Exceptional way to tour the refuge. Mo was a fantastic guide pointing out the various birds, wildlife, and different forms of vegetation and their roles in the habitat. Very fun although a chilly the January morning we were there. read more

March 2026 - Took the Tram Tour at the JN Ding Darling Refuge. This is a 4 mile tour of the wilderness. Our guide, Mo, was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. The guided tour was the high point of the day. read more

I went with my mom for the tram tour in the afternoon. We booked online through their site, which about 20 dollars per person after taxes and fees. We checked in at the Ding Darling visitor center. The friendly attendant at the counter informed us the guide/driver is ready for us and to meet her at the tram. We were also given binoculars that were free to borrow with a credit card on hold (we would get charged if we lose them). We boarded the tram about 15 minutes before the tour. The whole tram was full, and every seat was taken, including the front seat in the truck pulling the tram. Kathy, our guide/driver introduced us to the tour and informed potential animals we would see. We were all informed to let her know if we see any potential animals so she can slow down the tram when needed. When we went to the park, we saw various animals including many types of birds, fishes, manatees, and even iguanas. The whole tour lasted about 90 minutes, with a small 10 break to walk and view the observation tower. Kathy did an excellent job explaining about the park, the types of plants and animals, and how the park was affected by the hurricane and other things. She also answered any questions that the guests had. She drove very safely, being cautious of the other vehicles and pedestrians at the park. We were also informed that we could walk around the park after the tour. However, we decided it was too hot to walk a couple miles and left after the tour. The visitor center looked to be undergoing renovations, but the gift shop was open. We bought a shirt that was on sale. The bathrooms were clean and even had information about the various animals we could see. We were also given a brochure as well before the tour. For the price paid, this was a great value. We did get to see various types of animals, plants, and birds. Our guide/driver was friendly, informative, and cautious. Even though the hurricane did some damage to the park, the repairs looked nice and great to see the various wildlife coming back to the park. This was a wonderful tour and a must do when visiting Sanibel Island. read more

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We booked the sunset bay cruise and had an amazing time. You're on the water for 90 minutes and can bring drinks or snacks. Adult beverages are also allowed. They provide you with binoculars, but I recommend that you bring your own if possible. We saw many different birds while out. Beautiful scenery. We would happily do this again. It was very relaxing. read more

My sister & I recently enjoyed a nice, 2 hour kayak exploration amidst the mangroves near Tarpon Bay. The price of $30 per kayak for 2 hours is reasonable, signage to navigate through the waterways of Commodore Creek is good, kayaks were in excellent shape, registering & shoving off is easy & the 2 hours was just enough time to get in a good workout, good photos & good sights of the various birds that call this area home. Staff is friendly, there is a decent amount of parking space, water stations to fill up your bottle, bathrooms to change in & Tarpon Bay merch to buy. read more

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Lovely two hour tour of Ding Darling led by the very knowledgeable tour guide Wendy. The tram tour left on time and Wendy educated us on all of the wild life, impacts of Hurricane Ian on the ecosystem, and general information about the refuge. Reserve in advance as they do get booked up. Our tour was full. Highly recommend! read more

First time visiting this part of Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve. We had the older grandsons visiting and we wanted to do something different and let them experience SW Florida. We opted for the 11:00 boat tour, thinking it would be cooler than the later ones. Haha! It was steaming hot and not to crowded which was a plus. Dave went to buy the tickets, which were upstairs along with a gift shop and the public restrooms. Adults were $35, and younger Children were $25. We thought it was a little pricey, but we don't get a chance to be with our grandkids very often. First we walked to a small little aquarium and the naturalist showed us some of the inhabitants of Tarpon Bay. These were, oysters, starfish, baby crabs, sea urchins and snails that how important the mangrove was. We then boarded a pontoon boat with Captain Missy and we got a bird's eye view of Tarpon Bay. We saw brown pelicans, egrets, all kind of herons, sea birds, and a few dolphin. It wasn't as exciting as it would have been in the cooler months, but nice and informative anyway. The Bay is beautiful and protected and we had a nice ride for about an hour. When we got back to land I ran to the car and put the air conditioner on high lol! I am not very good at lingering in the heat lol! After, we headed to the Mucky Duck for a nice lunch. We had a wonderful day visiting Sanibel and Captiva and we love supporting our local community businesses! read more

