A relaxing wildlife tour with great guides and plenty to see We drove up to the area specifically to take this wildlife boat tour, and it turned out to be well worth the trip. We booked through TripAdvisor the same day without any difficulty and joined a group of six other people to make up four couples. The tour currently departs from a location behind a private house with a small parking lot available for guests, although we were told they will be moving to a new location at the beginning of August. We met our captain, Jesse, and first mate, Evan, before boarding. Our departure was delayed by a few minutes because the first mate arrived late, and for a short time it looked like the trip might even be canceled. Fortunately, everything worked out, and we were soon on our way. We hadn't been on the water very long before we spotted our first dolphins, and from that point on the trip just kept getting better. Jesse and Evan did an excellent job explaining the history of the area, pointing out the local wildlife, oyster beds, and many of the sights along the river. We traveled south and were fortunate enough to see several dolphins and even a few manatees during the tour. The boat has seating all along both sides with a large open area in the middle, so it was easy to move around whenever dolphins or other wildlife appeared. During the trip, one of the passengers began suffering from heat exhaustion, and I was impressed with how calmly and professionally Jesse handled the situation while making sure everyone remained safe. Overall, this was a very relaxing and enjoyable tour. The river wasn't crowded, the scenery was beautiful, and there was an excellent chance to see several different types of wildlife. If you're looking for a peaceful boat ride with knowledgeable guides and a great opportunity to see dolphins, manatees, and other wildlife in their natural habitat, I would definitely recommend this tour. We were glad we made the drive just to experience it. Enjoy! read more

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Kevin and Captain Jessy provided an excellent experience for our family! They knew where the manatees and dolphins were and were very knowledgeable about the area. This exceeded our expectations! If you are looking for a reason to choose them, take my word for it - they are the right choice! read more

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We had a great experience! The Captain and Kevin were personable and had an excellent knowledge of the local area etc. They knew where the dolphins and the manatees were. Good experience!! read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - My 2 favorite sisters!!‍ - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

Everything went well. Highly recommend for the whole family! Great experience. We saw dolphins, a manatee, an eagle and tons of bird life. Beautiful scenery, friendly knowledgeable captain and crew. We had a wonderful time. read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

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Beautiful day enjoying Mosquito Bay and Indian River Lagoon where we spotted lots of manatees, dolphins and lady fish. Jessie and Kevin were very informative and made the experience very pleasant! read more

From start to finish, this river tour exceeded all expectations! The boat was clean, comfortable, and offered incredible panoramic views. Jesse was knowledgeable and engaging, sharing fascinating stories and fun facts about the are. I highly recommend this tour. read more

Another things happen for a reason story. Booked a sunset cruise for Saturday , got canceled as we were driving to the boat. Booked a day cruise with a different company, for the next day, Turtle Mound, and we are glad we did. Beautiful day weather wise, and a great couple hours on the water. The captain and first mate were great. The captain got a few dolphins to follow our wake. It was pretty cool, the dolphins put on a great show for us. They also took us to a spot , where there was about 25 active manatees . They came right up to the boat. Plenty of wildlife and scenery to see also. And right next to the ramp is JBs Fish camp. A cool place to get a refreshing drink and a bite to eat. Turned into a great day. read more

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We had a great experience although it was cold and rainy on the river. The company provided slickers for the unprepared. We were accompanied by dolphins at one point and it was enchanting and fun! read more

Jessie and Jim were great co-captains! Super personable- boat size 24 ppl about 2 hour ride through the river -over 30 dolphin sightings including 3 or so who "ran with us" in the wake... saw Manatees, pelicans, loons, blue herons and a few eagles! They accept Venmo tips. We will do this again next year and bring our kids and grands! read more

What a way to experience New Smyrna. It was a thrill with all the wildlife. Great to see dolphins and manatees in their own habitat and learn how precious this resource is. I would recommend this trip to anyone. Very enjoyable and relaxing as well. Also, it was nice to have a bathroom on the boat along with some water to drink. A+ read more

If you are looking for an exciting waterway excursion in a relaxed chill setting, look no further! Captain Danny and First Mate Paul are fantastic guides and just great easy to connect with. They are both extremely knowledgeable about the area and they got jokes! 5 stars and not enough to describe our stellar experience with TMRT! read more

My sister, son, & I LOVED our sunset cruise. Captain Danny was a hoot, as well as Paul! We got to see a manatee that swam right up to the boat-SUCH a cute nose!!!! And we got to see a lot of bottlenose dolphins that swam up to the boat as well as played in our wake. Thanks for such a great cruise...again! (This was my 2nd time using your boat). Have a blessed day! read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - The boat - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

