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Banana River EcoTour: Dolphins and Manatees
4.8
150 Ratings
Merritt Island
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.
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.
- 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
-
- 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.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(150 Ratings)
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Kellpell
Mar 30, 2025
Excellent eco tour! - Captain CJ was great! Shared his extensive knowledge about marine life/wildlife in the area in a way that kept both the adults & kids entertained! We saw dolphins, manatees, an alligator, a variety of birds & even saw a SpaceX satellite launch while on the boat. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Goldengirls345
Mar 21, 2025
Fantastic!! - We took the 2 hour Eco Tour. Captain CJ was great. Even though it was an extremely cold day he did a fantastic job. We saw dolphins, mantee, seabird and local sites. Captain CJ was super informative and knowledgeable. We would highly recommend this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cheryl_g
Mar 13, 2025
Perfect Morning Cruise! - Perfect way to start the day. Got to see all the wildlife and learn about their habitat. Miss ages 4 and 8 really enjoyed it!
Review provided by Viator
Williamw898
Feb 23, 2025
Great tour! - We highly recommend this boat tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. Well worth the time and money. We saw manatees, dolphins and alligators. There were tons of birds. We learned about the Indian and Banana rivers, the locks and NASA. Don’t miss this activity!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rya318
Feb 19, 2025
Perfect Eco Tour - We saw dolphins and manatees! The captain was extremely knowledgable AND respectful of the environment around him! It was a perfect tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Keld2025
Feb 13, 2025
Lots to see and worth the time and money! - Great trip, Captain C J knows the area and wildlife. Good weather to see manatees , dolphins and resident gator. Too early for night bioluminescence tour, next time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Retired-luvnit
Feb 6, 2025
Great family outing! - Our group thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Capt. CJ. We saw many dolphins and many variety of birds, but sadly no manatee on our trip. We learned a lot about the river, abandoned boats, dolphins, and NASA. Quite a pleasant two-hours on the river.
CJ was very pleasant, knowledgeable and an experienced seaman.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cruiser15106614810
Feb 1, 2025
An Absolute Pleasure - My wife and I were spending a couple days in the Cape Canaveral / Merritt Island area waiting to begin a cruise. Prior to the trip I researched the normal restaurants, hotels etc. Even came across the Banana River Boat Tour which I thought, well that might be cool.
From our initial handshake Capt. C.J. was pleasant and friendly. His equiptment is roomy and comfortable.
He is a licensed certified commercial tourism boat captain. However, it became extremely obvious very quickly into our tour, that not only our safety and comfort was paramount but our enjoyment as well.
I would very adamantly suggest/insist that you hook up with Capt. C.J. He is without a doubt the most researched, detailed, friendly yet professional guide I have ever met!! He is a native born Floridian and passionate about his environment!!
Capt. C.J. is a complete asset to the tourism industry. The state of Florida should be extremely proud with this man as their ambassador ...!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan
Jan 29, 2025
Such a great time with Captain CJ!! - Captain CJ’s tour was so much more than seeing dolphins (which is what we had our hearts set on and were delighted to experience aplenty!)! We learned soooooo much about the natural and man-made wonders of the area - it was two (plus) hours of awe, laughter, and fresh air on the water in his lovely pontoon boat! Not only do I recommend this to you, but I would happily go again and again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Clpandolfe
Mar 23, 2025
Informative Captain - Our captain was a wealth of information and even though we didn't see the number and variety of birds that I had hoped to, we did see dolphins and manatees. He was very personable and i would recommend the trip for anyone who wants an exposure to area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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