We booked the 7 hour private tour with Beach Buddy Tours and our driver/guide was Jake. It was the BEST 7 hours of our entire family vacation!
We got to go wherever we wanted! Our request was something lowkey and away from the crowds and Jake was absolutely wonderful. He took us to a private beach, it felt like Cast Away! We walked and swam and collected shells on an island that was completely empty, the shells were amazing to find, everything seemed so untouched. Jake's suggestion of lunch at Mango's was perfect for both the adults and kids.
He was polite, patient, accommodating and super knowledgeable about everything we saw out on our ride. He stopped for us whenever dolphins swam to our boat, the day was incredible.
If you are looking for a day of fun and relaxing and a business that provides whatever kind of day you want, go with Beach Buddy.
Thank you Beach Buddy Tours and thank you Jake for making the day so memorable. We will definitely book another tour with you!
Verified
Terrific Experience - As Always
Jake was terrific - very friendly, knowledgeable, and knew the spots to go to for us to see manatees, dolphins, and more (including a water moccasin and a babysitter shark). This is the third time we’ve used Beach Buddy Tours and it won’t be the last!
Great trip! Family friendly excursion. Was able to book online very convenient.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.05.29
Thank you for the great review! We're so glad your family had a wonderful time on the water with us. We work hard to make booking easy and the experience enjoyable for guests of all ages. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back aboard for another adventure soon!
Our captain Jake was awesome. He was engaging and very friendly. He was also cautious with me having issues with my neck, so he would always slow down when we came across choppy waters.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.05.29
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with Captain Jake. He truly enjoys getting to know his guests and making sure everyone has a fun, comfortable, and safe time on the water. We're especially glad he was attentive to your needs and adjusted the ride to keep you comfortable when conditions got a little choppy. We appreciate you choosing Beach Buddy Tours and hope to see you again soon!
We just had an excursion with Beach Buddy - and I had to come back to double check all the other reviews and pictures to see if everyone was having a same or similar experience.
I wish I could give 2 different reviews, one for the captain and the experience and one for the boat and it's experience.
The captain was subcontracted, I'm not entirely sure why, as we weren't provided a reason. That said, our captain, Paul, was a fantastic captain and absolutely knew his craft and took us on a great tour. No complaints there at all.
The boat was another thing altogether. When we arrived, we asked to put our drinks and snacks in the cooler. The cooler had about an inch of water and obviously a previous trip's garbage was left in the cooler. So all of our items were in a less than desirable state when we went to consume them. Water doesn't keep things as cold as ice would, but we assumed when the ad said a cooler would be provided that we didn't need to bring ice.
The boat was obviously not cleaned, as evidenced by the cigarette butt in a cup holder and the fact that we couldn't really see much through the windows.
We had booked a 7 hour excursion, but the first 30 minutes was spent fueling up as the boat was on E when we started.
The day was forecast for storms and we turned back an hour early, so our excursion only truly lasted about 5 to 5.5 hours.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.05.29
Thank you for your feedback. We're glad to hear you enjoyed your time on the water with Captain Paul and that he provided a great experience for your family.
We sincerely apologize for the condition of the cooler and the cleanliness issues you encountered. That is not the standard we strive to provide, and we've addressed these concerns with our team to help ensure they do not happen again.
Regarding the shortened trip, the decision to return early was made due to developing weather conditions and with the safety of everyone onboard as the top priority. We understand that this was disappointing, especially on a longer excursion.
After learning about your experience, we reached out personally to apologize and offered a complimentary tour in an effort to make things right, but unfortunately we never heard back. We genuinely value your feedback and would still welcome the opportunity to earn your trust again in the future.
Thank you for choosing Beach Buddy Tours.
We sincerely apologize for the condition of the cooler and the cleanliness issues you encountered. That is not the standard we strive to provide, and we've addressed these concerns with our team to help ensure they do not happen again.
