Hop on a cruise to Shell Key Island and see dolphins and other wildlife while snorkeling. At this pristine wildlife preserve, you'll get to snorkel and observe the wildlife, go for a relaxing swim, or just walk along the beach and collect shells. Depending on the time of year, you'll see dolphins in their natural habitat, along with manatees, rays, and wild birds. All of our rides are semi-private, with a maximum of 6 passengers per boat, so you get to avoid the crowds when you ride with us.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 5.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 211 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Shell Key & Dolphins - Semi-Private Tours lasts about 2 hours.
Prices start at $79 per person for this St Petersburg experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 3 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:15 PM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is We depart from the beautiful Tierra Verde Marina Resort, located at 198 Madonna Blvd next to the Island Grille Restaurant, and the Residence Inn Marriot. Please report to the Check-In area at the Island Ferry sign. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 6 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 1,647 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Island Ferry LLC.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
The experience was great. Dave the guide was so knowledgeable and very helpful with all related to the tour. My only complaint is that I brought on 3 kids, a 6 year old, 3 year old and 2 month old. They charge the full price of an adult for all kids, even the infant. I understand for accounting for all bodies on board, but creatively my sleeping infant should be full price as an adult.
Our guide was knowledgeable about the area. We saw many dolphins and he took his time to allow us to watch them.
Captain Dave was great! We were able to take a nice boat ride and see dolphins and manatees. Great morning on the water!
Nice 2 hour trip around back inlets in bay, didn’t get to go see any dolphins because water was to choppy on the open bayside.
Had a great time yesterday on the trip. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. We saw some dolphins and a manatee and spent about an hour on Shell Key Preserve. Highly recommended!
My wife and I had a great time on our dolphin watching and snorkeling excursion this morning. Our Captain Dave was very knowledgeable and was a pleasure to be around. We will definitely book again in our next trip!
We had fun, but it was honestly a little bit underwhelming. The only wildlife we saw were birds. No manatee or dolphins. The area we went to for snorkeling was not ideal. There wasn't much to see and it the waves made the water very sandy. We did find some cool shells.
Unfortunately wildlife is unpredictable Hailee, and we can't control their behaviors. Snorkeling as well is subject to mother nature's whims. That is not our doing either. But I guess our small business will have to take the blame for winds and seas and for uncooperative wildlife.
Excellent experience with Dave. We were lucky enough to see 3 dolphins, a manatee, sand dollars, crabs, and plenty of fish. What an experience! Excellent value for money would definitely book again.
Our guide, Dave, was awesome! Interesting and relevant information/facts from him. Gave us ample time to enjoy all the dolphins. Cooler on board for our drinks… Great. He didn’t just leave us at Shell key, he stayed with us, which was nice. Only thing I would say is maybe it could’ve been a little bit longer. Only had about 45 minutes or so at the island. Other than that, it was great and I would book again with Dave!😊
Captain Dave was excellent. My family really enjoyed the experience and would book again next time!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Key & Dolphins - Semi-Private Tours | 2 hours | 4.9 (1,647) | $79 | |
 2.5 Hour Shell Key Island Adventure Including Dolphins And Shells | 2h 30min | 4.9 (120) | $59 | View |
 3 Hour Dolphin Snorkeling and Shell Key Adventure St. Pete Beach | 3 hours | 4.8 (39) | $60 | View |
 Madeira Beach - Shell Key - Dolphins - Half Day Private Boat Tour | 4 hours | 5.0 (22) | $449 | View |
 Clear Kayak Tour of Shell Key Preserve and Tampa Bay Area | 2 hours | 5.0 (6,645) | $79 | View |
 Small Group Kayak Tour of the Shell Key Preserve | 3 hours | 5.0 (520) | $59 | View |
 Three Hour Shelling Cruise to Shell Key Preserve from John's Pass | 3 hours | 4.8 (504) | $45 | View |