Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Virginia Beach, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Watch the sun set over Chesapeake Bay on a 2-hour, small-group dolphin tour by kayak from Virginia Beach. Paddle along the coast as you spot Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, and see the Cape Henry Lighthouses and Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel from the water.
- 2-hour kayak tour from Virginia Beach
- See native dolphins in their own habitat
- Paddle to Cape Henry Lighthouses
- Perfect for all ages and skill level
- Small-group tour
- All necessary equipment included
What's Included
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Local guide
- Entrance fees: Customers are required to pay the parking fee for First Landing State Park ($4 per vehicle weekdays and $5 per vehicle weekends and holidays)
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 2500 Shore Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, USA
Camp Ground First Landing State Park - Main Entrance- NOT THE 64th STREET ENTRANCE!!
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Make your way to First Landing State Park where this tour begins, and start by getting fitted with an easy-to-use, sit-on-top kayak. The boats are well suited to even beginning boaters, and after a short briefing on kayak safety and technique, you'll be ready to launch your kayak into the Chesapeake Bay.
Follow a route along the shoreline that’s especially good for sighting dolphins, which travel along the coast in small pods. Enjoy the cooler temperatures of the early evening, and spot some of the diverse seabirds that thrive in the Chesapeake Bay.
Paddle as far as the Cape Henry Lighthouses, a pair of historic signal lights that guide vessels into the Chesapeake Bay. See the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel light up in the evening sun as you make the return trip to the beach at First Landing State Park, and pause to photograph the coast in the warm, evening light. This 2-hour kayak tour concludes at First Landing State Park.
Follow a route along the shoreline that’s especially good for sighting dolphins, which travel along the coast in small pods. Enjoy the cooler temperatures of the early evening, and spot some of the diverse seabirds that thrive in the Chesapeake Bay.
Paddle as far as the Cape Henry Lighthouses, a pair of historic signal lights that guide vessels into the Chesapeake Bay. See the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel light up in the evening sun as you make the return trip to the beach at First Landing State Park, and pause to photograph the coast in the warm, evening light. This 2-hour kayak tour concludes at First Landing State Park.
1
First Landing State Park
Admission Ticket Free
2
Cape Henry Lighthouse
Admission Ticket Free
3
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
Admission Ticket Free
4
Chesapean Outdoors
Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancelation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Operates in a variety of weather conditions; please dress appropriately for your tour date's weather forecast
- For customers whose weight exceeds 250 lbs, please call us directly before booking to speak with a representative
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 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
Robert_C
Don't miss this tour! Beautiful and peaceful afternoon/evening paddle on the water. Saw lots of dolphins and many varieties of seabirds. Great commentary on sea life and local points of interest by our guide Brantley. Thanks also for the tips on local eateries!! Jake was super helpful and friendly. Tour leader and tour company office were well organized and also communicated effectively with participants. Don't miss this one while in Virginia Beach!
Reviews
4.8
based on 463 reviews
Tom_M, Oct 2025
Be prepared to walk in the sand and get wet.
Weather was perfect.
Matt provided excellent information about the dolphins and area.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Ah yes. Great tour. Conditions were a little windy but still an awesome day to see lots of dolphins. Thanks for the review.
Dorney_B, Oct 2025
Magical! Dolphins were with us the whole time. Guide was knowledgeable and a great guy. Highly recommended!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Awe thanks. Yes dolphins galore!!! Great tour. Glad you had fun. come back and see us.
Kris_S, Oct 2025
Absolutely fantastic experience! We saw a lot of dolphins and a glorious sunset with a bonus full moon! Our guide Matt was extremely knowledgeable and a great guide ! I want to do this again and again ❤️
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dolphins and sunsets OH MY!!!! Thanks for the nice review of the tour! Cheers
Stacey_S, Sep 2025
Our kayak tour was canceled by the company and we were offered a refund or the opportunity to reschedule. We were departing the next day so we couldn't reschedule. We provided all of our booking information. We reached out numerous times by text, email and phone. We were never refunded our money and never received a response back from anyone at the company. Very disappointed in their customer service. Would not recommend them.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Sorry for your experience but I have intitiated all refunds that I am aware of. If you booked with a third party, I have also intitated all refunds with them as well. Then it is up to them to provide a refund. Please reach to me with a phone call to resolve this issue.
