Nature and Wildlife Tours in St Petersburg at a glance
- Our pick: Clear Kayak Paddling: Shell Key Preserve & Tampa Bay, US$ 89 per person (2h, 4.97★ · 6,727).
- Top rated: Kayaking Shell Key Preserve: Mangrove tunnels & dolphins, US$ 59 per person (3h, 4.98★ · 187).
- Best value: Dolphin Racer Adventure Cruise in St. Pete Beach, US$ 30 per person (1h 30m, 4.74★ · 419).
Price per person across the 17 options priced per person: US$ 30–US$ 95 (median US$ 71). With 100+ reviews: 12 of 21.
Of the 21 options: 19 with live guides in English, 19 with free cancellation, 18 with instant confirmation, 12 kid-friendly, 6 private and 15 bookable last-minute.
How we rank: quality, number of reviews, availability, booking conditions and relevance to the topic. In the comparison table, our top 3 comes first. Prices are per person, except options priced per group: that price is for the whole group, and the per-person figure assumes the group is full. “Top rated” = the highest score among options with at least 100 reviews.
Nature and Wildlife Tours in St Petersburg
Based on each operator's calendar. Confirmed when you book.
21 options
The 15 best
Ranked by quality, reviews, availability and booking conditions.
Clear Kayak Paddling: Shell Key Preserve & Tampa Bay Paddle a clear kayak through Shell Key Preserve near Tampa Bay with a guide leading you past mangroves, sandbars and dolphins: see straight down into the water the whole time. Every day · 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00 · All ages ★ 4.97 (6,727 reviews) Duration: 2h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 89 per person
Shell Key Island Snorkeling Tour: Dolphins & Wildlife, Max 6 Snorkel Shell Key Island and spot dolphins, manatees and rays on a semi-private boat tour with a maximum of 6 passengers. Every day · 09:00, 11:30, 14:00 and 16:15 ★ 4.87 (1,649 reviews) Duration: 2h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 79 per person
Shell Key Shelling Cruise from John's Pass: Dolphins and seabirds Three-hour shelling cruise from John's Pass to Shell Key Preserve with wildlife spotting on protected bay waters and gulf beaches. Every day except Monday and Wednesday · 10:00 and 13:30 · Up to age 64 ★ 4.85 (509 reviews) Duration: 3h ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 45 per person
Kayaking at Shell Key with LED lights: Sunset to night glow Paddle a clear kayak at night on Shell Key Preserve with LED lights illuminating the water below. Every day · 16:30 and 18:00 · From age 12 ★ 4.97 (754 reviews) Duration: 1h 30m Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 89 per person
Dolphin Racer Adventure Cruise in St. Pete Beach Dolphin watching boat cruise from St. Pete Beach with live captain narration and guaranteed dolphin sightings. Every day except Wednesday · 8 start times, 11:00 to 18:30 · All ages ★ 4.74 (419 reviews) Duration: 1h 30m Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 30 per person
Kayaking Shell Key Preserve: Mangrove tunnels and sandbar Kayak the Shell Key Preserve with a guide, exploring mangrove tunnels and seagrass meadows before stopping on Shell Island to swim and search for shells. Every day · 09:30 and 13:30 · From age 8 ★ 4.97 (520 reviews) Duration: 3h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 59 per person
Snorkeling in Tampa: Dolphin & Shell Key Wildlife Cruise Snorkel Shell Key's 1,800-acre wildlife preserve near Tampa with private boat transport and equipment included. 95% of cruises see wild dolphin. Every day · 09:00, 12:15 and 13:30 ★ 4.79 (347 reviews) Duration: 3h–3h 30m Live guide: EN ✓ Instant confirmation. from US$ 78 per person
