My boyfriend and I booked a full day charter and arrived at 9am to meet with Captain Chris. He recommended a few of his favorite beers to bring onboard and gave us a rundown of our itinerary for the day. He drove us by a popular spot for dolphin sightings and was patient enough to wait around with us to see if we'd spot any. He dropped anchor in about 5-10 feet of water and let us snorkel. Despite the poor visibility, my boyfriend and I had a great time. Finally, Captain Chris brought us over to a secluded island and let us walk the shores for shells while he hung back and snapped some photos. The island was beyond beautiful-- mangrove trees, white sand, clear blue waters. By the time we were leaving, about four other boats had pulled up. Captain Chris was super knowledgeable about the area and had no problem answering any/all of my questions! When we pulled back in, the boyfriend and I picked up lunch at Mellow Ventures. Their macaroni and cheese was AMAZING, and we both ordered taco bowls. They served great, clean-tasting food. read more

See all

Lovely houseboat loaded with options to relax or play. Everything you need for comfort and beautifully decorated. read more

See all

We just had a fantastic afternoon boat outing, and it was even more fun and comfortable than advertised. Great boat, beautiful scenery, tons of wildlife (including dolphins up close!), paddleboarding and a great beach hang on a remote back-country island. These guys are kind, reliable and fun to be around. We will be back! read more

Mellow Ventures is too notch. Our trip was cancelled, rebooked, cancelled, and rebooked and "modified heavily" due to weather systems in the Keys that week. Captain Chris was flexible, knowledgeable, honest, and helpful in getting us out on a trip that would finally work. I can't say enough good things about him and our experience. It wasn't exactly how he and I had planned it, but we still had a great time. Thanks again for giving us a great time without much to work with. read more

See all

I cannot say enough negative things about this company and the owner.Run far and fast. Friend and I booked a half day excursion. For the TWO OF US. We wanted our own boat and captain and not the annoying aspect of sharing a boat with strangers and dealing with small talk. We specifically listed what we wanted to do: kayak, paddleboard, fish. That was precisely on our order form. We also specifically noted that snorkeling was not an option. I had a procedure on my ear and could not submerge my ear in water. We book, we pay. We call the next day to confirm because we hadn't received any notification by phone or email. Leave a message and the owner calls at 9 pm the night before our scheduled excursion the next morning. He tells us that there was a mixup online and they don't have enough boats/captains. Say what? We were pissed. It was our last day and it was too late to schedule a new excursion. My friend let him know that this was riduculous. about 30 minutes later he calls back and lets us know that it's all worked out, everything is fine, see you tomorrow morning. We show up the next morning and it was a shit show. Our captain comes in, scruffy, and greets us. Takes us out to the dock and shows us the boat we are going to be on and that we just have to wait for the other employee to come back with the bait. We sit. Then sit some more. Next thing you know, we are introduced to a family and find out that we are all sharing a boat. WTF. We paid money for the TWO of us for a half day excurision and to have our own boat. It wasn't cheap. At all. We explained that this is wrong. We are then told that they had a large party make an appt so the other boat was reserved for them. Basically, screw you. We are making tons more money with this large party. The boat for 5 guests and the captain was a joke. 2 people could sit up front on this little boat , the other 3 sat on Yeti coolers. Scruffy explains our plan for the day: snorkeling and swimming. We chime in that snorkeling/swimming is not an option and not what we paid for and where are the kayaks and paddleboards? The FAMILY paid for an all day excursion and that's what they requested. Hence, more people and all day = more money. Both of us at that point are pissed. scruffy says he will squeeze on paddleboards, but kayaks are going to fit. YOu know, because we were on a boat that wasn't big enough for the people on it. Then proceeds the issue regarding our half day excursion vs the family's all day excursion. Scruffy starts trying to get us to upgrade to an all day excursion so that he doesn't have to cut into the family's all day tour. We weren't about to pay more money for the shit show that was taking place and tell him too bad, we aren't doing an all day because I wasn't about to sit my ass on a boat while everyone swam and snorkeled. That wasn't what we paid for. We get on the tiny ass rinky dink boat and head out. We go to a little island. Scruffy drops us off, gets the fishing gear out and takes us around a bend of the island. He drops us off in a little cove, asks if we know how to fish and then says he will be back in a few hours because he is taking the family snorkeling by a boat wreck. WTF? So the two of us are in awe. We say we need our bags, our lunch, some WATER while we are left Gilligan's Island style in some random cove. He leaves us. We start fishing. Something starts biting us. Biting us ALL.OVER. The little cove was infested with sand fleas. Both of us were covered with sand flea bites. If you know sand flea bites, you know how god awful itchy they are. We immediately got the hell out of there and went to the main part of the island/sand bar is where other charter operations were. We then proceeded to hang out waist deep in the water because I can't get my damn ear wet. About an hour/hour and half later, the boat rolls up. We tell Kermit that we couldn't fish because of the sand flea infestation. We want to paddleboard since we are stuck on this island. We paddleboard, are hanging out... and an hour later Scruffy yells to us that it's time to go because our time is up, BUT we can add another hour for an extra $100 a person. Uh, hell to the no. We paddle in. Get on the boat. The obnoxious father proceeds to push us towards staying. Obviously they didn't want to waste an hour of their time paid for the charter while schlepping is back to the dock. At this point we are furious. We did nothing but paddleboard for an hour and get bit by sand fleas and sit in water. That's it. It cost us $250 a person for that crap. Furious. we get dropped off, get in the car and my friend who booked wrote the owner Rob (? I think is his name) and told him there were major issues and to call us. Nothing that day. We call, we leave messages. Nothing. We call again. We FINALLY get an email from him. long story short, this was an expensive and unprofessional piece of garbage charter. STAY AWAY. read more

