2 Hour Shell Island Jet Ski Dolphin Tour
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Panama City Beach, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Explore Shell Island and the waters of Panama City Beach on a partially guided jet ski adventure. Follow your guide across St. Andrews Bay in search of dolphins and other marine animals before enjoying free ride time to explore at your own pace. Combining guided wildlife viewing with independent time on the water, this experience offers a flexible way to discover one of the area's most scenic coastal destinations.
- Combine guided exploration with free ride time
- Explore beyond the beach and discover more of the coastline
- Maximize your chances of spotting dolphins
- Enjoy the freedom to explore at your own pace
What's Included
- ONE jet ski (up to 2 people); driver must be 18+
- Experienced Tour Guide
- All Necessary Safety Equipment
- Life Jackets
- All Gas Is Included
- If you need more than one jet ski, you must make additional reservations.
- Refundable Security Deposit will be paid on site$250.00 per booking
- Florida Boaters Safety Card if born on or after January 1, 1988$9.99 per booking
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 4601 US-98, Panama City, FL 32401, USA
Located at Papa Joes Bayside. All participants must arrive 30 minutes prior to tour time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Shell Island
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Participants must be able to fully understand and follow safety instructions in English without the aid of translation tools
- All drivers must possess a valid drivers license. An ID is not sufficient
- Kids Must be at least 6 years old to participate
- 18+ to operate Jet Ski
- Each rider must complete a liability waiver. Please do this prior to arrival.
- All riders MUST be able to swim
- All Operators born after January 1st of 1988 must possess a Florida Boaters Safety Card. This test can be found on the website policies page. Please complete this prior to arrival.
- All participants must arrive 30 minutes prior to tour time
- Riders who arrive late and cannot complete check in process and pre ride instructions before tour time will not ride and will not be refunded.
- A $250 refundable deposit will be taken upon arrival on a debit or credit card to be paid on site
- The combined weight of passengers must be less than 350 lb.
- This excursion is for ONE jet ski for up to 2 people. A second jet ski can be booked in a separate reservation.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 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
Dakota_V
Micah was are guide and we had a blast it was our first time and he was very helpful and made it real easy to learn and had relly good tips, highly recommend for anyone wanting to have a mix of fun and adrenaline
Reviews
4.7
based on 196 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Delvis_G, Sep 2026
I would do this every time I visit the area, good price, the jet ski was in great condition, the personal was amazing, and the price was great compared to other places in Florida
Jonika_B, Sep 2026
Amazing time! The ride out was great then we had some free time and that was awesome to just ride around and explore then we met up and rode back together! Seen a group of Dolphins and got to video and take pictures it was a really fun time! We have now been two times and will continue every year to add it to the itinerary!!!
Manuel_T, Aug 2026
don't be late. check your booking to make sure you have the address where you are supposed to be going. we went to the wrong address and lost time. check your receipt to make sure the correct number of skis you rented. allow enough time to get lost if you are not familiar with the area. bring only essentials. you don't need a lot to ride. again, don't be late.
Elise_P, Aug 2026
This was cooler than sky diving! Seriously, my new favorite PCB activity! Camden was awesome, too! He showed me all the cool spots and made sure I felt safe! Parked and swam, did some shelling and went right back to hunting for dolphins. I was the only one that showed up & frankly, it was the most free I’ve ever felt! Don’t over think this one - RENT THE JET SKI’S! 🙌🏼 Best excursion in PCB (with absolutely the best guides!)
DonaldRay_D, Aug 2026
Our guide was very knowledgeable of the area and the speed of the jetski's was an amazing thrill. Managed to see dolphins within about 15 mins as well.
Scott_E, Aug 2026
Please, learn from me, make sure you do the boaters test, waivers and arrive at least 30 mins early. I did not and learned the hard way (my fault 100%)
Be aware, this is not for beginners. I have ridden jet skis my entire life and I could barely handle the water in St Andrews. The guides do come back to check if you're ok but the entire tour is running full speed through rough water to Shell Island. They ask that you don't bottle neck but that's asking a bear not to scratch their back on a tree... when you are being whipped back and fourth, up and down for 20 straight minutes the last thing you are worried about is the staying steady on the throttle. Do not get on if you have carpal tunnel, my hands went numb after 5 minutes of steady pressure on that throttle. It was fun to ride the jet ski and (of course) Shell Island was cool, but just understand it is not easy to stay steady. The guides were very nice and were experienced with the jet skis.
