Our comfortable, stable Carolina Skiffs 21-foot- and 23-foot Carolina Skiffs are ideal for island and dolphin tours. This boat features a centre console design to maximize open space.
Online bookings close 12 hours before tours begin. For same day reservations, please call (850).392-7717
All snorkeling gear is provided onboard at no additional charge. Capri Suns, bottled water and complimentary refreshments will be available in the cooler. You are encouraged to bring your own beverages, snacks, and BYOB.
Our boats are actually dive boats. Children will love seeing the dolphins, and being able to snorkel in the sea like SCUBA divers.
Species we frequently see include a variety of starfish, sand dollars, bay scallops, whelks, conchs up to 21” long, seahorses, urchins, and hermit crabs and other crab species. These animals can be brought to the surface, handled carefully, and photographed. We bring large containers so that even non-snorkelers can observe them up close before they’re released back into the bay. Shells found without living creatures can be taken home.
To reserve the entire boat for your group, book a private tour. This is your private tour. The tour can be customized to your specifications. Maximum 13 guests per private charter
The friendly captains from the local area have decades of combined experience and knowledge about the marine life of the area, including manatees and dolphins. They are happy to tailor your trip and will show you the beauty of this amazing place.
Your trip aboard the super-fast boats, specially designed to find and visit with dolphins, will take you along Panama City's native pod of wild bottle-nosed Dolphins. Blue Dolphin Tours can only carry 13 people on some boats, and 7-15 passengers on other boats (children of any age included). Our snorkel gear can be put on quickly so you don't have to splash around and scare off the dolphins. Learn from Your Knowledgeable Captain. Your captain will show you the best way to interact with the dolphins. Swim with Dolphins. We'll take you into the water before the dolphins arrive. So the dolphins are more likely than not to swim away to us, to swim with us. Find wildlife like birds of prey, pelicans underwater creatures, and herons. Shells and Sand Dollars are found on Shell Island. Enjoy snorkeling in the flats of seagrass and exploring St. Andrews Bay, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.
This is a wonderful way to spend a single day. My 22-year-old son and his friends went for half a day. The pontoon boat was amazing, as was the entire day. Rob was great, and everyone had the most amazing time.
2 hour tours $59 per head2 hour private tours $299 per vessel (maximum 13 people)3 and 4 hour PRIVATE tours also available
You can find complete information about pricing policies, what to expect, and what to bring on our Pricing & Information pages.
Do you want to arrange a private tour for your company? You can extend the time of your private dolphin tour up to 2 hours or 3 hours. Thirteen people can be accommodated in a boat. Your captain will direct you on how to get in and view the dolphins as they live in their natural environment. Next, you can take a guided snorkeling trip around Shell Island to observe the other marine life.
Enjoy a trip on super-fast boats designed to allow you to swim with wild bottlenose dolphins in Panama City. Blue Dolphin Tours has a smaller number of passengers than the larger tour boats which can hold up to 150 people. With your snorkel gear on, we can get you in the water quickly without causing any disruptions or splashing that large groups often cause. This is important because it doesn't scare away the dolphins. Your knowledgeable captain will guide you in how to interact best with dolphins. This includes swimming parallel to the dolphins and not swimming towards them or reaching for them. Swim with Dolphins- We'll get you in the water before they arrive. The dolphins will be more likely to swim towards us than away, this way. Explore wildlife, including birds of Prey, pelicans and underwater creatures. Shells and sanddollars can be found at Shell Island. You can snorkel the flats of sand grass and visit St. Andrews Bay as well as the Gulf of Mexico.
2 hour tours $59 Per Person2 hour Private Tours $299 Per Boat (maximum 13 persons).3 & 4 Hour PRIVATE Tours also available
Dolphins are most active at dawn, between 10 a.m. and noon, and from 2 p.m. to dusk. A good pair of telephoto lenses or binoculars can be extremely useful for spotting dolphins.
Islamorada and Key Largo are popular locations for seeing the animals in the wild. The Florida Keys are a popular breeding ground for dolphins, so you can see them all year.
A: You can get to Shell Island by boat or jet ski. The St. Andrews Shuttle to Shell Island costs $24.95 for adults, $17.95 for children ages 2 to 12, and free for infants ages 0 to 1. There are also several locations where you can rent a jet ski or pontoon boat.