Regarding the shortened trip, the decision to return early was made due to developing weather conditions and with the safety of everyone onboard as the top priority. We understand that this was disappointing, especially on a longer excursion.
After learning about your experience, we reached out personally to apologize and offered a complimentary tour in an effort to make things right, but unfortunately we never heard back. We genuinely value your feedback and would still welcome the opportunity to earn your trust again in the future.
Thank you for choosing Beach Buddy Tours.
Jake was our Captain, he was very helpful and informative. We wanted to see dolphins and he didn’t disappoint. The cruise was a wonderful experience and Jake made it even more special
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.05.29
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're so happy to hear that Captain Jake helped make your trip such a memorable experience. He loves sharing his knowledge of the area and always does his best to help guests enjoy the incredible wildlife Southwest Florida has to offer. We're especially glad the dolphins showed up and made the day even more special! Thank you for choosing Beach Buddy Tours, and we hope to welcome you back on the water again soon.
Captain John was fantastic! We had an amazing time on the 7-hour tour, it was well worth the price. Captain John was easygoing and great to spend the day with. We visited Cabbage Key and had lunch, went shelling on Cayo Costa, and saw dolphins. It was the perfect way to spend a day with family! We'll be back next year.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.05.29
Thank you for the fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a great day on the water with Captain John. A trip to Cabbage Key, shelling on Cayo Costa, dolphin sightings, and quality family time is exactly the kind of Southwest Florida experience we love sharing with our guests.
We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Captain John. Thank you for choosing Beach Buddy Tours, and we're honored that you felt the trip was worth every penny. We look forward to welcoming you and your family back for another adventure next year!
We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Captain John. Thank you for choosing Beach Buddy Tours, and we're honored that you felt the trip was worth every penny. We look forward to welcoming you and your family back for another adventure next year!
Beach Buddy Tours always provides safe and comfortable tours for our family.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.05.29
Thank you for your continued support! It means a lot to us that your family chooses Beach Buddy Tours time and time again. Providing safe, comfortable, and memorable experiences on the water is always our top priority. We truly appreciate your trust and look forward to creating many more great memories with your family in the future!
We had a fantastic experience with our skipper Jacob. Our whole family and friends enjoyed the trip to Sannibel Island. Besides a lot of sun, we had the opportunity to see many dolphins and a manatee. Jacob knows the spots where you need to look. All in all I can say that the daytrip was worth it
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.01.17
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
We’re delighted to hear that you, your family, and friends had such a fantastic day on the water with Beach Buddy Tours.
Skipper Jacob will be thrilled to know his local knowledge helped you spot dolphins and even a manatee—those moments truly make a trip unforgettable. Sun, wildlife, and a great destination like Sanibel Island are a perfect combination.
Thank you for choosing us for your day trip, and we hope to welcome you back again for another amazing adventure!
We’re delighted to hear that you, your family, and friends had such a fantastic day on the water with Beach Buddy Tours.
Skipper Jacob will be thrilled to know his local knowledge helped you spot dolphins and even a manatee—those moments truly make a trip unforgettable. Sun, wildlife, and a great destination like Sanibel Island are a perfect combination.
Thank you for choosing us for your day trip, and we hope to welcome you back again for another amazing adventure!
Captain Jake did an amazing job, would definitely recommend to anyone and we'll definitely do this again when we come back to Cape Coral/Fort Myers Florida.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.01.17
Thank you for the great review.
We’re happy to hear Captain Jake did an amazing job and that you enjoyed your time on the water. Recommendations like yours mean a lot to our team.
We truly appreciate you choosing Beach Buddy Tours, and we look forward to taking you out again the next time you’re back in the Cape Coral / Fort Myers area.
We’re happy to hear Captain Jake did an amazing job and that you enjoyed your time on the water. Recommendations like yours mean a lot to our team.
We truly appreciate you choosing Beach Buddy Tours, and we look forward to taking you out again the next time you’re back in the Cape Coral / Fort Myers area.
