While you might have seen captive dolphins at a marine reserve, it is still far more fun to observe these majestic animals in their natural environment. Our captains are experienced in the waterways of St. Andrew Bay and can predict wild dolphin behavior, but they cannot guarantee sightings. They are familiar with the best places to find dolphins and will make sure that guests have a blast. Dolphins are often seen playing, jumping, searching for food and communicating with one other on all tours.
All snorkeling tours include snorkeling gear. We frequently visit different snorkeling areas. We regularly change our snorkeling site. The conditions at our local snorkeling sites can change daily. We do our best to take you snorkeling at the calmest and clearest sites on the day we conduct your Dolphin and Snorkeling tour. We also snorkel sandbars, artificial reefs, as well as seagrass beds. We will take you to some of the most beautiful spots in the area.
Let's look at the top Shell Island dolphin tours available for tourists who want to view dolphins in their natural habitat.
Rent a Pontoon Boat Now: Maximum 10 Passenger Capacity (1600 lbs max) Safety equipment supplied No experience...
Dolphins live in Panama City Beach all year! To fulfill your wild dolphin-seeking dream, we will go an extra mile or ten to get you on your dolphin tour. You will have the best chance to see the dolphins in their natural habitat, as we depart from a marina close to the area.
All of our snorkeling tours include snorkeling gear. We regularly visit many different snorkeling locations. Each day we make changes to our snorkeling locations. Our local snorkeling spots are constantly changing. We make every effort to get you to the best snorkeling spots on the day of your Dolphin and Snorkeling trip. We frequently snorkel in artificial reefs, sandbars and seagrass beds. We will do everything possible to take you to the best spots.
You can swim with Panama City's wild bottle-nose dolphins on your trip in super-fast boats that are specially built for visiting and finding them. Shell Island Dolphin Tours is smaller than larger boats, which can carry between 150 and 150 people. We only take 6 people on certain boats and 7-15 on others boats, with children of all ages. You can be in the water quickly with your snorkel gear on without any disruptions or splashing that large groups cause, which often scares the dolphins away. Your Captain will teach you how to interact with dolphins. For example, it is better to swim parallel to them than to reach out and touch them. Swim with Dolphins – We will put you in the water prior to the dolphins arrive. This will make it more likely that the dolphins swim to us rather than to us. You can see wildlife such as birds of prey and pelicans, along with underwater creatures, herons, and even underwater creatures. Shells and sand dollars can be found in the Shell Island area. Explore St. Andrews Bay or the Gulf of Mexico by snorkeling grass flats.
Shell Island Dolphin Tours also can accommodate larger groups. If you have more guests than 6, please call to confirm availability.
Shell Island Dolphin Tours has the ability to accommodate larger groups. If your group includes more than 6 people, please call ahead to inquire about availability.
Unwind and relax while your USCG captain/tour guide takes the group to see some stunning sunsets and views only available on the water. Enjoy your favorite beverage and snacks while you relax.
Time to depart: 8:00 a.m 10:00 a.m 12:30a.m 3.00 p.m 5 :15 p.m. The most popular activity requires reservations: Jetski dolphin...
For many years, we have been taking guests on dolphin tour with us. We follow all safety precautions to ensure that our guests are safe and that the dolphins are well-being. All safety equipment required by US Coast Guard is included on our comfortable and stable tour boats. All guests will have a great time on our Panama City Beach Dolphin tour. We do our best to accommodate guests who have special access requirements, so let us know.
That’s really up to you. The boat tour is often better for those traveling with young kids, or those with more limited mobility, but it really depends on you. If you’re not sure if your group would do better on Waverunners or boats, give us a call, and we’ll help you decide what would be best.
While looking for wildlife and other sea life, we cruise the waters around Shell Island, Grand Lagoon and St. Andrews State Park. Our boat tours allow us to view different types of wildlife each day. Every day, our dolphin tours and snorkeling trips are different depending on the wildlife and conditions in the area. Our routes change daily to ensure you have the best snorkeling and dolphin tour possible. We also offer the most enjoyable boat ride with changing weather conditions, wildlife, and water. Every day, the marine life, snorkeling spots and stops that we make at Shell Island are changing. This is great as you will see new things every time you visit us. If you have any requests for specific items or activities you'd like to see on your boat tour, we encourage you to let the captain know.
Snorkeling in the Jetties A popular spot is the "children’s pool", which is how locals refer the calm, protected waters behind Shell Island Jetty. The protected swimming area at the southern end St. Andrews State Park is another good spot.
It is worth the effort once you reach it. This is some of my favorite water spots. It's almost like swimming in a pool. We were unsure what to expect so we decided to spend some time on the island. Expect to spend the whole day there!
We hired a boat to go out to the shell island. Although there was plenty of seaweed, the area was stunning for the breathtaking views.