Good Natured River Tours
Good Natured River Tours
5
Full view
About
Your adventure takes you through part of Brevard County's estuary on the Indian River Lagoon and the Banana River. You will see bottled-nose dolphins, manatees, wild birds, with over 4,300 unique and localized plant species. The adventure is narrated on our day tours,by your U.S.C.G. Licensed Captain. We offer 2-hour trips, 6 days a week, all year round, as well as a Friday night Sunset Cruises(Sessonal),on tours you may bring an adult beverage,and take in the Indian River,sunsets tours are non-narrated tours. Hours:Tuesday through SAT 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm,Sunday 9am tour and some 12pm *Tour times are subject to change due to weather and/or number of riders. *Must have Reservation.please
Melbourne, Florida
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Good Natured River Tours
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravelers talk about
Contribute
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
778 reviews
Excellent
730
Very good
42
Average
4
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Mike T
Niagara Falls, NY416 contributions
Jan 2020
Found this company on-line and decided we needed a river cruise. When we called about a question we had to leave a message but they responded promptly.
We arrived at the check in and went on board the boat. There's some indoor seating, some rows in the back, covered but open on the sides as well as a viewing area up front.
Captain Bill, his wife Kelly and son Billy were so friendly and were really passionate about the river and making sure their guests were comfortable and could see the sights as they were pointed out.
On this morning a launch was scheduled from Cape Canaveral and Captain Bill took us into the Indian River to watch. It was spectacular!
As we cruised the Indian River and up into the Banana River we were told the history of the area as well as pointing out the wild life.
We saw a couple of dolphins on the way out,but it was on the way back when several more were spotted and Captain Bill made his way over to them. As he circled around, the dolphins joined in the fun and surfed in the boats wake. How cool!
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip and look forward to visiting again.
We arrived at the check in and went on board the boat. There's some indoor seating, some rows in the back, covered but open on the sides as well as a viewing area up front.
Captain Bill, his wife Kelly and son Billy were so friendly and were really passionate about the river and making sure their guests were comfortable and could see the sights as they were pointed out.
On this morning a launch was scheduled from Cape Canaveral and Captain Bill took us into the Indian River to watch. It was spectacular!
As we cruised the Indian River and up into the Banana River we were told the history of the area as well as pointing out the wild life.
We saw a couple of dolphins on the way out,but it was on the way back when several more were spotted and Captain Bill made his way over to them. As he circled around, the dolphins joined in the fun and surfed in the boats wake. How cool!
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip and look forward to visiting again.
Written January 30, 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.
Rosemary U
Maitland, FL38 contributions
Dec 2020
Kelly and Bill are delightful river tour guides. All the aspects of our tour were great. The onliner eservations were seamless and they even called to confirm the details. Everything ran on time. They are very professional and personable and made sure every detail was taken care of. We learned lots of interesting facts and saw a good bit of wildlife during the two hour ride. I would highly recommend this tour for locals or folks new to Brevard county.
Written January 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.
Thanks so much for your kind review!
Written May 14, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ty*
68 contributions
Oct 2020
Where do I start?? Boarding was easy and right on time. We were greeted to smiling faces and upbeat crew. We left right on time as well. We had an absolutely gorgeous day to be out on the boat!! The captain and crew are very knowledgeable of the entire area - from the history of the architecture, to storm damages throughout the years, to land usage (think Mango farms!) and even knowledgeable about resident Osprey and dolphins that come out to see the boat daily!! What more could you ask for? Well, I'll tell you - a captain and crew that are passionate about the river and its preservation (check), great conversation and energy from the crew (check), answers to any and all questions (check), clean, comfortable boat that's disinfected after each tour and the crew as well as passengers wear masks (check). They have it all. If you're looking for a place that makes you feel like family, takes the time to show you the things you want to see and gives you plenty of time to take photos, this is that place!! We'll go again, maybe for a sunset cruise this time! But we'll definitely be back!
Written October 15, 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.
Thank you so much for the review , we definitely love and are blessed to do what we do!
The estuary is a special place for sure, it never gets old, something new every day!
Capt.Bill & Kelley Reynolds
Written October 16, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sholix
Chicago, IL232 contributions
Jan 2022
wanted something to do while in orlando other than the crowded parks this was a 1 hr easy drive . the crew was great, boat roomy and spotless the ride was narrated very well showing local area well, boat was steady and snacks were for sale on board, we saw dolphins and we went during the cooler winter month, even saw a mother and calf. the captain and crew were wonderful, we even got a discount coupon for the restaurant at the dock. we will be here for a while and plan to take again. after tour and lunch we did a leisurely cruise down scenic highway A1A . shout out to captain and crew for a very relaxing and informative cruise
Written January 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.
