Clearwater Encounters with Dolphins Tour
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Clearwater, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Dolphin encounters are quite common in the Gulf of Mexico, but this boat tour lets you get a closer look at them. Sail out towards Compass Island and keep your eyes peeled for the playful creatures while your captain provides commentary about your surroundings. Then, once you reach the island, jump in the water to search for marine life, collect shells, or simply enjoy the water.
- See bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat
- Depart from a central location for your convenience
- Learn about dolphins and other animals from your captain
What's Included
- Dolphin Sighting
- Snacks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 25 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767, USA
We are at the Clearwater Beach Marina. The check in location is near slip 52, we have a lime green and teal booth with a metal roof.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Encounters With Dolphins
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 38 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
Enjoyed this trip thanks to Captn Dylan and Ist mate Kaitlyn! So much knowledge and personable communication was greatly appreciated! I chose this for the tour and was happy about the dolphins and birds and fun we had!
Stopped to shell on a beautiful island and found beautiful shells!
Enjoyed the fun between other boats as well!
Highly recc this tour with this crew if possible ! They made it extra fun and a great experience!
Reviews
4.8
based on 2,290 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
41 reviews
Select a theme to learn more
Travelers appreciate family-friendly tour activities such as shell collecting and dolphin encounters that create memorable wildlife experiences. The captain receives praise for knowledgeable, personable communication that enriches the boat trip. Guides are described as friendly and engaging, providing informative commentary and attentive interaction, especially with families. Overall, the tour offers an educational and enjoyable approach to local wildlife and nature.
Was this helpful?
Traveler reviews summarised by AI
Sort by: Most insightful
Amazing experience, the crew are very friendly and we were gifted a wake wave from another boat to encourage the dolphins to give us a show and boy did they!! My first dolphin experience and it did not disappoint
Response from Host, Sep 2026
SO happy our crew and the dolphins were able to deliver for your first dolphin experience, how awesome! Thanks for joining us!
Very nice tour... We got to see Mama Dolphin hunting with a couple of her babies. Tour guides were very friendly and provided some nice insights on houses along our route. Read your itinerary well as there was a stop where we could have gone swimming (Not with dolphins) and we did not dress for the occasion.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Sounds like you got quite the show! & now you know for next time you can bring a bathing suit and towel if you wish! Since you’re not too far we hope to welcome you back soon!
We all had an amazing time! The crew was ftiendly and great. We took the 3pm tour and saw quite a few dolphins. It was the perfect treat for the family.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
So happy you had an awesome trip! Thanks for joining us!
It was an amazing experience, our captain was super nice and does his job very well. The first mate is a great tour guide. Seeing the dolphins was very beautiful and we got to be up close to them
Response from Host, Jul 2026
So happy to hear you had a great trip, thanks for joining us!
First off, these people are EXTREMELY accommodating. Customer service is TOP TIER. Everyone was so friendly and it was nice to see the dolphins and bask in the collective joy. I would totally do this again!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
So glad you had a great trip, thanks for coming!
Had a great time. Crew very friendly and knowledgeable. Was great to stop on the island and hunt for shells
Response from Host, Jul 2026
So happy you had a great trip, thanks for coming!
Very friendly service and ladies are wonderful and helpful. They made experience well worth it. They were knowledgeable of the area.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
So happy our crew was able to provide a great experience, thanks for joining us!
It was great experience and very informative! Got to see a lot of dolphins in their habitat!! Also enjoyed the island stop!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
So happy you had a great trip! Thanks for joining us!
The excursion was just wonderful! We saw a number of dolphins along the ride. The captain and host of the boat were super friendly and offered some fun information about the animals in the area. Also, our boat had a cover on it. Made the ride so much more comfortable in the summer heat.
A couple items to note:
1) I believe it would have been cheaper just to purchase tickets there and not online. There are several times the boat goes out so no worries about tickets selling out.
2) You have to pay for parking at the marina. Wait to pay for the parking until AFTER you check in with Dolphin Encounters. They give you a code that allows for a cheaper and longer parking time.
Overall, would definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
So glad you enjoyed your trip with us! & those are some good tips, thanks for coming!
Great guide and captain. We saw many dolphins including a baby. She gave us information about celebrity homes as well.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Happy to hear you enjoyed your trip, thanks for coming!
We had decided about an hour in that, even if we didn't see any dolphins, we still very much enjoyed this tour! The ladies were wonderful and funny, and being out on the water was amazing!
Then, when the dolphins DID in fact show up, in a big way, we were even more thrilled!
Thank you both so much!
Heather H.
Response from Host, May 2026
Happy to hear the dolphins showed up for you and gave you an awesome trip and memories, thanks for coming!
The guides were great! We saw Dolphins and even manatees. We stopped at a small island for 15 min and we're able to collect so
shells.
Response from Host, May 2026
Happy to hear you enjoyed your trip! Thanks for coming!
