The Dolphin Explorer

March 2026 We had an absolutely incredible experience with Dolphin Explorer on Marco Island. Our master naturalist James was fantastic. He was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and clearly passionate about the dolphins and the ecosystem of the Ten Thousand Islands. We saw 35 individual dolphins, and honestly it felt like they were with us the entire trip. Many of them rode the wake of the boat and we had constant sightings throughout the tour. James did a great job explaining how they identify each dolphin and sharing insights about their behavior and social groups. The most unforgettable moment was when we actually saw the fin of a huge hammerhead shark chasing a tarpon, and the tarpon leapt out of the water trying to escape — something straight out of a nature documentary. This tour was the highlight of our time in Marco Island. If you love wildlife, marine biology, or just being out on the water, this is an absolute must-do. Highly recommend!

March 2026 This was THE highlight of our trip to the Naples area of Florida. Because of their knowledge the crew was able to go directly to the points where we were pretty sure we'd see dolphins and they were right! We saw 31 that they could identify and 4 that looked to be visiting (for lack of a better term). This is a must-see adventure. Great experience for the kiddo's too! They are a privately funded Eco tour funded by all of us who attend their outings. Pass the word! (I have zero pictures as I took all videos)

March 2026 Wow this expierence is amazing! I've done a ton of excursions both in the US and abroad and the dolphin explorer is definitely at the top of the list! We saw so many dolphins and lots of other wildlife too. All the staff is very knowledgeable and kind. The shelling beach is fantastic and we got so many cool ones, including a few sand dollars. This expierence is very family and kid friendly. Love the workbook they give the kids to help track the animals, and my daughter was really excited about the badge she got at the end. Not to mention this tour is very eco-concious as they dont chum the water or do anything to entice the dolphins. You really are watching them as they naturally behave. Can't recommend enough!

March 2026 Definitely recommend! We had one day to take a tour and looked at all the local options and so glad we chose dolphin explorer. Very nice and knowledgeable staff, we got to see 11 different dolphins (including a 5mo old!) and this boat ride was for sure a highlight of our vacation. The large pontoon open air style boat is mostly covered overhead so you aren’t baking in the sun but has an open front for those wanting full sun. It’s spacious so you can easily move around the boat to see everything. You can tell this crew loves their job and respects the animals. Bonus was the shelling stop. If we came back we would certainly book this tour again.

Feb 2026 This was my 8th trip on the Dolphin Explorer and I'm not CLOSE to being the person who has gone the highest # of times. It's such a treat to see the dolphins and birds and we had a beautiful day for it. As Naturalist Bob explained, this company gets no outside funding and is run entirely on the purchase of tickets....yet this is, as far as I can see, the least expensive of the dolphin tours on Marco AND has a great boat with a head and a cooler full of free ice cold bottled water. Bob is a Master Naturalist and our boat Captain Eddie has a PhD in marine studies, PLUS they're affiliated with the National Geographic. It includes a stop at the beach for some shelling, a free shelling bag to bring home your treasures, AND a photo of your group that Bob takes on the beach and then prints ON THE WAY IN, giving each person a picture of their group and a good picture of one of the dolphins. This has been an ongoing study over the past 15-20 yrs and the individual dolphins are identifiable plus Bob can tell you who is whose friend, baby, grandma, etc. Anyway, I love to take visitors on this trip because no one is EVER anything less than really happy about going....even kids!

Feb. 2026 Fantastic tour. We saw a total of 12 dolphins. Bob was a great knowledgeable tour guide. Eddie is a fine captain with incredible boating talent. They are both a 10. Thank you

Fe. 2026 Love this tour - second time around. welcoming, knowlegable, interesting, fun captain and tour guide. professional , passionate and committed to wildlife well being. captain eddy and tour guide james were excellent. dont hesitate , book and enjoy

Feb. 2026 Fantastic. The trip was exactly the right length for our 6 year old. We learned a lot about the dolphins and other marine around Marco Island. The information was interesting for us but also understandable for our son. The admission fee was perfectly reasonable for the experience. It was neat to help support such an important research project. Not only did we see 22 dolphins, but at two different points the dolphins chased the boat we were on jumping out of the water and playing in the wake. Everyone on board was captivated. The shelling expedition at the end was great. It was nice after being on the boat for about 2 hours to get off, walk around and search for shells. The beach we landed on had plenty of shells to collect. We will be back next year and look forward to going out on another expedition!

Feb. 2026 Dolphin Explorer never disappoints us! The staff is so knowledgeable and friendly, and the dolphins were wonderful to watch. Our shelling time was really fruitful and we came back with lots of gorgeous shells. This is a boat tour I highly recommend no matter if you're 3 years old or 90 years old

Jan. 2026 This was one of the better dolphin tours we have been on anywhere, and we have been on quite a few. Bob and James really know all about dolphins. It was so cool to learn the names of the males, grand mommas, momma's, babies and the dates so many of them were born. This is a private 501c3 group that has operated for 20 years, sharing their collected info with other dolphin study groups around the world, operating on donations and the fees from the boat tour. It was great fun helping them spot the dolphins. The shell collecting at Tiger Tail beach was also amazing. Oh! and the price of the tour is super reasonable. The boat goes out to collect information 2 times a day.