Thanks for your kind words,its a great area for sure,we love what we do ,please join us again!
Written February 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Santa C
Longwood, FL26 contributions
Jan 2021 • Couples
Santa loved the trip - calm and relaxing after a long night of delivering toys around the world. Hope Mrs. Claus books the sunset cruise in the near future! Locals - consider this tour! We learned all kinds of special info we didn’t know and we live in Cocoa Beach. Much better than the local dolphin tours - we saw 30+ dolphins while out and those were before we took our gift cards into Grills and watched the Dolphins on the big screen. Well worth the cost. We will be back! Happy New Year from Beachside Santa
Written January 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.
Wow,thank you so much for review and hope to see ya on a sunset tour,our next one is June 5,2021.
We trully love teaching the guest about the area and the changes of the estuary!
Hope to see yall soon! Mrs.claue andMr.Claus
Written May 14, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
RetireWorldTraveller
Melbourne, FL103 contributions
Feb 2020
We have lived in Melbourne for 20 years and never took and Eco Tour with GN. Some friends from from Chicago were in and wanted to know all about this wonderful eco systen=m, the Indian River Lagoon.
Capt. Bill, Kelly and Bill Jr. are awesome! They are so knowledgeable and courteous. They maf=de us feel safe and comfy from the time we boarded. They had wonderful history of the native americans and earlty settlers to tell as well as in depth discussion of the all the wildlife.
And the highlight was when 1 mother bottle nose dolfin and her calf swam in the wake for almost 15 mins. jumping the waves and swimming gracefully through the water at 10+ MPH. We saw many others and a pod or two.
They knew right where to take us to see beautiful widlife.
These are true pros. Don't miss this tour.
Capt. Bill, Kelly and Bill Jr. are awesome! They are so knowledgeable and courteous. They maf=de us feel safe and comfy from the time we boarded. They had wonderful history of the native americans and earlty settlers to tell as well as in depth discussion of the all the wildlife.
And the highlight was when 1 mother bottle nose dolfin and her calf swam in the wake for almost 15 mins. jumping the waves and swimming gracefully through the water at 10+ MPH. We saw many others and a pod or two.
They knew right where to take us to see beautiful widlife.
These are true pros. Don't miss this tour.
Written February 12, 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.
Well thank you so much for kind words,well when the baby dolphins show up what a treat to see the,there so cute!This is why we must keep the water as clean! Its a a wonderful place !
Written May 14, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TimSamsTravelUSA
Viera, FL339 contributions
May 2020 • Couples
Family owned buisness and it shows. Mom, Dad and son operation. The 2 hour tour was really fun. I went on the first cruise to avoid the summer heat and possible afternoon rains.
Our Captain lead tour invloved a lot of History about the Indian River and Banana River systems. One of interesting things i learned was the river averaged 3-4 feet deep. The ICR was around 90 feet wide and 30 feet deep.
We hunted searays, dophins and other big fish to just to watch. It was fun running back and forth trying to find them.
The capitain talked about tree species as well as nesting birds. We even got to see peacocks on land.
One of things i enjoy is seeing the homes from the water verus a street. Its like peeking inside the back yard.
I got a big discount by using the App Groupon.
Once we checked in each person got a $5.00 coupon for the Grills Seafood resturant beside the dock. I encourage you to eat there. Great service staff and food.
Enjoy the Boat ride.
Tim Sams
#TimSamsTravelUSA
Live Life Today, Travel USA
Our Captain lead tour invloved a lot of History about the Indian River and Banana River systems. One of interesting things i learned was the river averaged 3-4 feet deep. The ICR was around 90 feet wide and 30 feet deep.
We hunted searays, dophins and other big fish to just to watch. It was fun running back and forth trying to find them.
The capitain talked about tree species as well as nesting birds. We even got to see peacocks on land.
One of things i enjoy is seeing the homes from the water verus a street. Its like peeking inside the back yard.
I got a big discount by using the App Groupon.
Once we checked in each person got a $5.00 coupon for the Grills Seafood resturant beside the dock. I encourage you to eat there. Great service staff and food.
Enjoy the Boat ride.
Tim Sams
#TimSamsTravelUSA
Live Life Today, Travel USA
Written June 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.
