25+ Best Clearwater Beach Boat Tours (From a Local)
Are you looking to take a boat tour from Clearwater Beach?
Most of the boat tours on Clearwater Beach leave from the Clearwater Marina, located near Pier 60. If you aren’t sure what boat tour you want, keep reading, or head to the marina to see the boats and talk to the tour operators.
From dolphin-watching boat tours to a pirate ship cruise, and dinner cruises to fishing charters, there are plenty of fun options for boat tours on Clearwater Beach.
I grew up in Clearwater, but I didn’t go on many beach tours until I moved back as an adult. That is when I realized that boat tours make great date nights, family adventures, and activities with friends. There are so many boat tours in Clearwater that it is easy to find one that is perfect for you.
Keep reading to find the best boat tours from Clearwater Beach.
Planning a Trip? Use Our Favorite Resources!
Accommodation- Booking.com Travel Insurance- Cover-More Tours and Excursions- Get Your Guide and Viator Rental Car- Discover Cars
Boat Tours from Clearwater Beach
Lunch and Dinner Cruises
While meals are available on the following lunch and dinner cruises, they don’t need to be ordered to enjoy the boat tour. Lunch and dinner can be purchased separately from the boat ride for those interested in the boat rather than the meal.
Calypso Queen Tropical Buffet Cruise
⭐ 4.4/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
With 2 options, a daytime lunch cruise and an evening dinner cruise, Calypso Queen offers a casual, tropical-themed boat ride with complimentary beer, wine, and rum punch.
The lunch cruise includes narration about the area during a 1.5 to 2-hour cruise. Lunch is optional, and those with tickets that include the buffet also include complimentary drinks.
A DJ replaces the narration on the evening tours. The evening tour is longer, lasting 2 to 2.5 hours. The dinner buffet is optional, and those who order dinner receive complimentary drinks.
Starlite Cruises
⭐ 4.3/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Order off a menu while you enjoy the view, or pay for the boat ride and skip the meal on Starlite Cruises. The Starlite Cruise Yacht offers both a lunch and a dinner cruise that leaves from Clearwater Marina.
Starlite Cruises has a full bar on board in addition to the restaurant.
Dolphin Watching Cruises
Spotting dolphins is common in the Gulf of Mexico near Clearwater Beach, and if you want to guarantee that you will see some, the dolphin-watching tours often offer a 100% guarantee, or you can cruise with them again for free.
Little Toot Boat Ride
⭐ 4.8/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Each Little Toot boat ride ranges from 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how quickly dolphins are spotted. The Little Toot dolphin spotting boat rides are 100% guaranteed, and if dolphins are not spotted, visitors can ride again for free within a year.
Little Toot offers shaded seats, a bathroom on board, and refreshments available to purchase.
The Tropics Boat Tour
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
The Tropics Boat Tour offers a dolphin-watching tour with live commentary. This boat tour departs from Clearwater Marina multiple times each day.
Another dolphin spotting option from The Tropics Boat Tour is a Happy Hour Dolphin Exploration Tour
Encounters with Dolphins
⭐ 4.6/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Clearwater Encounters with Dolphins Boat Tours include not only a boat ride but snorkeling as well.
The 90-minute boat tour includes a stop at Compass Island for shelling, swimming, and snorkeling.
Ice Cream Boat Ride
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Enjoy an ice cream while spotting dolphins on the Dolphin Ice Cream Boat Tour.
In addition to the ice cream boat rides, a sunset cruise and an adult-only booze cruise are offered by Clearwater Fun Boat.
Mega Bite Boat Tours
⭐ 4.5/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Shaped like a shark, the Mega Bite Boat Tour is a dolphin spotting boat tour leaving from Clearwater Marina.
While actually spotting a dolphin is not guaranteed, it is likely.
The boat has both covered and uncovered seating, and there is a bathroom on board.
Find more fun things to do on Clearwater Beach with kids.
