Tours/Sarasota/Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore
Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore
4.8(29)Sarasota2h 30min
VIATOR4.9(10)TRIPADVISOR4.7(19)
+8 photos
At a glance
Duration
2h 30min
Price from
$79 / person
Location
Sarasota, United States
Rating
4.8 / 5 · 29 reviews
Languages
EN
Group
Small group, up to 17
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Confirmation
Instant
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
Salty Dolphin Tours
Meeting point
Departing from The Waterline Villas and Marina
Description
Discover the beauty of Anna Maria Island on this 2.5-hour Public Sandbar Trip. Cruise through the beautiful local waters to Jewfish Key or another popular sandbar, depending on tides and conditions. Once there, swim, wade in the shallow water, or simply relax and enjoy time with family and friends. Dip nets are provided for guests who want to explore the shallow waters and see what they can find. You’re welcome to bring drinks and a small cooler. Along the way, enjoy beautiful views and keep an eye out for dolphins, manatees, rays, sea turtles, and coastal birds. Wildlife sightings are always a bonus and cannot be guaranteed. A fun, laid-back way for all ages to experience Anna Maria Island from the water.
2.5-hour public sandbar trip
Swim, float, wade, and relax
Visit beautiful local sandbars
Family-friendly and great for groups
Schedule & prices
Runs
Every day
Start times
9:00 AM and 2:00 PM
Next available
Sun, Oct 11
Adult (ages 10–64)
$79
Senior (ages 65+)
$67
Child (ages 0–9)
$79
In demand: 35 of the next 60 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 10.
Tour Options
Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore
What's included
Included
One of our tour boats will take you to a beautiful sandbar
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
29 reviews
5
26
4
1
3
1
2
0
1
1
How it compares in Sarasota
No. 41 by number of reviews among 188 tours in Sarasota
Starting price $79 is close to the typical $73 for tours of similar length in Sarasota
Excurgo comparison of 188 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore take?
Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore lasts about 2h 30min.
How much does Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore cost?
Prices start at $79 per person for this Sarasota experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
How much does Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore cost for children?
Children aged 0–9 pay from $79, adults from $79.
Does Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore sell out?
It can: 35 of the next 60 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Can I cancel Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Departing from The Waterline Villas and Marina. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 17 participants.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Public Sandbar Trip Swim Relax and Explore worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 29 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Salty Dolphin Tours.
Reviews(29)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
G
G9656MMangiea
September 16, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Great sandbar day!!
Chad was a wonderful captain, and was very friendly! We got to see lots of dolphins on the way to the sandbar, and it was a wonderful sight-seeing ride on the bay to get there! We brought some beverages, and just chilled, snorkeled, and people/boat watched around Longboat Pass. Would definitely book this trip again! The ladder was slightly challenging, so if you have hip/knee problems you might want to make sure you can board/dismount ok.
Operator response
Thank you, Angie! It sounds like you had exactly the kind of laid-back sandbar day we love—dolphins along the way, beautiful views of the bay, a few drinks, and plenty of time to relax at Longboat Pass. We're glad Captain Chad took great care of you!
We also appreciate you mentioning the ladder. That's helpful feedback for both us and future guests who may have knee or hip concerns. We’d love to have you back for another sandbar day!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🏝️☀️
6
641bethf
August 10, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Dolphins, sun and sand all in one.
Captain Ben was a wonderful guide and we saw lots of dolphins along the way to the sandbar.
Operator response
Thank you so much for the great review! I really enjoyed having you aboard. I'm glad the dolphins cooperated and gave us a great show on the way to the sandbar. Dolphins, sunshine, and some time relaxing in the beautiful water is a pretty great way to spend the day! Hope to see you again!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🏝️☀️
W
Wanderer544558
August 8, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Fun trip
Mike was great!! Points out things and gave great info as well!! We had a great time!! Highly recommend
Operator response
Thank you for the great review! I’m so glad you had such a fun time with Captain Mike. He really enjoys sharing his knowledge of the area and pointing out all the interesting things along the way. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to have you back aboard again soon!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🏝️
5
585tarau
July 31, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Great trip
Our guide, Chad, was great! Would recommend.
Operator response
Thank you for the great review! I'm so glad you enjoyed your sandbar trip with Captain Chad. He'll really appreciate the kind words.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and thank you for choosing Anna Maria Island Dolphin Tours. We hope to welcome you back aboard for another adventure soon!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🏝️☀️
S
Sean_H
July 29, 2026 · via Viator
Great
The entire experience was very nice check-in process was very easy boarding. Captain was very informative when we got to the sandbar. It was absolutely beautiful. Had an amazing time would highly recommend.
