Marco Island Tours
Backwater Adventure's CraigCat Tours of the 10,000 Islands
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

Backwater Adventure's CraigCat Tours of the 10,000 Islands

By Backwater Adventure
Recommended by 97% of travelers
97% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 5-99, max of 11 per group
Duration: 90–150 minutes
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Written guide
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
: English
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  • Complimentary Cooler With Bottled Water and Ice
  • All USCG Required Equipment
  • Knowledgeable Tour Guide
  • Safety and Instruction Briefing prior to departure
What's not included
  • Required to drive! Boaters Certificate if born after Jan 1, 1988. It is not required if born before!


Start:
  • San Marco Marina, 604 E Palm Ave, Goodland, FL 34140, USA
    MUST arrive at least 30 minutes prior to tour time. Your tour departs AT your booked tour time.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 87912P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Must be 5 years of age or older to be a passenger. Must be 18 years of age or older with a valid drivers license to operate.
    • It is required that there is 2 people on each craft (excluding the guide boat). One person must ride with the guide for groups with an odd number of participants
    • Weight Limit is 250lbs per person (2 persons per boat) with no exceptions. This is not our policy but the weight capacity for the vessel. No refunds will be given to those who show up for their tour not meeting the vessel weight requirements.
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 87912P1

    From
    $130.00
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 604 E Palm Ave, Goodland, FL 34140, USA
      MUST arrive at least 30 minutes prior to tour time. Your tour departs AT your booked tour time.
    • Pass by
      Backwater Adventure Marco Island
      TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS NWR
      Marco Island
      Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Backwater Adventure
      1,120
      Goodland, Florida
      Joined in March 2012
    • Kossy1982
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Perfect plan
      Being out in a secluded paradise and the dolphin that played peek a boo with guide eric was absolutely fantastic dolphins all over the place and even coming up to the vessels , pay attention to the tutorial and you will be just fine and have a blast
      Written August 3, 2023
    • 802jennit
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun tour!
      This was the highlight of our Marco trip! Connor was a great guide, gave us all a quick tutorial for driving the CraigCats and then led us through the mangroves, stopping periodically to explain what we were seeing. I hadn’t realized that Irma had stripped all of the mangroves of their leaves when she hit - it was good to see so much regrowth, but you could still see some bare areas and it was definitely an education in the impact of hurricanes. The tour alternated between some slow cruising and some fun, fast-paced slaloming, my husband had a great time driving! He provided individual coolers with bottled water on each CraigCat, and he also stopped at an island about midway through the tour to give us a chance to walk around and enjoy the Gulf view. After the tour, we hopped off and went straight to lunch at Little Bar and had a great meal. Tips - Wear good sunscreen, and reapply! I was careful to wear mine, but still got too much sun since I forgot the reapply part. Pack light - there’s a small locker behind the seats to stash your things, but it’s pretty slim. Anything not in the locker will likely get pretty wet.
      Written May 9, 2021
    • videodude
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing Adventure You Must Do!
      Upon a recommendation from relatives, we tried this adventure eco-tour. The CRAIGCAT boats were a lot of fun to drive and our tour guide, Connor, was very knowledgeable about the area and wildlife. We went to a nice island beach for a break halfway through before returning to the marina. The whole experience was amazing, fun and we highly recommend it!
      Written April 30, 2021
    • TnTraveler122
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun afternoon
      We did the 2.5 hr Craig cat tour. It was definitely fun & something different! We were able to see several dolphins during our tour. The island you stop at was just ok...not good for shelling as some have indicated. Our tour guide recommended the little bar for lunch. We ate there as recommended, but regretted the decision. Worst meal we had in Marco.
      Written April 15, 2021
    • shawnqw
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Something new
      This is an outstanding activity to do while in south Florida. I highly encourage it! Shelling, driving like nascar on the water, dolphins, and much more. Truly all of us enjoyed it!!
      Written April 8, 2021
    • scottrC5485JQ
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Awesome
      As advertised. Great job by our tour guide Jason! Awesome adventure, saw a lot, learned a lot. Highly recommended activity, phenomenal value.
      Written January 15, 2021
    • ChrisRu69
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Highly Recommended
      Exceeded our expectations. Safe and fun. Our guide Conner was very personable and knowledgeable. You really get the chance to open up their CraigCats. It was like a go cart on the water. It was so calm we went out into the gulf a bit and back in the mangroves for some tight turns. We lucked out on the weather and the dolphins! Highly recommended.
      Written November 27, 2020
    • DuaneOmaha_NE
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Excellent Adventure
      We rented from Backwater Adventure and thanks to Jason had a great time. This is the second group we have brought to Jason and he never lets us down. Thanks
      Written October 2, 2020
    • cheryllU876YQ
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Totally Worth the Experience
      Awsome adventure. Totally fun and very educational. Connor did an awesome. This was one of our favorites the whole teip!
      Written September 2, 2020
    • Lance B
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      It's a great family adventure
      This is our second time with Backwater and had a great time. 2.5 plus hours, very well priced, equipment is in great shape and it's so much fun cruising around the mangroves and seeing the gulf. And there are 3 great fish restaurants right next door.
      Written January 19, 2020
    • Robert M
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Excellent, fun!
      Craig cats are awesome, you should try it. It's like a jet ski but you get to sit side by side with your riding companion Tyler did an excellent job of leading our tour. We were fortunate to have a swarm of dolphins around us which made it all that much more cool. Don't hesitate, DO IT.
      Written January 13, 2020
    • kyleeporter
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Craig cat tour
      This tour was a great experience! We drove around the 10,000 islands. We walked around the island and we also hung out with the dolphins for a while! Tyler was a great tour guide, he was very friendly and was very knowledge about the 10,000 islands! Very fun day!
      Written January 12, 2020
    • pepperchoc
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Loved Craigcat trip!!
      We had a fab trip with Tyler, our first Craigcat adventure! We are from the UK and not used to driving any kind of motorboat but these were very straight forward to handle and Tyler made sure everyone was always comfortable. We had some time with a small pod of dolphins swimming along and playing between the boats which was amazing to see so close! Definitely want to do that again!!
      Written January 5, 2020
    • Mark_Lynne_wi
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Craigcats & Dolphins!
      Thanks for another great afternoon. The dolphins were amazing! This was our third time out and we plan on doing it next trip again! Tyler is awesome. A great way to kick off 2020.
      Written January 2, 2020
    • Schumrf1
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fun time. But no wild life
      Tyler was a great guide. The craft were fun to ride and operate. We had a fun time skimming across the water at 30mph. Got to the barrier island and spent 30 minutes just enjoying the scenery and natural habitat that surrounded the island. Since we did not see any dolphins on the way out, Tyler took us on another route in search of the dolphins on our way back. We would do this again.
      Written November 12, 2019
    See all 1,120 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles604 reviews
    Excellent
    568
    Very good
    21
    Average
    6
    Poor
    3
    Terrible
    6

