Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours and Pontoon Boat Rentals
701 Pensacola Beach Blvd, Behind Shaggy’s Pensacola Beach, FL 32561 (850) 910-0635
Spotting dolphins in the wild are on the top of the sand-bucket lists of many Pensacola Bay Area visitors.
Get outside and see how you can meet our friendly neighbors here.
While at the beach, I’m constantly scanning the outer sandbar in the Gulf. Dolphins, who live in pods, often cruise up and down the coast along that outer sandbar or in the deep trench in between sandbars when they’re hunting fish. Sometimes when they’re following schools of fish, dolphins will venture closer to shore inside the sandbars where beachgoers are swimming.
So, how’s the best way to encounter a dolphin in the wild? Here’s my pick for the top five best ways:
Chart a course for a dolphin encounter out of Pensacola Beach or Perdido Key on one of the many Dolphin Cruises offered. A variety of cruises are available to customize your experience from more intimate private sailing adventures, to jet ski dolphin excursions and cruises for larger groups. Ready to explore more? Here's a list of dolphin excursion companies in the Pensacola area.
2. Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier
an “observers” ticket to stroll out on the pier that spans 1,470 feet into the Gulf of Mexico where you can get a front-row seat to a wild dolphin show. Much to the angst of the anglers, dolphins are attracted to the pier by the fish they are catching. If the water conditions are good, you could see dolphins swimming under and around the pier, along with all sorts of our amazing marine life, including sea turtles. Learn more about the Pensacola Beach Pier.
Pensacola Pass is where many of the dolphin cruises head to, but if you’re not up for a boat ride, the crystal white sandy tip of Santa Rosa Island along the pass offers a great viewing spot for dolphins. In fact, the island’s tip is in Gulf Islands National Seashore’s Fort Pickens Area and features long stretches of beach along the Gulf of Mexico and Pensacola Bay from which you can relax and watch the water for dolphins.
Of course, dolphins can be seen from any of our beaches and we have miles of open beach to pick from. Here's a map of our public beach areas for you to select your perfect beach.
4. On A Paddle Adventure
Swimming, kayaking, paddle-boarding in the Gulf places you in the dolphin’s neighborhood, and it’s definitely one of the best ways to enjoy these creatures doing what they do best, being free and wild. Dolphins are wild, so keep your distance and avoid approaching them, especially if they have babies. If one smacks its tail on the water, it’s a warning to stay away. Otherwise, enjoy this amazing experience that’s like no other.
Want to captain of your dolphin cruise? Renting a boat gives you the freedom to explore on your own, and with miles and miles of bayfront coastline, you'll be able to pull up to the beach to enjoy swimming and picnicking. Take a look at the local outfitters offering Pontoon boat rentals.
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