Sunset Cruise Boat Rides
Many of the boats in other categories also offer sunset boat rides from Clearwater Beach. As the time of the sunset changes throughout the year, so does the time of each boat tour.
The Tropics Boat Tours
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Live commentary and a champagne toast at sunset occur nightly on The Tropics Boat Tour.
A double-decker catamaran leaves from Clearwater Marina for almost 2 hours on The Tropics Boat Tour. Beer, wine, and soda are available to purchase on board.
Is Clearwater Beach Worth Visiting?
Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
As well as a daytime tour, Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise sails at sunset each evening.
These kid-friendly tours include entertainment for the kids and complimentary drinks on board a pirate ship.
You can even have a birthday party on Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise.
Read more about Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise.
Starlite Yacht Dinner Cruise
⭐ 4.3/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Starlite Yacht cruises multiple times a day, including a sunset dinner cruise.
Dinner is optional on Starlite Cruises, and it is set up like a restaurant on the water where guests can order from the menu.
Music entertainment is provided, and there is a bar on board.
Calypso Queen
⭐ 4.4/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Those who want can eat from the dinner buffet on Calypso Queen, and those who don’t want to eat on board can just enjoy the ride.
Music and dancing take place on board Calypso Queen each night.
Little Toot Sunset Tour
⭐ 4.8/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Slightly longer than their daytime tours, the Little Toot Sunset Tour is 90 minutes long. A cash bar is available on board.
Find more fun things to do on Clearwater Beach at night.
Speed Boat Rides
Sea Screamer
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Guaranteed dolphin spotting and the world’s largest speed boat, Sea Screamer, offers multiple daily cruises and seasonal sunset cruises.
Sea Screamer goes up to 35 miles an hour, and some passengers will get wet.
Party Cruises
Clearwater Beach Party Boat
⭐ 5/5 🗺️ Clearwater Beach ✅ Book Now
Up to 12 passengers can book a private boat ride and party off the coast of Clearwater Beach.
You can bring food and drinks on board and decide where to go. Options include sandbars, islands, and waterways.
Note that this boat does not leave from the Clearwater Beach Marina, but is nearby.
Sail Boat Rides
Schooner Clearwater Sailing
⭐ 5/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Climb aboard a Schooner Clearwater Sail Boat for a 2-hour boat ride.
Kids must be at least 5 years old to ride on this sailboat. Only 20 people can ride on the sailboat at a time, and it is not wheelchair accessible.
Unique Boat Rides
Captain Memo’s Pirate Ship
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
A kid-friendly cruise, Captain Memo’s Pirate Ship has multiple boat rides each day. Each ride on Captain Memo’s Pirate Ship includes plenty of entertainment for the kids and complimentary drinks.
We experienced a Captain Memo’s Pirate Ship Cruise with 6 kids aged 7-11. While they all had a great time, the 11-year-old was less likely to participate in everything geared towards kids. It depends on your child. At 12, mine would still participate.
Lanie’s Pro Tip: If you want a specific seat on board, be the first to board. Not only do you need to arrive early, but you also need to stand by the entrance to the dock. We got to sit in a private section on the top of the boat, as we had a large group and got there first.
Tiki Boat
⭐ 5/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
Your group of up to 6 passengers can ride around on a Tiki Boat, which is basically a Tiki bar on the water.
Leaving from Clearwater Marina, the Tiki Boat cruises for 90 minutes.
A cooler is provided, and guests are welcome to bring their own food and drinks as well as their own music.
Shark Teeth and Shells Boat Ride
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
One of the newest boat ride experiences in Clearwater is the family-friendly Shark Teeth and Shells.
While looking for dolphins, the boat cruises to find shells. Everyone gets a bucket and a panning screen, which they use to sluice for treasure.
Half-Day Private Boat Ride with a Slide
⭐ 5/5 🗺️ Seminole Boat Ramp ✅ Book Now
Your group of up to 10 can rent out a private boat for the day, including a slide that goes straight into the water.
