Imagine relaxing with a warm breeze through your hair and the gently rocking waves below you. Does it sound dreamy? If so, you won’t want to miss out on a boat tour in Naples, Florida. There are options for sightseeing, dolphin watching, fishing, and simply kicking your feet up while enjoying the sail.
Let’s take a look at nine of the best boat tours to get the most out of the waterways surrounding Naples.
Tour the Coastline & More with These Naples Florida Boat Tour Companies
These Naples, Florida, boat tour companies come highly recommended. We’ve identified them based on what they offer and their customer reviews.
1. Sweet Liberty Catamaran Sailing
Sweet Liberty’s Catamaran Sailing is a favorite among the Naples, Florida, boat tours. If you’ve never been on a catamaran, we think you’ll find it a smooth and enjoyable ride. Sweet Liberty offers public and private charters on their 53ft catamaran.
The tours include a sunset cruise that is approximately one and a half hours and is $40 for adults.* There’s a good chance you’ll see dolphins or bald eagles along the way to and from the Gulf of Mexico.
They also offer a three-hour beach island shelling cruise that takes you to the remote Keewaydin Island. The cost is $45 for adults.
Finally, you can do an afternoon sightseeing sail on Sweet Liberty that lasts two hours and is $35 for adults. The nature-inspired boat tour includes narration from the boat’s captain about the region, views of multi-million dollar homes on the Naples, Florida shoreline, and a good chance of seeing dolphins.
What Customers Are Saying
“My family of 4 went on the sunset cruise. Absolutely wonderful, very relaxing cruise into the Gulf to watch the sunset. The captain provided a brief description of the landscape & houses, then allowed us to quietly enjoy the sunset. We brought our own wine & snacks. Highly recommend this for families or young couples wanting to relax.” – Google Review from Mike T.
“Nick & Danny were excellent sailors! Fabulous Captain & First Mate! Dolphins, Manatee, Shark & Sea Turtle sightings! Shells galore!” – Google Review from Cheryl P.
2. Naples Water Tours
Naples Water Tours offers three different tours that all involve Florida’s iconic dolphins. Plus, they have a tiki bar with food and cold beverages, so you can’t go wrong.
The two-hour adventure tour gets you the closest to dolphins in the wild. It also takes you through an estuary of a mangrove forest to a lagoon where the boat parks for a short walk to a secluded island beach. On the beach, you can look for shells, swim, and relax. And at the end of the boat tour, you’ll ride past large homes on Naples Bay and Port Royal. This tour costs $55 for adults.
The one-hour sightseeing boat tour lets you see dolphins passing through Naples Bay, Port Royal, and Gordon Pass. Their tours are fun for any age, but it costs $35 for adults.
And the one-and-a-half-hour dolphins and shelling tour takes you to a lagoon in the mangrove forest for shelling and swimming. You can also see dolphins on this boat tour while in Naples Bay for $45.
What Customers Are Saying
“Beautiful 1.5-hour trip with great captain Paul! He gave us so much fun and info about spectacular mansions and yachts of the rich and famous. Watched dolphins and the beautiful nature of Naples shores!” – Google Review from Ruzanna M.
“Spent a lot of time trying to find a good value dolphin/shelling tour. So happy I picked this company. We got to see dolphins, an eagle and got some awesome shells. Highly recommend it!” – Google Review from Tiffani G.
3. Pure Florida – Naples Boat Tours
Pure Florida is a pure fun Naples, Florida, boat tour. They offer public and private charters for deep sea and backwater fishing, sightseeing, dolphin watching, shelling, and sunsets. You can also book a specialty cruise with them for weddings, dogs, yoga, and environmentally-friendly burials at sea.
Fishing charters are popular with Pure Florida, as they provide rods, reels, bait, tackle, and fishing licenses. You can do a four, six, or eight-hour deep sea fishing trip on the M/V Sea Flight. The crew will filet any fish you keep and put them on ice. For a shorter experience, take the 3.5-hour tour of backwater fishing on calmer waters. There’s also a good chance you’ll see dolphins playing while you fish.
→ Make sure you get your Florida Fishing License before heading out on a fishing tour.
Pure Florida also does a sightseeing and sunset cruise from Naples Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. You’re almost guaranteed to see dolphins along the way. Of course, the mansions in the bay will also be on full display for your viewing pleasure.
You can take a dolphin-watching and shelling cruise to Keewaydin Island as well. The tour is narrated to give information about the area’s ecology and the wildlife you see along the way.
