Fun Christmas Activities in Naples (Updated 2026)

Captain Paul was awesome! We all had a great time and learned a lot!

It was a great time of year to go. It was just us. It felt like we had a private tour. We interacted with Captain Steve and had an awesome time. We spent 15 minutes with a pod of dolphins which was so rare. They were coming up to the boat and swimming around the bow checking us out. We learned about Port Royal and then we experienced the magnificent sunset views. It was an incredible day.

Really great excursion. Found some good shells! Just be sure to bring your sunscreen and good pair of water shoes!

Paul S was a fantastic captain and I would do this experience again! We got to visit 2 islands for shells. 1 was basically made of them! We were a bachelorette trip of girls and he was very patient and funny! He was very knowledgeable about the wildlife, and even helped us hunt for shells!! He is not a lazy, sit down type of captain. He’s walking the islands too!! We even got lucky and saw some dolphins. We had a 3 hour excursion booked!

Beautiful sunset and such a fun crew! Absolutely worth going to while in Naples! My friend and I enjoyed every second!

Great tour! The boats were in excellent condition, and Lance was fantastic—so helpful and full of information about the local wildlife and ecosystem. We kayaked to the beach, watched a beautiful sunset, and then paddled back with lights. It wasn’t too strenuous, but you should be comfortable kayaking and navigating your own vessel. We had a wonderful time!

Fantastic tour! Special shout out to Captain Josh, and First mates Brax and Michaela! They were so knowledgeable and funny. We saw so many dolphins too which was a plus.Side note: I think we did the same tour a few years ago and they went on a different route — both were good but it was fun to go through the channels more and see the houses.

Amazing experience. The kayaks are so easy to use since you just have to pedal and you learn so much about the mangroves and history of the island

Wonderful time. We enjoyed the tour, we saw dolphins and the sunset view was stunning. Very friendly staff. I will definitely go back!

WOW! Our tour guide Doug was absolutely amazing. We were able to see a ton of manatee, sharks and even a rare pink bird (forgot the name). Extremely knowledgeable, and just a fun guy to be around. We will 100% be bad. An experience we will never forget especially having the manatee underneath the kayak and flipping our son off the kayak. Unbelievable and so much fun! Thank you Doug and MCE Tours - The Macalusos

This was our second trip with Sand Dollar and first with Captain Paul Stancati. He made a detour to island if shells, and it was literally the best day ever! Dolphins in our wake and shells for miles. He knew ALL the shell facts and was just a good human. We will be back.

Such a great experience! Nature and then being dropped off to a private beach! Dolphins, birds, shelling, and the water was so warm! Chris and Braxton were excellent! Funny, friendly, and accommodating. Highly recommend!

My family and I had a wonderful time on the tour. Glenn was very friendly and engaging. He made the experience so enjoyable with the fun tunes that were played while also providing a ton of history and fun facts about Marco Island. His safari bus was very clean and comfortable and we were able to see many beautiful mansions and some of the wildlife that lives on the island. The hour and a half was the perfect amount of time to see everything. If you're looking for a fun and unique excursion with your family and friends, definitely book this tour!

If you’re even remotely interested in sea shells, do yourself a favor and book a trip with Florida Adventures. My friends and I joined Capt. Colleen for opening day at the Cape Romano shoal, and it was hands-down one of the most enjoyable excursions I’ve ever been on.Capt. Colleen is an absolute gem — a master captain and true master naturalist who clearly lives and breathes this ecosystem. She wasn’t just driving the boat and pointing out dolphins; she and her 1st mate Dylan (who is a marine mammal specialist) taught us the whole time, explaining the biology, tides, and history of the area in a way that was engaging even for experienced nature nerds. Dylan also helped us solve the mystery over who smarter, a dolphin or an octopus? Diplomatic answer- they are both equally as smart in their own way. Colleen & Dylan’s enthusiasm was contagious, and they made the day feel like an adventure with knowledgeable friends rather than a typical tour.Opening day at Cape Romano shoal marks the start of the SWFL shelling season and sometimes referred to as the “Black Friday” of shelling. But it’s such a fun way to kick the shelling season off and the boatloads of shellers attending were way nicer than any Black Friday shoppers. Capt. Colleen knew exactly where to point us for the best shell piles, and we came home with some nice specimens and a much deeper appreciation for the coastal ecosystem.If you’re looking for a shelling eco-tour that’s fun, educational, and led by people who genuinely care about the environment, book with Florida Adventures and ask for Capt. Colleen. I’ll absolutely be back!

Very nice time. We got to see local wildlife and see the mangroves. Very interesting the way they grow and the wildlife the utilizes them for protection. Our guide was great. Very knowledgeable and a great kayak teacher we were able to follow the mangroves without any issues. I would recommend this to anyone looking to see wildlife and enjoy time out on the water. Michael

Pedaling a kayak is so much more pleasant than paddling! These kayaks are awesome and well worth the fee, especially since I won't have sore arms for the rest of the vacation. Doug was the highlight of our tour, even though we were lucky enough to see a herd of manatees and a dolphin, and we were able to be out in the gulf on super calm waters on a clear beautiful day. He was knowledgeable about the flora and fauna we saw, had lots of recommendations for around the area, and made sure we were comfortable. Will have to come back during higher tides to see mangrove tunnels. Book the hobies, book a tour, you'll love it! -Meredith from Ohio