marketed as a private, multi-hour nature tour experience: lunch at Cabbage Key followed by a relaxing nature cruise with stop at Cayo Costa, wildlife viewing, dolphins, and a scenic return to the dock around 2-2:30 PM. What we got instead felt like a complete bait-and-switch. The ride to Cabbage Key was rushed, and after lunch, we were picked up at 1:00 PM only to be sped straight back to the dock at full throttle--arriving before 1:30 PM. No nature tour. No stops. No wildlife. No relaxation. Just a high-speed return trip where we were bracing ourselves on coolers and folding chairs instead of enjoying anything remotely close to what was promised. Prior to leaving the dock, my friend heard Captain Steve had multiple other groups scheduled and needed to rush back. So much for a "private" experience. It was clear our trip was cut short to accommodate their overbooking and miscommunication from staff. Customer service was just as frustrating. After multiple attempts to get a response from Vincent, the owner, we finally received a generic apology with "We have a great reputation and it's rare that I get confronted with any negativity and I sincerely apologize. We have not been able to run our big boats since Hurricane Ian 3 years ago. We're doing our best to accommodate some passengers with our smaller boats" and a vague offer for "free passage next time." When I asked for clarification--no response. I then requested a full refund to resolve the issue privately and avoid posting a review... and completely ignored. At this point, it's not just about a bad tour--it's about misleading advertising, poor communication, and zero accountability. Save your money and your time. There are plenty of reputable operators in the area who actually deliver what they promise.

What a great crew, what a great experience. The vote was comfortable and easily accessible. Finding…read morethe place was a little bit of a challenge. However, when you make the reservation they do fill you in on the GPS coordinates, and tell you that they are not necessarily correct. I would definitely do this again but I would spend all day at the beach I would not bother to go to the restaurant on the itinerary.

Austin took us to multiple islands in PI sound. We went to the beach at Cayo Costa,checked out…read moreCabbage Key, lunch at Mangos. It was very easy to get on and off the boat. Austin is very knowledgeable about the area and is a fantastic captain! We will be doing this again. Our out of town guests loved it!!

If you're looking for something that's equal parts chill and a little adventurous, this sunset…read morecruise with Beyond Boundaries Excursions is exactly that. Whether you're out with friends or family it feels like the perfect way to wind down. The crew was super friendly and made the whole vibe feel easy with no pressure, no rush, just good energy and a great time. It didn't feel like a tour, more like a relaxed evening out on the water with people who love what they do. Honestly, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

My husband and I celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary with La Gondola early this month and it…read morewas absolutely phenomenal and breathtaking. We have experienced gondola rides in the past: once years ago when it was not an evening with a waterfire, and since then, three more delightful evenings of water fires. Our fantastic gondolier, Figaro, in his handsome straw canotier, or straw hat, was so amazing as he helped us into the gondola and gently brought us through the river. Before the end of our tour, Figaro sang to us with his stunning voice in Italian and made our evening the ultimate celebration. The pink champagne biscuits given to us to accompany our beverage were so delicious . We could not ask for a more beautifully exquisite anniversary evening.

We had a lovely gondola ride on the river. It was so peaceful and having the violinist playing…read more made the experience extra special. Would definitely recommend!

Captain Jason makes every fishing experience fun and memorable. We always catch a good amount of…read morefish, that he cleans for us to take to a near-by restaurant and have a great fresh meal. Jason is so knowledgeable of the area and all the different fish species. He is respectable of sizes and seasons of the fish to keep. We appreciate him and his professionalism.

Jason took my family out on another incredible fishing trip! words cannot describe how good of a…read morefishing captain he is. a very family oriented fishing captain. i highly recommend giving him a call for a fun fishing adventure!!!

