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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)

C1263SWevang

Jun 2022

Great staff! Very friendly and helpful! This was my second she’ll key excursion with Hubbards and I highly recommend! Great views, seen some dolphins and a manatee! Great beach day and lots of shells!

134brittanyo

Jun 2022

Staff was super knowledgeable and very friendly. They were great with the kiddos! 10/10 recommend! We have gone on multiple trips with Hubbard's and they are always excellent! As always, we will be back!

homebutdreaming

Jun 2022

We had the option of stopping at Outback Key, and then going onto Shell key. I'm glad we stayed on the ferry and just went to Shell Key. It is guite the walk around the point of the island to get your beach umbrellas and chairs set up. (It took us abot 25 min to get settled). The we stayed for 3 more hours, before deciding that since we were all out liqueds (even though we'd brought a day cooler) we should head back on the next ferry. It was nice (for a person with a family and kids) to just have to set up in one location and have less transition drama. We did get a great variety of shells there, which is why we went. We sorted them at our hotel and ID'd them with a shell guide. Some people had nets they dipped into the sand just off the shore, to search for larger, unbroken ones. That would've been a good idea for my kids! There is a strong tide that runs parrellel to the beach. It is like a lazy river, but not very lazy. We thought it would be a good beach for snorkeling at, but it isn't, the current is too strong, especially for lighter adults, or kids. We actually had a better time snorkelling for shells off Archibald Beach. -Much safer for kids. It was nice to have the options of leaving at various times, depeinding on how the kids were doing. I'm glad we used these guys for a ferry trip out to a quieter beach.