Captain Dale was a great guide. Got to see a mother and her babies as well as another gator back…read morein the low tide. Very knowledgeable and was able to take us to areas where bigger boats couldn't go! Spirit of the swamp offers 6 man boats. This helps with getting into tighter areas and low water areas! It was very fun to slide around the marsh!

This was one of our best stops on the trip, by far. We toured with Captain Ryan, who was…read moreknowledgeable, friendly and skilled. Before going out, we got a comprehensive safety brief and were informed of an area to keep our belongings. As we were cruising, we wore headsets with speakers in which captain Ryan was speaking about the surrounding environment. The headset also had microphones in which we would reply to him. As we got into the swampy area, the ride was smooth and as someone who is scared of water, I felt completely safe. Captain Ryan brought us to some wonderful hidden gems such as a few alligator nests where he explained their structure in detail and answered any questions with complete answers. We got very close to alligators and baby alligators (freshly hatched the day before) and it was an amazing experience. Captain Ryan made us feel confident that we were not in danger and if we were, he would be able to handle it. As we were finishing our tour it started to pour and we switched our headset out for a water friendly version. Rather than bringing us directly back to the docking area, we sat under an overpass to prevent getting completely drenched and possibly hurt. We made it back and Captain Ryan made sure we were all safe getting off. Overall, a truly wonderful experience. More than worth the price. It was beyond what we expected in the best ways.

Let me tell you about the time my wife casually turned a normal "drop our daughter off at college"…read moretrip into what felt like a deleted scene from a survival movie... destination: Solomon's Castle in the absolute middle of nowhere. And when I say nowhere, I mean NOWHERE. I'm driving waiting for streetlights... nothing. Gas stations? Nope. People? Questionable. Cows? Plenty. Motorcycles flying by like we accidentally entered a post-apocalyptic biker convention? Oh yeah. At this point, I'm looking at my wife like, Babé are we visiting a castle or auditioning for The Walking Dead: Florida Edition?" Then suddenly... BOOM. Out of nowhere... like a mirage built by a very creative pirate appears this shiny, aluminum-covered CASTLE. Now I'm confused. Because one minute I'm dodging cows... and the next minute I'm like: Did we just teleport to medieval times sponsored by Home Depot? But here's the thing this place is AMAZING. Inside? Pure genius. Art everywhere. Sculptures made out of stuff you probably threw away last week. It's like if creativity, humor, and a junkyard had a baby and that baby became a castle. And then there's the restaurant. Yes. A restaurant. Inside a boat. Inside a castle. In the middle of nowhere. At this point, I've stopped asking questions and just accepted that I'm in someone else's dream. If you want the backstory, go ahead and Google it because it's wild. But honestly, just go. Don't overthink it. Would I have ever planned this stop? Absolutely not. Did my wife once again prove she's the CEO of random but incredible detours? 100%. Final verdict: Unexpected Slightly suspicious drive in Completely worth it If you're ever near Ona, Florida--or even if you're not take the detour. Just make sure your gas tank is full... and maybe say a quick prayer once the streetlights disappear

On our drive from St Augustine to Tampa, we made reservations to see Solomon's Castle in the middle…read moreof nowhere on beautiful land here in Florida. This castle was built by Howard Solomon, a high school dropout, with his bare hands and his own designs with whatever scraps of metal he could find or that were donated to him by others. He had friends and neighbors who helped him build. He built vertically because his land was more narrow than wide. So there are stairs to climb. Everything including his unusual artwork inside the Castle was donated or built by Solomon. He also had a 1930s collection of cars and trucks that are displayed at the Castle. His personal story is very interesting which will be told during the tour. Visitors are not allowed to photograph the auto collection nor anything inside the Castle. There is no cell service/wifi there on the property. They do not use computers so everything is paid by cash: the tickets (we paid about $40 in cash for the castle tour and the classic car tour), the food, and souvenirs. They are dog-on-leash friendly, which is nice. The staff is very welcoming and fun to interact with! The tour is very interesting with funny jokes thrown in. Food is served on the boat and reviewers have been favorable about the meals offered. Remember, it is cash only. Parking is free and at the entrance before you get to the Castle. Wear comfortable shoes. I was happy that we got to do the tour. I don't know that I would go back because it is so out of the way but it was worth the trip.

We went on this boat, the boat tour guide guy was great, and friendly.. had a great time on the…read moretour.. hope to come back soon..

We did a two-hour sunset cruise on the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven yesterday, and it was…read moreabsolutely wonderful. The scenery alone was worth it, but what really made the experience special was Captain Sage. Her knowledge of the lakes, the area, and the wildlife was incredible, and the way she shared it made everything feel relaxed and engaging, not scripted or rushed. She has a great presence and genuinely loves what she does, which made the whole cruise even more enjoyable. I will ask for Captain Sage every single time and will definitely be back. Highly recommend this experience, especially at sunset.

Zac is a great tour guide and knows his way around the ponds! We saw so many alligators, I lost…read morecount!! The scenery was incredible and the weather was perfect! We've been coming to Florida for 40 years and never saw the 'REAL' Florida, until now! So worth it!!

Awesome tour. Had lots of fun and saw a ton of alligators and other wildlife. We would recommend…read morethis group for sure.

