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
533 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A trip worth taking
fairfield69,May 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful, educational and rewarding excursion with Captain Kevin. Kevin told us about the Osprey that inhabit the Goodland Marina area and how they migrated but will return to the same nest next year. We found a pod of dolphin swimming and enjoyed taking pictures of the dolphins swimming and jumping in the wake of Kevin’s boat. We then went shelling at a quiet island. I was so excited to find a sand dollar! My husband and I enjoyed Kevin’s knowledgeable comments about the homes and eco system that make up Marco Island. We definitely recommend this trip with Kevin when you are on Marco Island
5/5 Stars – An Unforgettable Morning on the Water!
Kristianne S,May 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We couldn’t have asked for a better experience on our dolphin, shelling, and birding tour. We took the 8:00 AM trip, and it turned out to be the perfect time for shelling—the beach on the tour was loaded with shells due to a SW wind.The highlight of the day was definitely the wildlife. We were lucky enough to spot a mother and baby dolphin right near the boat; seeing the little one nursing was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. To top it all off, we actually saw a manta ray leap completely out of the water! It was truly a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime sight.The crew was top-notch. Our Captain and the guides were incredibly knowledgeable, patiently answering every single question we had about the local ecosystem and the birds we spotted.The shelling lived up to the hype, too! We found some great treasures, and it was a nice touch that we were able to keep our shelling bags as a souvenir. With perfect weather and expert guides, this was a fantastic trip from start to finish. Highly recommended!
Joe was a great guide. He...
Sarah D,Apr 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Joe was a great guide. He was knowledgeable. Saw dolphins and found lots of shells. It was a wonderful experience
Dolphin and shelling tour
jeri s,Apr 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour with Captain Kevin and first mate Jewels. Highly recommended! They are informative. Had Dolphin sightings, great shelling
Whatever you’re looking for - this tour is it!
Liz P,Apr 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We booked this tour after scanning the multitude of options, and this tour became the highlight of our week in Marco Island. • Excellent communication from booking through post-tour follow-up. • Honored the time offered, even tho only 2 of us booked it, they just turned it into a private tour for 2! • Good boat safety, comfort, and sailing etiquette. • Listens to what customers are seeking and adapted the tour to give us what we had hoped for. • Above and beyond service and kindness. Our Trip - 11am (low tide) on a week day Two customers (aunt and neice) We wanted to see dolphins and birds, and were partial about the shelling. So Captain Kevin stopped at various bird sightings, and took us to where dolphins usually hang out at low tide. It ended up being phenomenal as a pod of dolphins were showing us ALL their antics. The dolphins do seem familiar with the captains and when he said “come on guys!” and started a wake in the water they were so excited to come play! They got super close before one of the pod who was further back, began breaching (jumping out of the water) and seemed to be calling the ones who had been porpoising behind the boat to go back. Captain Kevin kindly turned the boat around to lead them back to their family and then the pod seemed to set off for their lunch at a sandbar nearby. We went off to a barrier island and got to see Sandpipers and Black Skimmers and picked up a couple of stunning shells, but we wanted to see the dolphins again! Captain Kevin said he was pretty sure we could see them again, and set off back. Sure enough they had just left the sandbar and a couple other boats were enjoying seeing the pod. The three captains set about gently moving with the pod at respectful distances, as we watched a mama dolphin teaching its calf how to porpoise, while the older dolphins darted under and around, popping up very close to the boats to get the free ride on the wake. A pelican flew in to join the entourage, and it was just everything Florida promised to be! Absolutely the highlight of our visit to South West Florida!
Great time
karenkU6949QV,Apr 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very nice and friendly crew. Seeing the dolphins were amazing. Found lots of cool shells. Reasonable price. Could have been a bit longer. Great amount of people. Best for everyone, maybe not a wheel chair.
We saw tons of dolphins,...
Robbie B,Apr 12, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We saw tons of dolphins, birds, and found some cool shells. The water was beautiful and it was a good experience.
Knowledgeable captain...
Nathaniel M,Apr 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Knowledgeable captain that maximized the fun and educational factor by telling stories from his experience. Beautiful tour, a very playful dolphin, and some sweet shelling was seen.
Captain Kevin was a...
Kelly B,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Captain Kevin was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable and great with my kids! Next time we are in Marco we will definitely book again!
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.
From US$99.95
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Operated by Everglades Area Tours