4-Hour St. Pete Pier to Egmont Key Experience by Ferry
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
St Petersburg, USA
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
The Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge is a serene, secluded island in Tampa Bay that’s popular for hiking and fishing. Go beyond the beauty of St. Pete’s Beaches and visit this island on a relaxing half-day tour. Sail from the St. Pete Pier over to Egmont Key and spend a few hours wandering miles of white sand beaches. Bottled water is available but you can bring your own food and drink to enjoy a quiet island lunch.
- Explore the Fort Dade ruins and historic lighthouse on the key
- Use the snorkeling equipment included to see marine life
- Keep your eyes open for dolphin sightings while boating
- Sail under the stunning Sunshine Skyway Bridge
What's Included
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Restroom on Board
- Partially Narrated Ferry
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 400 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
Please arrive 30 minutes early to ensure time to park and make your way to Gate 24. Wine and beer are available for purchase on the boat. Outside alcohol is not permitted on the boat
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Egmont Key State Park
2
Downtown
3
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Please note: The tours to Egmont Key are 4 hours where guests should expect to be on the boat 1 hour each way to Egmont. When weather interferes with our ability to maintain our speed the time on the boat may be extended.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Vance_L
The Pelican cruise to Egmont was a highlight of our vacation. The crew were amazing—fun, friendly, informative, and super hospitable! The Pelican is a great boat and way more interesting than the other pontoon cruises. And Egmont offers a one-of-a-kind adventure- lots of beach on both the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay side. You can visit the 1890s lighthouse and the old fort. Lots of shells too. There is still much devastation from last fall’s hurricane which is fascinating in its own way. So glad we took this trip and thanks to the crew of The Pelican for a perfect 4-hour cruise!
Reviews
4.7
based on 326 reviews
Kim_W, May 2026
You are not allowed to BYOB & there aren’t any snacks that are offered or will be provided, so you will need to bring your own snacks for the duration of your trip.
Be dressed in a swim suit, underneath your clothing.
When you get off the boat you will be in water waist-chest high depending on how tall that you are.
I wish the total time of the tour, would have been longer than 4 hrs. Time passes by quickly if you walk to the beach, on the other side of the island.
You do need to pay for parking, next to the Marina.
The boat crew was friendly & personnel.
The trip is what you make of it.
Personally, making the trip with my friends was the best part of the day, for me.
Maureen_C, May 2026
Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable crew. Safety instructions were very clear. I would recommend this cruise.
Edwin_S, May 2026
Worth it, great boat, great service and a great time. The crew couldn’t be anymore healoful or nice.
Melissa_C, May 2026
Very fun trip, the crew were awesome and made the experience very enjoyable!
If you can, try booking directly with them, small businesses can use all the help they can get!
Salma_A, May 2026
We had some issues with the crew he wasn’t so friendly. This is my second time I tried your cruise in 2024 with large group of a friend, we had really good time. We tried to book the same trip yesterday because we had so much fun last time. It was so different.
Response from Host, May 2026
Salma,
Thank you for coming out on our trip to Egmont Key. We appreciate your feedback. There were two major issues on our trip that day. They involved the boarding process and control of the music.
Regarding the boarding process, there were 4 different groups of different quantity individuals under the same name. To ensure a proper headcount, our captain asked that everyone wait at our check-in gate until all members of each party arrived. During this process he and the crew helped to load all of your supplies onboard. This allowed us to keep an accurate count of our total group for the day while we boarded - a critical step in making sure we do not leave anyone behind at the island. With that process, we were still able to leave almost right on time. The captain even waited a couple minutes past departure time to allow a few members of your group to properly pay for parking. When we have multiple groups under the same name, this is the only way we can be 100% certain we get our headcount correct.
Regarding music on public trips, our policy has updated in the past year and may be different than your previous visit. On public trips, general island/beach music is played from a master playlist. No requests, separate speakers, or personal Bluetooth connections to the main system are allowed. Personal speakers are allowed on the beach at Egmont Key.
On private charters, groups of up to 49 people book the entire vessel to themselves for a flat rate. During these trips, guests can control 100% of the music, the route, and the trip timing.
Our captain made this policy clear and made sure that your group was aware of the ability to play personal music on your speaker during your 2 hours on the island. Despite this information, your group played personal music at a high volume through a speaker during the ride to and from the island. As a compromise, our captain allowed it even though this is forbidden on standard public trips.
Marcus_D, Mar 2026
The morning started off chilly so might wanna bring a light kaput you’re cold natured. Other than that everything was amazing!
Terri_C, Feb 2026
We had a great time! Crew was excellent! They do have beverages for purchase. Water cold and waves were rough on one side of island. Fun family time.
February 2026
Karthik_R, Dec 2025
Great staff and Great experience overall. Everything was accessible and the journey felt like a smooth ride
LAURA_R, Dec 2025
They forgot about me and my daughter in Egmont Key and went back to San Peter’s without us, after around 30-40 minutes they came back for us offering us a free drink instead of an apology, because the left Egmont Key 10 minutes before the time
Natasha_J, Nov 2025
A little bit of serenity. Smooth sailing from downtown to the state park. Friendly and helpful crew, especially Ann at the bar and Lou on deck. The perfect way to spend the day i St. Pete whether you're a local on a staycation or a visitor. I would highly recommend them
Melissa_H, Oct 2025
Really amazing! Staff was very attentive. Absolutely beautiful! Hope to do this again. Boat ride was very relaxing
Cecile_M, Oct 2025
It’s a great outdoor experience, with snorkeling possible and discovering a little bit of history and abbr all a beautiful nature.
