Panama City, Florida, offers a number of swim-with-the-dolphins tours. Shell Island, located just off the coast, has one of the world’s largest bottlenose dolphin populations and is a popular snorkeling and fishing site for visitors and local residents. Panama City offers visitors the choice of traveling to Shell Island on an organized dolphin tour or renting their own boat for the trip. For those who want to swim with the dolphins in a more controlled environment, a dolphin experience in a pool can be arranged.
Decide which dolphin experience will best suit your family. Trips to Shell Island feature swimming with the dolphins in their own habitat, usually while snorkeling. While there is no guarantee that you will see dolphins, Panama City tour operators generally plan trips around times that dolphins are known to be present in the waters. You should be a good swimmer if you plan to swim with the dolphins at Shell Island, although life jackets can be rented.If you feel more comfortable swimming with the dolphins in a more controlled setting, opt for swimming in the pool at Gulf World Marine Park. The depth of the water in the pool ranges from 42 inches to 15 feet, although the dolphin encounters are conducted in the shallower water.
Choose your experience. Blue Dolphin Tours, Water Planet, Island Time and Shell Island Boat Rental and Tours offer dolphin and snorkeling boat tours to Shell Island. Gulf World Marine Park is the only area company that features swimming with dolphins in its own pool. Gulf World also offers dolphin and sea lion shows.
Find a boat rental company. If you prefer to arrive at Shell Island on your own, several companies offer boat rentals for both novices and experienced boaters. A listing of boat rental companies is included on the Panama City, Florida, website listed in the Resources section.
Make your reservation early. Swimming with the dolphins is a very popular activity in Panama City in the summer. Whether you’ll be swimming in the ocean or interacting with dolphins in the pool at Gulf World, the number of swimmers is limited, and you must be flexible with days and times that you can visit.