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With family in town we knew this was a must as we have enjoyed it before . We Chose the Sunset tour this time . With a party of six this was the perfect solution. The Caption and first mate were knowledgeable and kept us stimulated with tons of sights like dolphins with their pods of young, turtles, a manatee as well as an alligator it was a beautiful evening and the tour company provided soft drinks and water and we were allowed BYOB. Rather it it a couples thing family or just friends, take the time to enjoy this cruise . read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - A wonderful evening - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

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Do not recommend. Try at your own risk as this is a very shady company We had scheduled and put a deposit down on a fishing charter a few months back and hadn't heard anything other than a confirmation email and another confirmation on the day of the scheduled charter. So me and my group arrive and we were early as they had told us to come a little early and even at the dock it said that boarding is 5 minutes before departure so we waited and waited until it's just 5 minutes before the scheduled departure and still nobody at the stand or at the dock. We had called and it went to voicemail so we kept trying until we had gotten through to them and told them we had a reservation for a charter she went on to say she couldn't see anything in the system and got very unprofessional and unpleasant and had explained that they no longer offered fishing charters and kept stressing that there was nothing she could do as she was just an employee and we they couldn't get our money back and stated that because we booked it through the captain but we have emails showing we booked through them and even had the confirmation emails showing that and proceeded to give us the captains number that had parted ways with them and he said he hadn't been with them for months and he was very helpful and respectful and was doing his best to help us We were on and off the phone with the company they just kept saying they had to speak with their boss but we could hear another person in the background telling them what to say overall they weren't trying their hardest to help us or even suggest another tour that did the fishing charter In the end we got our deposit back and they told us they were taking it out of the original captains account which was very shady in its own after learning that he was no longer with them and we had spoke with the captain again and he let us know that was the reason why he had severed all ties with the company read more

It was ok. Kind of boring at times. The captain talked a lot. We saw some manatees. But they never stopped for the dolphins. We had to barely see them from a distance. Also the guide kept vaping. You do get beverages on the boat. And there is a toilet. Probably good for older folks. Funny as I am 52 and I thought they could have done a better job. But $30 a person is not a horrible price. Oh and they ended the trip a bit early. read more

Had a great time on the wild life tour . We saw dolphins and manatees and that captain provides a little local history

Excellent tour. The captain was knowledgeable and interesting and we saw dolphins, manatees and a few birds. Fun for everyone!

Ww went on the river tour on Tuesday Feb 7th 2023 and had a wonderful time. The Captain and first mate were very knowledgeable. We saw many many dolphins and two manatees. I would recommend this tour for everyone. read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Dolphins - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

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The cruise changes the times for your cruise without notifications, and then your just out of luck. I'm very disappointed.

We had a great time and everyone was super accommodating as we had one in a wheel chair. I would recommend this tour to all. read more

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Mom and I decided to take this tour and it was awesome. The captain and the first mate were hilarious, super knowledgeable and informative and extremely polite. I'm a born and raised Floridian but this was the best Florida river tour I've ever been on! read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

ABSOLUTE DELIGHT!!!! It was the best experience Capt.Bill and Skipper Kevin are amazing and funny!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!100/10!!!!! read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

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Me and my daughter went on the dolphin cruise. The captain and his first mate were very nice and knowledgeable about the area. We saw dolphins and manatees all in all it was a good trip. read more

Captain Jessie did a sensational job. We saw all kinds of wildlife (dolphins, manatees, birds, etc.). Even in the heat of the day, there was plenty to see. Just don't let the unassuming frontage dissuade you! read more

Took the sunset ride and it was beautiful and relaxing. We got to see dolphins quite a few times. If anything it was a bit long. 2 hrs sounds great but when you see the dolphins within the first 20 min the last hour feels dragged out a bit. Great ride for the price :) read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Dolphins - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

Beautiful spot, come in the morning with your bikes and ride all the way to parking lot five, the only nude beach in this area. Desolate, not a soul around, just the wildlife. There are public restrooms but no running water so a step up from sanicans. I will say the rip tide is tremendous, I wouldn't bring children. The beach opens at noon, get out before then unless you like huge crowds. Also be prepared to bring shells home with you, they stick to your skin when in the water, took me days to get rid of them all. If you do go after 12 it costs $20 read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Wow, so beautiful - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

Such great experiences; we got to see a few dolphins. The captain was very knowledgeable about the history of all islands that we were passing by. He even allowed my daughter to ride a boat for a few minutes, which was such a fascinating experience for her! read more

