Airboat on the Homosassa River at sunrise, cypress trees and Spanish moss on both banks

Airboat tours · Old Homosassa, FL

Homosassa Airboat Tours

Tour the Homosassa River and backwaters — or run all the way out to the Gulf of Mexico — in an open-air airboat with a US Coast Guard licensed captain at the helm.

See the 90-minute ride

From $65 per personUp to 5 guests per boatShared or privateDaily departures

Duration: 60 or 90 minutes
From: $65 per person+ tax
Guests: Up to 5per airboat
Departs: Daily10823 W Yulee Drive

Two airboat tours leave our dock on the Homosassa River. Both are open-hull boats with two rows of seats, a big engine behind you and nothing between you and the marsh.

An airboat is the only way to reach the shallow backwaters where the river bends into sawgrass and cypress knees. It is also fast, loud and genuinely fun — the kind of ride guests talk about for years. Your captain shuts the engine down whenever something worth watching appears, so a wildlife sighting never rushes past.

Choose your airboat tour

Airboat drifting through cypress backwater

60-Minute Scenic Safari

River and backwaters only. The wildlife-dense route — gators, turtles, otters, herons and Monkey Island.

60 minutesFrom $65 pp + taxUp to 5 guests

Airboat racing across the Gulf of Mexico

90-Minute Gulf Airboat Ride & Dolphin Quest

Everything on the scenic route, plus the open water of the Gulf of Mexico and the best odds of seeing dolphins.

90 minutesFrom $79 pp + taxMost popular

Private Airboat Tours

Book the entire boat for your group of up to 5 — your own captain, your own pace, no strangers aboard.

Whole boat60 or 90 minutesUp to 5 guests

What to expect on the water

Wildlife at eye level

The route passes Monkey Island — you are guaranteed to see the monkeys — then runs through the river and backwaters past alligators, turtles, otters, herons, egrets and bald eagles. When the captain spots something truly unusual, the engine goes quiet and you drift in.

Over 500 native plants

Cypress heads, wetland hammocks and eelgrass fields line the water. The Homosassa River is one of the most biologically rich stretches of Florida's Nature Coast, and you cover a lot of it in an hour.

Open-air excitement

No cabin, no windows. An airboat is an open hull, two rows of seating and a large engine. Earmuffs are provided, the ride is smooth, and there is nothing between you and the view.

Good to know: no alcohol aboard airboats, no dogs on guided tours, and no restrooms on board. There are waterfront restaurants within a mile of the dock. Children are welcome at the captain's discretion, and every passenger wears a life jacket if conditions call for it.

Our captains

Licensed, insured and on the water every day.

Every River Safaris airboat captain holds an active US Coast Guard OUPV license with an airboat endorsement. They are drug tested through the year, our boats are insured, and no tour leaves the dock without a safety brief.

They also know where the animals are. Ask them what you are looking at — they will tell you the species, the season and usually a story about the last time it showed up.

More about the dock and our crew

Passengers on a River Safaris boat looking at a manatee

Before you book

Homosassa airboat tour questions

How many people fit on an airboat?

Our airboats hold up to 5 guests on two rows of seats. You can book a shared boat and ride with other guests, or book the whole boat privately for your group.

What is the difference between the 60-minute and 90-minute airboat tours?

The 60-minute Scenic Safari stays in the Homosassa River and the backwaters, where the wildlife is dense and the water is calm. The 90-minute Gulf Airboat Ride follows the same route and then continues out to the Gulf of Mexico, adding open-water scenery and a much better chance of seeing dolphins.

Is an airboat tour safe for children and grandparents?

Yes. Airboats are stable and the captain decides the pace. Infants, youth, child and adult life jackets are all on board, and the captain may use discretion about small children aboard. Every trip starts with a safety brief and earmuffs are provided for the engine noise.

What should I wear on an airboat tour?

Dress for the weather and bring a jacket — it is cooler on the water. Wear sunglasses and a hat that fits snugly, because loose hats blow off. Sunscreen is a good idea in every season.

Can we drink alcohol on the airboat?

No. Alcohol is not permitted on airboat tours. It is allowed on pontoon rentals, but never for the driver.

Ready for the backwaters?

Airboat tours leave from 10823 W Yulee Drive in Old Homosassa. Book online or call the dock at (352) 628-5222.

Compare both tours