What Customers Are Saying
“My 14-year-old son wanted to do something special with his grandfather and uncle for his birthday so they went on a 4 hour “Deep Sea Fishing” tour with Pure Florida. To say he had a blast is an understatement. The captains were so incredibly knowledgeable and helpful to everyone on board. They provided everything…Poles, bait, boat, and a whole lotta fun! Some of the fish he caught were thrown back due to size and seasonality, but the ones he could keep were cleaned and filleted by the staff and given back to my son to take home and eat for lunch. This is definitely going to be something we do again and again. Thank you Pure Florida!” – Google Review from Sol L.
4. Naples Princess Cruises
Naples Princess Cruises do luxury public and private sightseeing Florida boat tours. You can sit out on the 105ft Naples Princess deck or go inside with air conditioning. There are four public tour options. There’s a strong possibility of seeing dolphins on all of them as you cruise through Naples Bay to the Gulf of Mexico.
The afternoon sightseeing cruise is a great way to see eagles, dolphins, herons, pelicans, and manatees. It’s a 90-minute tour, and there are two full-service bars onboard with an appetizer menu, starting at $40 for adults.
The Seabreeze lunch tour is similar to the sightseeing cruise but with lunch included. You can enjoy the lunch buffet while cruising through Naples Bay, Port Royal, and into the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a 90-minute tour for $47.
Naples Sunset Dinner Cruise is their most popular boat tour. It includes a double-entree buffet-style dinner with Ceasar salad, chef’s choice of vegetables, potato, dessert, and coffee. The tour is two hours during sunset and costs $66-72 for adults.
They also provide a “More Than Hors d’Oeuvres” sunset cruise as an alternative to the dinner cruise. It offers a lighter menu. The tour is two hours long and costs $54 for adults.
What Customers Are Saying
“We had such a good time on this sunset cruise! The first two levels are air-conditioned, and the third is an open-air roof deck. All of the crew were extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the surrounding area and the incredible homes we saw. Zack and Augie were the best! We didn’t choose the dinner option, but the second-floor bar had drinks and apps. A fun two hours!” – Google Review from Patrick W.
“As a native Floridian I don’t know why I waited this long to experience something like this. The dinner cruise was amazing. The food was delicious and the crew was very helpful and attentive. Traveling out to the gulf to watch the sunset was awesome and being with the Mrs. made it a romantic moment. I will recommend this to those who were always interested in these types of cruises.” – Google Review from Sev
Pro Tip: After sailing the seas, explore the Best National Parks in Florida.
5. Everglades Excursions – Airboat Tours
Everglades Excursions take you into the wild and unknown with the creepy-crawly creatures of the Everglades. They offer half-day tours out of Naples, Florida that include airboat rides. You can go in the morning, afternoon, or both. The tours include an experienced, interactive tour guide, an alligator show, an airboat ride, and a visit to the wildlife sanctuary.
The morning tour is a five-hour escorted affair that starts in a climate-controlled vehicle. Your guide will provide narration of the Everglades and its ecosystems and wildlife. Then, you’ll ride on authentic airboats through the backwaters of the Gulf and see alligators, manatees, and other wildlife. The tour also takes you to a wildlife sanctuary within Big Cypress National Park. Here you’ll get to see the rescue animals.
The afternoon tour is the same. However, if you do both half-day tours, there is a luncheon included. The cost for each five-hour tour is $99 per person.
What Customers Are Saying
“Very good way to get exposed to the everglades, its history, and its wildlife. Our host and narrator, Kenny, was extremely accommodating, informative, and down to earth. The airboat ride was a thrill unlike any overpriced theme park can offer…Our captain…circled a large bay until we found manatees and dolphins. Took a little while (which gave us some time to take in the amazing view) but what a show! Nothing short of absolutely majestic. Levi and “Charlie” at the sanctuary put on a nice show for the family. The restaurant and museum were a real treat. Food was very good as was the atmosphere…Skip out on the lines at the overpriced theme parks and give the family quality packed memories that will last a lifetime.” – Google Review from Chevy C.
6. Explore the Naples Canals with La Gondola
La Gondola boat tours in Naples, Florida allow you to explore the canals as if you were in Venice, Italy. You can take a private 50-minute trip with up to six people per authentic Venetian gondola. An experienced gondolier will row you through the upper Naples Bay, Gordon River, or Rock Creek waterways.
The experience includes an ice bucket, wine glasses, and an opener for you to bring your bottle of wine or sparkling cider. In addition, you’ll get handmade Italian wine biscuits, and your Italian gondolier will serenade you as you go. The cost starts at $99 for two passengers. La Gondola’s season in Naples runs from New Year’s Day to the end of April.