    John N
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2020 • Couples
    My girlfriend and I took the 1.5 hour guided tour with Joe. We showed up, met Joe, he gave us a rundown of the boat and the rules and then we were on our way. Joe is friendly, funny, personable, and immediately makes you feel comfortable and excited for the trip. He knows the waters like the back of his hand and knew exactly where to take us to see all the cool things the area has to offer. We even saw DOLPHINS!! He would stop to point out birds and fish and give us a little back story. Driving the boat was also super fun and felt extremely safe too. All im all great day, definitely recommend.
    Written March 1, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Dolly W
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2020 • Family
    This is an excellent trip. Our guide was so informative and so patient. We landed on a large pod of dolphins and he was very respectful of the dolphins and their habitat, while at the same time setting us up to have a wonderful, fun viewing. He told us great stories and my 26 year old son and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Our only regret was more members of our family had not come with us. Take this trip and book it early as the tours fill up.
    Written February 14, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    cmfjr
    The Villages, FL1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I’ve done a lot of Adventures around the world and this was among the best! Had a few emails confirming our reservation and gave great instructions and directions. Jason met us at the dock and introduced us to the CraigKats and what to expect for the morning. Our group consisted of 5 Katz with 2 aboard each. Went out in the Gulf where there were high waves. Jason checked for storms a couple of times and decided it was best to stay in and around the 10,000 islands. We saw several pods of dolphins which came right along the crafts. He pointed out several types of birds and explained that a few species was just coming back after a 3 year absence due to a hurricane. He took several pictures along the way and of each Kat and it’s occupants which will be sent to each participant, Free! Took us to an Island where we got out of the Kats and explored the Island. The Kats handle very well and hit speeds of 30 mph. Overall the experience was fantastic, couldn’t be better and Jason made it all happen. Thanks
    Written July 3, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Hannah G
    London, UK58 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We throughly enjoyed our 2.5 hours on the water, including a stop on White Horse Island. Our guide (Tyler) was fun yet professional and our safety and enjoyed we’re both very important to him. After a lesson in how to operate the Craig Cat we headed out onto the water. It was perfect as we started slowly then built up to eventually heading at full speed across stretches of water and through narrow mangrove waterways . Tyler managed to find us a number of small groups of dolphins over the experience and we got to watch the beautiful creatures up close and almost at their level. The stop on White Horse Island was the icing on the cake. It is a beautiful secluded island with sandy beaches and I found some intact empty shells (after hunting on other beaches to no avail).