This was my very first gator encounter and my first time on an airboat, and honestly, it blew every…read moreexpectation out of the water. From the moment we arrived, the place had this incredible energy -- the kind of spot that instantly makes you think, I'd camp here in a heartbeat. The grounds were beautiful, the amenities looked top‑notch, and the whole atmosphere felt like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. And the staff? Absolutely phenomenal. Genuine, warm, and the kind of people who clearly love what they do. I hesitated to wander into the camper store since we weren't staying overnight, but now I wish I had -- the whole place had that welcoming, "come on in" vibe. I wasn't sure if the campground and airboat tours were run separately, but everyone we met felt like part of one big, enthusiastic team. Before the tour, the staff came out and gave us a fascinating crash course on gators -- and then we got to hold Luke the gator. Let me tell you, once you hold Luke, something changes. You walk away feeling like you've bonded with a gator. I'm not kidding -- I still catch myself wondering how Luke is doing. Then came the airboat ride. We loaded up, the engine kicked in, and suddenly we were flying across the lake. Our tour guide Kyle was outstanding -- knowledgeable, funny, confident, and able to answer every question thrown his way. For my first airboat experience, I was genuinely impressed by how smooth and skilled he was behind the controls. We spotted plenty of baby gators and even a mama gator. Sure, I would've loved to see a few more, but for the price, the thrill, and the overall experience, it was absolutely worth it. We were on the 12:45 tour, so the time of day may have played a role -- but honestly, I left feeling thrilled. If I could change one thing, it would be knowing ahead of time that tips for the guides are cash‑only. We weren't carrying American cash, and Kyle definitely earned a tip. Adding that note to the FAQ or confirmation messages would be super helpful for future guests. All in all, this was an unforgettable experience -- exciting, educational, and genuinely fun from start to finish. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something unique, thrilling, and full of heart.

highly recommend. Capt Kyle, along with the entire staff, are so knowledgeable, informative and…read morevery friendly. we saw so much wildlife and the family loved. cant wait to do it again. Dan B

Great adventure! Our tour guide Jex was very enthusiastic about the Tampa downtown and it made the…read moretrip so much better. We loved the stories and the descriptions. The ride was nice and we could hear about 90% of the narration (apparently known dead zones) very informative. We highly recommend this tour

This was a great way to see downtown Tampa! Parking was easy. Our tour guide, Gina, was great. She…read moreis a Tampa native and certified tour guide. Very knowledgeable, caring, and fun. I was impressed by how much we were able to see just by getting around on a golf cart. The description is a bit different than reality. She uses a headset connected to speakers on the golf cart. No headphones or earbuds. Bring your own water but you can buy drinks & food during the stops. I do recommend wearing sunglasses if you don't wear eyeglasses to protect your eyes from the wind. The cart can go up to 30 mph.

We had a great time on this tour. Ellen and Captain Don were wonderful. Ellen shared her love of…read morethe area and the wildlife. We saw dolphin, manatees, and lots of different birds. The weather was perfect and it was a beautiful day to spend on the water. I highly recommend this tour.

Sold me two tickets online, then cancelled because that trip wouldn't be profitable…read more I understand the desire to be profitable, but, the ticket was sold. Having been a charter captain myself for 15 years, I've never seen anything like this. You don't hit a home run every time at bat. You never hit one if you don't come to the plate. Fortunately we found another operator and had a delightful time.

My grandchildren were in town (girls 15 and 17) and I wanted to give them a feel for the area I…read morelive in. Being from Texas they aren't around a lot of water. We had a wonderful time with Captain Mark and learned a lot. He did an exceptional job of telling us about the space program and the boats and equipment involved. We saw many manatees and dolphins around the locks. Had a little delay getting back thru the lock but he handled it beautifully and continued the tour thru the delay. AND THEN we ran into a huge pod of dolphins. It was so fun to watch them breach and play. I'd recommend this tour to anyone. My friend who went with us is 90 and had no trouble getting in and out of the pontoon boat. Fun time was had by all.

Spent a good 2+hours on this Space Coast River Cruise and so glad we did! The operator was full of…read moreinteresting information about the locks, and all the places we went by, including the space x launch sites, and we saw lots of wildlife, especially pelicans, birds and dolphins! would love to book this trip for the next launch or his bioluminescence tours!!

Nice boat tour on the Indian river. We encountered many dolphins along the 2 hour tour. Great…read morehusband and wife crew, that gave us plenty of info about the area . You are able to bring your own drinks and snacks. Our captain seemed to go out of his way at times to get closer to the dolphins. Lots of other wildlife also. A perfect relaxing 2 hour boat ride for a good price. They also gave out coupons to the restaurant right next door. Which we gladly used. We did the 9am to 11am tour. They also have a later one and a sunset cruise.

We had a small group of 9 friends take the boat. I personally enjoyed Captain Bill's narrative…read moreabout the history of the area which is something I have never heard about. We saw lots of dolphin and learned about many of the birds in the area. And, Kelly was a great assistant dealing with all the people on the boat. I have recommended to many friends and family about take the boat again. A great time was had by all! Roxy

This was one of the highlights of our trip. Even though we were here during the high water season…read more(fewer alligators) we still saw a ton of smaller gators. Our airboat captain was a creole guy with a great personality and very accommodating. He was very laid back and we were allowed to take our own cooler and drinks (including alcoholic drinks). It was a little pricy but still worth it. I want to go back and hope to see some huge gators sunning, but even if you're here during the summer it's still worth it. They also have a little "zoo" area that you can walk through and see their alligators, and they have one in the office that you can hold.

What an amazing experience with my family. The kids (10 & 14) enjoyed the boat and buggy tour…read more Being able to see alligators in their natural environment is worth very penny spent.