Marco Island 2 hour Dolphin, Birding and Shelling tour
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
You will be safely brought deep into the 10,000 Islands Wildlife Refuge for a two-hour interpretive tour of the area led by a Florida Master Naturalist. Depending on the season, you can expect to encounter manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, bald eagles, ospreys, herons, egrets, pelicans, rosette spoonbills, as well as, numerous species of fish and shore birds. You will visit an uninhabited barrier island where you can collect shells, sand dollars and other treasures!
Note: June through October, we suggest the morning experiences due to the weather.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Consisting of two parts, The Dolphin, Birding and Shelling Tour is a wonderful experience for the whole family and a great introduction to the area. First a dolphin tour to search for dolphins and wading birds on a naturalist-led boating tour. Then a shelling tour to explore an uninhabited barrier island. You will learn about island’s beach dynamics and collect some of the wonderful shells on these remote islands.
What‘s Included
We provide Captain and all necessary safety equipment.
Bags for your shells.
Bottled water
Gratuities
The Goodland Boat Park charges a $10 parking fee. FREE parking is available outside the gate.
Options
Marco Island 2 hour Dolphin, Birding and Shelling tour
Early Bird Special
Early Bird
Reviews
525 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great short shelling trip for families
Travelerpenny,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Captain Ed was great! The tour hour tour doesn't leave a ton of time for shelling, but it's a great length for kids. We had dolphins playing in our wake twice and they were great with our kids. Really nice time and appreciated the kids rate to make it more affordable for families.
10 Out of 10
319kimap,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very enjoyable trip with Captain Ryan who made sure we had a fantastic trip exploring the mangroves, the wildlife and the beautiful 10K islands. Will definitely go back again.
Wonderful boat trip experience.
BeachTraveler1968,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Great experience! It was foggy at our original reservation time but Captain Kevin rebooked us for a later time and Captain Joe and First Mate Jules were amazing hosts. We saw dolphins frolicking in the water between the mangroves. We saw amazing birds and finished our tour with finding sand dollars and seashells on a remote island. 100% recommend!
The tour was less than we...
Ron R,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00The tour was less than we expected for the price, and the boat captain was in a big hurry to rush us back to the starting point at 60 mph, while Ignoring our protests
Fun time on the water
Lisa M,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a chilly day but Ryan our captain was really great! We had a nice ride to the island and found some amazing shells. We saw a dolphin and he was able to get it to follow our wake for a while.
Can't Recommend ENOUGH!
Brittany L,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an OUTSTANDING experience. It's 2 hours so not an all day thing. We got the coolest dolphin experience and the shelling was so fun. Our captain did talk, but while enjoying the boat ride it was quiet, just the wind in your hair and the sound of the water! Literally could not have picked a better activity.
Highly Recommend
susanfM2432WI,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a fabulous time! Captain Kevin was very knowledgeable about the birds, the area and its history. We saw a pod of 6 dolphins and 4 of them followed our boat and played in the wake for a full 15 minutes. The shelling was great and we found 3 perfect sand dollars. Two hours was the perfect amount of time. Highly recommend.
Knuckles on Display
Dreamer745784,Mar 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Very knowledgeable staff Boat captain brought us around to view a few dolphins. Did get to see Knuckles a special one Parking can be an issue
Dolphins and seashells! A wonderful outing for families.
Nodaksnorkelers,Mar 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a fun educational experience for children and adults. We learned a lot about dolphins and the local birds. Hunting for seashells was fun and relaxing. Great memories were made!
Early morning on the water is wonderful
Pathfinder741170,Mar 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Captain K and Jules were excellent hosts and the birding, shelling, dolphin hunting was phenomenal. A wonderful trip!
From US$99.95
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
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Operated by Everglades Area Tours