Now known as MATLACHA BOATING ADVENTURES - Excursion Date -…read more3/25/2024 Without a doubt... THE BEST TIME I'VE EVER HAD ON THE WATER - Bar None! Captain Will delivered as promised and we had the most enjoyable afternoon at the absolute best value of any excursion in ALL OF FLORIDA! Our family of four went out with the good Captain and his sister boat with Captain Chris and headed over to Coya Costa - Do NOT MISS THE MYSTERY BEACH - There is nothing like being the only souls on miles of beach in the pristine aqua-green waters of the Gulf. We also cruised a secluded bay filled with Manatee and saw nesting Osprey for the first part of the trip. All the time filled with little tid-bits of history and stories about the islands and wildlife. The short walk to the beach reminded you or an episode of Gilligan's Island or Survivor but to dip in the gulf water in early Spring weather with the feeling of secluded luxury was worth every single penny. We then journeyed to Cabbage Key and had a stop at the famous restaurant for some "ON-Point" and fresh Stone Crab followed by an excellent Cheeseburger that may or may not have inspired you-know-who to pen a famous song about such carnivorous habits..... That was topped off by the tangiest frozen Key-Lime pit and a few scoops of ice cream from the local creamery. The trip back to Pine Island and Captain Will's tailgate office found us enjoying the nostalgic views and gorgeous homes of Useppa Island followed by Dolphin views and then twenty minutes of the dolphin pod ridding the wake of our vessel. We could not have imagined how exciting, fun, and memorable this excursion was. Without a doubt, at the prices he charged, no other ferry, tour, or excursion gives you half as much for the money on the Florida coast. This little operation is highly recommended and I'm not easy to please. Another couple of two adults shared he boat with us and they were blown away too with words of praise and plans to repeat the trip again. As a tip, arrive early and check out the fish market. If you're lucky, Uno or Lefty as Captain Will calls him will be begging for fish at the back of the dock by the fish market. The wild dolphin was sheer joy to watch as were were literally inches away from him as he waited on a fish or two from the fleet dropping their catch at the market. We could have watched the huge bottle-nose dolphin for hours. That alone was a high-light worthy of calling it a day but our entire journey defied expectations. I can not recommend Captain Will & Company from Matlacha Boating Adventures. Support a Veteran Owned Business and enjoy an unforgettable trip around Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. This excursion made our trip a memory to cherish! Thanks Captain Will for an unprecedented time on the water!!! If you book elsewhere, you won't have as much fun and you'll pay too much!

While on vacation my friends and I took the sunset cruise. The Captain and first mate were great…read moreand so knowledgable about the wild life. We saw dolphins, a manatee and a ton of birds. Highly recommend the trip, plus you can bring your own food and drink.

Coastal Friends Boat Tours was an absolute highlight of our visit to south west Florida…read more My wife and our friends decided to take a sunset tour on Sunday. The boat was spacious and comfortable, very stable even amid the small swell and wakes of other boats (my wife has gotten seasick in the past, but had absolutely no problem with this trip due to the stability of the boat and the skill of Aldo the Captain/pilot). We enjoyed seeing Dolphins and Pelicans, and even a ray just after sunset.The sunset was amazing and memorable, but not the best part of our tour. What was the best part? Being hosted by the owner and captain Aldo, and his first mate (wife] Demaris. They are happy and friendly, and very skilled at operating their boat. But more than that, they are excellent hosts. We had a lot of laughs, and a very enjoyable afternoon. The opportunity to meet Aldo and Demaris, and enjoy their hospitality shouldn't be missed. You'll be glad you chose this company for your boat tour! TLDR; Relaxing and fun way to spend the afternoon. Aldo and Demaris are great people, enjoyable to be around and skilled in their business I highly recommend them as hosts and tour guides!

From the owner: Coastal Friends Boat Tours offers family-friendly boat tours in Southwest Florida, specializing in…read moredolphin-watching, sunset cruises, island hopping, beach-hopping, and waterfront dining excursions. Our tours provide unforgettable experiences with a focus on comfort, safety, and creating cherished memories. Based in Cape Coral, we cater to locals and visitors looking to explore Florida's beautiful waterways.

We did a half day trip!! was well worth the money. Pete did an awesome job very knowledgeable about…read moregators and other Florida wildlife!! We probably seen 100-150 gators on the airboat ride( several let us get fairly close so made for good photo opportunity's).. I was little bummed the water was pretty low so we didn't get to really explore the swamp side of the pond but that's way out of his control, we also booked during the dry season so... if we ever make it down this way again we plan to do the all day tour!!

We did a half day tour which included an eco-walk in the beginning, which was very informative with…read moreour tour guide Addison. We learned a lot about the Everglades and even saw deer. From there, we went to the airboat before we got to go on the airboat. Addison showed us some different snakes which we got to hold and taught us more about the animals in the area. We had Captain Fred take us out on the airboat. He was also extremely knowledgeable about the animals and fauna of the area. We did this during off-season so we had the boat to ourselves, which was really awesome. Highly suggest to anyone and everyone that they take this tour. The half-day was plenty to us. The full day would've been cool. Maybe that will happen next time. Make sure to ask for Addison and Fred.