Great experience renting a pontoon boat!! Boat was clean, in good condition and ready to go when we arrived. The staff was friendly and helpful with a map and recommendations on where and where not to go. Also, I found the pricing here to be the best among all the companies that I looked at in Destin. You do have to park across the street, but this information is all provided before you arrive. We unloaded at the front desk and then my husband parked the car, only took a few extra minutes. read more

Staff was awesome. We had 11 people including 3 young children and a lot of stuff. They jumped in and helped load the heavy coolers and even topped off the coolers with ice. Price was comparable to other rentals. Not being able to park our vehicles on-site was an inconvenience. Honestly would have chosen a different place had we known that when searching. Pontoon was in rough shape but most rentals are. To be expected. Tip your staff. They work hard. Don't be a cheapskate. read more

We did their 1.5 hour dolphin tour. It was fantastic. We saw so many dolphins. We started off through the harbor, which was really great seeing all of the amazing boats, and houses. Then they took us off the coast under the bridge a good ways out. We were out there a good bit, and we saw several dolphins out. Then we went to Crab Island, and we saw a lot of dolphins there. Overall, it was well worth the money. The family had a great time. read more

Not a good customer service experience. Our party drove 3 hours and had prepaid for platoon boat to be told just as were loading on the boat that we would not be able to use the boat because when asked during loading and no one had any boating experience. This was not stated during the booking or when we checked in and paid an additional $500 security deposit. It would of be been helpful had this information been provided during pre purchase or when we arrived and checked in and paid had the additional deposit charged to me card. Luckily we were able to get a last minute platoon rental a few miles down from Island Water Sports, which was a great experience. read more

The staff is really friendly and helpful. Parking for your vehicle is kind of far from the spot.

The captain seemed like it was his first time steering a boat and he was going the opposite way of the dolphins.

Great service and location. Quick and easy ride to Crab Island and other Destin attractions. Pontoon was in great condition with plenty of fuel. "Bear" was very helpful sending us out and helping us dock. read more

We went on the sunset dolphin cruise. We saw about 8 dolphin which they said was a lite night. The captains were kind and funny. Did a good job. Plenty of space and good views. Easy ride. Lots of kids on our boat. Would recommend. Great price!! read more

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The rental was great! The team was amazing and very helpful. They offered tips for getting around and what to avoid.

Partly cloudy Sunshine experience In our nearly decade visiting this area, for the second year we discovered the freedom, thrill and enjoyment of a rented a pontoon boat. But not all of those experiences are equal. High expectations were set in our first rental by Sunshine competitor Luther's with superior customer service and experience. They were sold-out this year, so we chose Sunshine. The front desk staff was friendly, but the entire check-in was as disorganized an operation I've ever seen. The boat's performance was disappointing and clearly had an issue which has fallen on deaf ears. Before getting into our review, we've read some of the managements' snarky responses to previous negative reviews and before they attack this customer's character to preserve their own self-image, I'll assure you we're not "high-maintenance" or "miserable". Quite contrary, actually. We carried our own stuff to and from the boat and fetched our cars from the overworked valet. We even gave him a ride to more cars he had to get. And tipped for those services that weren't fully rendered. None of this was really an issue. It's vacation, we have a lot of kids along and we're expecting to carry stuff and drive our cars around. Not a big deal, but if you're going to offer those services, make sure you have the staff and organization to handle it. Here's where the real disappointment comes in. It's suggested you're to arrive early for a full-day or morning rental to ensure a better chance at getting a newer boat. We did, but it really didn't matter. Our boat, a newer, nice navy blue, was cosmetically in good condition, but clearly had performance issues. The first red-flag before we pushed back was none of the gauges worked except RPMs. No biggie - that happens - we just need to know if we're floating and it runs. After leaving the harbor at idle, the engine's performance didn't change much advancing to full-throttle. Our 60hp Mercury engine was getting passed with ease by similar boats. A craft that should top out around 18 miles an hour was doing - at best - 5mph. We called from the bay and were given an option to return it for a different pontoon, but with a caution that the one left was much older and to choose wisely. We dealt with it for the rest of the day, but the experience was certainly limited by not being able to cruise or even create enough breeze for it to be enjoyable. We were met on the dock at the end of the day by a manger who popped the engine cover off and said "wish I would've known it was doing that" and pulled some cables. Immediately he identified an issue, but not sure that's the only one. His desk staff shared his cell phone number with us as we carried our stuff to the top of the stairs. He had ours as well. He was going to test drive the boat to identify the problem and follow up. We feel we should be compensated for the reduced experience being able to cruise effectively at appropriate speed. We've texted him. Twice. It's been 48 hours and no response. They have our money, we returned their boat on time and won't be back to Destin until next year, so why should they bother? We won't be returning to Sunshine if they have the last boat in the bay. This company defends itself in other reviews for being known for "its excellent customer service", but I would recommend they take a spin with one of the competitors down the harbor to learn what they're up against. read more

