Banana River EcoTour: Dolphins and Manatees

Experience the beauty of the Banana River in a span of two hours through our tour. Encounter dolphins and manatees in their wild settings on our EcoTour. Travel around The Indian River Lagoon and understand the uniqueness of this area. Personalized tours can be arranged if requested.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Cocoa Beach - Embark on a two-hour boat tour through the Banana River, where you’ll encounter manatees, dolphins, and a variety of other wildlife.
  • Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Sail through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and observe a diverse array of wildlife in their natural surroundings.
What's Included
    • US Coast Guard approved life jackets
Location
2550 N Banana River Dr
North Banana River Drive
Tours depart from Kelly Park. This is a county park with free public parking and public restrooms. Please be sure and park in the parking lot DIRECTLY across the street from the BP Gas Station. Feel free to relax on a picnic table under the pavilion and your captain will meet you there.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(137 Ratings)
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Navigator29730448248
Jun 30, 2024
Great time! - Great time! We saw tons of dolphins and manatees. Love all the views and educational info our guide provided us with. Perfect day on the water. Would do again next trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulf942
Jun 20, 2024
2 Hours thoroughly well spent - Our original planned trip was not possible due to the weather. Fortunately we were able to re-arrange a nice slot just before our flight back. Of course it was in everyone's interests to do this but not always easy or possible. The "Captain" helped make this happen and as I said to him on the trip, "I was so glad we were able to make this work". The trip was really interesting and we saw all of the animals we'd hoped to see (ex Alligators..they were there just hiding!) . I wasn't expecting to learn quirky facts about NASA , Security or the Space Industry but we did and it just added to the enjoyment. A thoroughly enjoyable 2 hours of my life which I will remember for a long time - thanks Captain CJ
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Frequentflier565280
May 2, 2024
Wonderful tour! - Best for ever! Pilot was super informative, we learned alot! Saw manatees, dolphins, alligators, and all kinds of birds. Nice pontoon boat, pilot took his time and let us get all our pictures. Great tour! Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cat
Apr 20, 2024
Well worth it. - What a great way to spend a couple of hours in Cocoa Beach. Saw so much wildlife, even the kids were entertained. Dolphins, manatees and pelicans galore. Extremely knowledgeable guide also taught us a lot about the space centre. A great afternoon.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y4113vkrolfs
Apr 19, 2024
Excellent Tour - Very nice tour - very informative and qualified passionated guides. We have seen many dolphins, manatees and sea birds.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Martha_m
Apr 13, 2024
A must-do experience! - An amazing experience! Communication about when and where to meet for the tour was clear and timely. Accessing the pontoon boat was also easy and would be great for those with mobility issues. Our guide, Captain Jack, was incredibly knowledgeable and pointed out all manner of wildlife while explaining the ecosystem of the area. We enjoyed it so much, we would go again!
Review provided by Viator
Safari778050
Mar 28, 2024
Fantastic tour!! - My brother was visiting from Tennessee and, with my boyfriend, we booked a tour with another company, but although the boat was there when we showed up, the captain was not. I called and found out he had had a medical emergency. But good fortune was smiling on us, as another boat pulled in and discharged its passengers. At the helm of the Banana River Boat Tours vessel was Captain CJ and he agreed to take the three of us out. My boyfriend is born and bred Florida and has been fishing the Banana River and Mosquito Lagoon his whole life. Even he was impressed with the captain's knowledge and his willingness to pull over to try to help a pelican with two hooks stuck in him. We all learned a lot about NASA, and how dolphins sleep, and saw a male manatee try to run another male off. The whole thing was a fantastic experience and I will definitely book again when my next visitors come - or maybe my boyfriend and I won't wait that long. I highly recommend this company!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lynn_r
Mar 24, 2024
Saw lots of dolphins and... - Saw lots of dolphins and manatees, some alligators and many different kinds of birds. Captain was very knowledgeable about the area. Had a great time!
Review provided by Viator
Carriemcalifornia428
Jun 25, 2024
Cut short by storm - We enjoyed our tour and we liked Captain CJ. He was nice and informative. We also saw a lot of dolphins which was really fun. However, we had two problems. The first was he delayed picking us up by an hour. He did try to call, but my phone was on airplane mode because I had been on a cruise ship. Since we didn’t get the call, we waited for an hour in the heat. The second problem was that we paid for 2 hours and he had to bring us back an hour early because of a storm. I asked if we would only need to pay for one hour and he said no, we still had to pay for 2. Although we understood it was for our safety and that weather is unpredictable, it still was a bit frustrating since we would have had our full 2 hours, had he arrived on time to start. Although we liked the tour a lot and wish we could have had another hour, it is hard to recommend spending money if you might not get what you paid for.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sheila
Jul 13, 2024
Nothing to report, the boat ride was canceled. Was really looking forward to a leisurely ride looking for dolphins and other wi - No experience to report. It was canceled do to weather. Had to leave so couldn't reschedule. Hopefully next time we can go.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 6 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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