Bottlenose dolphin surfacing beside a pontoon boat near the river mouth

River mouth and Gulf · no sighting guarantee

Homosassa Dolphin Tours

Follow the river out toward the Gulf and look for dolphins feeding where the fresh water meets the salt — from a pontoon boat or skiff with a captain who knows where to find them.

See eco tours

Dolphins are usually found feeding at the mouth of the Homosassa River, or surfing the bow wake out in the Gulf of Mexico.

They may be in the river or out in the Gulf, corralling baitfish into shallower water. You might find them in pairs, on their own, or hunting as a group — and when they hunt as a group, you get to watch their intelligence on full display.

Where the dolphins are

The river runs seven miles from the springs to the Gulf. Dolphins concentrate near the mouth, where fresh and salt water mix and the baitfish are thick, and out in the Gulf where they ride the wake of passing boats. Your captain will run the channel and the flats, cut the engine when a pod appears, and let the dolphins decide how close they get.

How to see dolphins in Homosassa

Book a dolphin tour

A captain and guide take you straight to the water where dolphins feed, with a shaded seat and no navigation to worry about.

Custom cruises

Rent a pontoon and look yourself

Stay in the marked channel toward the river mouth, keep an eye out for birds working the surface, and give dolphins plenty of room.

Pontoon rentals

Wild means wild. We never feed, chase or harass dolphins, and we do not promise a sighting. On a great day you will find two to five of them playing right at the surface. On a quiet day you will still have a beautiful run out to the Gulf.

While you are out there

More than dolphins.

The same run passes mangrove keys, oyster bars and seagrass flats, and the bird life is constant — pelicans, ospreys, herons and, if you are lucky, a roseate spoonbill.

In summer the flats north of Channel Marker 8 are full of scallops, which is why so many guests combine a dolphin run with a scalloping trip.

The channel from the Homosassa River out to the Gulf of Mexico

Before you book

Dolphin tour questions

Will I see dolphins on a Homosassa dolphin tour?

Dolphins are common near the mouth of the Homosassa River and out in the Gulf, and our captains know where they feed. Sightings are never guaranteed because the animals are wild, but the odds are good on most days.

What boat will I be on?

Dolphin tours run on our pontoon boats and a custom skiff. The pontoons have bimini tops for shade and room for a cooler.

Can we feed the dolphins?

No. Feeding wild dolphins is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and it changes their behaviour in ways that hurt them.

Can I swim with the dolphins?

Only if a dolphin chooses to approach you, and most encounters last less than a minute. We do not chase dolphins or put swimmers in the water to pursue them.

Do I need a guided tour to see dolphins?

No. You can rent a pontoon and stay in the marked channel near the river mouth. A captain just saves you the search.

Follow the river. Look for dolphins.

Book a dolphin tour online, or call (352) 628-5222 and ask what the captains have been seeing.

All boat tours