Jennifer_H, Aug 2026
The crew between checking us in to the men who lead the tour were great and accommodating. My tour leader was Nick and his fellow crew member were accommodating and attentive for me having my son on my jet ski.
Jose_W, Aug 2026
Great experience! We jet skied quite a distance and the leaders made an effort to make it fun when getting from point A to point B
Jose_W, Aug 2026
My family had a great time and we were able to actually see a pod of dolphins! The stop at Shell Island was a great break in the middle.
Dante_M, Aug 2026
Kaleb was a great guide. Extremely personable, knowledgeable, and safe.
I thought the island was a little disappointing with the name " Shell Isalnd". Our party of 4 had a blast.
tracy_g, Jul 2026
This trip was amazing. Very thrilling! And a great experience overall. The instructor did an amazing job! Very fun guy
Kaley_D, Jul 2026
Our experience was great! The crew led us around an exhilarating trip to the bay to see dolphins and additional beach time at Shell Island. Caleb and Cameron were great! Will definitely be back next time.
Gina_M, Jul 2026
We had so much fun on this tour and got to see so many dolphins! The tour guides really helped make this a 10/10 experience!
Alexis_D, Jul 2026
Place instructs you to arrive 30 minutes before booking (which we did) but unbeknownst to us you have to take a test for a license before you can hit the water. We were charged $10 for the license and also charged $250 for a safety deposit incase of damages. Because we didn’t complete the license exam in that 20 some minute time frame they told us we could not participate in the activity we paid for. This was AFTER we were charged $159 for the event, $10 for the license, and $250 for the safety deposit. A TOTAL SCAM. They did give us the $250 back but nothing else and we were not allowed to do the activity. Check in instructions are very unclear and was written no where in the listing that you must take an exam before hitting the water.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We’re sorry you were disappointed. The Florida Boater Safety Test requirement is state law—not our policy—and is clearly included in the listing, confirmation email, and text message reminders. We also offered to move you to a later tour so you could complete the test, but you declined.
Ashley_S, Jul 2026
Horrible! Worst encounter ever! Horrible customer service ruined a birthday gift for my husband made our vacation miserable! I was in tears due to this poor company! Got laughed at by a young punk employee with blonde hair we was late due to getting lost on the road (we’re on vacation) this place will forever leave a horrible impression on me and my family! Super bummed and disappointed we lost $159 and was not able to ride nor get a refund and got laughed at! I would recommend any go anywhere but here!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
For the benefit of future customers, we’d like to clarify what occurred.
Guests booked on our jet ski dolphin tours are informed in three separate places—the booking listing, confirmation email, and text messages—that they must arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled departure with their Florida Boater Safety Certificate already completed, as required by Florida law.
In this case, the guests arrived at 2:00 PM, which was their scheduled departure time, without the required certificate or check-in items completed. Although our normal policy would not require us to reschedule a reservation under these circumstances, our staff chose to make an exception and moved them to the 4:30 PM tour at no additional charge. They were specifically instructed to arrive by 4:00 PM with everything completed.
The guests then arrived at 4:16 PM, again without the legally required items completed. Rather than turning them away, our staff offered yet another accommodation by moving their reservation to the following day.
Unfortunately, the situation escalated when the guests became confrontational, and a member of their party threatened to return with family members and physically assault our staff, along with additional abusive language. Threats toward our employees are taken very seriously and are never acceptable.
Florida law does not allow us to waive the Boater Safety Certificate requirement under any circumstances. By this point, the arrival requirements and legal obligations had been communicated through the original booking listing, the confirmation email, multiple text messages, and clear in-person conversations with our staff. Despite all of those opportunities, the guests continued to arrive late and without the legally required items completed. Our team went well beyond our normal policies by attempting to accommodate them multiple times. We believe our staff acted professionally, followed the law, and made every reasonable effort to help while maintaining a safe environment for both our employees and other guests.
Adriana_I, Jul 2026
It was great!! I book with my 13yo, I was nervous in the beginning. The group went ahead of us because we were a bit slow. Mr. Micah followed us the entire time, and allowed extra time for us in the Seashell island for a break. While in the island, we took the time to practice, then the way back it was awesome! My suggestion is, if it is your first time on a jetski, it was will a much better experience if you go faster. I think the minimum speed should be at least 22mph, then you’ll be able to maneuver much better and the device will actually work. The chances of a jetski flipping over is very slim. And if you fall, the engine will turn off, and you just need to swim back and hop on and continue. The dolphins were magical, and once I got the hang of it, it was a fantastic experience. Go fast, it’s actually safer if you go faster. Thanks Mr Micah
Tiffany_T, Jul 2026
This company employees were the best. We were running a little late. We called them immediately they told us what to do over the phone to help speed up the check-in process. Then when we arrived. We found out we were not the only ones running late due to the heavy traffic on HWY 98
The staff over the phone and in person were professional and kind.