Tracy_Z, Sep 2025
Matt was a great guide and we had an amazing time!! Lots of dolphins up close and personal. Definitely a must do next visit.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
I appreciate the review. Come back and do it again next year. Cheers
Jane_M, Sep 2025
Tommy was a wonderful guide. He explained everything, and led us with an energy and charm that was magnetic.. we saw so many dolphins and watched a beautiful sunset. Tommy helped us follow the dolphin pods so that we paddled hard but had so much fun!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thanks so much for the review. We appreciate it so much. Cheers
Rachael_F, Sep 2025
This is an awesome little kayak trip and we did indeed see dolphins! We had a tandem kayak which was perfect for me and my older mom. She didn't have to do too much work. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife and because it was a small group it felt very personal. Bonus for the gorgeous sunset! Thank you for a beautiful memory.👏
Response from Host, Sep 2025
So glad to hear you had a great experience.
James_B, Aug 2025
Very knowledgeable tour guide. Safe and fun environment for all skill levels and fitness. Breathtaking sunset over the water with lots of playful dolphins near the group for most of the tour. Would 100% book again!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
So glad the anniversary tour went well!!! Cheers
Karrie_P, Aug 2025
Our guides, Pearce and Sawyer were friendly, knowledgeable and Very fun guides. They were very conscientious about making sure everyone was comfortable. My husband and I had a great time.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thanks for the response and favorable review. We appreciate it!!!!
Tanner_S, Aug 2025
They cancelled the tour due to high waves. That's not a problem, but informing us about the cancellation beforehand by phone or email would have been nice, so we didn't have to waste our time and money to get out there
Response from Host, Aug 2025
A text message was sent out to everyone on the tour that day prior the tour time. Sometimes if the customer does not provide a good contact number or checks that number for text,or incorrectly enters it into the system during the reservation process, they do not get the text regarding the cancellation. We are sorry you did not get the text. We always provide refunds for our customers when a tour is cancelled if they can not reschedule.
Chadwick_N, Jul 2025
It was super fun my daughter and I had a great time! We saw a good bit of dolphins and it was beautiful. Our guides Parker and Sawyer were super friendly and informative! We would totally recommend this!
Sheila_D, Jul 2025
We saw lots of dolphins, even got to see an eagle perched on the pier. Worth the money enjoyed it alot. Good guides with Paul, Spence and Jay.
Stephen_L, Jul 2025
Great family adventure. The guides were great and know the area well. We are glad we did it, and recommend it for anyone.
Viviane_G, Jul 2025
The guys were a lot of fun. Took pictures for us and were very informative. We were well taken care of.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much!
Robert_T, Jul 2025
We saw one dolphin. Just one, the waves were awful due to weather and the trip should have just been canceled.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
atisfaction-we would have been happy to talk to you about the difficult variables we consider every day for our tours- Winds, current, tides and unpredictable weather and often incorrect weather reports! It’s a tough job to make the call and always get it right!!! Mother Nature is out of our control!! In regard to the dolphins, all of literature says we don’t guarantee seeing dolphins but do try our best to find them for you! Dolphins are wild animals and the ocean is not SeaWorld. We have a very high success rate of seeing them and our guides are trained to know where to look for them. But again…something we can’t control if from time to time we only see one or sometimes none! I do hope our guides were professional and knowledgable and I know they kept you safe on the water! A one star review is unfair when it’s things we can’t control and don’t promise. We did everything we could as a five star company to get you out there and hopefully find dolphins. I hope you will think about the impact a one star review has on a small business when you review someone for things because you are disappointed but not because they didn’t do a great job for you! And in the future I recommend just giving people a call to discuss your dissatisfaction before just hastily writing a bad review- you might be surprised how willing small businesses are to work with you!
Lauren_S, Jul 2025
Sawyer, our tour guide was incredibly patient and knowledgeable. We couldn’t find where the tour was, but he called right away and told us exactly where to find him. We saw a ton of dolphins! Would definitely book again!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your kind review! We really appreciate it!
Elzbieta_B, Jul 2025
Great tour. We were lucky to have a perfect weather and excellent guides. I went on the evening tour and there were so many dolphins
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you! We appreciate you taking the time to write this!
Kaitlyn_A, Jul 2025
The instructor did a wonderful job keeping the group together and telling us about the ocean and what’s in it. We were lucky enough to experience dolphins during our adventure. Thanks for the good time. (Make sure you bring water with you on the kayak- our one regret)
Alexandra_G, Jul 2025
Well organized, professional, informative, super fun!