Jake did a great job. Lots of shells and dolphins
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.01.17
Thank you for the great review!
We’re happy to hear you had a wonderful time with Jake and enjoyed plenty of shells and dolphins along the way. Experiences like that are exactly what we love to share at Beach Buddy Tours.
We appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback and hope to see you back on the water again soon!
We’re happy to hear you had a wonderful time with Jake and enjoyed plenty of shells and dolphins along the way. Experiences like that are exactly what we love to share at Beach Buddy Tours.
We appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback and hope to see you back on the water again soon!
We spent the afternoon with Captain Jake boating down the River to Sanibel Island. We got to see dolphins and found manatees. He showed us how to spot them. Highly recommend. Next time may rent a boat from same place, however will miss Captain Jake’s tour guide skills. Was the perfect way to spend Christmas Eve day.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.01.17
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review.
We’re so glad you enjoyed spending the afternoon with Captain Jake and that your trip down the river to Sanibel Island included both dolphins and manatees. Learning how to spot wildlife from someone who truly knows the area makes the experience even more special.
Spending Christmas Eve on the water is a beautiful way to celebrate, and we’re honored you chose Beach Buddy Tours for that day. We appreciate the recommendation and would be happy to welcome you back—whether for another guided tour or a future boat rental.
We’re so glad you enjoyed spending the afternoon with Captain Jake and that your trip down the river to Sanibel Island included both dolphins and manatees. Learning how to spot wildlife from someone who truly knows the area makes the experience even more special.
Spending Christmas Eve on the water is a beautiful way to celebrate, and we’re honored you chose Beach Buddy Tours for that day. We appreciate the recommendation and would be happy to welcome you back—whether for another guided tour or a future boat rental.
What a fantastic day we had with our Captain John. He was amazing and knowledgeable about where to take us to see dolphins and they did not disappoint. It was a relaxing afternoon out with our golden retrievers. Well worth the money for such a great experience!
Mark and Zena. Ruger and Logan
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.01.17
Thank you, Mark and Zena, for taking the time to share your experience.
We’re very happy to hear you had such a fantastic day on the water with Captain John and that the dolphins lived up to expectations. A relaxed afternoon cruising with your golden retrievers sounds like the perfect way to enjoy the area.
We truly appreciate you choosing Beach Buddy Tours and are glad to hear the experience was well worth it. We’d love to welcome you, Ruger, and Logan back on board anytime.
We’re very happy to hear you had such a fantastic day on the water with Captain John and that the dolphins lived up to expectations. A relaxed afternoon cruising with your golden retrievers sounds like the perfect way to enjoy the area.
We truly appreciate you choosing Beach Buddy Tours and are glad to hear the experience was well worth it. We’d love to welcome you, Ruger, and Logan back on board anytime.
Great time on the water with skipper Jake. We were chased by dolphins and had an excellent experience. We couldn’t get close enough to the beach to get shells or play on the beach.
Reply from Beach Buddy Tours
2026.01.17
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
We’re glad to hear you had a great time on the water with skipper Jake and enjoyed such an exciting dolphin encounter. Experiences like that are always memorable.
We also appreciate you mentioning the beach access. Water levels, tides, and local conditions can sometimes limit how close we can safely get to certain beaches, but we understand how important shelling and beach time are to the overall experience. Your feedback is valuable and helps us continue to improve.
Thank you for choosing Beach Buddy Tours, and we hope to have the opportunity to take you out again in the future.
We’re glad to hear you had a great time on the water with skipper Jake and enjoyed such an exciting dolphin encounter. Experiences like that are always memorable.
We also appreciate you mentioning the beach access. Water levels, tides, and local conditions can sometimes limit how close we can safely get to certain beaches, but we understand how important shelling and beach time are to the overall experience. Your feedback is valuable and helps us continue to improve.
Thank you for choosing Beach Buddy Tours, and we hope to have the opportunity to take you out again in the future.