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Shell Key Ferry from Ft. DeSoto Boat Ramp in Tierra Verde, FL

Shell Key Ferry from Ft. DeSoto Boat Ramp in Tierra Verde, FL

Overview

This trip is one of a kind… If you want to travel to an uninhabited barrier island with white sand, warm water, and shelling galore, our ferry to Shell Key from the Fort De Soto boat ramp is a great choice for you and your family! Our ferry boat operates daily in the spring and summer and nearly every day in the fall and winter. This 20 minute trip offers great chances to spot dolphins, sea turtles and even manatees! We often spot sea birds on the ride to and from Shell Key!

Shell Key is also home to a large nature preserve, where nearly half of the island is blocked to allow the native seabirds a section of undisturbed beach. Come out and enjoy a beautiful day of fun in the sun!

For camping enthusiasts, we offer an overnight experience on Shell Key! All you need is your “camper” ferry ticket, a camping permit from Pinellas County, and all your camping gear to have an epic night under the stars! This is an unbelievably unique opportunity to camp out on a secluded island.

City: St Petersburg

Thu 31 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $39.95

Make a reservation

Thu 31 Oct

Starting at $39.95

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Free Parking Pass

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Guides required to regularly wash hands

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (53)

bethn904

Jun 2022

Swimming and shelling and picnicking on a pristine beach, with a comfotable breeze. Couldn't ask for more. The crew made the trip memorable. They are informative and you can get a lesson in shells. My grandaughter left her phone on the beach, they took us back and organized a search party. Found it! Super nice and helpful.

512cassidys

May 2022

Big shout out to Sierra!!! She was so sweet & went above & beyond to help us during the madness of Memorial Day Weekend! Thanks again

Lisa S

May 2022

What a great memory-making experience this was! We were most interested in visiting Shell Key for a tour but for some reason the website didn’t show availability. We got there an hour before our Edgemont tour & the gentleman said he was checking in the Shell Key tour… I explained our preference & he was so nice to switch our tour for us. Our adventure began to Shell Key with Captain Jason & First Mate Braelynn! Captain Jason told us about a new sandbar that had developed in the last couple of years and offered a stop at that prior to Shell Key, a few of us took him up on the offer and it was definitely worth it as he recommended. We found our first sand dollars there and there were no crowds - we were practically the only ones on this little ‘island’. While being distracted by a manatee, nearby birds 🦅 were trying to break into our snack pack 😂 and we had to chase them off. It was awesome to be able to rent masks & a beach umbrella for $5 each & purchase Shell bags for $4 each. Snacks and waters on board were also convenient & it was nice they would charge the card on file for these. The boat picked us up after 2 hours then off to Shell Key. Shell Key was a lot more crowded, you do have to look in deeper water (6-8ft) to find things as it gets a bit picked over is my guess, so first tour of the day is probably best. Nevertheless we did see a few crabs 🦀 under water and found a few more shells and sand-dollars for our collection. Upon return to Fort de Soto, Captain Jason was on the lookout for wild life. He found a few dolphins 🐬 jumping in the water & stopped the boat so we could see. First mate Braelynn was nice to go around and offer to take photos of families. If you go early you can stay as long as you like so the trip is 3-5-7 hours depending on what you like- great flexibility & fun - with the bonus stop at the sand bar we stayed 5 hours. What a great time - highly recommend!