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Sanibel Island is one big wildlife conservation and the beauty of Tarpon Bay is unlike anything we've ever seen. We got the incredible opportunity to take a sunset cruise with @tarponbayexplorers & it was a highlight of our vacation. We started our tour in their touch tank learning about the local wildlife and getting to hold a starfish which I've never done! Then we boarded up the boat and explored the beautiful Tarpon Bay and all the wildlife they had to offer. Our tour guide Gabby was phenomenal and I'm so glad we did it early into our vacation so when exploring the island we knew about the wildlife we were seeing up close and personal. When (not if but WHEN) you visit @sundialresort you have to book a sunset cruise with @tarponbayexplorers early into your trip so you can appreciate the beautiful island and their wildlife even more. What's great about their tours is you can bring your own snacks and adult beverages & create a serene experience enjoying untouched wildlife with your favorite glass of wine thank you @tarponbayexplorers for the unforgettable experience!! read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Omgggg such An amazing experience almost had a heart attack because I ended up kayaking next to mating manatees but I made it back alive and did an amazing evening cruise and customer service was great!! CANT wait to go back! read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Saw manatees !! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

We took the guided mangrove tour which was great! Our tour guide, Alex, was knowledgeable, engaging, and very patient with our group. We saw lots of different birds and had a great time on the tour. It was definitely beginner kayaker appropriate (although maybe not first timer because we did go single file through the mangroves for a lot of it). Another perk was that we got to continue to kayak on our own in the bay after the tour for as long as we wanted to. read more

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Great spot to rent kayaks and take your family (or significant other) on a kayaking adventure through the mangrove swamp. If it's low tide, you might have to wait until the tide comes back in. Get a double kayak ($35 + tax) for you and your boating partner. Takes about 1-1.5 hrs to do the boating loop. Lots of birds and a few fish; plus you enjoy hanging out in a very different environment. Try to go early in the AM before the sun is too high; bring sunscreen, water, and a hat--and your camera. read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Kayaking - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Went kayaking on our own in a double and it was beautiful! Skipped the tour and just explored ourselves. The path to kayak through is well marked and we saw lots of pretty birds and fish! A little congested but overall great experience! Super friendly staff!!! read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Kayak and entryway to explore - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

See my review on Trip Advisor. We had a wonderful time - we LOVE Tarpon Bay Explorers! read more

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We went n the pontoon boat tour. The guide was informative and professional. We learned a great deal about the wildlife, plants and history of the surrounding area. We also enjoyed watching the manatees swimming in the bay in front of the dock. We were thankful we got their early to watch the manatees. I was impressed that they didn't sell bottled water but instead offered free filtered water. If only all businesses did the same. The touch tanks were small and not overly exciting but an added bonus. While out on the boat tour, we saw dolphins, pelicans,manatee, and other birds. We practically had a private tour since only 6 on board. I am so glad we did this activity. The best part is some of proceeds goes back to the wildlife park. read more

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Great place for renting kayaks to explore the Darling Ding refuge. The boats are in good shape, the staff is lovely and the price can't beat. Take the tour for $35 and keep the boat the whole day!!! Really excellent adventure. read more

Every time we have travelled to Florida we have kayaked with this group. This time we were a little afraid of what it might all be like. The Tarpon Bay Explorers are back and running. The kayak tour (you can also do your own thing) is fantastic. It really is the best one anywhere. Wendy is an amazing guide and an incredibly good teacher. You do not have to have any kayaking experience to do this tour. They will show you how it's done and help you along the way. You never feel on your own, unless you want to be, and then they leave you alone. It is worth every cent. You cannot get a better tour or kayaking experience anywhere. The store is also quite delightful. We love to buy fun stuff there after we get out of the water. Do yourself a favor and go kayaking with these folks. It'll be the best experience ever! Thanks Wendy and crew for a great day. read more

Saw a piece on the tv news, and it looked like a great place to go. I was right!!!! We took the pontoon boat tour, for manatees and dolphins, and saw lots of them, many right by the boat. It was so peaceful and beautiful, this will be my go to place for visitors when they come to Florida. Learned a lot about the wildlife in the area, and truly couldn't ask for a better experience. Staff was very nice and considerate, no problems whatsoever. Would highly recommend this to anyone!!! read more

