Destin Dolphin Cruises

What better way to spend an evening than on a romantic Destin dolphin cruise?  There are cruises available for families, couples, partiers and nature enthusiasts alike. 

You can travel by pontoon boat, large commercial boat, sail boat or even on a waverunner (my personal favorite!). 

These tours generally do not guarantee sightings but have very high success rates.  I've been on about 4 tours myself and have always spotted as least one school. There are bottlenose schools that constantly swim just outside the Destin Pass so it's VERY likely you're see at least one!

Be sure to make reservations in advance and we recommend that you follow up to be sure the day before as well.  Holiday weekends are a must and be sure to book early.   

Many of the tours last about two hours and are priced very reasonably ($20-30). 

While dophins are the main attraction for many of these Destin cruises, you will also see a large variety of other wildlife such as stingrays, rare birds and other sea mammals depending on your luck! 

Some of the reputable Dolphin Cruise companies include:

Gilligans Watersports - http://www.gilligansofdestin.com

Offering daily tours from 9-11am, $100 per waverunner

Harbor Watersports - http://www.harborwatersports.com/ 

$100 per waverunner that can hold up to three people.

Seablaster Destin - http://www.seablasterdestin.com

The famous Seablaster runs two tours daily, one at 1pm and the other at 3:30PM.  The Seablaster is notorious for fun and comes highly recommended!

Olin Marler Dolphin Cruises - http://www.olinmarlercharterboats.com/

**Please note, these cruises have stopped for the season as they've been contracted by BP to help with the oil spill clean up efforts.  Look for them again in 2011. 

 Boogies Watersports - http://www.boogieswatersports.com 

5 tours daily and $105 per waverunner

Explore the Bay without a Tour

If you are the more independent type, then perhaps exploring the Destin Harbor and bay without a tour is more your thing.  Rent a waverunner for an hour and just follow the tour groups around or just ask where to find dolphins.  I routinely see them when out on the water and even from the shore around dusk. 

Renting a waverunner also allows the freedom to check out the various snorkel spots in and around the east pass.  Just look for one of the many snorkel boats and follow them to the spot.  The beaches that the tours take the tourists are simply public beach access areas that are not hugely advertised.  You can also ask the workers down on the dock and they'll tell you all the popular spots. 

Also be sure to ask about Crab Island and pay that a visit if you're on a Waverunner.  While dolphins might not be partying with these folks, it's a great place to stop in and see what all the hype is about! 

A dolphin cruise in Destin is certainly an experience that has to be done once.  It's something that your kids will remember for a very long time and is well worth the $25.