Friday, March 29, 2024
Michael Stone Online

Best Everglades boat tour? The one where dolphins chase you

The highlight of my family trip to the Everglades and Florida Keys in May had to be the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins chasing our boat in the waters around the Ten Thousand Islands.

Gators, crocs and birds certainly are cool, but a pod of Tursiops truncatus jumping through the air and speeding at the surface a couple feet from twin boat engines? Nothing beats it. 

If you’re ever down that way, I’ve included the tour company’s info below. I don’t think the dolphin chase is a guaranteed feature, mainly because they may not appear near your boat, but you could call ahead of time to see how regular it happens. One added bonus: The station is kind of tucked away, so if you’re lucky like us, the boat might include just your family and the two boat staffers.

Happy nature-enjoying!

Everglades National Park Boat Tours
Location: 815 Oyster Bar Lane, Everglades City, FL 34139

Tours: Ten Thousand Islands (when we saw the dolphins), Mangrove Wilderness
Cost: 
$31.80 (per adult, Ten Thousand Islands), $42.40 (per adult, Mangrove Wilderness)

Departure schedule: Ten Thousand Islands, Mangrove Wilderness
Website and directions

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