This review is based on my experience with my family on the guided kayak tour. Staff: Extremely friendly and accommodating. Tour: The guide was very knowledgeable and stopped to allow us to view everything at our own pace. Very laid back tour. The mangroved is numbered so it is not necessary to be on a guided tour. Scenery: The mangrove was beautiful. The birds, fish, crabs, oysters, everything. I learned so much. Stunning. Kayaking: I do believe they could provide better instructions for newbies. Paddling is simple enough but there are strategies that aren't mentioned that newbies would not know. For example: we might figure out how to paddle but there might be an easier way to do it. Or the oar might be upside down. Leaning foward in the kayak if going near a tree and you need to go under it. These are things a seasoned kayaker would know. Some of the mangrove is very narrow and hard to navigate especially with a group of people going both directions. Not quite the experience i expected but definitely enjoyable. read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

This could be such a fun experience, but our "guide" actually left a set of kayakers stuck in the mangroves. We were more than half way through our 90 minute excursion when another set of kayakers paddled up to her and asked if she realized that she was one kayak short in our group. She then asked all of us if we thought she should go back for the missing twosome. She then decided not to go back to get them( although almost everyone suggested that she go back) , but to have them "join us" on our return through the mangroves. She did apologize to them, but throughout the excursion she never checked on anyone although about half of the group had not kayaked before and were struggling. The Tarpon Bay Area is beautiful . The kayak trail is well marked. You would be far better off renting the kayaks on your own, following the numbered markers through the mangroves than paying for a " guided tour." You would be more likely to see the many water birds that nest and fish along the shore than you can in a group. And if our guide was an example of all their guides, you can easily read what is shared about the mangroves before you head out. read more

We've been coming to Sanibel Island for almost 40 decades. Sanibel is a chill sanctuary Island. One of our Go To adventures is Kayaking at Tarpon Bay. I recommend wearing a swimsuit as sometimes a little water will come into the Kayak from the paddles. They do take reservations, but we usually just drop and have never had a problem getting kayaks. There are single or double kayaks and paddle boards. We were a group of 4 and rented 2 kayaks. Life vest are included. I usually use a ziplock bag for my camera but, for a small fee $ you can rent a floating, plastic container from Tarpon Bay. Staff is super friendly and will watch out for any incoming storms that may impact your safety. There was a storm about 30 minutes East the day we went out on the water and I gave them my cell number in case it was coming west to Sanibel. 1 1/2 hours is allowed for the round trip around the Commodore Creek Trail. There are numbered markers along the way so, you won't get lost. My son and his girlfriend who are in their earlier 20's challenged us and we did the trail in under 1 hour. Being in our late 50's we held our own and gratefully were not sore the next day :) Maybe we let them come in1st? The gift shop has grown into a very nice place to shop for those special Sanibel treasures. They offer a water refilling station and clean bathrooms. Make sure you take water with you and slather on the sunscreen. After you've burnt all those calories head over to Joey's Custard to cool off. read more

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I've come here a few times now and always enjoy it. You are right on the preserve, which is great. You can rent kayaks or take a tour on a pontoon boat. Both are affordable. The pontoon better is a good option for those wanting or needing a less strenuous activity. Pontoon boat tour- Our guide started out taking us to a touch tank where we could learn about crabs, mangrove trees, seahorses, water plants, etc. She was careful to stress compassion toward the animals and welcomed questions! Nearby, there was a massive loggerhead turtle shell and a few tanks to view other species. From here, we loaded onto the boat and she continued talking to us, giving us a lot of really cool facts and stories about the animals, homes nearby, and the island itself. Example...Did you know mangrove trees have a LIVE birth? The baby trees float around for up to 2 years before planting themselves. Crazy!! On the tour, we searched for manatees (no luck) and dolphins. We saw a couple of dolphins but they were far away. We did see a lot of cool birds, a sandbar, mangroves, and neat homes. The thing with these tours is that you never know what you might see..or not see! Kayaking-Its hard work kayaking through a mangrove forest but so beautiful. Lots of starfish, birds, crabs, and even a giant stingray! You go about 2 hours and its well worth it. Again, you never know what you'll see! Very memorable and paddling through the mangroves makes you feel like you've entered a whole new world. Bring water and sunscreen and maybe even a snack. read more

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We stopped in here for a few hours of kayaking and had a great time. They had canoes, kayaks, boats and guided tours. We went out kayaking by ourselves and went along a nice numbered trail. We saw a lot of birds and fish. The workers were very helpful in getting us set up and on our way. read more