The Buccaneer Funship is a 27-foot double-decker boat that leaves from a marina north of downtown Clearwater.
Passengers on the Buccaneer Funship will see wildlife, including dolphins, and explore some of the islands near Clearwater Beach. Swimming and snorkeling take place from the boat.
Sunset cruises are available as well.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium Educational Boat Rides
Clearwater Marine Aquarium offers educational boat rides daily. Tickets to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium are not required to participate in one of their boat rides.
Each boat ride leaves from Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Read more about Clearwater Marine Aquarium, including its exhibits, classes, and workshops.
Tropical Sunset Cruise
🗺️ Clearwater Marine Aquarium ✅ Book Now
Enjoy a drink, play educational games, and listen to music while spotting wildlife and enjoying the sunset on a 90-minute Tropical Sunset Cruise leaving from Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Dolphin and Wildlife Boat Tour
🗺️ Clearwater Marine Aquarium ✅ Book Now
A 60-minute-long eco-boat ride, this Dolphin and Wildlife Boat Tour includes traveling around a bird sanctuary island and learning about dolphins and other native wildlife.
Sea Life Safari Nature Tour
🗺️ Clearwater Marine Aquarium ✅ Book Now
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, located near Clearwater Beach, has a few options for boat rides as well.
A 90-minute-long Sea Life Safari Nature Tour offers a hands-on experience and is the only tour licensed to pull a trawl net that captures small fish, seahorses, and other sea life.
Fishing Charters
Interested in fishing off a boat leaving Clearwater Beach? There are quite a few options for fishing charters at Clearwater Marina, including the following.
Another great way to decide which fishing charter to take is to visit the marina where the boats are parked. Even if the boat isn’t there, a sign with all of the options will be on the dock.
Gulf Stream Fishing Charters
⭐ 4.7/5 🗺️ Clearwater Marina ✅ Book Now
With 3 different boats, Gulf Stream Fishing Charters can accommodate up to 10, 16, and 21 people on one boat. The rate varies depending on how many people are on the private fishing charter.
Each Gulf Stream Fishing Charter can run from 4 hours to 12 hours.
Coastal Chaos Fishing Charter
⭐ 5/5 🗺️ Clearwater Beach ✅ Book Now
Four-, six-, and eight-hour fishing charters are available for each small group on board Coastal Chaos Fishing Charter.
Captain Ketch Charters
⭐ 5/5 🗺️ Clearwater Beach ✅ Book Now
Join Captain Ketch Charters on a full-day private fishing boat tour that leaves from the Clearwater Beach Public Boat Ramp.
Up to 6 guests can participate in this boat tour. Bottled water and snacks are included.
Fish you may catch include redfish, snook, trout, mackerel, and inshore grouper.
Outside Edge Adventures
⭐ 5/5 🗺️ Clearwater Beach ✅ Book Now
One to 3 guests can participate in a fishing charter with Outside Edge Adventures.
The boat is located a few minutes away from downtown Clearwater. There are options for fishing locations, including by Caledesi State Park and Sand Key Park.
Clearwater Beach Boat Ride Top Tips
- If you are staying in a hotel nearby, walk to the marina or take the Jolley Trolley
- While parking is available at the marina, it does get crowded. Sometimes, parking is difficult on Clearwater Beach. Allow yourself more than enough time to find parking.
- Check in on time, even if that means getting to the marina 45 minutes before your boat ride. Plan that extra time into your day.
- Book ahead, especially during the busy season.
- Wear sunscreen during the daytime cruises
Things to do in and around Clearwater when it is raining
Clearwater Beach Boat Tours FAQ
Yes, you can see dolphins swimming from Clearwater Beach. Dolphins can often, but not always, be spotted in the water during a boat cruise in Clearwater.
Dolphins are more active in the morning, so that is the best time to spot them in Clearwater. Although they are easier to spot in the mornings, they can often be found throughout the day and on sunset cruises as well.
Depending on the time of year, you may be able to book a boat tour once you have arrived in Clearwater, though if there is one you really want to do, book it in advance.