We had a blast getting to take out our own personal Pontoon. It was in exceptional condition. The staff was great and everything went flawlessly. Get your rental secured early because they will book fast! We did the half day and had a great time! read more

The price I paid for a 1 hour jet ski rental was comparable to other places in the area. The guys were very professional and took the time to answer all of my questions. I was going to store my purse inside the jet ski when one of the workers informed me it would get wet. He volunteered to watch my purse for me behind the counter where it would be safe and dry. The guys properly ensured my jet ski was fully fueled before passing it off to me. The time I actually got my rental was later than what I had signed up for. I was worried that all the prep work for my jet ski and a brief explanation of rules would be time deducted from my rental but I was pleased to discover they don't start timing until they push me off shore. That hour went by very fast but it was enjoyable. read more

Boat was great just beware of being late $5 fee for every minute you are late. Otherwise had an awesome day at crab island.

Friendly owner and good pontoons for a reasonable price. Was able to hang at Crab Island all day, fish, and swim in the ocean all day because of the cool boat we rented..We'll be back! read more

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Great experience! They were extremely friendly and patient. Showed us how to operate everything on the boat. Will for sure visit them again. read more

Other than the parking situation not being ideal, Sunshine provides a remarkable experience. We rented a pontoon boat for half a day, arrived at 8:45a and after a super brief but comprehensive and pragmatic orientation, we were off. We are experienced boaters and we're not at all put off by the orientation. We were on our way well before our 9:00a rental time. All of the staff working the booth and the docks are friendly and helpful. You'll see fancier pontoon boats anchored at Crab Island but Sunshine's boats are well maintained and run perfectly. In fact, we enjoyed it so much, we booked a second 1/2 day pontoon boat a few days later. Different boat but the same superb experience. As for the parking situation, there is a very small lot on-site so valet is mandatory and virtually all cars are moved off-site. The valet crew really hustles but it can still be a 10-minute or so wait for your car upon your return. read more

First off, the girl that took care of us was amazing. Ivey was super knowledgeable; and frankly, cool as heck. The dude that loaded our pontoon boat and gave us boating instructions was a cool cat as well. We opted for the all-day rental, and it didn't disappoint. What a great day. read more

The first boat was damaged the second one was great! I booked for the whole day and it was amazing.

This place is great, had a lot of fun SUPing and they had great customer service. Blake and Andrew were very nice!

Very friendly and helpful staff. We're renting a pontoon again tomorrow for another day at Crab Island!!

Not COVID friendly, none of them wear masks nor follows social distancing. Dr. Fauci, don't come here. The dock assistant, Keenan/Keaton/whatever the fake name he gave us, was rude and disrespectful. To the point that I never leave bad reviews and I had to today. The young lady at the front desk was great and helpful & the rest of the staff could use some pointers from her. On a positive note, the boat was clean & the views were great but I don't know I would recommend them to others. read more

We rented a pontoon today at Sunshine Watersports and it was a great experience. Many other local places were either sold out or overpriced. For a pontoon we paid $225 for half a day which I thought was a good deal considering most of the surrounding boat rentals were anywhere between 25-75 dollars more. Gas was included in the cost and they offer free ice and valet parking which is very convenient. Staff was nice and helpful. There are many surrounding restaurants to stop at afterwards. We will definitely rent here again and highly recommend Sunshine Watersports. read more

