We just returned from a great vacation on the Emerald Coast of Florida. We enjoyed beautiful sand, shells, sunshine and dolphin sightings. Our family took a 2 hour tour on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin. We had a great time and saw so many dolphins we lost count.

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise

The boat was a large 80 foot, 3 level boat. The top level is covered so you are out of the sun but open on the sides so you can enjoy the wind and still see the dolphins and the scenery. The middle level has an air-conditioned snack bar where you can sit and stay cool if you want to. Then there is a small viewing area downstairs with 8 glass bottom windows so you can see the water under the boat.

There is plenty of room around both levels of the boat so you can stand right on the edge and get a great close up view of the dolphins.

The captain of the boat knew the area really well. He grew up in the Destin area and started on fishing boats when he was 9 years old. It was very informative to hear his stories about the area. Who knew that Bette Midler had lived in the home on the side or that Jaws 2 was filmed in the area? My kids loved listening to the Captain talk about the dolphins and scenery.

This is a family friendly boat.  There was a strict no-smoking policy on the boat which means that it is enjoyable for everyone.  The crew were walking around the whole time to answer questions and make sure everyone was enjoying the cruise.  They did a great job!

***You are given the opportunity to thank the crew by leaving a tip when you exit the boat. 

What we saw:

We were barely out on the cruise before the Captain pointed out 2 dolphin mothers and their babies right off the left side of the boat. One of the important things my 7 year old daughter really wanted to see on this vacation was a dolphin swimming in the ocean. She was so excited to see this.

You know you have had a successful dolphin cruise when you see so many dolphins that you lose count. It was almost as if the dolphins were putting on a show just for us.

Junior Captains

A great surprise for the kids was the opportunity to be able to take over as junior captains of the ship. Each child on the boat was able to climb into the captains cabin and steer the boat. They were then given a certificate to remember the opportunity.

You can find the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise on Facebook or on their website.

We were given a free tour in exchange for this review. Thanks to Nicole and the crew of Southern Star for this amazing family adventure.