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Nice little tour of Tarpon Bay. 1 hour long guided tour and 1/2 hr talk and touch tank learning. For the price it makes a nice little tour as you don't commit a whole day and can do other things. Also part of the fee is committed to National Parks and Wildlife conservation. We saw several Dolphins and lots of birds had a very enjoyable day. read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Tern on marker in channel. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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We took the Nature boat ride with our two year old son. We all enjoyed it. The tour guide was friendly and informative and we saw some manatees and dolphins. read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Boat tour - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Rented a pontoon for half the day to relax and fish. We were greeted as we first walked up, they took our live bait to the boat and our drinks. After going up to check in, the greater met us again on the dock, showed us the well the bait was in and showed us the drinks he put on ice in the cooler, walked us through the dos and donts and off we went. We had a fabulous time, caught and TON of fish!! We lost track of time and was a little late getting back in but the same greeter met us, guided us in and helped us unload! He then walked us to show us the Manatees! Amazing time and highly recommend! Very friendly staff that went above and beyond! read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Manatees! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Kayaking at Tarpon Bay is one our favorite things do when visiting Sanibell. We love the guided tours as well as the opportunity to explore on our on. This is an absolute must for anyone looking for an opportunity to learn more about the ecology of the island. read more

This was a great time for our daughter. She got to watch all of the birds and even see a manitee. The lady giving the tour was cracking me up. She was your typical "mom" type of tour guide keeping everybody in line. The touch tank was not so much a "touch" tank as you cannot touch things without permission! Overall a great time. Bring bug spray! read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Bad experience all in all at Tarpon Bay Explorers. We originally signed up for a guided kayak tour, but once we got there we decided we'd rather explore the trail on our own, at our own pace. We attempted to call the business multiple times, but the phone line rang consistently busy. So we arrived 2 hours before the tour was scheduled, and asked if it was possible to switch tours. The woman at the counter was very snarky and stated the cancelation deadline had passed. We decided that was fine, and that we'd pay for the guided tour, like originally stated, but we wouldn't go on the tour. We were put on the waiting list for a double kayak rental, which we were also going to pay for. We sat waiting, and the time for the guided tour we were supposed to go on came around, and the same woman from the desk called and demanded to know why we weren't there. She was incredibly rude, demanded we paid even though we stated several times we were planning on paying for both the guided tour and the 2-hour rental, and then scolded us for not calling before, even though she told us the cancellation deadline had passed, and originally, when we purchased the guided tour, never told us of any cancellation deadline. To top the situation off, after a very rude phone call, the same woman gets on the radio that is loud enough for all the other guests to hear, yells that our party is not coming, and that they didn't care to let anyone know. We took ourselves off the waiting list and decided to just go home. The whole situation was completely unprofessional, childish, and disrespectful. The only reason I'm benefiting this place with two stars is because of the beautiful location and the very kind seasonal employee we talked to at the waiting list. read more

We enjoyed a December daytime sea cruise with Tarpon Bay Explorers. We arrived early so had time to check out the gift shop before an informative session at the touch tank. The guide was very knowledgeable. The boat had plenty of space for us to spread out. There were only 7 adults and 2 small children on the trip. And while I love kids, I had to work at "tuning out" the two children, especially the toddler who (in my estimation) was too young for this type of activity. While we were disappointed we did not see any manatees or dolphins, we still enjoyed learning about the wildlife and birds that are found in Tarpon Bay. Good day trip. read more

I highly recommend this tour. We took our 11 and 12 year old grandson for the 1:00 tour. Our guide Cathy was extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife and ecosystem as well as the history of the area. In addition, she was very patient with the young ones. We had a small group which made it easy to ask questions and to see the fish and birds. Taking the tour is the way to go as you can then keep the kayaks afterwards and explore the areas missed on the tour. We will be back. read more

Every year for six years our family visits Sanibel Island for vacation. As an avid kayaker we always bring our boats with us to enjoy the serenity of Tarpon Bay and the Commodore Creek Kayak Trail. For years running, we were able to pay a small fee to launch our own boats from their launch, usually also buying a souvenir or two for the kids, thinking that we were glad to support the wildlife refuge. We got all geared up and showed up yesterday, only to find out that they no longer allow you to launch your own boat there, and are forced to rent their kayaks to access this part of the NATIONAL wildlife preserve by boat. Asking why, I got the response,"We're the licensed vendor." from a somewhat snarky employee, who advised that we can launch our own boats via Wildlife Drive on the west end of the preserve - but still cannot access the bay or trail. After walking out frustrated, we launched from the preserve proper, and found beautiful bayous and salt ponds, and had a great day - spending less money than we would have paid to launch from the Explorers beach. Talking to a preserve employee, we also discovered that all of our previously spent money was given not to the preserve, but to this 'vendor'. From this point forward we will launch from the preserve, and Explorers will no longer receive our business. Good luck to them, as they monopolize Tarpon Bay... read more