Pure serendipity that we found their brochure at the airport. This charter was exactly what we were looking for and was the highlight of our trip. We were a group of 5 with a tight schedule due to a conference. Luckily they were free when we needed them and booked a half day tour, explaining they would cater activities to our desires and the weather/tide conditions. They also provided ice, coolers, snorkeling equipment, and paddle boards. Captain Lisa was great - super friendly and chill and helped us load our provisions onto the boat. She took us to a snorkeling spot but unfortunately the weather/water conditions were not cooperating. We then went on to Little Mulllet Key and had THE BEST stand up paddleboarding tour. Our group was varied in experience and athletic ability but Lisa worked with all of us. We saw some big sting rays, paddled through the mangrove tunnels, saw lemon sharks, fish, and tons of birds. The biology/ecology lessons along the way were great and Lisa took some pics of the group. On the ride back, we stopped in the dolphin playground and drifted for a bit along with a pod. The water was gorgeous and the dolphin closeups were amazing. read more

Mellow Ventures - The boat at our paddleboarding stop - Boating Near Me - Key West, Florida

See all

This sunset cruise was absolutely phenomenal. Our boat captain Eric was great and entertained us the whole time. This is a must to do while in Key West visiting. read more

Great brews and an awesome location. will visit again!

First time paddleboarding--we went out with Scruffy who was awesome. Went out to some channels which were very calm to paddle through--saw some fish, little crabs and a nurse shark! The tour takes pictures at no charge which is sweet. Scruffy also gave us little a tour along the coast of key west--he was awesome and informative--gave good tips about bars+happy hours to hit up along the water. We stopped for a swim towards the end of the tour. Recommend it. Don't forget to tip $! read more

See all

Great morning spent with Lisa aboard the Mellow Ventures boat, Lisa was fantastic, we saw dolphins and sea turtles, snorkeled with huge tarpon, sting rays, nurse shark and many beautiful fish, she then took us to an island for paddle boarding where we saw cormorants, pelicans, frigates, barracudas and lemon sharks. Highly recommend this adventure! read more

Me and my daughter are from Ohio and was visiting KeyWest and we went with friends on a boat ride and got more than we expected! Captain Scruffy was entertaining and professional, to say the least!! We had the times of our lives! We learned how to paddle board, seen some amazing sights, learned some facts about the ocean and it's surroundings and sooo much more!! If you live near or far away please go and experience a fun adventure, you won't be disappointed!! Thank you again Scruffy!! read more

