Salty Sam's Marina
Salty Sam's Marina
4
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Founded in 1999 and family owned, Salty Sam's Waterfront Adventures is the home of Parrot Key Caribbean Grill, Big Game Waterfront Grill, Salty Sam's Marina, Salty Sam's Sight Sea-R, and Salty Sam's Pirate Cruise. The businesses of Salty Sam's have earned such prestigious regional awards such as Best Waterfront Dining since 2005, Best Marina Since 2004, Best Waterfront Attraction since 2009 and Small Business of the Year. We have boat rentals and charters, pirate cruises, sightseeing cruises, waterfront dining, a full service marina, 2 gift shops and an ice cream shop. Space is available on boat and/or in restaurants for a unique office or private party experience. Come out and enjoy your slice of paradise at Salty Sam's Waterfront Adventures!
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89 within 3 miles
Attractions
59 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Ann SAve Maria, Florida15 contributionsBoat RentalWe had such a fun day boating around the area and stopping for lunch at Cabbage Key. The staff and crew were very helpful and patient at Salty Sam’s. There were only two of us, but the boat could easily hold six. It was rather bare boned and old, but it ran well.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 9, 2023
- nursejackie83Tecumseh, Canada7 contributionsBest day of our vacation!Firstly, I must say that the front desk staff was amazing. They helped us in every way to plan. Our trip start to finish and we're incredible and accommodated all of our needs. The trip through the intercoastal to lovers key with our families was an incredible experience for all of us. We did see multiple dolphins, stingrays and waterfowl. I would say this was one of the best days during our vacation. this will not disappoint. I would also say it was an easy navigation!Visited February 2024Traveled with familyWritten February 17, 2024
- Mary DAbington, Massachusetts22 contributionsFun family timeFrom getting tickets on line to check in to the entire time on the pirate ship, the experience was fantastic! Crew was fun and personable. Lots of energy from the crew kept everyone happy. Lots of games and fun dancing kept the kids entertained. Perfect family outingVisited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 6, 2024
- Dennis H1 contributionGreat experienceSalty Sam's Marina provided an excellent experience for renting a boat. The process was smooth, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the boat itself was clean and well-maintained. Overall, it was a fantastic way to spend a day out on the water.Visited March 2024Traveled with friendsWritten March 16, 2024
- Bobby B3 contributionsA wonderful Father’s Day!Salty Sam’s rental made for a wonderful experience for Father’s Day. The boat made for a comfortable ride for the adults, kids and the puppies 🐶 The weather was cooperative and of course, fort Myers beach and the passes were beautiful! The management and staff was first rate and very easy to work with!!!Visited June 2024Traveled with familyWritten June 17, 2024
- Ramfamof7Pekin, Illinois17 contributionsJune 2024 cruiseWe took the dolphin cruise that they had to offer. Our Captain (Dan) and 1st mate (Steve) we wonderful about point out where the wildlife were. Dan taught the tour everything we needed to know about the ecosystem of the cove and how it was affected by Hurricane Ian. We got to see a couple of Manatees and about 10 dolphins. You can bring water/beverages but you can also buy it on the boat. They offer chips as snacks so eat before you head out. Oh…and bring that sunscreen! We will be back, hopefully soon, to do the Sunset cruise.Visited June 2024Traveled with familyWritten June 28, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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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
4.0
236 reviews
Excellent
140
Very good
36
Average
15
Poor
16
Terrible
29
Christine C
Cape Coral, FL29 contributions
Jul 2020
Very disappointed! I have rented kayaks from other companies before but this was my first time using Salty Sams. The young lady was pleasant enough when she checked us in. There was a $250 refundable deposit (in case of accidental damage) which I was fine with. My family of four went out for a half day rental which was 3 1/2 hours (don't you think it should be 4?) So we headed out and we ended up getting caught in a horrible thunderstorm. I have a smaller son that was crying and struggling with his kayak and I had no rope or way to toe him in. He is athletic enough to kayak the full route however not with this storm which was challenging even for adults. I kept hoping they would send a boat out to us to save this young family of 4 in a thunderstorm. NO HELP!!! It was a miracle that we were not flipped, both running us over, struck by lightning, etc. We were in that thunderstorm for 45 minutes. My daughter got back first and told them we needed a boat sent back to us which we were about 15 minutes behind her. They aggravatingly took their sweet time getting on a boat and by the time they came to help us we were already back. I was SO beyond disappointed with their not giving a crap about their customer's lives. It was an extremely scary experience to say the least. I will never go there again and will never recommend them to anyone.
When we checked out in the office (which you MUST do or you will not receive your refund for your accidentals deposit) She was so flustered and asked how was our experience, I replied it was fun until we got caught in the horrible thunderstorm! NO apologies, no condolences, nothing. She just said oh let me refund you your $1,000 then so you can get out of here. I did not even know they held $1,000 ($250 per kayak)
AWESOME. Shame on your all.
