Key Preserve

Our 3hr Shell Key Shelling Trip is offered from Hubbard’s Marina inside Johns Pass and offers around one hour on the island exploring and shelling with around an hour ride down the back protected bay waters on a relaxing, safe, and fun trip onboard the HUB Cat 49. On the ride back to Johns Pass, we will cruise up our beautiful gulf beaches when weather allows, if it’s a little bumpy the ride back will also be in the back protected bay waters. We will often spot dolphins, seabirds, manatees and other wildlife on the ride out and back!

Adventure through Shell Key Preserve in your 100% clear kayak! See crystal-clear water, diverse marine life, and the underwater world below your clear kayak. You’ll paddle along mangroves, enjoy white sand beaches and sandbars, and explore a secluded beach. If the tide is high, your guide will lead the way through a hidden mangrove tunnel. Shell Key Preserve is located in Tierra Verde, FL near St. Pete Beach in the Tampa Bay area. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, manatees, pelicans, crabs, and more while enjoying the preserve’s picturesque mangroves, beaches, and sandbars. Be on the lookout for a manatee or the beautiful pink Roseate Spoonbills in the summer months. White Pelicans call the sandbars of Shell Key Preserve their home during the winter months! Throughout the year, dolphins frolic in the crystal-clear waters and cormorants love to swim alongside your kayak. Chances are that you’ll see a variety of wildlife, but sightings are random and not guaranteed.

Join Coastal Kayak Charters for a small group guided kayak tour of the Shell Key Preserve. We are St Pete's top rated kayak tour company and focus exclusively on small groups and private tours. Our trips offer more personalized service and better wildlife viewing opportunities while out on the water. We will explore hidden mangrove tunnels (tides permitting), shallow seagrass meadows, and stop on Shell Island for time to swim, look for shells, or just relax and enjoy the beach. Our tours are designed for beginners and experienced kayakers alike. We use stable user friendly kayaks that provide a great paddling experience. We primarily use double kayaks unless you have an odd number in your group. If you prefer single kayaks they are available through our website. Come explore with local professionals who love what they do and see the difference for yourself.

Hop on a cruise to Shell Key Island and see dolphins and other wildlife while snorkeling. At this pristine wildlife preserve, you'll get to snorkel and observe the wildlife, go for a relaxing swim, or just walk along the beach and collect shells. Depending on the time of year, you'll see dolphins in their natural habitat, along with manatees, rays, and wild birds. All of our rides are semi-private, with a maximum of 6 passengers per boat, so you get to avoid the crowds when you ride with us.

The most popular kayak tour in Tampa Bay explores both the wonderful waters & beautiful beaches of Shell Key Preserve. We'll meet everyone at the launch, do introductions, give waterproof bags,& get everyone prepped for kayaking. No experience needed as we'll give everyone a paddling overview! We use primarily double kayaks for ease+comfort. (Your booking time is the planned arrival time. Average water depth 2 feet) After that we'll get launched into Shell Key Preserve! The Preserve is a beautiful shallow environment with tons of wildlife & a very interesting ecosystem which we'll discuss plus the history of the Preserve! From the shallow seagrass flats to the large mangrove islands to the pristine beaches of Shell Key itself we'll try and cover it all! Including traveling through some mangrove tunnels (with friendly tides, primarily Mar-Oct) We'll also look for+talk about some of our incredible wildlife in the Preserve including dolphins, manatees, & other fish & birds!

WE ARE OPEN! NO IMPACT FROM THE HURRICANES! Join us on our brand new 50ft Custom Catamaran for an evening like no other! A scenic trip out the Intracoastal and along Shell Key Preserve provides us ample opportunities for dolphin sightings. Once stopped at Outback Key, feel free to take your drinks ashore, search for that perfect shell, and watch the sun kiss the horizon over the Gulf of Mexico. On our return trip, we’ll stop by the Skyway Bridge for the magnificent $15M light show!Truly a must-see!

What sets our Private Guided Tours to Shell Key Preserve via Mangrove canopies activity apart is our commitment to providing a truly personalized experience. We offer private custom tours, allowing you and your crew to embark on an adventure tailored specifically to your preferences. Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature, surrounded by stunning sunrises and sunsets, and encounter a plethora of aquatic and aviary wildlife along the way. But the benefits of our kayaking and paddleboarding activities extend far beyond the sheer enjoyment of the experience. Did you know that spending a day on the water is not only great for your body but also for your mind?