This was a fantastic tour of the keys. Capt Lisa was so warm and nice and taught us all how to paddle board. She made it so much less intimidating and all of us were able to do it. She gave us tons of interesting info about the mangroves we paddled through and the plants and animals we saw. We saw dolphins right next to the boat, baby sharks under our boards and tons of different birds. She customized the trip to what we wanted to do so we would get the most out of it. It was relaxed and fun and a wonderful afternoon! I'd love to spend everyday like this. They also made it super easy. We just showed up and they took care of the rest. read more

Mellow Ventures - From our boat tour with Cap't Lisa! - Boating Near Me - Key West, Florida

See all

First off the beer selection is phenomenal. The tuna Poke Bowl was amazing as well as the tacos. 10/10 recommended .

Perfect family day!!! We booked with mellow ventures for a half day of fun but ended up doing a full day because we were having such a great time for our family of five. Three kids ages 3,6,7 and the day could not have been more perfect. Captain Lisa was not only super helpful and sweet with the kids but she also taught the oldest boys how to paddle board. She is truly a gem. From seeing dolphin to snorkeling to a private beach lunch and finishing off the day paddle boarding this was such a great experience for our family. Low key and mellow! Just what we had wanted. We highly recommend especially if you have younger kids. Super affordable and fun. We will definitely be back. read more

We had a wonderful time of our half day excursion with Captain Scruffy! We paddle boarded through a beautiful mangrove swamp as well as deeper waters and even had an up close encounter with a breaching manatee. Highly recommended! read more

I came here with my boyfriends family and we had the most WONDERFUL time! We had Capt. Axe and he was phenomenal! We did dolphins, snorkeling and paddle boarding and everything was so so beautiful. For the dolphin portion- we got so incredibly close! We came across a group of 3-6 dolphins who were swimming curiously around the boat and at one point one of them came close, made eye contact, rolled on its back and "waved" and then continued on to "play" with a little fish by blowing bubbles at him. it was incredible! We had go pro's and got the most amazing underwater footage of them by the boat. We then went on to snorkel by a ship wreck and paddle board out at a little island with a beach and mangroves. It was the most beautiful serene experiences to glide through the mangroves and listen to the birds flapping their wings. absolutely 10/10 and an even bigger plus- they cooked the fish we had caught the day before and their whole menu is delicious and creative!!! A MUST DO read more

See all

This was the perfect setup for us. We did this trip with our teenage kids and were looking for to get out in the water and have it tailored to what we were looking for. We snorkeled, fished and toured about and got some history and cool stories from our Captain. Would do again- preferred the personal experience and touch- rather than going with a huge group of strangers. Great group of people that went out of the way to give us a great afternoon. Thanks again! read more

I and my bf went on a half day trip with Mellow Ventures. We were the only guests on the boat so we had it all to ourselves. We split the tour evenly between snorkeling the reef and paddle boarding around one of the mangroves. Captain Shane took us to secluded areas where there was no other human being in sight. Throughout the trip Shane kept taking pictures of us and later we got them emailed to us which was very nice. Great experience overall! read more

We have used Mellow Ventures several times when visiting Key West and the guides are always very helpful and professional. I highly recommend taking the snorkeling/paddleboarding/fishing charter; they are very knowledgeable and took us to all the great snorkeling and fishing spots. Also, we love the gastropub/restaurant that is located at the dock where you catch the charter boat. They have great tacos, cold draft beer, and everyone is always very friendly. Make sure to stop by while you are in town! read more

If you want to go paddleboarding or snorkeling (or any other water sport for that matter) in Key West, Mellow Ventures is the ONLY place to call. They are absolutely wonderful. Ever been on a snorkel trip where you felt like you were cattle being herded? Not with Mellow Ventures. Rob and Captain Shane were fantastic! The weather was choppy, so Shane took us to the more protected side of the island so that the snorkeling would be better. Then we went to a stand of beautiful mangroves where we paddleboarded in clear, calm water. There were just four of us on the boat, so it felt like we were just a bunch of friends out on the water for the day. They may be more expensive than some of the other companies - but it is so worth it! I can't wait to do another trip with MVKW on our next visit! read more

