Searching for Dolphins and Manatees in Cape Coral, FL
Every year we take a trip down to Cape Coral, FL during February vacation and enjoy some sun and warm weather. We try and find different adventures while down there and this year we went on a Dolphin & Nature Cruise with Banana Bay Tour Company. L chose a “dolphins and ocean” theme for her birthday this year and so this was a fitting adventure for us!
The boat departs from Cape Harbour Marina on the Rum Runners restaurant side (we originally went to the other side where most of the boats are docked — until we looked at our tickets…). It’s a large pontoon type boat with a roof that provides some nice shade from the strong Florida sun.
There are padded bench seats, with many of them set around a table; this is perfect for when the kiddos start whining about needing a snack and drink… 🙂
We went on a lovely ride through a mangrove forest and even got to see some manatees right as the canal opened into the Gulf (see his nose sticking up??).
It was a bit windy when we went so the dolphin fins were a little harder to see because of the waves. However, Captain JR and his First Mate Dave were still able spot the dolphins and get us close enough to enjoy watching them fish!
As we were searching for the dolphins, Captain JR let the kiddos on the boat take turns driving.
L was the dolphin whisperer and we found a dolphin as soon as she took the helm!
Little Man just loved turning the steering wheel…Captain JR had to keep a close eye on this crazy driver!
This was certainly a fun way to spend the afternoon! This hour and a half cruise was the perfect amount of time for Little Man, however, there are also longer cruise options that include lunch, if you’re looking for a longer adventure. Make sure to buy your tickets in advance, though, as the cruises sell out; our boat was completely full!!
I hope that your family enjoys this adventure as much as mine did!
41 Comments
Tania Muthusamy
I love going dolphin spotting. It’s such a great activity to do with kids. The longer cruise option sounds like it might be worthwhile.
Katja (Tanlines & Tempeh)
Oh what a fun way to spend the day with your family! Sounds like a great time. It’s always so special to see dolphins!!
Melissa
It was so fun to see the excitement on the kiddos’ faces!
Patricija
Wow! What an amazing experience, especially for the kids!
Melissa
It was! It’s always great when you can sneak in a little learning, as well!
Karthika
Dolphins are such incredible creatures. It must be so much fun watching them swim and splash around.
Melissa
It was! It’s amazing to see how quickly they move in the wild, as well!
Katy Liang
What a cute adventure! Dolphins are such amazing creatures, I’d love to be able to go on a tour like this!
Melissa
Yes, dolphins are so fascinating! It is definitely something that we will do again!
Alison
I love this adventure! Searching for dolphins and manatees sounds like a perfect afternoon to me!
Melissa
It definitely was a fun one! I am sure that we will be doing it again!!
Carey
I would love to take my kids on a day trip to see dolphins and manates. Such a great learning experience.
Melissa
It definitely is a learning experience! The kiddos (and I!) learned all kinds of fun facts about the local animals, ecosystem, and marine wildlife!
Stacey Billingsley
What a cool experience! We did a similar one in St. Augustine, Florida. It’s so fun to see the dolphins swimming around!
Melissa
Fun!! It is certainly cool to see the dolphins!
Pam
what a wonderful excursion! I love dolphin spotting. We’ve tried to find manatees several times, but haven’t gotten lucky – yet!
Melissa
We lucked out on our tour! We had a hard time finding dolphins, so we were excited that we got to see some manatees!
kmf
How fun for families…and love that they let the kids drive. And super cool to search for marine life.
Melissa
Yes! The kiddos were so excited to drive; it was an unexpected bonus!
Lisa Manderino
This sounds like a perfect February vacation!
Melissa
It was definitely a fun one!
Tricia Snow
What a cool trip! I am excited to see the kids got to sit behind the wheel!
Melissa
They were so excited to drive the boat! It was a really fun touch to the cruise.
Leeanne
What a fun adventure. We also got to see dolphins on our whale watching tour but we’ve seen them from the shore when we were visiting a lighthouse in Maine. It was super cool to see them near the shore in Maine. It’s super cool that you got to see the Manatees. I’ve heard they are hard to find out in nature.
Melissa
We haven’t done a whale watching tour up here; it’s on our list to do for sure. We will have to keep an eye out for dolphins, as well!
Sara
We love visiting animals in their natural habitats when we travel. Looks like a fun time.
Melissa
It’s always a fun adventure and such a different experience than seeing them in a zoo, aquarium, etc.
Chantelle
What a fun day! We saw manatees in Belize, but I’ve never seen a dolphin! I would love to do this!
Melissa
That must have been a fun adventure in Belize!!
Cindy Mailhot
I love dolphins! What a great way to spend the day!
Melissa
It definitely was a fun afternoon!!
Missy
What time of year do you recommend visiting to avoid crowds? Or is it always a full boat?
Melissa
The boat company takes reservations, so I recommend doing that to ensure that you can get on. We went during school vacation week and were able to easily get reservations a few days before. The boat was full, but it doesn’t feel crowded!
Cindy
How fun! I live in the midwest. I need to visit the ocean more often. I love seeing sea creatures in the wild.
Melissa
I lived in Chicago for a few years and remember that the ocean always seemed more special when I got to visit it (vs always having access to it when living on the east coast!).
Eva Keller
What a fun adventure! I remember in college in the winter my school always offered day trips to Crystal River to swim with the manatees because that’s when we were able to see the most. I was just in Florida this past week and didn’t come across any manatees or dolphins this trip though.
Melissa
That must have been so fun to swim with the manatees! Hopefully you will be able to see dolphins next time you are in Florida!
Shirley
This article makes me want to pack my bags and visit Cape Coral! My dad and stepmom are pretty close to there too so it’s definitely a place I want to go to soon.
Melissa
You should! There are lots of fun things to do and some great restaurants, as well! I hope you make it down soon!
heather J jandrue
I would love to see dolphins. We did a dolphin tour in NC and saw nothing. LOL. They are such amazing animals.
Melissa
Bummer! Hopefully you will get a chance to see some on another tour!