Hi, I'm Scott. Karissa and I are the owners and only guides at Island Kayak Tours. We will guide you through the mangrove tunnels (tide permitting) and time your adventure just right to give you the best chance at seeing dolphins & manatees. There is also free time for you to explore Shell Key Island, whether that means shelling, swimming, snorkeling, or simply enjoying the view. Our tours take place in a shallow saltwater preserve. There are no alligators, and most of the water is knee to waist-deep; perfect for both beginners and experts. All the experience I have from growing up here in St. Petersburg has given me the opportunity to put together a kayak tour like no other. Kayaking has always been one of my favorite things to do around the area. This has allowed me the opportunity to find all the best kayaking spots and to accumulate the local knowledge to give you a true Florida experience. I started this kayaking company to share the natural beauty of my home with you.

Experience the magic of the Florida Keys on an exhilarating natural ocean and mangrove eco-tour. Aboard your kayak, you will embark on a truly awe-inspiring journey through one of the planet’s most unique and diverse ecosystems: Florida’s mangrove forests. After navigating through the forest’s serene tunnels and narrow waterways, you will discover a shallow and secluded saltwater lagoon. During your three-hour tour, you will encounter a variety of fascinating wildlife that find refuge here. Crystal-clear waters ensure you’ll easily observe the vibrant biodiversity of the sea floor. Keep your eyes peeled for grazing manatees, sunbathing green iguanas, or the elusive mangrove tree crabs. Your guide has a deep love for the ocean and is passionately dedicated to preserving the delicate ecosystem of the Florida Keys. His extensive knowledge will enrich the experience for every nature enthusiast. Grab your paddle and get ready for an adventure that promises to create lasting memories!

Our expert guides make all the difference. Their passion and love for what they do comes out in every tour. We do our best to find our guests manatees, dolphins, native birds, and anything that might bring a smile to your face. Find out where Mote Marine started. Visit the hidden beach and search for sea shells and sharks teeth. This will be the highlight of your trip and we look forward to having you as our guest.

A fun, educational experience for the entire family! We specialize in making lifelong memories 95% of the time we see dolphin during our cruise. The more time you spend on the water the higher chance you will have of seeing wildlife. Captain specializes in encouraging the Dolphin to jump behind the boat. This is not a guarantee to see wild dolphin. All of our tours are semiprivate to private group charters. Awesome location.

We've created a fascinating kayak tour in St Pete, centered on our Crystal Clear kayaks, giving you a fascinating look at the sea life throughout Shell Key preserve, and Fort Desoto park. Our professional guides provide an interesting narration of the local wildlife and ecosystem. The tours can range from 2 persons to 16 people, and are approximately 2 to 2 -1/2  hours long.  The tours will primarily operate in the protected waters and mangroves tunnels of the Shell Key Wildlife Preserve in Pinellas County. An 1,800 acre preserve, these waters are well traveled by Dolphins, Manatees, Rays, as well as a variety of shore birds, including pelicans, egrets, herons, cormorants, osprey, and sometimes roseate spoonbills. Please note: This activity is NOT suitable for the Elderly or the Obese, or people with back surgeries/issues, or with a history of other physical ailments. You must be physically fit for participate in this activity.

Don't miss a thing as the GuideAlong Audio Driving Tour takes you on an incredible self-guided journey on one of the most classic US road trips, the Overseas Highway. Along the way, you'll be guided to all of the famous highlights as well as lessor known gems including the country's first undersea park, Seven Mile Bridge, and Key West. Download and discover more on your Florida Keys road trip with fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, local tips, and directions that play automatically along the drive. You'll have the freedom to explore offline at your own pace. Spend more time at places that interest you, and bypass any that don’t. ✅ Tours operate northbound and southbound ✅ Stories, tips and directions play automatically based on your location ✅ Travel at your own pace ✅ Tour offline using GPS, no cell service or WiFi needed ✅ Suggested itineraries for half, full or multi day use ✅ Buy once, use forever! No expiry, includes free updates Purchase one tour per vehicle.