What Customers Are Saying
“Bellissimo!!!! This was a wonderful addition for date night! My girlfriend and I absolutely loved it. The cherry on top was Marcello. He was an all around great person and sang for us. Couldn’t have asked for more. We will definitely do this again and again….Experience a hint of Italy here in Naples.” – Google Review from The Irishman
“Juliana was awesome. It was an unforgettable experience. So beautiful, peaceful, romantic and unexpected. This is definitely a once in lifetime experience in beautiful Naples FL and I would highly recommend it.” – Google Review from Bob M.
7. Cruisin’ Tikis
Cruisin’ Tikis is a bar on a boat. Creative? Brilliant? We think so! This Naples, Florida, boat tour is an adults-only ride. You can bring your beverages and snacks and go bar-hopping with up to six people on the tiki.
The tour will take you through the waterways past multi-million dollar homes and all that Naples has to offer. There are two boats you could reserve, and they need a minimum of eight people to run both boats at the same time. Rates start at $45 per person for one and a half hours.
What Customers Are Saying
“Had a great time on our Tiki Hut cruise!! Super fun, and our captain, Brock, was very informative and full of knowledge about Naples, the beautiful homes and everything else in Florida!! Highly recommend it.” – Google Review from Trish T.
“Such a fun experience and perfect for a group of friends or family! We enjoyed the sights of all the awesome houses in the bay and even were able to stop twice to jump off the boat and cool off in the water. 10/10 would recommend it!” – Google Review from Catherine L.
8. Piano Piano Charters
Piano Piano Charters gives you a local experience that can include sunset cruises, sightseeing trips, eco-tours, shelling excursions, beach trips, snorkeling, real estate tours, and lunch or dinner cruises. You can customize the experience when you book.
Despite the name, these are piano bar charters, “Piano Piano” is the name of the boat.
The boat tours will take you along the Paradise Coast of Naples and Marco Island. Up to six people can take the charters, and pets are welcome. Prices vary depending on how you customize your tour.
What Customers Are Saying
“Went to a snorkeling reef and saw sharks, big grouper, and tons of schools of fish. Captain Bill was knowledgeable about locations to go to, tides and current. Great time!” – Facebook Review from Gwyn W.
“Every time we have had the pleasure to go on Piano Piano Charters we always have the most amazing time! Last time Bill took us to this beautiful reef where we could snorkel, allowing us the opportunity to swim alongside a huge Manta Ray and a large shark! It was so incredible…can now cross that off my bucket list!…Caught so many fish that we had to fight off the dolphins from stealing them… such a blast! Did I mention he is an amazing chef… Grilling for us out on the water eating the best steak you ever tasted while watching the sunset… Priceless!…” – Facebook Review from Meghan L.
9. Day Stars Charters
Day Stars Charters takes you out on a 26ft vessel that can accommodate up to six people. They offer shelling and dolphin tours, sightseeing tours, and fishing, all of which take place on the calm backwaters. You’ll boat in and around the mangrove forest in Port Royal and the waterways between Naples and Marco Island, Florida.
They only provide private charters, so you’ll know everyone you’re riding with. Prices start at $200 per group, plus gratuity.
What Customers Are Saying
“We had an amazing time with Captain Kevin. We did the Backwater 3 in 1 Combination Charter. Had a great time at the beach looking for shells and enjoying the gulf water. My son loved fishing and Captain Kevin was so great at helping him on what to do. Will definitely do this again when my family comes in.” – Google Review from Melanie P.
“We had a fantastic sightseeing trip today with Day Star. We were unsure how our 3 year old would feel about being on a boat so we did a 2 hour trip just for sightseeing. The captain was very patient with us while we coaxed our son into a life jacket and got him settled. The captain was very informative and showed us parts of Naples that we don’t normally get to see. Lots of birds and wildlife! We will be booking another trip soon to do some shelling and fishing!” – Google Review from Lori R.
Pro Tip: After exploring Naples, head to the Keys for some fishing. These are 10 Awesome Florida Keys Fishing Charters for Your Vacation.
Explore Naples Waterways with a Boat Tour
Are you ready to explore the waterways on your next visit to Naples? You’ll be in good hands with any of the companies on our list. Naples, Florida, boat tours are among the top activities at the destination and are perfect for exploring the coastal city.
We hope you get out on the water soon. If you’re going during peak season, book in advance.
*Prices reflect 2021 literature on the boat tour companies’ websites. The cost for children varies for each tour.
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