Guides were informative, we saw dolphins, wildlife, and a gorgeous sunset.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much!
Patrice_W, Jul 2025
Experience was amazing! Only caught a glimpse of a a dolphin but got to see navy ships. Was well worth it and would recommend if you have time to go. Alec and Declan were extremely informative, patient, and a blast to hangout with!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much!
Coral_L, Jun 2025
When we arrived it was very foggy and choppy and the guys were great about explaining everything to us about what to expect and what not to expect. They offered us either a refund or reschedule but due to us leaving we chose the refund. Maybe next time we won’t wait until the end of the week to go. Live and learn.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for your feedback! We do always recommend booking a tour with us on the earlier side of your stay here in the event mother nature does not cooperate! Please come back and try again and I'm so happy you were able to get a refund!
Madison_W, Jun 2025
Alex did a very nice job taking us to the dolphins. Alex also knew a lot of facts and history about the bag we were on and the dolphins. We had a great time!
Robert_C, Jun 2025
Don't miss this tour! Beautiful and peaceful afternoon/evening paddle on the water. Saw lots of dolphins and many varieties of seabirds. Great commentary on sea life and local points of interest by our guide Brantley. Thanks also for the tips on local eateries!! Jake was super helpful and friendly. Tour leader and tour company office were well organized and also communicated effectively with participants. Don't miss this one while in Virginia Beach!
Donna_B, Jun 2025
I went on the Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tour on June 12th 2025, launching from First Landing State Park.
Jack and his team were brilliant guides—very knowledgeable and friendly. The paddle was surprisingly peaceful—slight chop but mellow enough, we saw several dolphin pods, pelicans and even a bald eagle! Throughly enjoyed this excursion and would highly recommend it if coming to Virginia Beach.
Rachel_K, May 2025
this was a fantastic day trip idea while we passed through on our travels. tour guides were great, super knowledgeable.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you so much!!!!
Rich_S, Oct 2024
This tour is fun for ALL ages and kayaking experience levels. Solo, friends, family, whatever!
I originally booked for the 5pm tour, but the day prior got asked if I wanted to move to the 9:30 am tour due to potential windy conditions in the evening. I was able to do so because of my schedule, but the flexibility and communication was outstanding!
Matt (owner) was extremely personable and welcoming. We did a quick pre-tour "class" on kayaking for those that may have never kayaked before. Matt was very good at staying on top of everyone location, but also keeping out for dolphin pods. We saw many pelican and other wildlife while kayaking out to where the dolphin pods tend to swim. We learned the dolphins process and how they live in the bay and ocean. Once we saw one pod, we started to see the dolphins in many numbers over the next 2 hours. It was an amazing experience to see the dolphins up close in their natural habitat.
We were on a roll with dolphin spotting, that we ended up running 30-45 minutes over the 2 hours and had "bonus" dolphin time and kayak time.
HIGHLY recommend this to anyone that loves dolphins or kayaking and I plan on doing it again for hopefully the sunset tour.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you!
Libby_S, Oct 2024
This kayak tour was such a great experience! We did not see any dolphins because the guides felt the area where the dolphins usually are was unsafe that day due to the winds/currents, so we kayaked through some rivers instead. However, we still had an awesome time and felt as though the cost was worth it. We saw some bald eagles too!
Our guide Jay was very knowledgeable about the area, including the plant and animal life, which he told us all about. On top of that, he was friendly and made sure we had a fun and safe kayaking experience. I would love to book again in the hopes of seeing dolphins next time!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you!!!!
Brian_D, Oct 2024
Excellent experience. Matt our tour guide communicated before the event with clear instructions as well as provided a wealth of information during the tour. We saw dolphins right away!!! Even if we didn’t see dolphins the experience of kayaking on the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay was enough. The dolphins were awesome for sure!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you!!!
Ashley_L, Oct 2024
We saw at least 20 dolphins very close to us. So close we could hear them breathing and smell their breath in the air. It was incredible- I would have paid double!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you!!!!!
June_A, Oct 2024
Matt was very organized and friendly and very excited to be doing this work. Even after all of these years! We felt safe in his care, it was everything that you would want in a kayak experience
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you!
From $68.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours
463
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$68.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do