Fins to Feathers
Fins to Feathers
5
Boat ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
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About
SMALL GROUP DOLPHIN TOURS Fins to Feathers is committed to education and conservation through experiential learning. We create the experience of observing wild and free bottle nose dolphins in the Lower Laguna Madre Bay. We have been using the Laguna Skimmer, our 35' Catamaran to provide this service for 18 years and the dolphins know and love us….
South Padre Island, Texas
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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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
616 reviews
Excellent
597
Very good
8
Average
3
Poor
4
Terrible
4
akacrow
Plano, TX21 contributions
Jul 2020
I found F2F on the VisitSPI website and what a great find. We looked at the website and decided to book both the Bird-centric and the Dolphin-centric cruises for 2.5 hours each (at 0900) on different days to fit our schedule. The small group size (ours was a family of 4) made it a lot more attractive to us not only due to the current situation (COVID-19) but felt that the small craft would make it more likely we could see more cool animals. The booking far exceeded our expectations. The Captain/Guide was outstanding. Personable, informative and had a broad range of knowledge of the area and the subject at hand. Its a free flowing tour (not stock) and he adjusts to the situation and answers any and all of your questions. With the small group, the ship was roomy and able to get into areas the larger vessels couldn't which was a huge plus. Long review short, great find with a great Captain and we saw a broad range of animals throughout both days of tours. I couldn't rate this any higher than 5 or I would. My thanks to F2F for the great start to our vacation. The directions on the emails are a HUGE help so thanks for that F2F.
Written July 7, 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.
smctlc
Tecumseh, MI94 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
We took the 6 PM 2.5 hour bird and dolphin tour and it did not disappoint! The knowledge of our captian was outstanding and we dubbed him the dolphin whisperer! He truly loves and cares for every aspect of the wildlife we encountered. Dolphins and birds a plenty! I cannot wait to sift through all the photos I took. I would highly recommend this over the large boats that hold 30+ passengers. Our boat held six people and we were able to go into places the other boats didn't. I cannot say enough positive about this adventure. I would go again and I rarely say that about a tour! Many thanks for the highlight of my trip!
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.
Go541441
South Padre Island, TX2 contributions
Feb 2020
Six of us enjoyed a fantastic experience on Fins to Feathers dolphin trip the end of February. When we started the trip at 9:00 A.M. it was raining lightly. The water was calm and the dolphins were near by and active. The fins to feather boat was very comfortable and we all stayed dry. Shortly after we started the rain let up and we continued on to see Rosette Spoonbills, Night Herons, Great Blue Herons, Belted Kingfisher, Osprey, Longed Billed Curlew and many other species. A wonderful trip for all, even our dog enjoyed it.
Written February 28, 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.
Audra G
Katy, TX3 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
We had such an amazing time on our 2.5 hour trip. Captain Paul was so inviting, knowledgeable, and kind. Because it was just me, my husband, and 4.5 year old we didn’t have to worry about social distancing like you would with large charters. He really has an instinct for finding wildlife, and that has to do with the respect and care he has for all living things in the water. The trip was geared towards our interests (let’s be real, the kid’s interest) and we saw dolphins, baby dolphins, birds on the nesting island and a sea turtle! He was also great with our rambunctious kiddo and making sure she was safe. We highly suggest touring with Fins 2 Feathers. We are so glad we booked with him. There’s a 4 person minimum, but even though we are a family of 3 it was so worth it to have our own private tour with a sense of security with just having us on board. When we come back to Padre, we will be back!
Written June 27, 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.
Cremar Family
2 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
My family and I enjoyed this tour and would opt to do it again. We’ve done a tour on a large boat before with many guests, but this was SO much better! You can’t beat the experience you get with a group of no more than six people. Captain Paul knew just where to find the dolphins, and they didn’t shy away from him or his boat. They stayed during the entirety of our visit with them and would come right up to the boat! They aren’t trained dolphins, so you can hope to see them jump out of the water, but don’t be disappointed if they don’t. Captain Paul is also quite knowledgeable about the various birds you also see along the way, which is nice to hear while you make your small journey to reach the dolphins. I would definitely recommend Fins to Feathers and Captain Paul. :)
Written June 17, 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.
Arianne S
1 contribution
Aug 2020
This was the best boat tour our group had ever experienced. Captain Paul is running a great business that allows you to learn about the coast from a local. He does not just give a monotonous spiel every time, yet he makes it exciting and personalized to each group. It was an amazing opportunity to experience the wildlife and learn about the important sites of South Padre. We went on the 2.5 hour dolphin tour around noon and will definitely go again next time we visit!
Written August 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.
Sue M
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Friends
We went on a tour today, 2-12-20. It was very cold out, we could sit in the enclosed cabin so it was more comfortable than it could have been. It is a tour for max of six people, that was nice too. We had a great time, saw some dolphins, the dolphins seemed to like our captain. It was a fun trip even with the weather. Well worth it, great experience.
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.
R B
24 contributions
Aug 2021
Great family tour, yes you pay more but it is only a maximum of six people and you have the whole boat to yourself. Guide was knowledgeable and friendly with kids. Saw plenty of dolphins with up-close opportunities for pictures. Would recommend spending the extra cash and booking this tour if you really want to relax and enjoy your time.
Written August 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.
Lynne P
South Padre Island, TX219 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
We had taken a dolphin cruise a few years ago but it was one with a lot of people charging from one side of the boat to the other. We chose Fin to Feathers this year in order to have our own private cruise especially because of the need for social distancing. Just the 6 of us and Captain Paul - absolutely delightful. Saw a lot of dolphins and their babies surfacing right by our boat. We basically just stayed quietly in a small area and watched them swim all around us We also learned lots of information about the area, the birds and shrimping. Great fun and the price was great. Paid as much to be crammed into one of the other boats a few years ago.
Written July 21, 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.
Amanda Sunderland
5 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
We booked this excursion not knowing what to expect, but it promised a view and a small group size so we went for it. It was by far the most memorable experience from our time on the island! Captain Paul was knowledgeable and chill, and it made for a comfortable and enlightening tour. He gave us so much information about the island, commerce, history, and local wildlife that we likely wouldn’t have gotten on other tours. We passed another boat just PACKED with passengers craning to see around each and we knew we made the perfect choice! The dolphins seemed to have a relationship with him, and came right up to the boat, giving us ample opportunity for videos and pictures. This was an experience I HIGHLY recommend for anyone visiting the island; affordable, personal, and packed with memories!
Written January 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.
Is there a better time of day to book our tour? Mornings or afternoons? Thanks!
Written November 28, 2018
Yes we can. We have a lot of bigger groups that don’t want to take the big boats with 90+ people. Feel free to give me a call to discuss options.
(956) 299-0629. Heather Lacy
Fins to Feathers
Written July 7, 2018
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