    Hints for new by Craig Cat drivers on this experience - wear a swimming costume and sandals (rather than clothes and shoes) as you will get wet. A towel isn’t required (keep one in the car for when you return). Neither is water as you are given a cool box with a litre of water per person. Finally a hat is also pointless as it will blow off and the Craig Cat has a little canopy which can be pulled out to shade you.

    I would throughly recommend this experience as it’s really fun, is unique and is a great way to get out into the wilderness to find some great views and some wildlife to observe.
    Written June 23, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    wetravelandloveit
    Brandon6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020 • Friends
    Today we tried these boats for the first time and highly suggest everyone experience it . Going in doubles / of all ages you drive threw the 10,000 islands and what a fabulous time we had ! Enjoyed the private island free time but being two arms lengths away from three dolphins was the highlight - they came right up the the mini boats . The tour instructors were excellent and most accommodating- we come back to Marco in March and certainly will be going again - great opportunity to sightsee , suntan and see the wild life 👍👍👍
    Marci Crisanti
    Canada
    Written January 16, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Craig Q
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2020
    Our family of 4 enjoyed this trip very much. Right from the second we stepped on the dock, Conner bent over backwards to keep us informed and comfortable. We highly recommend this trip as it appeals to everyone from sites, to dolphins to nature to fun on the Craig Cats! Super great!
    Written July 6, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Wendy G
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2020
    This was so much fun! These boats are a lot of fun to drive and navigating through the 10,000 islands was a blast. Our whole family enjoyed it, including kids ages 8 and 13. We were looking for something different that was close to home and a safe option during social distancing. This is a great adventure in our own backyard! Captain Connor was fantastic, gave easy and clear instructions how to drive, was great with the kids and spent a lot of time talking about the backwaters. Highly recommend.
    Written July 4, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Odarkthirty
    Sarasota, FL540 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    My wife and I took this tour expecting a good time and we had a ball. Our guide was Eric and he had a fun sense of humor and was quite knowledgeable about the waters we were navigating. I’m not sure how many of the 10000 islands we saw because they all looked the same after a while. The boats handle very well (stable) and we felt safe piloting them thru the mangroves at fairly high (open throttle) speeds. I would recommend swimsuits and shoes that you don’t care if they get wet…because they will. Park by the puke green building and walk across to the right side of the restaurant across the street to the steps beyond the parking lot. This was a really good time for us and we will repeat the adventure in the future.
    Written July 5, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Joanna F
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2021
    We had an awesome time! Jason guided our group through so many waterways, spotting dolphins along the way and searching for manatees. Our island stop did not disappoint with amazing views and shelling. Jason shared his knowledge of the waterways, islands and wildlife and really made this excursion so fun. We would definitely do this again on our next visit. I highly recommend the 2 1/2 hour tour for maximum adventure and fun!
    Written May 24, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    AshleyAndRob
    Louisville, KY5 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2021 • Couples
    This was refunded as a boat went down and apparently they don’t have more available. I am not sure why they wouldn’t have more on hand as I can’t imagine this has happened prior. I was also told I was the last one to reserve even though I made my reservations weeks ago and could have made it for 4 people but only made it for 2 which should indicate I wasn’t the last one to make a reservation as there were still spots left the day I made it. Luckily I found another company that was able to accommodate and it was amazing.
    Written April 27, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Backwater Adventure's CraigCat Tours of the 10,000 Islands provided by Backwater Adventure

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