The 12 Dolphin Kayak Tours in the USA People Actually Book

1.Dolphin and Manatee Stand Up Paddleboard Tour in Daytona Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,328 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $65Our pick

Paddle Daytona Beach’s calm bay beneath seven bridges, around an island, past yachts, and through shallow canals where dolphins and manatees may appear. Guides such as Brock, Dallas, Walker, and Spencer teach beginners from scratch. Kayaks are available if a paddleboard feels uncomfortable.

“Spencer our guide shared a ton of information about the natural environment. It was a great trip. It was very doable for us ladies”

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2.Dolphin, Manatee and SeaTurtle SUP Adventure Tour of St Augustine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,219 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $65

Spend about two hours kayaking or paddleboarding from 442 Ocean Vista Ave near Anastasia State Park. A guide such as Ryan, Nolan, Spence, or Joseph leads you along calm coastal water, points out birds and marine life, and returns you to the launch point. Wildlife sightings depend on weather and season.

“Nolan was amazing wonderful tour guide. Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting St. Augustine! I’m a repeat customer and will definitely come do this again.”

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3.Thousand Island Mangrove Tunnel, Manatee & Dolphin Kayak Tour w/Cocoa Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 923 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $69

Spend about 2.5 hours kayaking Cocoa Beach’s Thousand Islands with guides such as James, Ian, or Susie. Paddle open water and narrow mangrove tunnels while watching for manatees, dolphins, tarpon, stingrays, crabs, and birds. Kayaks, paddles, life jackets, and guide-taken photos are included.

“We had a great time on this tour! We got to see several manatees right up next to our kayaks, the mangrove tunnels were a cool experience & our guide, Jeff, was great. Very knowledgeable, patient & funny. Highly recommend this tour!”

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4.Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 462 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $68

Launch from First Landing State Park with guides such as Matt, Tommy, or Sawyer for a two-hour sit-on-top kayak trip along the Chesapeake Bay. Look for dolphins, seabirds, Cape Henry Lighthouses, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel as evening light settles over the water.

“They cancelled the tour due to high waves. That's not a problem, but informing us about the cancellation beforehand by phone or email would have been nice, so we didn't have to waste our time and money to get out there”

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5.New Smyrna Dolphin and Manatee Kayak and SUP Adventure Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 457 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $65

Meet your guide at DiVito Park for a two-hour kayak or SUP trip through New Smyrna’s waterways. Michael, Spencer, Fletcher, and other guides lead beginners toward likely wildlife areas, share local stories, and may photograph the outing. Sightings vary with tides, weather, and luck.

“Spence was a wonderful guide. Very patient with some of us who haven’t kayak before. He knew all the spots to take us to see dolphins. We highly recommend this tour.”

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6.Small Group Dolphin Kayak Eco-Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 351 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $68

Paddle a stable sit-on-top kayak from North End Beach toward Cape Henry with a guide and up to 12 people. Watch for wild bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, ospreys, sea turtles, and cownose rays. The two-hour tour suits beginners, families, and anyone who prefers wildlife in its natural setting.

“My daughter and I had a great experience even though we personally didn’t get to see any dolphins, other people in our group did. The tour guides were amazing! All three were very welcoming, considerate, knowledgeable, and made sure everyone had a great time. I will definitely be back!”

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7.Dolphin and Manatee Kayak Tour of Daytona Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 258 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $65

Paddle the Halifax River near Daytona Beach for about two hours with a small group of up to 15 people. Guides such as Walker, Dan, Spencer, Mike, and Cam help beginners get comfortable while you look for dolphins, manatees, turtles, birds, and other Florida wildlife.

“Dan was awesome very knowledgeable nice and personable , really enjoyed the tour . We went around the island through the Marina looking for wildlife tried very hard to make our tour memorable. If he saw any trash in the water he picked it up along the way. He was also training guys and they were nice also .”

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8.Manatee and Dolphin Kayaking | Wildlife Refuge (Titusville)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 241 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60

Paddle the calm canals at Haulover Canal near Titusville with Florida Adventurer. Your guide provides the kayak, paddle, and PFD, then helps you look for manatees, dolphins, alligators, stingrays, and birds. Guides including Brian, Zach, and Tyler are praised for wildlife knowledge and patient instruction.

“Dane was very knowledgeable about the area and animals here in Florida. We had an amazing morning on the water with him. We got to see a dolphin chase some small fish right up to where we were launching. Even something Dane hadn’t ever seen. Very enjoyable time on the water.”

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9.Manatee and Dolphin Kayaking Encounter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 219 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

You’ll paddle Haulover Canal with guides such as Chaz, Zoe, Drew, or Carey, looking for manatees, dolphins, birds, jellyfish, and gators. The two-hour trip includes your kayak, paddle, and PFD, with wildlife viewed on its own terms.

“EXCELLENT GUIDE! He was calm, cool, & collected.. Even when we saw an alligator! Do Not Hesitate to Book with Him! He has a LOT of experience! Also, He is very knowledgeable about the foliage and wildlife there. Definitely Worth It! Don't hesitate to book!😊”

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10.Wildlife Refuge Manatee, Dolphin & Mangrove Kayak or Paddleboarding Tour!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 210 reviews · from $52Best value

Join Cocoa Kayaking for a 90-minute guided paddle from Haulover Canal near Mims. Choose a kayak or paddleboard by calling after booking. Guides such as Noah, Logan, Katie, and Captain Mike point out manatees, dolphins, birds, mangroves, and other wildlife, with photos sent afterward.

“We had an amazing time and learned so much about the wildlife and the preservation of the seashore! Would recommend for all!”

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11.Dolphin and Manatee Kayak and SUP Adventure Tour of Cocoa Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 194 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $65

Choose a kayak or paddleboard for a two-hour trip through Cocoa Beach’s Banana River Manatee Refuge and Thousand Islands. Guides such as Riley, Jack, Roman, and Christian share local wildlife facts while you look for dolphins, manatees, storks, spoonbills, and more.

“Riley was awesome! We hand so much fun and he shared a lot of great information. We went on the 10:30 tour and it was so great. He also brought us to the rope swing, which I took full advantage of! We saw both dolphins and manatees!”

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12.Sunset Kayaking with Dolphins

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 107 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $60

Join Florida Blue Adventures in Bradenton for a two-hour sunset paddle near Anna Maria Island. Guides such as Tommy, Kinsey, Jonah, and Evan lead tandem kayaks through clear bay water, watching for dolphins, manatees, birds, mangroves, sandbars, and the setting sun. Solo paddlers can request a single kayak.

“If you are looking for an activity, you can end your search here because this is it!!! This experience was priceless and for only $60… in this economy?! I booked the trip and just expected to get some exercise in, see a nice sunset, and maybe a dolphin if I was lucky. To my surprise, we saw dolphins the majority of the time we were looking for them! Including baby dolphins… There were also swimming birds that followed us while we were kayaking… it felt like something straight out of a movie lol. The entire experience was unreal. So relaxing and there was so much to see! I will cherish…”

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