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4-Hour St. Pete Pier to Egmont Key Experience by Ferry

Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
St Petersburg, USA
High interest
Booked 2 times today.
  • 4 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket

Why travelers loved this

4.7
·
· 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
· 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

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 equipment
    Use 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

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Featured review

    Natasha_J
    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

    Reviews

    4.7
    based on 317 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

    Try to be friendly with other people

    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.

    A great adventure

    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!

    Egmont Trip

    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

    Exceptional

    Karthik_R, Dec 2025
    Great staff and Great experience overall. Everything was accessible and the journey felt like a smooth ride

    They forgot about us

    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

    Best of both downtown & the beach

    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

    Will do again.

    Melissa_H, Oct 2025
    Really amazing! Staff was very attentive. Absolutely beautiful! Hope to do this again. Boat ride was very relaxing

    It’s a great outdoor...

    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.

    Fun & Sun

    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.

    Excellent boat trip!

    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!

    It was phenomenal! Great trip!

    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!!

    The most friendly and...

    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

    The Pelican + Egmont + St Pete Pier = 😃

    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!

    Kid friendly with sensory. Interior space with TV and snack bar.

    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.

    A great way to explore the area!

    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!

    Five stars.

    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.

    Lovely boat ride

    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

    Boat trip to Egmont 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.

    Fun in the sun

    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

    We did not go because our...

    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.

    Exciting

    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.

    Excellent

    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.

    Fantastic day

    Heather_S, Jul 2024
    The boat ride was beautiful very relaxing... The island was big and beautiful seashells all over water was somewhat clear .

    Amazing crew !!!! Very...

    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 😊

    Perfect Day

    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.

    Great way to spend the day.

    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.

    Great time

    Mary_K, Jul 2024
    We had a great time with the pelican and their crew. Lou made sure we had everything we needed. It was a great day exploring. We will definitely recommend

    Excellent day

    Shelley_M, Jun 2024
    Excellent day - caption and crew were extremely nice. The trip was a nice ride not to long in the island just enough time. I would highly recommend

    Great for families!

    Candace_E, Jun 2024
    We had a great time! The captain and crew were so friendly, even took time to sit and chat with my 3 year old who had a lot of questions! The boat was spacious and clean. The weather was perfect and we got to see some dolphins!

    Fantastic Boat Day

    Heather_U, Jun 2024
    Great experience! The boat was great— amenities galore! The boat crew was polite and efficient and the trip was smooth. Would definitely do this again
    Likely to Sell Out

    From $66.67

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 16 days in advance.

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