Craigcat Boat Tour Anna Maria Island: Drive Your Own Boat

You pilot the boat yourself while a guide leads the way.

A 2-hour guided Craigcat boat tour on the waters around Anna Maria Island where you take the wheel of your own small motorboat while following a guide. The tour operates year-round with a chance to see dolphins, manatees and other wildlife. Children from age 5 are welcome, and a minimum of two people per booking applies. Bottled water and photos from the tour are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided Craigcat boat tour

• Drive Craigcat boat with guide
• Explore waters around Anna Maria Island
• Spot dolphins and manatees

The experience

What sets this apart from a standard sightseeing boat is the control: you're not a passenger watching from a seat. You drive a Craigcat (a small, nimble motorboat), while the guide leads the way and points out what's around you. The two-hour route covers the waters around Anna Maria Island, where dolphins and manatees show up regularly enough that spotting them is part of the plan, not a lucky accident. The guide handles the navigation and the wildlife knowledge. You handle the throttle and the wheel, which is why people say it feels like being a kid again.

The boats run year-round, so the water temperature and what you see shifts with the season, but the operation doesn't stop. Bottled water comes with the tour, and the operator photographs the group during the outing. Those images are yours to keep. A two-person minimum applies to every booking, so you're never the only people on the water. Children as young as five can ride along, though there are weight limits: each person must be under 275 pounds, and the combined weight of your group can't exceed 500 pounds.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• free photos from the tour.
• live guide in English.
• year-round operation.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:30, 14:00 and 14:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Gulf Islands Adventures

Is this one for you?Book this if you want hands-on control of the boat rather than sitting as a passenger: the guide leads the route and explains what you're seeing, but you're the one steering the whole time.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

Can I really drive the boat myself, or does the guide take over?

You drive the Craigcat throughout the tour. The guide leads the route and narrates what you're seeing, but you control the boat's speed and direction the whole time.

What wildlife might we see on the water around Anna Maria Island?

Dolphins and manatees are the main draws, and they show up regularly enough that the tour is built around spotting them. What else appears depends on the season and the day.

How many people can go on one Craigcat?

A Craigcat holds two people minimum. The combined weight of your group cannot exceed 500 pounds, and each individual must be under 275 pounds.

Do I need any boating experience to book this tour?

No prior experience is required. The guide leads the route and handles the navigation, so you're following along while you steer.

What's included in the tour price?

Bottled water and photos taken during the tour are included. The tour runs 2 hours on the water around Anna Maria Island with a live English-speaking guide.