Operator response
Thank you for the wonderful review, Sean! I'm so glad you had such a great experience from the easy check-in all the way through your time at the sandbar. It's great to hear you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and found our captain informative along the way.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and thank you for choosing Anna Maria Island Dolphin Tours. We hope to welcome you back aboard again soon!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🏝️☀️
N
Nancy_M
July 23, 2026 · via Viator
Nice experience
You get on a boat, the operator tries to find dolphins or manatees, shortly after he takes you to a sand bar to snorkel and by. Water is only waist deep at the most. We found shells. The ladder to get in and out of the boat was a little hard to use. Overall the boat was comfortable and the operator was friendly.
Operator response
Thank you for your review, Nancy! I'm glad you enjoyed your time on the water and were able to explore the sandbar and find some shells. I'm also happy to hear you found the boat comfortable and our captain friendly.
Thank you as well for your feedback about the boarding ladder. We appreciate comments like yours and are always looking for ways to improve the experience for our guests.
We hope to welcome you back aboard again soon!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🏝️☀️
R
Regina_B
July 7, 2026 · via Viator
We had a great time on...
We had a great time on this snorkel of the Sandbar s. Our guide took us to 2 different sandbar and we saw hundreds of sand dollars and found a huge beautiful shell for a keepsake!! Would definitely do this again..it's totally worth it!
Operator response
Thank you for the wonderful review, Regina! I'm so glad you had such a great time exploring the sandbars with us. Finding hundreds of sand dollars and discovering a beautiful shell to take home makes for a pretty memorable day on the water!
We're thrilled to hear you felt the trip was worth it and that you'd do it again. Thank you for choosing Anna Maria Island Dolphin Tours, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐚🏝️🐬☀️
C
Christine_M
June 29, 2026 · via Viator
Fun afternoon out on the water
Great to go out on a boat, see dolphins and dock on a sandbar in the middle of the Gulf to see living sand dollars and all sorts of hermit crabs. Relaxing fun afternoon. My son loved the snorkel gear and jumping off the boat!
Operator response
Thank you for the wonderful review, Christine! I'm so glad you and your son had such a fun afternoon on the water. It sounds like you experienced a little bit of everything, from dolphins and the sandbar to snorkeling and discovering live sand dollars and hermit crabs.
I'm especially happy to hear your son enjoyed the snorkel gear and jumping off the boat! Those are the kinds of memories we love helping families create.
Thank you for choosing Anna Maria Island Dolphin Tours. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🏝️🤿☀️
R
Ray_M
June 28, 2026 · via Viator
Dolphins & Shell Fish
Nice experience, the sandbar is not full of fish, you may see a few, however the alive shellfish we found were the Stars of the Show, snaps in hermit crab shells as well as a few fiesty hermit crabs and we found a few live conch's too as well as seeing the local Dolphins that was cool too!!!
Operator response
Thank you for the great review, Ray! I'm so glad you enjoyed your time on the sandbar. Every trip is a little different, and while the fish can vary depending on the conditions, it's always exciting to discover the incredible marine life that calls our waters home.
It sounds like the live shellfish stole the show! Finding hermit crabs, live conchs, and other sea life makes for a fun adventure, and seeing dolphins along the way is always a special bonus.
Thank you for choosing Anna Maria Island Dolphin Tours. We appreciate you spending part of your day with us and hope to see you back on the water again soon!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🐚🏝️☀️
5
535caryp
June 26, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Jewfish Key Sandbar fun
Captain Mike and Susan were absolutely top-notch! I’m visiting from Virginia and staying with a friend in Parrish, and we had an amazing time. We saw so many manatees, dolphins, and beautiful shells. Captain Mike and Susan made us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. Thank you for such a memorable experience—we highly recommend this tour!
Operator response
Thank you for the wonderful review! I'm so glad you and your friend had such an amazing time on the sandbar trip. It sounds like you experienced a little bit of everything, from manatees and dolphins to beautiful shells at Jewfish Key.
Captain Mike and Susan will truly appreciate your kind words. Making our guests feel welcome from the moment they arrive is exactly the experience we strive to provide.
Thank you for visiting us from Virginia and for choosing to spend part of your vacation with us. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you back on the water the next time you're in the Anna Maria Island area!
– Captain Ben Webb, Owner 🐬🐚🏝️☀️
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