Sarasota Bay Explorers
Sarasota Bay Explorers
5
Boat ToursEco ToursPrivate ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Looking for an exciting, hands-on, educational and FUN experience on the water? We've got it! We are located in beautiful Sarasota, Florida and work in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory to provide interactive marine science boat trips for both public and private use. We offer several types of eco-tours including our renowned Sea Life Encounter Cruise, Guided Kayak Tours, Nature Safari and private charters aboard the Miss Explorer. In addition to our regular cruises, you may charter a trip on one of our 40-foot pontoon boats for a private group. Private charters are available for anything from school field trips to company outings to birthday parties
Sarasota, Florida
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Sarasota Bay Explorers
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
388 reviews
Excellent
343
Very good
32
Average
6
Poor
4
Terrible
3
LWtravels20590
Alexandria, VA57 contributions
Apr 2021
We had scheduled the 4 pm trip and it was cancelled so it took some time for us to rearrange our schedule for the 1:30 trip. The morning trip was full so we had only one choice for the day we had available.
The ride was scenic on its own but having a biologist along made it memorable. I was pleasantly surprised for several reasons - they gave us a discount when we showed proof that we had already paid for Mote Aquarium tickets for the same day. The boat also stopped for a short time on a mangrove island and learned a lot. There is a head onboard and they sell bottles of water at a reasonable price. Not to mention the living sea creatures that we got to see and sometimes touch.
Great tour - tips are suggested and well deserved.
The ride was scenic on its own but having a biologist along made it memorable. I was pleasantly surprised for several reasons - they gave us a discount when we showed proof that we had already paid for Mote Aquarium tickets for the same day. The boat also stopped for a short time on a mangrove island and learned a lot. There is a head onboard and they sell bottles of water at a reasonable price. Not to mention the living sea creatures that we got to see and sometimes touch.
Great tour - tips are suggested and well deserved.
Written April 15, 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.
parkwaydb
Weaverville, NC53 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
We have taken many scenic and adventure cruises but this has to rate one of the best. For two hours our guide kept us mesmerized with the stories of the Bay and the wildlife that inhabits it. A must for young and old alike. She was ably assisted several other knowledgeable specialists and extremely competent boat operators.
Written March 30, 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.
Diane C
Russiaville, IN95 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
Took this in combo with Mote aquarium and this was highlight of whole day. Ashley and Chuck did a wonderful job of narrating and guiding and showed us lots of interesting things. Saw dolphins, lots of birds and marine life.
Written March 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.
Paula Gerwien
4 contributions
Apr 2021
We visited the MOTE (awesome in itself) and then took the 4pm tour with Jill as the biologist guide. How wonderful to have such a knowledgeable guide! We discussed the wildlife of the bay in depth. We stopped at an island with only boat access. Jill put out a net to capture life in the bay and told us about each critter she had caught! If you love nature, this tour is for you. It was also a great ride to see the homes around the bay. Snacks and bathroom available too. Great price, great tour! And with professional staff- it was perfect!!
Written May 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.
Ellen Holdredge
Syracuse, NY5 contributions
Feb 2023 • Family
The boat ride was so informative and educational! The biologists aboard did an amazing job of pointing out the dolphins, birds and vegetation, as well as telling about the marine life they netted during the trip. The sealife they caught was put in containers and passed around for everyone to get a close look. Was also fun seeing the homes of local celebrities on the bay, and seeing the draw bridge allowing a sailboat to pass through.
Written February 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.
caking2017
Toronto, Canada1 contribution
Mar 2020 • Friends
This was a wonderful way to spend part of a sunny day. Our captain, Chad, our marine biologist, Martha, and assistant, Chuck spared no effort to make us welcome, safe and well-informed. We saw dolphins, and many varieties of sea life and birds including the roseate spoonbill and enjoyed the beauties of Sarasota Bay. The hands on aspects of the trip make it a great experience for children. Highest recommendation!
Written March 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.
Netrails
3 contributions
Jul 2021 • Friends
We opted to take a Sunset Cruise and had a lovely evening with our Captain Joey and Biologist Jill. Joey grew up in the area and had great anecdotes to share about life in this area and out on the water. When the dolphins came swimming around, both Joey and Jill had interesting facts to share. The dolphins surfacing around the boat at sunset made for a beautiful cruise. We brought our own cold drinks and that was fine. There were some cold drinks and snacks available to purchase as well. Our boat did have a restroom and there was a one-person restroom available to use if needed right before the cruise. All in all a really wonderful experience!
Written July 9, 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.
Susan N
1 contribution
Jun 2022
Our marine biologist, Isabella, was a real stand out. She shared her knowledge of Sarasota Bay and it's wildlife in an entertaining and often humorous way. We all enjoyed being able to touch and examine the creatures pulled up in the net. This was a great tour!
Written June 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.
jksyoung
Bradenton, FL8 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
We took the Sea Life Encounter Cruise for the second time this year - both times Sky was our marine biologist and she is excellent! Her commentary is tailored to what we’re seeing and she is very inclusive of her audience. This time we were lucky enough to see lots of dolphins and several manatees, along with the other sea life she was able to pull up in her nets. This trip is great for the whole family - I’d say from age 3 up. The captain was also excellent and was willing to go a bit off-course & alter his schedule so we could watch the dolphins. We plan to include this trip on every itinerary for visiting friends and family!
Written November 25, 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.
Sharon O
Peoria, IL4 contributions
Jan 2020
My friend and I had a wonderful time on the Eco Boat tour. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We especially enjoyed learning so much from Taylor the biologist. We were a bit worried it would be unpleasant on the water due to strong winds - but we were comfortable the entire trip. We loved seeing native animals - especially dolphins and the lovely seahorse that was caught and released. I highly recommend this trip for anyone who wants to enjoy the scenery and learn a bit too.
Written January 10, 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.
Is the tour affected by the red tide? I would be bringing children and am concerned for reports of respiratory irritation associated with red tide
Written August 5, 2018
I am interested in the Palm Sola Bay Sunset Dolphin Cruise for two September 7th. Is this a cruise you offer? What type of boat is used? Is there a restroom on board the boat? Can you bring food, wine, etc?
Written July 14, 2016
Showing results 1-4 of 4