Kayaking Shell Key Preserve: Mangrove tunnels & dolphins Three hours paddling through mangrove tunnels in Shell Key Preserve with a local guide who knows where dolphins and manatees gather, shallow water. Every day · 08:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 14:30 · From age 3 ★ 4.98 (187 reviews) Duration: 3h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 59 per person
Kayaking Shell Key: See wildlife through clear kayaks Paddle through Shell Key Wildlife Preserve in a transparent kayak and watch dolphins, manatees and rays swim beneath you. Guide included, tandem or single kayak. Every day · 09:30 and 13:30 ★ 4.71 (173 reviews) Duration: 2h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 74 per person
Egmont Key Island: Dolphin Cruise & Snorkeling Tour St Petersburg 4-hour boat tour from St Petersburg to Egmont Key with snorkeling gear, wild dolphin sightings, and shell hunting on pristine beaches. USCG-inspected vessel, all ages welcome. Next departure: 1 Mar 2027 · All ages ★ 4.73 (154 reviews) Duration: 4h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 95 per person
Shell Key Island: Dolphin Cruise & Shell Hunting from St Petersburg 2.5-hour boat tour from St Petersburg to Shell Key with wild dolphins, mangrove wildlife, and shell collecting. Small groups, BYOB welcome, all ages. Every day · 09:00 · All ages ★ 4.86 (120 reviews) Duration: 2h 30m Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 75 per person
Kayaking Shell Key Preserve: Mangrove tunnels and wildlife Paddle through Shell Key Preserve's shallow mangrove islands and seagrass flats on a guided kayak tour from Tampa Bay, dolphins. Mon–Sat · 10:00 ★ 4.77 (94 reviews) Duration: 3h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 48 per person
Egmont Key Snorkeling Dolphin Tour: Ruins & Grass Flats Snorkel Egmont Key's historic ruins or beginner grass flats with gear included, captain narration, and a guide who stays with your group the entire time. Every day · 13:00 · All ages ★ 4.73 (107 reviews) Duration: 4h Live guide: EN ✓ Instant confirmation. from US$ 95 per person
Kayaking Shell Key: Mangrove preserve with live guide Paddle through mangrove tunnels and seagrass beds on Shell Key with a veteran guide who knows 30 years of Florida waterways, depart at 9:30am. Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri · 09:30 and 13:30 · Season until 30 Nov · From age 3 ★ 4.98 (81 reviews) Duration: 3h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 54 per person
Shell Key Kayak & Snorkel Tour: Paddle Mangrove Tunnels Paddle through hidden mangrove tunnels and snorkel at Shell Key on a 3-hour kayak tour from St. Pete: mask, snorkel and floatie included, plus photos emailed after. Every day · Every 1 h, 09:00 to 15:00 · From age 5 ★ 5.00 (80 reviews) Duration: 3h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 71 per person
Compare 6 more options for Nature and Wildlife Tours in St Petersburg
From US$ 65 per person · 2 h to 5 h
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve bike tour: 5 ecosystems on trails Bike through Boyd Hill Nature Preserve on mountain trails and boardwalks past live birds of prey, alligators and five distinct ecosystems along Lake Maggiore's shoreline. Tue–Sun · 10:00 and 14:00 · From age 13 ★ 4.97 (67 reviews) Duration: 2h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 65 per person
Barrie Mangroves Kayaking Private Guided Expedition Paddle through Barrie's mangrove canopy to Shell Key on a private guided kayak expedition with a dedicated guide, safety gear and 2.5 hours on the water. You control the pace. Next departure: 9 Feb 2027 · From age 10 ★ 4.58 (71 reviews) Duration: 2h 30m Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 65 per person