Very disappointed in the service at this place. We rented two boats with two captains and they were not staffed to have a captain for each boat. Our single captain hit another boat as well as hit a post and injured one of our passengers. I will not be using there services again. read more

The best place in destin for jet skiing, stand up paddle boarding and kayaking!!!! This place is so fun and friendly and genuine. Andrew and blake were awesome and friendly and SO helpful. Definitely will be back :)) read more

Sunshine Watersports - Beautiful place! - Boating Near Me - Destin, Florida

We used to rent from Wet-n-Wild pontoon. After a really bad experience, they are off our list. Sunshine, on the other hand, was amazing from start to finish. Friendly and helpful staff. Brand new 2017 boats. Best price. And, they let you have the boat from 8:00 - 6:00 -- ten full hours compared to most at eight hours. Be sure and tip the deck hands. They work hard and are awesome. read more

Simply put...awesome!!! The wave runner dolphin excursion is well worth the money...and is still cheaper than other places. Russ and his crew are great, very helpful and understanding to the needs of the customer. He knew EXACTLY where to go to see dolphins. I don't recommend small children unless the trip is during a calm day. Also, I wouldn't go into the gulf with a small child. We did not have any kids, so we did just fine despite the chop and in the gulf. The wave runners worked perfectly, they did look older, but they were obviously well maintained and ran great. If I could give them more stars, I would. My advice, go to Russ at Sunshine and take the dolphin wave runner excursion with guide...you WON'T be disappointed. read more

Jet ski rental ( PRETTY GOOD , BUT TOO FAR IN THE BAY)2.5 STARS Parking was good, had valet parking if needed. JET Skis : we rode were sea-doo they were ok; We rented for an hour but since it's located so far in the bay, it took nearly 20 minutes (because of no wake zone and distance)to get to crab island where you can really open up the skis. Then another 20 to get back. Price was reasonable but after you figure in distance and time wasted I would rather pay a little more to be closer to crab island to maximize "play" time. STAFF :guys were friendly and helpfull read more

The best!!! Had no reservation and rented a pontoon boat for two hours at $75 an hour. All the workers were super helpful. They load everything into your boat, fill up your cooler with free ice, and teach you how to drive the boat. Will definitely use them again if we come back to Destin. read more

I booked our rental online and put my card down to save it. The morning of our rental, the staff (which called the owner to verify) said my card was not charged and we needed to pay up front. Received my credit card statement about a week later and saw that I was charged when I booked the rental. Called the company multiple times with the promise that the owner would call me, staff eventually gave me the owners phone number. The owner has NEVER called me back and didn't answer when I called. Still hasn't been resolved, I will not use or recommend this company again read more

Our family of four did a 2- hour jet ski tour and it was awesome! We found them to have the best prices and wonderful service! The young men working here are friendly, polite and our tour guide gave us the perfect experience. It was just our family and our tour guide. He took us all over to see dolphins and we came upon a pod in shallow clear water and we got to hang out awhile with them right under us. We highly recommend their 2 hour jet ski tour!!!! read more

We rented two pontoons for 2 hours for crab island. The owner was friendly over the phone and reasonable about pricing when you have questionable weather but interested in planning to rent. The staff was great! They were helpful and friendly even when it could be a hassle dealing with a large group like ours. read more

Very good Dolphin Jets Ski tour got to see plenty of dolphins. Will worth the money.

Love this place! Came here with a lot of friends and family and they had everything, boats, jet skis, paddle board etc. They have a great staff that will help you load and unload things. Great pricing too. Definitely recommended to everyone who wants a great time out in Destin. read more

Sunshine was great to work with, great communication. We spoke with Alex a few times and moved our boating times around with no problem. He was able to give us restaurant recommendations and tips for anchoring at Crab Island. Pontoon boats were new and very clean. They offer free ice and help carry all your bags on and off the boat. Would definitely recommend. read more