Travelinggrandma001
Orlando, FL450 contributions
Sep 2021
Very well organized. You go to one area, check in, get a wrist band then when it's time, you are given an assigned seat but only until we take off.
We sat in the back and had an awesome breeze. We saw several kinds of birds, lots of beautiful homes, some historic but the highlight was seeing several dolphins playing in different parts of the river. The captain would slow down the boat so we could get a good view and take pictures.
We sat in the back and had an awesome breeze. We saw several kinds of birds, lots of beautiful homes, some historic but the highlight was seeing several dolphins playing in different parts of the river. The captain would slow down the boat so we could get a good view and take pictures.
Written September 28, 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.
Rebecca K
1 contribution
Jun 2020 • Friends
This was absolutely INCREDIBLE!! The staff is super informative, kind and overall awesome people. We saw dolphins, great blue herons, manatees and more! The staff wore masks and even spaced out groups on the boat to ensure for social distancing. During our trip, they even took the time to reach in the river to remove a plastic bag. This really stood out to me and shows how much these people genuinely care about the wildlife they are showcasing. I highly recommend booking them!! They are such great people with so many great facts to share about the area and the wildlife. Kelly was so sweet and made sure we had a great time and really enjoyed our experience. I would love to come back and do it again!
Written June 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.
Wow, We love to read this because we really do love the estuary, we have to take care of it, we are visitors here and this is the their home not ours! We dip so much plastic out of the river and want others to do it also! It only takes a minute and you are saving all the wild life.Thanks
Written May 14, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
hcwbeds
bedfordshire75 contributions
May 2022
Was the best boat tour we'd been on. Captain was very knowledgeable and gave lots of information. His son also made sure we could see what his Dad was telling you about. Saw loads of dolphins! Osprey and blue herons. Th boat was old however we were told a new boat is being made and will be in use soon. Certainly would love a return visit if we manage to visit the use again. The grills next door served us a delicious meal would highly recommend both!
Written May 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.
I am here alone on a business trip and want to try this but can I purchase for myself only or do I need to have a group?
Written September 23, 2018
You may come out was one person or many people it does not matter accommodate you in any way. Thank you have a wonderful day.
Written September 25, 2018
Best deal is on Groupon you can get huge discounts for 2 or 4 people and a $5 gift certificate for Grills restaurant per person!. Grills is righ next to Boat.
Written August 28, 2017
I walk with a cane. Is the boat handicapped accessible?
Written April 17, 2017
Yes. Our vessel is built to be 100% handicap accessible. This includes the restroom and cabin.
Motorized wheelchairs or scooters are not permitted aboard per U.S.C.G due to weight restrictions.
Written April 17, 2017
sorry but I don't know. Being a dog owner I personally would not take my pet with me because I wouldn't want to be distracted and miss out on something trying to keep an eye on my pet. Also you move about on the boat to catch views of dolphins or manatees and I wouldn't want my pet to trip up anyone or accidentally get stepped on. just my personal opinion.
Written January 25, 2017
lindarash
Melbourne, Florida
My brother has an emotional support dog (5 lb small dog). Would the River Tour be advisable for us. Does the restaurant allow support dogs?
Written August 17, 2016
I would call them about that. The people that run it are wonderful & very accommodating. It is a very relaxing & enjoyable experience. If they don't answer when you call leave a message & they get back to you in a timely manner.
Written August 18, 2016
Where do the boats leave from ? We have late Monday afternoon and Tuesday and Wednesday all day. How much
does it cost and how do we book ?
Written July 25, 2016
It leaves from Grills (a restaurant) I got the tickets on groupon. You get lunch discount at grills via groupon.
Written August 6, 2016
What's the best time to see good stuff but not melt from the heat?
Written June 4, 2016
We saw a family of four dolphins on the morning tour. Lots of info on local homes. Fun trip and enjoyable time very well worth your time and money. Bring camera and binoculars if you can
Written June 4, 2016
I'd like to take a Brazilian family on this boat tour next Sunday, the 26th. Do I need to book it before? Where shoul we go to take the boat?
Written July 23, 2015
Take me, rapaz! Adorarei ir de novo. Sua familia vai adorar.
E tudo em ingles. Mas , sendo daqui, adorarei acompanhar sua familia. (Pagando minha parte , e claro .) Realmente, o passeio vale a pena. No Disney BS it´s all for real.)
Written August 18, 2015
Showing results 1-10 of 13