Matlacha Boating Adventures
Matlacha Boating Adventures
5
Boat ToursBoat RentalsDolphin & Whale WatchingSpeed Boats Tours
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Full view
About
Matlacha Boating Adventures offers unique boating experiences with cruises to Cabbage Key, Boca Grande, Cayo Casta, North Captiva Island, Pine Island Sound and Jug Creek. All our tours are nature cruises in dolphin and manatee habitat, and run by the owner of the business with personal attention, and local history and nature narration. We also offer the best Sunset Cruise in Southwest Florida! Pick up locations: Bokeelia (Jug Creek Marina) and Boca Grande (Pink Elephant), Florida.
Matlacha, Florida
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Matlacha Boating Adventures
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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
5.0
19 reviews
Excellent
19
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
R C
2 contributions
Dec 2021 • Friends
Captain Will was fabulous, although we truly missed Bunny, but the captain handled the boat exceptionally. He spoke of history of the land quite eloquently, in a very calm manner while driving the boat. He kept the passengers engaged with his knowledge and sense of humor. He loved the Fab 5 girls from Chicago! The boat was very clean and we will definitely be back for the nighttime cruise with Captain Will.
I definitely recommend Captain Will’s cruise to anyone looking for something different, with a little bit of history, and much humor.
I definitely recommend Captain Will’s cruise to anyone looking for something different, with a little bit of history, and much humor.
Written December 1, 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.
Jack S
Orleans, MA17 contributions
Feb 2022
My Son and Daughter in law surprised Mom on her birthday with this very fun adventure cruiseof Pine Island Sound out to Cabbage Key. Captain Will is a very experienced boater, even easily navigating when there was thick fog. He has a large hand bell that he rings when any other boats are near. He brought the boat carefully near two dolphins and showed us how they like to play in the wake next to the boat and we got pictures of them jumping over the wake. There also is a dolphin at the dock who was rescued from an injury and is a friendly visitor to the dock area. Will is an encyclopedia of Florida history and nature, telling us so many interesting stories as we passed many small islands on our way to Cabbage Key for a hike and drinks.
The boat is smooth riding, new looking and very clean. Bring cooler & lunch
The boat is smooth riding, new looking and very clean. Bring cooler & lunch
Written March 15, 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.
Beth B
Winthrop, MA33 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
Captain Will went over and above on our adventure! We took my 87 year old mom to go to Cabbage Key for lunch and it was effortless. Captain Will gave us great history of the surrounding islands as well as stopping for the playful dolphins. He navigated the waters with our safety foremost. We left at low tide and he maneuvered that vessel skillfully. I highly recommend this adventure and look forward to my next one!
Written January 27, 2024
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.
luggageinhand4
Cape Coral, FL105 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
This is the best! Captain Will is amazing! Kind, knowledgeable, friendly and loves what we does. He took us to Cabbage Key, had us seeing dolphins, a few stops to take photos on islands and so much more. I was hesitant to write a review as I don't want this secret about how great he is to get out. (Ha ha!) But I just had to share my rave review! Thank you Captain Will! We can't wait to join you again!
Written June 9, 2024
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.
Hobbesmom
Medford, NY8 contributions
Mar 2023
Captain Will made this one of the highlights of our trip to the area. Took a manatee cruise. We saw manatees and dolphins and great birds. Captain Will's local knowledge made the tour interesting, and it was fun learning the history of the area. We would definitely take another cruise with him again.
Written March 29, 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.
Tysplace99
1 contribution
Jan 2021
We took the cruise to Cabbage Key and had a wonderful lunch at the only restaurant on the island and it was GREAT! Captain Will was very knowledgeable about the history and nature in the area. It was only our small group of 3 which made the trip a very personal experience. I would highly recommended a trip with Captain Will.
Written January 23, 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.
Stephanie S
Davenport, IA9 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
Captain Will is one of the best captains we have ever been with. His knowledge of the area as well wild life is amazing and very entertaining. He takes his time to explain things while out driving around. He took us to Cabbage Key and then pelican bay .
We highly recommend him and we can’t wait to do it again.
We highly recommend him and we can’t wait to do it again.
Written October 31, 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.
Kelcub S
Hampshire, IL9 contributions
Jan 2023
We cannot emphasize enough how great Captain Will has been for us because of his knowledge, manner, humor, and flexibility. And very entertaining in a most professional way. We enjoyed our Cabbage Key trip (to and from Bokeelia) so much that two weeks later we returned with some of our friends. Totally wonderful in EVERY way, and looking forward to booking again in the future. A+++
Written January 18, 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.
Shdeyo
Saint Paul, MN3 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
We had the best time! Our goal was for our grandchildren to see dolphins and manatee in the wild. We saw both! Then we spent hours on Caya Costa shelling and swimming. It was the highlight of our trip to Florida. Looking forward to it next year.