Shell Key Island tour: Dolphins, shells & mangroves Two-and-a-half-hour boat tour from St Petersburg to Shell Key with wild dolphin sightings in Dolphin Bay, shell hunting on the beach. Every day · 09:00, 12:00 and 15:00 ★ 5.00 (3 reviews) Duration: 2h 30m ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 750 per group
Shell Key Island Tour: Dolphins, Shells & Mangroves Cruise to Shell Key from St Petersburg with a USCG captain, spotting wild dolphins in Dolphin Bay and hunting shells like Conchs, Whelks and Junonia on pristine beaches. Every day · 09:00 and 14:00 ★ 5.00 (1 review) Duration: 4h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 950 per group
St Petersburg Dolphin Eco Boat Tour: Private Wildlife Cruise Private dolphin boat tour departing Gulfport for a 2-hour search through St Petersburg waters. Every day · No fixed time ★ 5.00 (1 review) Duration: 2h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 395 per group
Egmont Key Private Boat Tour: Lighthouse & Snorkel Private 5-hour boat tour to Egmont Key from St. Petersburg with guide, snorkeling, and island exploration: accessible only by water. Mon, Fri and Sat · 10:00 ★ 4.75 (4 reviews) Duration: 5h Live guide: EN ✓ Free cancellation. from US$ 802 per group
The top 12 of 21 options, side by side
✓ 2026-11-14| Option | Price | Duration | Rating | Days and times | Guide languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Kayak Paddling: Shell Key Preserve & Tampa BayOur pickGroup of up to 10 | US$ 89 per person | 2h | 4.97★ · 6,727 | Every day · 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00 | English |
| Kayaking Shell Key Preserve: Mangrove tunnels & dolphinsTop rated | US$ 59 per person | 3h | 4.98★ · 187 | Every day · 08:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 14:30 | English |
| Dolphin Racer Adventure Cruise in St. Pete BeachBest value | US$ 30 per person | 1h 30m | 4.74★ · 419 | Every day except Wednesday · 8 start times, 11:00 to 18:30 | English |
| Shell Key Island Snorkeling Tour: Dolphins & Wildlife, Max 6Group of up to 6 | US$ 79 per person | 2h | 4.87★ · 1,649 | Every day · 09:00, 11:30, 14:00 and 16:15 | English |
| Shell Key Shelling Cruise from John's Pass: Dolphins and seabirds | US$ 45 per person | 3h | 4.85★ · 509 | Every day except Monday and Wednesday · 10:00 and 13:30 | — |
| Kayaking at Shell Key with LED lights: Sunset to night glowGroup of up to 10 | US$ 89 per person | 1h 30m | 4.97★ · 754 | Every day · 16:30 and 18:00 | English |
| Kayaking Shell Key Preserve: Mangrove tunnels and sandbarGroup of up to 12 | US$ 59 per person | 3h | 4.97★ · 520 | Every day · 09:30 and 13:30 | English |
| Snorkeling in Tampa: Dolphin & Shell Key Wildlife CruiseGroup of up to 6 | US$ 78 per person | 3h–3h 30m | 4.79★ · 347 | Every day · 09:00, 12:15 and 13:30 | English |
| Kayaking Shell Key: See wildlife through clear kayaksGroup of up to 12 | US$ 74 per person | 2h | 4.71★ · 173 | Every day · 09:30 and 13:30 | English |
| Egmont Key Island: Dolphin Cruise & Snorkeling Tour St Petersburg | US$ 95 per person | 4h | 4.73★ · 154 | Next departure: 1 Mar 2027 | English |
| Shell Key Island: Dolphin Cruise & Shell Hunting from St Petersburg | US$ 75 per person | 2h 30m | 4.86★ · 120 | Every day · 09:00 | English |
| Kayaking Shell Key Preserve: Mangrove tunnels and wildlifeGroup of up to 14 | US$ 48 per person | 3h | 4.77★ · 94 | Mon–Sat · 10:00 | English |
By what you need
- Private (6): Shell Key Kayak & Snorkel Tour: Paddle Mangrove Tunnels (US$ 71 per person) · Barrie Mangroves Kayaking Private Guided Expedition (US$ 65 per person) · Shell Key Island tour: Dolphins, shells & mangroves (US$ 750 per group)
- Small groups (up to 15) (10): Clear Kayak Paddling: Shell Key Preserve & Tampa Bay (US$ 89 per person) · Shell Key Island Snorkeling Tour: Dolphins & Wildlife, Max 6 (US$ 79 per person) · Kayaking at Shell Key with LED lights: Sunset to night glow (US$ 89 per person)