Our tour guides were Nick and Camden Camden has stayed with me because I wasn’t able to keep up with the rest of the group. He was extremely patient kind, soft talker and gentle with me and my party.. Nick and Camden had a great system in place to accommodate people like me.
At the end, I asked Camden may I hug him and we hugged :)
I would definitely recommend doing a jet ski excursion with this company so I get them five stars.
Brandon_M, Jul 2026
You need to go fast! Minimum of 25 but more like 50 not to get left behind 😅 we had a great time as a family.
wesley_I, Jul 2026
Camden was a great tour guide, very fun and informative! The tour is really fun if you live fast paced and have your boating license. We got there about 30 minutes early and everything went so smooth and great! A fun time.
Ann_C, Jul 2026
I have never rode on a jet ski but this was soooo fun! Cam was fantastic and I can't remember our other guide but they were both awesome!
Aimee_M, Jul 2026
Didn’t get to ride. Paid all this money. Didn’t have boat license. Girls were very rude to us. Upsetting.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We're sorry your experience wasn't what you expected. Florida law requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, to have the required boating safety certificate before operating a rental vessel. This requirement is clearly listed in our booking information and is also sent by email and text before your reservation. We offered for you to call the following day to be rescheduled after completing the test.
Jessie_G, Jul 2026
Caleb and Camden were great guides! It’s a nice long ride with lots to see including dolphins which made it perfect!
Jennifer_M, Jul 2026
The jet ski tour was action packed fun! We saw dolphins and a baby dolphin! We enjoyed walking the beach of shell island and jet skiing on our own! The waiting area had fun games and beautiful scenery! My husband had a blast!!! So fun and affordable!!!
Stephanie_H, Jul 2026
Out of company’s control but water was super rough! We did go on a holiday/busy weekend though. The leader was a kid that didn’t seem to interested in his job. Little direction and not super friendly. Also several people fell off jet skis due to choppy water and he was so far ahead he didn’t notice and the group had to wait on him to finally notice and come back.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately, water conditions are something we can't control, especially during busy holiday weekends. We also appreciate your comments about your guide and will address them with our team, as we always strive to provide a friendly, attentive experience.
Kevin_G, Jul 2026
This ride engages you in rivers and you get to see some very nice views dolphins and way more ver fun
Melanie_P, Jul 2026
As advertised! We lucked out and got on a tour with Caleb. There were only 3 jet skis and Caleb let us chose between dolphins sight seeing or going right to shell island to ride jet skis. Such a great experience, THANKS!
Andreis_R, Jun 2026
We had a very bad experience. We made a reservation, but then they called to change the time because they didn't have space. Later, at the time of the tour, they wouldn't let us go because the drivers didn't speak fluent English—even though they spoke basic English and understood the necessary safety instructions. I also asked about other tours, such as those on catamarans or boats where they would be the operators, and we were told we couldn't go on those excursions either; it turned out to be more a matter of racism than language.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We're sorry you were disappointed. The decision had nothing to do with race or ethnicity and everything to do with safety. Anyone operating a jet ski must be able to clearly understand and communicate safety instructions in English, which is a requirement for all guests.
Because we weren't confident that requirement could be met, we could not allow the rental to proceed and issued a full refund.
We also want to clarify that we do not offer catamaran tours or other boat excursions, so the statement that you were denied participation in those activities is simply not accurate. Our goal is always to treat every guest fairly while following the same safety standards for everyone on the water.
Amanda_M, Jun 2026
Everyone was super friendly. The tour took us out to shell island and back, we saw dolphins and has a blast.
mpg6015, Jun 2026
It was amazing. Guides were awesome and saw so many dolphins. Went into the gulf and jumped so many waves
Doug_L, Jun 2026
Make sure to bring sunscreen! This is a little hidden spot. When coming upon it, you’ll have to really look or you’ll miss it!!
From $159.00
per group (up to 2)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
2 Hour Shell Island Jet Ski Dolphin Tour
196
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$159.00
