Dolphins in the water

These Siesta Key Dolphin Tours Are a Can’t-Miss

Meeting some of the beautiful creatures that call southwest Florida home is one of the most exciting and photogenic things to do in Siesta Key. So, be sure to book at least one of several Siesta Key boat tours so you’ll have the chance to experience these wondrous marine animals in their natural habitat.

Also, be sure to book your accommodations at Tropical Breeze Resort, one of the most luxurious and comfortable Siesta Key resorts in the area. Let’s take a closer look at the Siesta Key tours that will put you in contact with many fascinating mammals and fish who live in the Gulf waters off the coast, the available charters, and the top Siesta Key resorts you can call home during your next vacation.

Spot a Manatee in Siesta Key

The official state marine mammal of Florida and relation to elephants, manatees are large but gentle creatures who can be seen in abundance in the Sarasota and Siesta Key areas in the winter and early spring months. The animals seek the warmer waters off the Sarasota coast during these months.

If you’re visiting Siesta Key during the fall and summer months and still want to meet a manatee, you might visit the Mote Marine Aquarium in Sarasota. This facility rehabilitates injured and ill manatees and even has a resident star in Buffet, a manatee who came to the center in 1996.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people pass through the center to see Buffet. By visiting Buffet and other manatees at the aquarium, you can learn more about these sea mammals, such as what they eat and how this endangered species can be protected.

Best Time of Year to See Dolphins

Bottlenose dolphins frequent the waters around Siesta Key year-round, so no matter when you’re vacationing in this area, it is highly likely that you’ll spot them as they move about and play in the Gulf waters.

However, the greatest chance to see these wonderful mammals is during the morning hours, as they tend to feed at this time of day.

You can spot dolphins while swimming at the beach, jet skiing, kayaking, or snorkeling in Siesta Key. The best way to get up close to them, however, is through a guided tour. Tour guides know just where to go to see the greatest number of dolphins, and some even allow you to slip in the water and swim with these friendly animals.

Take An Eco-Tour to Get Up Close

While a dolphin tour gives you an excellent opportunity to see whole pods of dolphins, an eco-tour will also introduce you to much of the other marine wildlife that lives off the coast.

You’re likely to spot and learn more about seagulls, osprey, sharks, sea turtles, sting rays, eagles, and the types of fish that thrive in these parts, such as bluefish, tarpon, flounder, grouper, and snapper.

What else makes dolphin and eco tours such a valuable part of your Siesta Key vacation? The following sums up some of the best things you’ll take away from these excursions.

Learn About the Local Habitats

Boat, kayak, and other eco-tours along the coast and through mangrove forests give you the unique opportunity to not only see the wildlife itself but to witness the local habitats in which they live.

You might see, for example, pelican or egret nests and where box or sea turtles live. You can also find out more about the plants and vegetation that grow along the coast and on Siesta Key and other islands around the area.

Knowledgeable tour guides will fill you in on all the details you’ll want to know about everything you’ll see on an eco-tour.

Great Vacation Photo Opportunities

If a photo says a thousand words, you can capture volumes when you snap pictures of frolicking dolphins, playful manatees, and other creatures, you’ll meet in the waters around Siesta Key.

There is nothing quite as beautiful as a Siesta Key sunset, so if you’re out at the end of the day, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to take a photo of this stunning sight. If you don’t want to miss the chance to experience this, be sure to book a sunset dolphin or eco-tour.

Make Unforgettable Memories with Family

Vacationing is all about making memories, and meeting dolphins and manatees are among the most cherished and unique memories you can make with your family during your Siesta Key vacation.

Your kids will talk for many years about the time you and they swam with a pod of dolphins, or watched a manatee gently come up beside your boat, or sat together on the bow of the boat and watched the explosion of colors across the darkening sky as the sun went down.

Plan Your Siesta Key Vacation

Whether you’re looking for Siesta Key hotels, Siesta Key pet-friendly rentals, or beachfront hotels on Siesta Key, Tropical Breeze Resort has everything you’re looking for!

Local Siesta Key Tour Providers

Once you’ve decided what you want to see on a tour, you can choose from a few local Siesta Key tour providers that will give you and your family exactly what you’re looking for.

Siesta Key Watersports

Address: 1536 Stickney Point Rd, Sarasota, FL 34231

Phone: (941) 921-3030

The “#1 Rated Parasailing, Jet Ski and Dolphin Tour Company” in Siesta Key, Siesta Key Watersports has a few options when it comes to seeing dolphins.

You can choose a sunset/dolphin tour where you can experience these fun sea creatures and the breathtaking sunset or the Dolphins, Drinks, & Sandbar tour, where you’ll not only see dolphins and manatees but have the opportunity to collect shells and even sand dollars off of a sandbar. The latter has complimentary beer, wine, and soda!

If you’re an early bird, there’s a Morning, Mimosas and Dolphins tour that puts you on the water at the best time of day to witness dolphins feeding and playing. All while sipping a mimosa, seltzer, water, beer, or soda.

Private charters are also offered for customized tours.

Siesta Key Marina

Address: 1265 Old Stickney Point Rd, Sarasota, FL 34242

Phone: (941) 349-1970

Siesta Key Marina rents out deck boats and pontoon boats so you can head out on a self-guided tour to meet dolphins, manatees, and more.

Boats can be rented for full or half days.

Le Barge Tropical Cruises

Address: 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, FL 34236

Phone: (941) 366-6116

Among the many offerings from Le Barge Tropical Cruises at 2 Marina Plaza in Sarasota is the Dolphin & Manatee Watch Cruise, a two-hour excursion with an experienced marine biologist who can tell you all about the hunting, feeding, and even social practices of these animals.

You can also book a tropical sunset cruise or a sightseeing & nature cruise.

Key Life Charters

Phone: (941)-400-4240

From 2- to 8-hour custom charters are offered by Key Life Charters.

You set up your day the way you want it. The highly experienced captain of your charter will go over several options you can choose from, but ultimately you map out your day on the water on the 26-ft. Southwind deck boat with Bimini top.

Kokomo Charters

Phone: (941) 266-3776

Custom and set charters and cruises can be found at Kokomo Charters.

There is a 2-hour Sightseeing/Dolphin Cruise, a 2.5-hour Sunset Cruise, or 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, and 8-hour charters that travel the coastline, allow you to play with dolphins, picnic on the water, or bring you to waterfront restaurants.

Stay with Tropical Breeze

The Tropical Breeze Resort has everything from cozy rooms to one-, 2-, and 3-bedroom Siesta Key Resort suites perfect for single guests or families.

A stay at Tropical Breeze Resort means you’re steps away from Siesta Beach, the #2 rated beach in the U.S. in 2023, and close to Siesta Key Village with its many boutiques, shops, restaurants, and bars.

Amenities include fully stocked kitchens with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, modern baths, large flat-screen TVs, spacious living areas, provided bath and beach towels, and king- and queen-sized beds. There is also an onsite laundry. All accommodations are pet-friendly.

Outside, you’ll find three communal pools, one of which is heated and another a saltwater pool; grills; poolside rocking, Adirondack, and lounge chairs; and lush landscaping. Outdoor family-oriented games and events are a constant!

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