Great customized experience! Full day trip with Shane. He took us snorkeling, fishing and dolphin watching. We stopped for lunch at a beautiful deserted island. This was an experience that was off the grid - no tourists, no pushy people! A must if you are headed to Key West. read more

Took the family on this trip. Shane captained our day and really tailored the trip to my 3 kids (10-13 years old). They loved it. We only did the 1/2 day trip. The wind was up so we couldn't go to their primary location. We saw dolphins on the way out. We snorkeled the reef on the northern side of Key West. Then paddle boarded through Mangroves. Loved it and would do it again. Only 4 stars because I doubt you can snorkel the ship wrecks in half day adventure since they are 30 miles off shore. That would have been nice to know. read more

We went out on Rob's Mellow Ventures and had an absolutely FANTASTIC time!!! Rob was so very knowledgeable and the whole experience was a great day to spend in Key West. The snorkelling was fabulous and the paddleboarding was great fun. Thanks Rob. read more

The trip got off on the wrong foot when we the captain told us we were going on a split charter after we heard loud and clear from the person we booked with that we had booked a private combined fishing/snorkel trip. The captain told us this meant we couldn't fish, but thankfully the other couple was a no-show. The captain was very standoffish about this at first but warmed up once we worked things out. Mellow Ventures' outfit is definitely what some people will be looking for in a charter and great for cruising. They visit some spectacular parts of the keys and get you there quick, and the stand-up paddleboarding they offer is fantastic with solid instruction and great gear. Fast boat, cool music, and in our case a nice captain who clearly loves what he does. The fishing was poor, and the gear they used was in awful shape-- reels that jammed, rusty hooks, and pretty much nothing but bait and dollar-store terminal tackle (with a handful of really well-used lures). I had to show the captain how to texas rig a shrimp and remove the tail when we kept getting our bait stolen (this should be common knowledge...) We picked up a few lane snapper under 8", which he couldn't identify, fished some incredibly fast tidal current that we didn't have heavy enough sinkers for (check the tides next time maybe?), and otherwise came up empty. If you're a serious fisherman in the slightest but want to do some island hopping and snorkeling as well, I would just find a dedicated fishing charter with a fast boat, good tackle and knowledgable captain, and ask to hit some of the more remote keys in the gulf and byo snorkel gear. The snorkeling was poor due to water visibility but it was winter and this is obviously outside of anyone's control. These guys are definitely a solid option for cruising and watersports but not entirely as-advertised. read more

You will not need to look for another tour company when you choose Mellow Venture tour company. We have taken many tours over the years, and this was the best! We had Captain George, who did not rush us, gave us several different options of things we could do. He was knowledgeable, yet not continuous chatter just to fill the time. It was informative, peaceful at times, saw some great sea life, and simply beautiful! We are returning to the Keys in August and there in no doubt who we will book with! Thanks Mellow Venture Tours, you guys are the best out there! read more

Lovely personalized half day trip with Captain Lisa and family only...highly recommended...pick what you want to do.

For anyone lucky enough to experience the Florida Keys, Mellow Ventures is a must!!! Looking to relax on a deserted beach, paddle board to see in the clear blue waters below you, snorkel on wrecks that are right at your fingertips, admire the most amazing sunsets ever, spend the day with the coolest hosts ever...MELLOW VENTURES is a must, reach out on Facebook for more details. Best day ever...told my friends, now I'm telling you : ))) read more

Mellow Ventures provided the best experience I had in the Florida Keys during my week visit. Although the weather had been difficult the whole week, when it was time for our trip, the crew found a place for paddle boarding that was calm and clear enough to see juvenile bonnet head, black tip reef and nurse sharks and sea turtles. The snorkeling location near by was also good for viewing marine life and relaxing for eating some lunch. This charter is much more comfortable because of the smaller boat and crew, than the other large charters in the Keys. The crew of the boat can make or break your experience on the water, the crew members were friendly and knowledgeable which made the trip even more enjoyable. There is a parking lot close to the dock where the boat is which was very convenient. This company is a great choice if you're looking to have a good time and see the beauty of the keys. read more