If you aren’t particular about times and have an open schedule, you can walk down to the marina and book a tour directly from the office.
Clearwater Boat Tours Comparison
| Boat Tour | Length of Cruise | Leaves From | Food and Drinks | Entertainment | Availability |
| Calypso Queen | 1.5-2 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | Optional Buffet with Complimentary Drinks | Narration at lunch, DJ during the dinner cruise | Check Price |
| Starlite Cruise | 3 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | Optional Meal, Full Bar | Music | Check Price |
| Little Toot | 1-1.5 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | Refreshments Available to Purchase Onboard | Dolphin Watching | Check Price |
| The Tropics | 1.5-2 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | Snacks and Drinks Available to Purchase Onboard | Dolphin Watching | Check Price |
| Clearwater Encounters | 1.5 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | None | Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling | Check Price |
| Dolphin Ice Cream Boat | 1.5 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | Ice Cream | Dolphin Watching | Check Price |
| Mega Bite | 1 hour | Clearwater Beach Marina | None | Dolphin Watching | Check Price |
| Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise | 2 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | Complimentary Drinks, Snacks Available to Purchase | Music, Games for Kids | Check Price |
| Sea Screamer | 1 hour | Clearwater Beach Marina | None | Dolphin Watching Speed Boat | Check Price |
| Clearwater Beach Party Boat | 4 hours | Seminole Boat Ramp | BYO | Private Boat | Check Price |
| Schooner Clearwater Sail Boat | 2 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | Sparkling Water, BYO drinks | Dolphin Watching | Check Price |
| Tiki Boat | 1.5 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | BYO, Cooler Provided | BYO Music, Private Boat | Check Price |
| Shark Teeth and Shells | 45 minutes-1 hour | Clearwater Beach Marina | Water Available to Purchase | Pan for Treasure | Check Price |
| Buccaneer Funship | 4-8 hours | Seminole Boat Ramp | Cooler with Ice Available | Private Boat with Island Hopping and Dolphin Watching | Check Price |
| Tropical Sunset Cruise | 1.5 hours | Clearwater Marine Aquarium | Complimentary Drinks | Music, Games, Spot Wildlife | Check Price |
| Dolphin and Wildlife Boat Tour | 1 hour | Clearwater Marine Aquarium | None | Informational Tour, Spot Wildlife | Check Price |
| Sea Life Safari | 1.5 hours | Clearwater Marine Aquarium | None | Hands-On Animal Experience | Check Price |
| Dos Amigos | 4-15 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | BYO | Fishing, Private Boat | Check Price |
| Gulf Stream | 4-12 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | BYO | Fishing, Private Boat | Check Price |
| Coastal Chaos | 4-8 hours | Clearwater Beach Marina | BYO | Fishing, Private Boat | Check Price |
Clearwater Beach Boat Tours Wrap-Up
No matter what kind of boat ride you are looking for, chances are they have it in Clearwater, Florida.
Most boat rides leave from Clearwater Beach Marina, though there are also boat rides at nearby Clearwater Marine Aquarium, as well as a marina in downtown Clearwater.
From small private boats to large yachts, Clearwater Beach has a lot of boat tours, including dolphin watching, dinner cruises, a pirate boat, and, of course, sunset cruises.
While you may be able to book a boat tour the day of, they do fill up seasonally.
If you aren’t quite sure what you are looking for, take a walk on the Clearwater Marina and check out the boats.
You May Also Like
- Fun Things to Do on Clearwater Beach with Kids
- Things to do When it’s Raining in Clearwater
- Things to Do on Clearwater Beach at Night
- Unique Things to Do in Clearwater
- Honeymoon Island State Park
- Indian Rocks Beach with Kids
- The Tradewinds Resort Review
- FlordiRAMA with Kids
- St. Pete Pier
- Things to do When it is Raining in St. Pete
- Things to Do in St. Pete with Kids
Pin for Later