Also, read the review about the seats hurting your backs. Very true. These are cheap kayaks and we all had a bruised spine in the center of our backs the next day. So if you are going to use them, make sure to bring a cushion or something to put behind your back.
When we checked out in the office (which you MUST do or you will not receive your refund for your accidentals deposit) She was so flustered and asked how was our experience, I replied it was fun until we got caught in the horrible thunderstorm! NO apologies, no condolences, nothing. She just said oh let me refund you your $1,000 then so you can get out of here. I did not even know they held $1,000 ($250 per kayak)
AWESOME. Shame on your all.
Also, read the review about the seats hurting your backs. Very true. These are cheap kayaks and we all had a bruised spine in the center of our backs the next day. So if you are going to use them, make sure to bring a cushion or something to put behind your back.
Written July 20, 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.
Todd M
3 contributions
Jun 2022
We've rented pontoons yearly in Florida. Other marinas have contacted us when bad weather was approaching. This company unfortunately didn't. We had 5 children under 4. One being 6 months old. The boat had no GPS in place and gave us a laminated map as our "guide" for the day. The dock worker told us specifically the full canopy could stay up for the duration of our trip.
We left in plenty of time to arrive at Salty Sam's at our designated return time. A severe storm blew in when we were approximately a half hour away from the marina. The front canopy blew off and hit a passenger in the temple as he was trying to keep the screws that pulled out on the canopy from hitting the 6 month old baby in the head, Waves were 8-12 foot over the bow of the boat and the wind was approximately 20-30 MPH. The mothers and fathers were on the floor trying to protect the babies. The 3 teenagers were in tears. We were able to get the boat to a public beach area approximately 1 mile from the marina, following the guidelines in the rental contract to get to the nearest safe place. The company sent a single small man to drive the boat back. We had to take it upon our selves to recruit a few men to push the boat off the beach. The worker said it would take 10-15 minutes to return the boat. He made it back approximately an hour later due to the weather. To add insult to injury (two passengers were bleeding), they charged a late return fee. It took 20 minutes dealing with the canopy while not moving. They also charged $300 for the dock workers time. Lastly, The fuel gauge went from showing 1/2 to empty within a 5 minute span, making it all the more critical to land the boat where we did. The tank was not empty, the gauge was not functioning correctly. The only saving grace was the yellow shirt dock workers were pleasant.
We left in plenty of time to arrive at Salty Sam's at our designated return time. A severe storm blew in when we were approximately a half hour away from the marina. The front canopy blew off and hit a passenger in the temple as he was trying to keep the screws that pulled out on the canopy from hitting the 6 month old baby in the head, Waves were 8-12 foot over the bow of the boat and the wind was approximately 20-30 MPH. The mothers and fathers were on the floor trying to protect the babies. The 3 teenagers were in tears. We were able to get the boat to a public beach area approximately 1 mile from the marina, following the guidelines in the rental contract to get to the nearest safe place. The company sent a single small man to drive the boat back. We had to take it upon our selves to recruit a few men to push the boat off the beach. The worker said it would take 10-15 minutes to return the boat. He made it back approximately an hour later due to the weather. To add insult to injury (two passengers were bleeding), they charged a late return fee. It took 20 minutes dealing with the canopy while not moving. They also charged $300 for the dock workers time. Lastly, The fuel gauge went from showing 1/2 to empty within a 5 minute span, making it all the more critical to land the boat where we did. The tank was not empty, the gauge was not functioning correctly. The only saving grace was the yellow shirt dock workers were pleasant.
Written June 8, 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.
Thank you Todd, we are well aware of the situation with your boat rental. If you are a frequent boat renter in the area, you should know that summer storms pop up almost every day. Boaters should always have an eye on the weather and do their best to make sure the vessel and people are save. It's unfortunate that the bimini cover broke in the high winds but these things to happen and all our boats are inspected for the highest quality and safety. It was also unfortunate you abandoned the boat on the beach. We didn't see any other boats pushed up on the beach when we came out to save you and the boat. Again, we do apologize for any inconveniences and weather issues. Thank you.
Written June 13, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Anna
Orlando, FL5 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
We booked a 90 minute sunset cruise and got lucky enough to to get Captain David and First Mate Jeremy! There were storms coming in around Sanibel but they did a great job navigating us around it so we could enjoy the sunset and take in a pretty spectacular view of the storm rolling in.
It was my friends birthday and when they announced it the whole boat celebrated with us for the ride back in. Maybe it was just a fun group sailing, but the crew really set the tone and encouraged everyone to have fun. I’ll absolutely book again the next time I visit Ft. Myers beach.
It was my friends birthday and when they announced it the whole boat celebrated with us for the ride back in. Maybe it was just a fun group sailing, but the crew really set the tone and encouraged everyone to have fun. I’ll absolutely book again the next time I visit Ft. Myers beach.