Absolute worst charter place I've ever seen, booked several months ago and paid part up front and got all the confirmation emails. We showed up the way of and early and waited for over 45 minutes then called and they told us they didn't have our conformation then looked it up and found it and tried to brush us off because it was through a captain that no longer worked with them so they gave us his number and we called him and he had no idea because he hasn't worked there for several months and so the "employee" at turtle mound kept telling us there was nothing they could do because he didn't work there anymore yet it was booked through their company and they have the email and everything and so several minutes later we got a call from the boss acting very scared and saying they canceled it and refunded us what we paid but acted like they did not care about how we felt and how far we drove and waited for them and just kept brushing us off and off and blaming the other captain when he was the nicest person ever and hen we called and wanted to work with us as much as he could, and so they didn't even offer us a tour or discount or anything they just brushed us off and sent us on our way absolute worst customer service and business management I have ever seen. Worst place ever DO NOT book with them!!! read more

A wonderful mini trip on the intercostal. The captain and the mate were very helpful and very knowledgeable of the local history and natural resources. Saw lots of manatees and dolphins. A nice trip overal read more

The Captain and First Mate were interesting and knowledgeable. The ride was incredible as far as the scenery, the weather was perfect and the wildlife (dolphins, manatees, birds) did not disappoint. So much fun to watch the dolphins surf and play in the wake of the boat. Money and time well spent. Will definitely go again and bring out of state visitors any chance I get. read more

We had the best time. Capt Bill and First mate Kevin were great hosts. We saw dolphins who surfed in the waves of the ship. It was cool we saw manatees too. This is our third trip with Turtle Mound Tours. You won't be sorry. It's fun!!! read more

Really enjoyed this! This was a day date and after seeing the many dolphin which was great - we ate lunch at JB's next door and wow.. that was awesome too! The tour was so relaxing and truly enjoyable. Better than expected as we did not anticipate seeing as many dolphin as we did.. and up close too! Manatees were shy on our day but we saw a half dozen of those too. Joel and Kathy Davisson Airbnb Superhosts and Marriage Ministers. Marriage: JoelandKathy.info Airbnb airbnb.joelandkathy.info Airbnb coupon code for first time guests: AirBNBCoupon.JoelandKathy.info read more

Fantastic experience. So many dolphins and manatee. The dolphins are riding your wake and the manatee are investigating your boat. Best boat trip. read more

Another great tour with Captain Bill and crew. Saw Manatees and dolphins and learned about history of Canaveral Seashore.

The crew was so friendly and informative. Saw multiple dolphins that even swam in our wake and along side the boat. Saw several manatee and captain stopped boat so we could watch a group of them frolic in the water nearby. The grandkids especially loved it. Would do again. Well worth the cost. Captain provided ice water but we were welcome to take our own beverages. When it looked like we may run into rain on the way back, the captain turned around for a while until the shower passed. If you have 14 people, book the private tour as it is a bit cheaper. read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Lots of picture opportunities - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

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I have used Turtle Mound River Tours on a couple of occasions and love them!!! I booked the private tour both times to entertain out of town visitors and local friends. This is a really fun way to see a part of New Smyrna that most people never get to enjoy. It is money well spent. Captain Bill and his First Mate are professional, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the wildlife and history of the area. You are welcome to bring food, and drinks on your tour and I highly suggest you make the effort to do so. They provide the music ( great play list by the way!!!!) There is a restroom on the vessel, and plenty of shade as well. On our last tour we saw manatee, dolphin, and lots of beautiful birds. Don't forget to tip these wonderful tour guides!!! They deserve it... read more

I would give SIX stars, if allowed, as this is the very BEST river tour I have been on anywhere, and, river tours are a passion of mine. Guides were friendly, sweet, extremely knowledgeable, and humorous. Scenery is to die for, and they make sure you see lots of aquatic life! read more

Had a wonderful time on the trip. We were a group of 6 with ages 13-74, and all enjoyed! Just the right mix of fun and history/info and we were able to see manatees, many dolphins, and even a bald eagle! As a plus, boat even has a bathroom! Would highly recommend. read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida

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Had a great experience on our 2 hour public tour with Brandon and Rodney as our guides. The Manatees were a little shy but the dolphins made several appearances. Learned a lot about the history of the area as well as little tidbits of information about everything we saw on the tour. I would highly recommend!!! read more

We had a wonderful time on this tour. Captain and and his first mate were excellent guides sharing interesting facts about the history of the river and the wildlife protected there. We enjoyed close views of manatees, birds and thrilled to the experience of dolphin surfing right alongside the tour boat. Super fun, entertaining and educational tour! read more

Turtle Mound River Tours - Boat Charters Near Me - Oak Hill, Florida