Egmont Key Private Boat Tour: Lighthouse & Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.75 (4 reviews)

Free cancellationLikely to sell out

1/7

Duration5h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Boat to an island you can't reach by car, snorkel the submerged fort, walk the lighthouse

A private 5-hour boat tour from St. Petersburg takes you to Egmont Key State Park, an island accessible only by water. You'll explore the historic lighthouse and Fort Dade ruins, snorkel around submerged structures where marine life gathers, watch for dolphins, and bird along the shoreline with a live English-speaking guide. Bottled water and fruit are included; groups stay at six people or fewer.

Step-by-step itinerary

Egmont Key private boat tour

View Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Boat to Egmont Key
Explore Egmont Key State Park
Visit lighthouse and Fort Dade ruins
Snorkel around submerged structures
Watch dolphins and birds
Learn about local wildlife

The Experience

If you have a free afternoon in St. Petersburg and want to get out on the water without arranging a boat yourself, this tour handles the logistics. The boat leaves from St. Petersburg and passes under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on the way out to Egmont Key—a five-hour round trip that includes time on the island itself. You don't need diving certification to snorkel here; the submerged structures of Fort Dade sit in shallow water where you can see the marine life without going deep.

Once on the island, you walk the grounds of the historic fort and climb the lighthouse. The guide points out local wildlife—dolphins often show up in the channel, and the island is a stop for migratory birds. Snorkeling happens around the old fort structures, where the water is clear enough to see what lives there. The pace is laid-back; there's no schedule pushing you through stops. Bring a reply to your confirmation email with the ages of anyone in your group and what you're most interested in seeing, so the guide can tailor the day.

Bottled water and fruit come with the tour. The boat holds a maximum of six people, which means you're not crammed in with strangers. Infants can come along—they ride on an adult's lap—and the tour suits all fitness levels, though you will be walking on sand and climbing into the boat a few times.

What’s included

Bottled water and fruit.
private boat with a live English-speaking guide.
access to Egmont Key lighthouse and Fort Dade ruins.
snorkeling around submerged structures.
dolphin and bird watching.
groups capped at six people.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by St. Pete Beach Eco Tours

Is this one for you?Five hours is long enough to reach the island, explore the fort and lighthouse, snorkel, and watch for wildlife without feeling rushed—but short enough to fit into an afternoon if you're staying in St. Petersburg for a day or two. If you need a half-day excursion or want to spend the rest of your day elsewhere, this tour leaves room for that.