Written September 18, 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.
Greg O
1 contribution
Jun 2022
We scheduled a dolphin sunset tour. The weather wasn’t looking great so I thought for sure the ride would be cancelled and rescheduled. After we left the dock we had to turn back because of reports of lightning within 7 miles. We waited a short time and then headed back out. Throughout the trip we saw lightning in the distance. We didn’t see a single fish or any dolphins. Which I know isn’t necessarily guaranteed. It was cloudy and so there was no sunset. I paid $$ for us to enjoy the area’s beautiful sunset and we were very disappointed. We should have been given the option to reschedule for another night.
Written June 12, 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.
Hello, we do apologize that you did not see the sunset or dolphins on your cruise. As you know we can not control the weather and make every effort to insure our guests have a great time and are safe. If the lightening stays away and it's not raining, we will go out because you never know if the weather will break open for a truly special sunset. Thank you again and we do hope to see you again in the future.
Written June 13, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Zach P
1 contribution
Mar 2020 • Family
We were on vacation in Cape Coral and planned activities to keep our young children entertained. After reading the reviews, Salty Sams pirate cruise was at the top of our list. We all enjoyed the cruise! Some highlights included the entertaining dolphins we watched jumping and swimming, the yummy adult drinks, the captains package for the kids, and the staff was very engaged and funny! Especially pick pocket Pete! My 3 children absolutely loved it and said it was their favorite activity from the trip! We recommend anyone visiting near Ft Myers with children to be sure to book this cruise!!
Written March 20, 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.
Jessica H
Fishers, IN4 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Jeremy and Teddy were absolutely amazing! They made this cruise so much fun, and even stopped to turn around to make sure everyone got to see the dolphin pod that happened to be near by as we were heading back. They were knowledgeable, kind, accommodating and most of all they were great with the kids! The shelling spot was pretty good considering we found some shells we’ve never seen before. The prices for drinks on the boat were really reasonable, and the weather was fantastic. We could not have asked for a better experience!
Written January 2, 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.
Ashley P
2 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Such a fun experience for adults and children! This was the first month they have been back in business since COVID shut them down and they did a wonderful job! They drew “scars” on the kids, taught them how to “sword” fight, and took them on a 3 part treasure hunt with dance parties and such in between. Such a great small business to support. Will definitely be back and would highly recommend!
They also have a bar for adult and regular drinks.
They also have a bar for adult and regular drinks.
Written July 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.
Bambam2621
New Lenox, IL4 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Rented a pontoon boat from Salty Sam’s and had a fantastic time! The service was extremely friendly and helpful and the prices are the best I found on Fort Myers Beach! Only things that needs improvement is quality of the boat. It was a little beat up and the cushions were torn, cracked, and very worn down. Still had a great experience and will DEFINITELY be renting from them again!!
Written August 3, 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.
Patrick L
1 contribution
Feb 2021 • Couples
Boat was in poor mechanical and physical condition. We had an all-day rental. The seats were moldy and the boat interior was not clean. We had to wipe down the interior of the boat with a chamois that an attendant loaned us. The steering was the big mechanical issue, when moving at over 15 mph you could hardly turn the boat. I've rented boats the last three years from different marinas in the area, this was the worst one. I think the rental cost was the same or higher than I've paid elsewhere. Looking at the overall condition, they should remove that boat from their fleet.
Written February 20, 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.
Floridahome
Fort Myers, FL3 contributions
Jun 2020
Speedometer and gas gage did not work. Throttle kept throttling back on its own. It is very dangerous to navigate in their channel during low tide. Staff could have been more helpful with new clients unfamiliar with the area by highlighting areas of concern with low water especially at low tide. They simply said stay within the markers. You can't navigate within the markers before the bridge during low tide. There is just inches of water there (12-14in). Be careful, if you run onto a sand bar and need help......the cost will surprise you! And, buying the $20 of insurance will not BAIL you out. WE will not be returning to Salty Sams.
Written July 2, 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.
I’ve been told that if the boat rental breaks down for what ever reason even if it’s not your fault you must pay for both towing and cost of repair. Is this really true ?
Written February 6, 2020
Is there any house boats to rent for the weekend?
Written February 5, 2017
Hello,
We do not rent out house boats here at our Marina. We offer pontoon, deck boat, and Pro-line Fishing boat rentals here at Salty Sam's. Thank you for reaching out.
Written February 7, 2017
Are there shady areas around the marina to enjoy a picnic lunch, prior (or after) to our boat tour?
Thanks!
Written May 9, 2015
We do have picnic tables that aren't really shaded close to the water, and we also have a little pavilion near the parking lot in front of the pirate store you can use! You will see it on the left hand side when you are going over the little bridge to check in and get your tickets. The staff in the store will also be able to show you where it is if you don't see it!
Written May 9, 2015
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