Private Tour
Private Shelling and Dolphin Excursion
Overview
Available languages
2 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Our private excursion allows you to enjoy the beautiful waters of The 10,000 Islands without the crowds of tourists at a comparable price. Guest enjoy watching wild dolphins up close before stopping at secluded barrier islands covered in exotic sea shells. Expect to go home with buckets full of shells, the perfect souvenir for you and the family! Our private 2.5 hour trip is the perfect duration for families with kids as well as friends to experience The 10,000 Islands!
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
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
While experiencing the biggest mangrove forrest in the United States, guests can expect remote islands littered with shells, wild dolphins swimming by the boat, and learn all about the ecosystem and history of the area.
What‘s Included
Bottled water
Cooler filled with ice
Buckets and bags for your shells
Snacks
Parking fee is $10
Towels
Options
Sunset Excursion
Daily Excursions
Reviews
345 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Worth every penny!
andreamU2428YQ,,Feb 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the absolute BEST time on our private tour with Captain Matt. He was incredibly friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable. He was full of energy and enthusiasm and made our slightly chilly, cloudy day fantastic! The price point was great in comparison to other non-private tours, and we had plenty of time to putter on our hunt for shells. I would 100% recommend this tour to anyone asking!
Exceeded expectations by far for my whole family
tylero720,,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Best tour experience I could've taken for my family. Thank you so much Captain Matt!
Excellent Shelling Excursion
912cassandray,,Feb 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an excellent experience with Captain Matt. He was knowledgeable and provided us with an enjoyable experience that was both informative and relaxing. We found lots of shells and saw a few dolphins too!
Great excursion!
O4576VFrons,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great excursion! Matt was so enjoyable to be with and extremely knowledgeable. We collected beautiful shells and saw several dolphins.
Perfect for a family of five
Maija M,,Jan 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our family had such a wonderful experience. We have two teenagers and a toddler, and this trip had something for everyone! We saw two dolphins who swam and played in our wake for a long time. Captain Matt was such an awesome guide, who had tons of knowledge about the area and wildlife. He helped us pick out the best shells to take home. I highly recommend this trip for anyone, especially families with little ones.
A wonderful experience.
110prabhac,,Dec 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The trip was a lot of fun. Capt. Jeff, was really informative and explained the ecosystem that added to the value of the trip.
Great way to experience the area
E2475BYchristopherc,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was the experience we were looking for. Jeff was very knowledgeable of the area and an entertaining captain. Scenery was great and we had a lot of fun interacting with the dolphins as well as searching for sand dollars and other shells.
Absolutely sensational and unforgettable tour! Dolphins playing and splashing us! Sand dollars for days!
wagsba22,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Absolutely incredible boat day with Captain Jeff! We went on a 2.5 hour tour with our 2 young girls. Spent about an hour shelling and collecting tons of sand dollars and beautiful shells. Then had one of the most memorable experiences ever as we found a pod of fun dolphins and they were literally fully breaching out if the water behind our boat so close that they were splashing us! It was absolutely incredible. The weather was perfect. This boat day made our entire trip!! Thank you Jeff for giving us the best tour and for telling us the “truth” about pelicans :)
Excellent shelling trip
OddgeirEsk,,Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Awesome day on the water! Captain Matt is awesome and took us on a short detour to check out dolphins that were playing around our boat and jumping from the wake. The shelling was awesome, my wife really loved it! The 2.5 hour tour was perfect for us. Five stars and thumbs up! 100% recommendation!!!
Great Experience!
Kristin D,,Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing trip! We saw dolphins and birds. Kasey was informative! Nick communicated before so we were ready to go. He even recommended some great restaurants for us. Would highly recommend.
Related Experiences
Operated by Island Excursions