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    The Dolphin Explorer

    4.8 (43 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Dolphin playing
    Jim R.

    As regular visitors to Marco it can be a challenge to find things to do on the small quiet island. My brother-in-law heard a speech by one of the Explorer naturalists last year which put this on our radar screen. They've got a bright and shiny deck-style boat that's pretty large and can hold up to 49. As we were taking the morning 3-hour tour (9 am) on a Friday in November, there were only 14 of us booked including our group of six and only two little kids. (Note: while the boat is nice and big with bench seating around the perimeter, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much with a big crowd). The boat is mostly shaded with a large awning over 90% of the structure. Right away we started seeing dolphins and what was even more interesting was how close the dolphins come to the boat. They seem to like looking at us as much as we do them. They also followed the boat for quite a while, playing in our wake. An added bonus is that the company has chronicled the births of dolphins around Marco for 13 years so they can pretty much identify the dolphins (they all have names) by their dorsal fins. They have books for passengers to use in the identification process. Free bottled water is provided (as much as you want) and they have a small marine toilet on board as well for comfort. After watching the dolphins in a couple of different spots, they set you ashore on one of the island's remote beaches where you can go shelling - they even give you a bag to keep. They even take your group's photo on the beach and print out pictures for you for free as well which is a nice souvenir of your day. This was a nice activity and I'd definitely recommend it to people visiting the area.

    Julie K.

    What a great day! Excellent tour, eco tour guide (Bob), captain, and value. We saw 23 different dolphins, several in family groups, and got tons of close up shots of dolphins playing in the wake of the boat. Tour guide was experienced, upbeat, and super friendly. Tour included a fun side activity/workbook for kids 12 and under. Also included 30 minutes of shelling on the north end of Tiger Tail beach. Tour guides knew the dolphins by name and handed out catalogs to aid the rest of us in identification by fin markings. Boat is newer, clean, has lots of cover/shade and a bathroom. Highly recommend this excursion and company. Note: arrive 20 min early as they recommend as they load the boat as soon as everyone is there.

    Stopping to pick out shells.
    Cassie H.

    I can even begin to explain how amazing this excursion was! You definitely get your money's worth. After you board, they gave the kids a small clipboard and paper. It gives them the opportunity to count how many different dolphins they see throughout the tour along with other activities. Water bottles were provided as well as bags to carry the shells in. As a bonus, they printed off a picture they took of our family and one of a dolphin that liked to show off. At the end, the kids earned a fabric badge. There is a bathroom on board but I would recommend doing any "major business" elsewhere. 5/5 definitely worth it!

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    20 days ago

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    1 year ago

    Don't forget the sunscreen!! Cooked 25 Dolphins identified and very educational for my family and I.

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

    We had a great time on the 2 hour jet ski tour. Saw some dolphins, stingray and tons of wildlife.

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    9 years ago

    This was an A+ trip. I highly recommend it for all ages. Captain Bob and naturalist Bob were exceptional.

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    8 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - The Dolphin Explorer

    Review Highlights - The Dolphin Explorer

    This is my second time on the tour and saw even more dolphins and we had 4-5 dolphins playing in the wake.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Marco Island Ski & Water Sports

    Marco Island Ski & Water Sports

    4.6(109 reviews)
    2.8 mi

    Zach and Caleb were fantastic! I was a bit nervous but their priority on safety put me at ease and…read moreI truly enjoyed my tandem parasailing with my son! Highly recommend this tour!

    k I feel the need to post because we had a less than great experience. We took a boat trip May 26…read more 2026 and were looking forward to this trip with our 5 & 3 year old. The captain (Jack) was great. The guide Kristen did know a lot about marine life, I'll give her that. Her customer service skills were terribly lacking however. She def had an attitude about many things; one of them being when I asked for two life jackets for my little kids as we teach them when we're in a boat we wear like jackets supports. She acted like this was insane and out of the question and annoyingly grabbed them for us as said "you can have them but I don't want to invoke fear of the rest of the guests" I actually was so pissed she said that in front of my kids. At the end we got a bill and I was confused because when I booked, I was charged over $400 so I said simply I think we already paid, can I find my receipt and email? I showed her it said on my receipt "total paid" and showed her the charge on my credit card. She said in twenty some or thirty some years it's always the same and it's like a hotel and made me feel like an idiot. Again, I feel like i just asked a question and was spoken to like I was an absolute idiot. I then a little agitated calmly said, it's a little infuriating we are spending $400 and you are talking to me like this. I found your comment earlier about the invoking fear to be out of line and compared it to wearing a seatbelt in a car and I don't appreciate feeling judged by wanting to wear safety equipment in a boat. She gave zero apology and doubled down with both things and honestly I was so annoyed, I topped nothing and got off the boat. Kristen may be a marine expert, but having her with your business is honestly a liability. I am SOOOOO pissed we spent $400 on this ride. I hope you're other employees are better. Super turned off by the company

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    The Dolphin Explorer - boating - Updated June 2026

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