We had a fantastic paddle with Gabby. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the local area and wildlife and it was clear that she loved sharing it with us. We saw a great variety of birds and even a few sea critters. I highly recommend the sunset paddle. read more

A W E S O M E ! ! ! ! WE did the 11:00 am Nature and Sealife Cruise and had a great time! The first 1/2 hour was spent under the main building at the touch tanks learning about the local wildlife. The tanks were clean, well kept and the guide (we can't remember her name...) was very knowledgable and able to answer all the questions thrown her way. Very kid friendly! The cruise through Tarpon Bay was great! Very relaxing and informative! We saw about 8 manatees..no dolphins, but that was ok...plenty of birds! I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a guided adventure. They also offer kayak and SUP tours of Tarpon Bay which is an ecological paradise attached to the Darling Wildlife Refuge. If you are coming to Sanibel, DO THIS! -Erik read more

Nice business, just beware a couple things. Very busy in season, they don't have a lot of equipment to rent, and don't upgrade anything. The "intermediate" paddle boards are crap- cost more and in terrible shape- go with the much newer beginner boards, it's a totally flat bay, not a race course. Go with the basics on everything and you will be fine read more

We went on the boat tour. The tour guides name was Ty and he was excellent. The first 30 there was a touch tank with animals like crabs, starfish, shrimp, seahorses and other animals. Then we got on the pontoon and it was very nice. They don't have any food or drinks on the boat but there are some in the shop. Ty said the most common animals to see are manatees, dolphins and sea turtles. There were many birds and he talked about all of them. He also talked about the different islands, trees and oceans. You could tell he knew what he was talking about and enjoyed his job. He was very good about answering questions. On our tour we didn't see any water animals, but it was a windy day and there wasn't anything they could do about it. read more

Tarpon Bay Explorers - One of the islands from the boat tour - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

We just returned from a vacation on Captiva Island and after 20+ years of visiting the same location we decided to try something new. This was largely influenced by the fact that we brought along two men recently added to the family who need a little more action in their lives than we typically indulge on while vacationing. We took the guided kayak tour at 8:30am and were thrilled with our experience. Our guide, Lewis, was very knowledgable about everything along the tour and gladly answered any questions we had. We took an early morning tour which was nice because the birds had not been moved out by earlier kayakers and the weather was comfortable. What I did not know about this tour was it is most like 2 1/2 hours (it says 1 1/2 online) and you get the kayaks for as long as you want. On calm days you are able to take the kayaks out into the bay and look for manatees and other wildlife. Unfortunately, on the day we took the trip the water was extremely rough and we were all wiped out by the end of the tour. Depending on weather it should be noted that this trip can be somewhat physically demanding. read more

Another excellent experience at Tarpon Bay. We stayed a week in Sanibel and as per our tradition, went kayaking on the commodore creek trail. It was excellent as always. The staff at Tarpon Bay are so informative and you can tell how much they care for the wildlife in the refuge. We also took the nature and wildlife cruise. Ty was our guide again, and just as before, was so knowledgeable, patient, and entertaining. We saw so many different birds, a couple of manatees, and a dolphin. So fun! We will always visit Tarpon Bay Explorers anytime we are in Sanibel/Captiva! read more

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For the past three years, my family has been coming to Tarpon Bay for a morning of kayaking. It's great to explore the bay, get a little exercise, and do something besides relax by the pool. They have both double and single kayaks to rent and we also saw that they have paddle boards. Whenever we kayak, we always see a variety or birds and crabs. This past trip, we were also lucky enough to see two dolphin! Kayaking is always a great time, even if you get rained on. read more

Went here with my wife and did a kayak tour with our guide, Donna. She was great. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. Donna is a passionate educator and really cares about protecting the wildlife. When you lead programs/tours often, it can be hard to keep it "fresh" for the visitors, but she does a great job of keeping it fun and fresh. The scenery in the mangroves is beautiful. We saw a few species of fish in the clear water, one of whom met an unfortunate end after being clutched from the water by an osprey, and several other species of large birds. A definite must-do if you want a relaxing paddle trip with some education thrown in. read more

Nice boat tour on a very large pontoon, but we didn't get to see much. I understand nature can't always be accommodating, so we still had a good time. Kids thought it was ok. It was very affordable. read more