Written March 26, 2024
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.
inisp6062
Lafayette, IN15 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Without a doubt... THE BEST TIME I'VE EVER HAD ON THE WATER - Bar None! Captain Will delivered as promised and we had the most enjoyable afternoon at the absolute best value of any excursion in ALL OF FLORIDA!
Our family of four went out with the good Captain and his sister boat with Captain Chris and headed over to Coya Costa - Do NOT MISS THE MYSTERY BEACH - There is nothing like being the only souls on miles of beach in the pristine aqua-green waters of the Gulf. We also cruised a secluded bay filled with Manatee and saw nesting Osprey for the first part of the trip. All the time filled with little tid-bits of history and stories about the islands and wildlife. The short walk to the beach reminded you or an episode of Gilligan's Island or Survivor but to dip in the gulf water in early Spring weather with the feeling of secluded luxury was worth every single penny.
We then journeyed to Cabbage Key and had a stop at the famous restaurant for some "ON-Point" and fresh Stone Crab followed by an excellent Cheeseburger that may or may not have inspired you-know-who to pen a famous song about such carnivorous habits..... That was topped off by the tangiest frozen Key-Lime pit and a few scoops of ice cream from the local creamery.
The trip back to Pine Island and Captain Will's tailgate office found us enjoying the nostalgic views and gorgeous homes of Useppa Island followed by Dolphin views and then then twenty minutes of the dolphin pod ridding the wake of our vessel. We could not have imagined how exciting, fun, and memorable this excursion was. Without a doubt, at the prices he charged, no other ferry, tour, or excursion gives you half as much for the money on the Florida coast.
This little operation is highly recommended and I'm not easy to please. Another couple of two adults shared he boat with us and they were blown away too with words of praise and plans to repeat the trip again.
As a tip, arrive early and check out the fish market. If you're lucky, Uno or Lefty as Captain Will calls him will be begging for fish at the back of the dock by the fish market. The wild dolphin was sheer joy to watch as were were literally inches away from him as he waited on a fish or two from the fleet dropping their catch at the market. We could have watched the huge bottle-nose dolphin for hours. That alone was a high-light worthy calling it a day but our entire journey defied expectations.
I can not recommend Captain Will & Company from Matlacha Boating Adventures. Support a Veteran Owned Business and enjoy an unforgettable trip around Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. This excursion made our trip a memory to cherish! Dollar for dollar - the most fun I've ever had in Flordia. AMAZING!
Thanks Captain Will for an unprecedented time on the water!!!
If you book elsewhere, you won't have as much fun and you'll pay too much!
Our family of four went out with the good Captain and his sister boat with Captain Chris and headed over to Coya Costa - Do NOT MISS THE MYSTERY BEACH - There is nothing like being the only souls on miles of beach in the pristine aqua-green waters of the Gulf. We also cruised a secluded bay filled with Manatee and saw nesting Osprey for the first part of the trip. All the time filled with little tid-bits of history and stories about the islands and wildlife. The short walk to the beach reminded you or an episode of Gilligan's Island or Survivor but to dip in the gulf water in early Spring weather with the feeling of secluded luxury was worth every single penny.
We then journeyed to Cabbage Key and had a stop at the famous restaurant for some "ON-Point" and fresh Stone Crab followed by an excellent Cheeseburger that may or may not have inspired you-know-who to pen a famous song about such carnivorous habits..... That was topped off by the tangiest frozen Key-Lime pit and a few scoops of ice cream from the local creamery.
The trip back to Pine Island and Captain Will's tailgate office found us enjoying the nostalgic views and gorgeous homes of Useppa Island followed by Dolphin views and then then twenty minutes of the dolphin pod ridding the wake of our vessel. We could not have imagined how exciting, fun, and memorable this excursion was. Without a doubt, at the prices he charged, no other ferry, tour, or excursion gives you half as much for the money on the Florida coast.
This little operation is highly recommended and I'm not easy to please. Another couple of two adults shared he boat with us and they were blown away too with words of praise and plans to repeat the trip again.
As a tip, arrive early and check out the fish market. If you're lucky, Uno or Lefty as Captain Will calls him will be begging for fish at the back of the dock by the fish market. The wild dolphin was sheer joy to watch as were were literally inches away from him as he waited on a fish or two from the fleet dropping their catch at the market. We could have watched the huge bottle-nose dolphin for hours. That alone was a high-light worthy calling it a day but our entire journey defied expectations.
I can not recommend Captain Will & Company from Matlacha Boating Adventures. Support a Veteran Owned Business and enjoy an unforgettable trip around Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. This excursion made our trip a memory to cherish! Dollar for dollar - the most fun I've ever had in Flordia. AMAZING!
Thanks Captain Will for an unprecedented time on the water!!!
If you book elsewhere, you won't have as much fun and you'll pay too much!
Written March 26, 2024
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.