Private Catamaran Snorkeling in Destin: Dolphins & Emerald Coast

Three hours on the water with snorkeling gear and a cooler, watching for dolphins on the way to the best spots.

A private catamaran snorkeling trip in Destin puts you aboard a 27-foot Stiletto with a local captain who sails the Okaloosa Island National Seashore and Crab Island area while you snorkel, swim and watch for dolphins. The boat carries snorkeling equipment, a cooler with ice, bean bag chairs and a restroom. The three-hour sail follows the captain's route through Choctawhatchee Bay, with dolphin spotting built into the journey to the snorkeling site. A four-hour option is also available.

The experience

Captain Kip sails the Stiletto 27 catamaran out from Destin along the Okaloosa Island National Seashore toward Crab Island, and the snorkeling gear is already aboard when you arrive. The boat carries everything you need (snorkel, mask and fins) plus a cooler stocked with ice, bean bag chairs to settle into while the captain navigates, and a head if you need it. The route itself is the dolphin-watching window: as you sail toward the snorkeling spot, you're on the water where they move through Choctawhatchee Bay, so the passage is part of the hunt.

Once the captain finds the right spot, you get in the water with the gear and swim. The catamaran stays anchored nearby, and you control how long you stay down and where you look. The sound system aboard means music plays while you're on deck between water time, and the bean bags are there if you want to stretch out and dry off. Three hours covers the sail out, the snorkeling window and the return. A four-hour option gives you more time in the water and a longer window for dolphins.

This is a private boat, so it's just your group and the captain. The Stiletto is built for the shallow waters around Destin (it's the kind of hull that reaches spots a bigger boat can't), and Captain Kip knows where the fish are and where dolphins tend to move. You're not watching from the deck. You're the one in the water with the mask on.

What’s included

• Snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel and fins).
• cooler with ice.
• bean bag chairs.
• onboard sound system.
• restroom.
• private catamaran with Captain Kip as your guide.
• three-hour sail along Okaloosa Island and Choctawhatchee Bay to the Crab Island snorkeling area.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private catamaran outing: snorkeling, swimming and watching dolphinsGuide in English · Available from 1 Mar 2027

4 hoursGuide in English · Available from 1 Mar 2027Lasts 4 hours

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Mar 2027

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Destin Sailing Adventures

Is this one for you?The private boat means your group sets the pace and the captain adjusts the route to where dolphins are moving and where the snorkeling is best that day: no fixed itinerary, no other passengers, no schedule beyond the three hours (or four, if you pick that option) you've booked.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the water like where we snorkel in Destin?

The snorkeling happens in the Crab Island area and around Okaloosa Island in Choctawhatchee Bay, where the catamaran anchors at the captain's chosen spot. The water is shallow enough for snorkeling and clear enough to see what's below, and the captain picks the location based on conditions and where fish are moving that day.

How often do you actually see dolphins on this snorkeling trip?

Dolphins move through Choctawhatchee Bay, and the sail to the snorkeling spot is when you have the best chance to spot them. The captain watches for them during the journey, but sightings depend on where they are that day. They're not guaranteed, but the route puts you in the water where they travel.

Is the snorkeling gear included, or do I need to bring my own?

Snorkeling equipment is provided aboard the Stiletto: mask, snorkel and fins are there when you arrive. You don't need to bring or rent gear separately.

Can I choose how long to stay in the water, or is there a set time?

Once the catamaran anchors at the snorkeling spot, you control when you get in and how long you stay. The three-hour trip includes the sail out, the snorkeling window and the return, and a four-hour option gives you more time in the water.

What happens if the weather turns bad or dolphins don't show up?

The captain navigates based on conditions and will sail to the best available spot for snorkeling that day. Dolphins are not guaranteed (sightings depend on where they are in the bay), but the snorkeling and swimming happen regardless of whether you see them.

Is there anything to eat or drink aboard?

A cooler with ice is provided aboard the Stiletto. You're welcome to bring food and drinks to keep cold, or you can bring your own to have on deck between water time.