Everyone loves to see dolphins in their natural environment and these three fantastic boat tours from Orange Beach are among Alabama’s best choices to spot them.
(Photo: Viator.com)
With a slice of Gulf of Mexico coastline, Alabama is a much-underappreciated vacation spot. The Yellowhammer State’s waterfront hub, Orange Beach, is a top place to visit for sandy beach resorts, watersports, boat tours and plenty of chances to spot the region’s magnificent marine life. Dolphin cruises are among the most popular forms of recreation, and here are three of the best in the city, taking in factors such as duration, reviews from past guests, and the health and safety measures on board.
Sunset Dolphin Cruise
A great family boat trip option is this sunset dolphin cruise with Dolphin Tales, departing from Zeke’s Marina. The tour itinerary focusses on the calmer waters of the Back Bay, rather than the choppier open seas, so that you can enjoy a calmer ride while looking out for dolphins, which frequent the waters here. Wildlife, such as pelicans and other water birds, may also be seen during the sunset cruise. This tour runs from Mon to Fri. From $22 per person.
Orange Beach Dolphin Eco Boat Tour
It makes perfect sense for a dolphin-spotting cruise to be paired with a knowledgeable guide who can help to add further insight about the fragile ecosystems that these wonderful creatures call home. Your captain on this popular, 90-minute tour will lead you out to the sites where Orange Beach’s resident pod of dolphins often swim, while also accessing creeks and bayous, thanks to using a specialized boat which can navigate shallower waters. This allows you a chance to also see alligators, hawks and bald eagles. From $25 per person.
(Photo: Viator.com)
Orange Beach Dolphin and Catamaran Sailing Cruise
The classiest way to get out onto the water at Orange Beach is on a sailing catamaran. This one, named the Cetacean (which is the order of mammals to which dolphins and whales belong), is a 52-foot catamaran, which can harness the wind and skim over the Gulf of Mexico’s waters with ease, while you look out for schools of fish, diving marine birds and, of course, the resident dolphins. This tour is available from Mon to Sat at 2:30pm each day. From $35 per person.