After paying $75 for two tickets. 10 mins before our scheduled time they canceled it. No warning. No offer of a refund. Very disappointing and unprofessional in my opinion. Wouldn’t recommend booking with them
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi, I’m very sorry to hear about this, could you please give us a call so we can sort this out for you? We always offer a refund if it was our doing for cancelling!
We had so much fun! We saw so many dolphins and stopping on the island to collect shells was a very cute activity!
Response from Host, May 2026
So happy you had a great trip with us, thanks for coming!
Our ride was canceled for 11 but rescheduled for 3 an still couldn't get boat repaired so it was canceled an refunded things happen an they were very nice at least they tried
Response from Host, May 2026
I’m so sorry you weren’t able to get out on a trip with us but thank you so much for being understanding! Hopefully next time will be smooth sailing!
do it! fun, relaxing. good narrative. always see the dolphins
do it! wont regret it. enjoyed. great pictures
Response from Host, May 2026
So happy to hear you had a great trip!
We always have a good time the workers are doing a great job. They always serve drinks and snacks each time when they do this.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
So glad to hear you had a great time! Thanks for coming!
Very nice! The kids loved the boat ride and seeing the dolphins. The right length of time for kids. The guide and captain did a great job and were very nice.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Happy to hear you had a great time! Hope to welcome you back on board in the future!
We seen so many Dolphins. Our Captain and tour guide were very knowledgeable. Very nice time. Shelling on the little island was fun too!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Glad you had a great time! Thanks for coming!
It was a fun thing to do with the kiddos to get them out and about for a little bit or to take a quick little break from the beach.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Great way to break up the day! Thanks for choosing us and happy you had a good time!
Great experience w/friendly & knowledgable tour guides. Especially appreciated the dolphin factoids etc.
Got to see about 3+ sightings & baby dolphin. Gorgeous weather & great sunset - good time.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Doesn’t get much better than baby dolphins and a beautiful sunset! Glad you enjoyed your trip with us!
They definitely delivered on the description. Got great looks at the dolphins (and a family of ospreys). Dylan and Jessica were friendly and knowledgable. The island stop is great for kids. Would have preferred a bit more info about wildlife and a bit less about real estate.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Those osprey babies are so cute! Love this time of year for them. Thanks for the review!
So fun! Perfect amount of time! Tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable. And it was affordable. Great activity for families.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Happy you had a great time!
Such an amazing team and the most adorable dolphins! They took us to a small island where we even found some ancient shell creatures.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Glad you had a great time with us! Thanks for coming!
Very entertaining, Kayla and Captain Dillon were very knowledgeable of the Dolphins and their habitat.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Glad you enjoyed your trip & our crew! Thank you!
Had an amazing dolphin excursion today! 🐬☀️ The experience was unforgettable—seeing these beautiful creatures up close was just incredible. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
So happy to hear! Thank you!
Fun for families. Lots of dolphin sightings! Captain Dylan knew a lot about dolphins and ospreys. Fun!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Glad you had a great time and that Captain Dylan could share his wealth of knowledge with you!
Captain Dylan and first mate Kaitlyn were great hosts for the trip. Super personable and knowledgeable. They ensured we saw some dolphins and they even got super close. 10/10 would recommend.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Happy to hear you had a great trip!
There needs to be clear directions on how to find your location. It says slip 52, but there is no clear markings.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Our new marina just opened back up so we are all navigating the new set up as well. Unfortunately the city has made things a little difficult for us and our passengers but we are trying to work through the kinks to make it smoother!
This dolphin tour was a let down. I’ve gone on the Little Toot before and they had the dolphins jumping out of the water for the bulk of the tour. We came all the way from Idaho and took our kids on Encounters with Dolphins and wanted those “wow”, jumping out of the water dolphin moments as they chase along the boat and wake, but that just didn’t happen. We took a 15 minute stop at one tree island, which was fine. Then they told us that if we don’t see any dolphins they give a rain check/voucher to come again because of their guarantee. They then took us to the “honey hole”, a private marina that we can’t go in, and from a distance, we saw a dorsal fin come up and out a few times. Seems kind of lame to take us to this marina where the dolphins always stay and where we can’t go. We did see 2 dolphins mating on our way back to the dock in “overtime”, so I guess that all counted and we didn’t get vouchers to come again, but overall it was a letdown, my kids were bored and bummed, and I was super disappointed. I know they can’t control the dolphins, I get they are in their natural habitat and we are just trying to see them and sometimes that doesn’t happen, but that doesn’t change the fact that this was a major letdown for us.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy your trip. Our boat is very different than a boat like little toot, we do not create a wake like that because of our different hulls. Sometimes when the stars align and we can ride alongside another vessel to see the dolphins jumping. But like you mentioned they are wild animals so sometimes they show out and sometimes they do not.
Member Pricing
From
$33.88
per personWas $35.67(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Member Pricing
Clearwater Encounters with Dolphins Tour
2,290
1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$35.67
$33.88
5% savings
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
More attractions near Clearwater, USA