Just a few minutes away from all the hustle and bustle of Sarasota is our favorite local beach, Turtle Beach. It is only a few short miles from the main Siesta Key beach to Turtle Beach and the Sarasota County trolley will drop you right there. Not only is this area such a beautiful and quiet place, it is also a great place to paddle! We start on the intercostal and paddle down a short canal to the Bay. We paddle around the mangrove islands through a mangrove tunnel or two and alongside a bird rookery. We paddle around the mangrove islands of Jim Neville Marine Preserve and then to a "secret" beach. This beach is only accessible by boat so we may have it to ourselves. Such a beautiful place for a quick swim or just stopping for a few moments to relax. You may want to stay here all day. This location is home to all kinds of wildlife including manatees, dolphins, beautiful sea and shorebirds and lots of fish. www.surfitusa.com

Our Shell Island and dolphin tour is fun for families of all ages, the tour includes a stop at Shell Key preserve, a popular nature preserve known for numerous different types of shells. Snorkeling equipment is available for use at Shell Island. Please note that snorkeling at the Island is not always possible due to weather conditions. During the tour we will be looking out for wild dolphins, numerous dolphins inhabit the waters around the area. Our vessel is a US Coast Guard inspected vessel carrying up to 42 passengers. The vessel is easy to board both at our dock and the beach. The boat also offers plenty of shade for those trying to stay out of the sun and it is also equiped with a restroom.

This trip is one of a kind… If you want to travel to an uninhabited barrier island with white sand, warm water, and shelling galore, our ferry to Shell Key from the Fort De Soto boat ramp is a great choice for you and your family! Our ferry boat operates daily in the spring and summer and nearly every day in the fall and winter. This 20 minute trip offers great chances to spot dolphins, sea turtles and even manatees! We often spot sea birds on the ride to and from Shell Key! Shell Key is also home to a large nature preserve, where nearly half of the island is blocked to allow the native seabirds a section of undisturbed beach. Come out and enjoy a beautiful day of fun in the sun! For camping enthusiasts, we offer an overnight experience on Shell Key! All you need is your “camper” ferry ticket, a camping permit from Pinellas County, and all your camping gear to have an epic night under the stars! This is an unbelievably unique opportunity to camp out on a secluded island.

What to See This is a super cool spot to kayak. Prepare to meet some new sea bird friends, as they love to join the tour and catch the fish that the kayaks disturb. Truly a remarkable experience, although we cannot guarantee this will happen. There is plenty of other wildlife to see and the mangroves are really cool. You will absolutely love this tour, especially the sunset! What to Do We will paddle around and explore the waters, islands, and mangroves of the Preserve. What to Bring We highly recommend bringing water, sunscreen, bug spray, and a snack. All equipment will be provided including the kayak, paddle, life vest, Bluetooth speaker and dry bag. We recommend wearing clothes and shoes that can both get wet and are comfortable.

Capt. Yak is Veteran owned. You will be taken on an Amazing Adventure in a one-of-a-kind Mangrove Preserve. Capt. Yak (Greg) has been exploring Shell Key Preserve for many years and knows it like that back of his hand. You will be lead through the preserve to areas that will be sure to find unique creatures that live below and above the water. You will paddle with ease on the some of the newest, most comfortable and best paddling Sit-On-Top Single or Tandem Kayaks. We will venture through mangrove tunnels, over beds of seagrasses and sandbars while encountering wildlife. Midway we will stop on Shell Key. You can take a stroll, swim, find that perfect shell or just relax and take in the surroundings. On the return trip Capt. Yak will continue to share his knowledge and mesmerize you by the stories he shares with you. Departure times vary between 9:00am-3:00pm and are based on tide levels to ensure the Most Memorable Experience! This tour is especially popular for family groups!

WE ARE OPEN! NO IMPACT FROM THE HURRICANES! Join us on our brand new 45ft Custom Catamaran for an evening like no other! A scenic trip out the Intracoastal and along Shell Key Preserve provides us ample opportunities for dolphin sightings. Once stopped at Shell Key search for that perfect shell, and watch the sun kiss the horizon over the Gulf of Mexico. On our return trip, we’ll stop by the Pinellas Bayway Bridge for an amazing view of an "infinity of Cathedrals" tunnel effect…think photo ops!

Add this adventure to your bucket list + take in these amazing view in a 100% Clear Kayak on an ecotour at Robinson Preserve! Paddling in these truly unique kayaks is like snorkeling without getting wet! Just minutes from Anna Maria Island, Bradenton, Siesta Key, Sarasota and the Tampa Bay Area! This tour offers guests a unique and immersive experience in the natural beauty of wild Florida somehow just minutes away from the hustle + bustle! The crystal clear kayaks provide a view like no other to what swims below as we explore the mangroves! Along the way be on the lookout for wildlife such as fish, sea turtles, numerous bird species, spotted eagle rays and even the occasional dolphin and manatee! We love sharing the water with wildlife + like to say wildlife sightings are always a hope never a promise. Come witness the breathtaking views and experience the tour that 20,000+ customers company wide have rated a 5-Star experience.