JOSEPHA_D, Sep 2025
This was are second time on the Pelican good weather overall great experience. Crew was friendly and attentive. Had and awesome time.
Gina_T, Sep 2025
Captain Brady, Lou and Britney are friendly, fun and skilled. And the boat very nice, too.
We were informed of all the details prior to departure, what to expect during the trip (with historical insights from Lou) and suggestions for when we got to Egmont Key. Oh, and let's not forget that they accommodated our cooler and beach stuff; plus provided fantastic host services - Yes. You don't have to move from your comfy seats to get a drink!!
Great sparkling, wine and beer selections, too.
Well. We wanted a relaxing a fun time and that's exactly what we got!
Thanks to The Pelican Boats crew for an amazing experience!
Diane_M, Jul 2025
The boat ride out to the island took about an hour. The captain gave some history/information about what we were seeing. The crew was very accommodating and took good care of us all!
We were on the island for about 2 hours. It was a little deceiving coming up on the island. The captain told us the far side of the island would be a better shelling/swimming area - he just didn’t say anything about the people. It wasn’t awful! crowded but it was crowded. Lots of boats - some people had the whole picnic/grilling setup going on. But the water was great and we swam some and the worked our way back around, closer to the boat.
And then the hour ride ride back to the dock.
The only disappointment was the dolphins did not make an appearance, but a manatee did.
We will do this again!!
Lindsay_H, Jun 2025
The most friendly and interactive staff. They went above and beyond to make sure we had a good trip and were taken care of. Worth every penny. *Bring bug spray for the island
Vance_L, Jun 2025
The Pelican cruise to Egmont was a highlight of our vacation. The crew were amazing—fun, friendly, informative, and super hospitable! The Pelican is a great boat and way more interesting than the other pontoon cruises. And Egmont offers a one-of-a-kind adventure- lots of beach on both the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay side. You can visit the 1890s lighthouse and the old fort. Lots of shells too. There is still much devastation from last fall’s hurricane which is fascinating in its own way. So glad we took this trip and thanks to the crew of The Pelican for a perfect 4-hour cruise!
Kim_L, Apr 2025
Great boat with interior space and bar. Very good for kids if you have one afraid of being on a boat.
Hannah_D, Oct 2024
This is a super fun experience and a great way to see an area you probably wouldn’t otherwise. We went with a group ages 9 to 80 and it was perfect for everyone!
Tasia_A, Sep 2024
The tour was excellent, the crew is super friendly, the boat is clean, well organized and safe, the island is beautiful, and we saw several dolphins.
Ann_i, Sep 2024
Great trip Crew were so efficient, friendly and helpful Everything was on time - a lovely boat ride & some nice swimming on the island
Richella_C, Sep 2024
Trip was good-crew was super nice. They had various beverages for sell. Started on time. We are mid 50’s & 60’s….things we used on the trip: small backpack, sunscreen, *BUG SPRAY, small umbrella, water, few snacks. We moved quickly through the island bush. Took a picture of the lighthouse. I happen to hear a little noise and got to see a tortoise. We did not go into the structures because that was more mosquitoes. Picked up a few shells and swim in the water.
1811forbes, Aug 2024
The boat was spotless, comfortable, and the crew was exceptional. The beach was fun Bring bug spray Captain kept you well informed
Theresa_P, Aug 2024
We did not go because our trip was cancelled because they did not have enough crew to do the trip. But we were not told about it until we got there. we drove over 2 hours for this. Now I am still waiting for a refund. Have not gotten it yet, So no we wont do this again.
Emma_D, Aug 2024
The ride to and from the island was amazing. Bring bug spray though! There were mosquitos everywhere near the center of the island, stay on the beach if you want to avoid them. Other than that, we had an excellent time.
Toni_R, Jul 2024
The captain and the crew were amazing. The boat was well-maintained and the scenery was spectacular. They do have a bar on board which was really nice.
Heather_S, Jul 2024
The boat ride was beautiful very relaxing... The island was big and beautiful seashells all over water was somewhat clear .
April_T, Jul 2024
Amazing crew !!!! Very knowledgeable and friendly. Nice clean boat even got a cool shell bag what came in handy during our vacation. And mimosas, which is always a plus 😊
Julia_J, Jul 2024
Standing in the breeze as the boat cruised the waters. The stunning view of the bridge. The swim in turquoise water. The white sand.
Kimberly_P, Jul 2024
Wonderful experience, would definitely recommend. Egmont Key was full of surprises around every bend and the crew was great, friendly, informative and professional.
Likely to Sell Out
From $66.67
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Likely to Sell Out
4-Hour St. Pete Pier to Egmont Key Experience by Ferry
326
4 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$66.67
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Water Equipment Rentals
- Self-guided Tours
- Boat Rentals
- On the Water
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- St Petersburg
- Water Equipment Rentals - Tampa
- Self-guided Tours - Tampa
- Boat Rentals - Tampa
- Water Equipment Rentals - Clearwater
- Self-guided Tours - Clearwater
- Boat Rentals - Clearwater
- Water Equipment Rentals - Sarasota
- Self-guided Tours - Sarasota
- Boat Rentals - Sarasota
Attractions in St Petersburg, USA