If you prefer to stay on land:
- The Okaloosa Island Pier is a great spot for watching dolphins. For just $2.00 per person, you can walk the pier and look for dolphins, sea turtles, and other aquatic creatures.
- Other areas that are known for dolphin sightings include Crystal Beach, Eglin Beach Park, Miramar Beach, and Henderson Beach State Park.
- Many people choose to stay on higher floors of hotels and condos and gaze through a pair of binoculars at these beautiful creatures in the emerald waters of a sunrise or early afternoon.
Get out on the water for the best view:
For the best chance at seeing dolphins up close, it helps to be in their space. If you are a bit more adventurous, you have several options to choose from starting at $20 a person up to $400+ a person. Guided boat tours take passengers to well-known dolphin sighting spots. If your budget permits, build your own charter adventure with a private captain and vessel to see the dolphins at your leisure.
For those of you who like an adrenaline rush, there are high-speed boat tours you can take with 131 of your closest friends (this is a very popular tour) or take a jet ski/wave runner guided tour of the best spot where dolphins are known to play.
For those who want a little slower pace, there are several tour boat companies who offer 1.5 hour to half-day cruises. Some via a glass-bottom boat while others are on a relaxing catamaran.
If you’re up for a bit of a workout, rent a kayak and paddle over to Choctawhatchee Bay which is home to hundreds of dolphins. They are often seen swimming underneath the Destin Bridge and occasionally, they are spotted in the waters of the Destin Harbor.
Pro tip:
Some people think that you need to keep your pontoon boat at the slowest possible speed in order to see dolphins, but dolphins actually like the wake! Only when safe—and legal— to do so, pick up the speed a little and it might make them a bit easier to spot. Please be cautious of the dolphins (and other sea-dwelling creatures) that might be nearby. Boat-propellers, anchors, etc. have led to numerous injuries and/or deaths to dolphins.