Egmont Key Boat Tours from Gulfport

The ride out is part of the experience. We leave from our Gulfport launch and head toward the mouth of Tampa Bay. The route runs down Boca Ciega Bay and out past Pass-A-Grille, and visitors booking boat tours from St. Pete Beach are only a short drive from the ramp.

Snorkeling near the sunken fort ruins is the highlight for many guests. Masks, fins, and life vests come with the charter at no extra cost. Captain Allen gives as much guidance as you would like before anyone gets in. The ruins sit in a 6-foot-deep spot with colorful fish and coral, so newer snorkelers can enjoy it alongside confident swimmers.

Captain Allen does more than drop the anchor and wait. He points out the best areas to snorkel, and past guests have watched him dive in to show them sea animals up close. Kids who are new to snorkeling can wear a life vest and stay near the boat until they feel comfortable.

The history runs deep. Long before the lighthouse, the island served as a Seminole Indian camp. Fort Dade came later, during the Spanish American War, and its brick ruins still stand among the sea oats. Walking the island with a captain who knows the story turns a beach day into a history lesson your group will talk about later.

On the island, guided walking tours lead past the Fort Dade ruins and on to the lighthouse, which has stood since 1858. Watch the sandy paths for gopher tortoises. The beaches here are less crowded than the mainland shore, and the waterline is good for shelling. Guests who love that part of the day often come back for a Shell Key shelling trip next.

Wildlife fills the rest of the day. Ospreys hunt above the surf, rays glide along the sandy bottom, and a manatee or sea turtle sometimes surfaces in the clear shallows. Seabirds nest in protected parts of the island. Bring a camera, but expect a few moments to happen too fast for a lens.

Dolphins often show up in the channels on the way out and back, though sightings are never guaranteed. If spotting them is your top goal, a dolphin watching tour devotes the whole trip to them. A 2-hour trip covers the Egmont Key tour as a single activity. The 3-hour package combines snorkeling with Egmont Key, and our Gulfport boat tour pricing lays out every package.

Longer days work well here, too. One family's 4-hour trip started with snorkeling at Egmont Key, then moved on to wakeboarding lessons and tubing, which the kids called their favorite part.

Egmont Key draws guests from all over Pinellas County. Families booking Belleair boat tours make the drive south for an island with no roads, no condos, and no vendors. Bring a towel, water, snacks, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, since food is not provided. Then text or ring 727-709-0088 to reserve your private Egmont Key day.

Egmont Key boat charters run from 2 hours, enough for a snorkel at the fort ruins and a walk to the lighthouse, up to a full 6-hour day with Shell Key or a sandbar added on.