Sunset Watersports Dolphin Snorkel Trip in Key West: Dolphins, Reef and a Sunset Ride Home
Quick answer
The Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip costs from $80 for 3 hours from 201 William Street, rated 4.4/5 from 573 reviews on GetYourGuide.
It combines a dolphin search, a snorkel stop and draft beer on the ride back, but sightings are not guaranteed and tips are extra.
Sunset Watersports Key West
Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Sunset Cruise
4.4 (573) · from $80
The Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip is a 3-hour shared catamaran outing from William Street in Old Town Key West. You look for dolphins, snorkel near a small island chain inside the Key West National Wildlife Refuge, and ride back with a beer, ideally under a sunset.
The detail that changes the decision is the clock. The operator runs two sailings, an 11:00 AM trip and a 5:30 PM trip, and only the evening one includes the sunset cruise. Sunset falls at 7:01 PM in October but 5:41 PM in November, so from late autumn the evening boat may run earlier.
Below I cover the pier, how each sailing lines up with the sun, what you pay extra for, and how this trip compares with the other dolphin boats on my Key West dolphin watching page. The full list is on my Key West boat tours hub, and other ports are on the Harbour Advisor home page.
| Operator | Sunset Watersports Key West (operator dolphin tour page) |
|---|---|
| Boat | The listing names the Sunset One; the operator's page describes a 50-foot catamaran, the Osprey, for up to 50 guests |
| Price | $80 per person on GetYourGuide; the operator lists $84.95, shown as $64.95 on a promotion, youth 6 to 12 from $46.95, under 5 free |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Departure times | 11:00 AM and 5:30 PM with seasonal changes; check-in 30 minutes earlier (operator page) |
| Meeting point | 201 William Street, Key West (Sunset Watersports on Google Maps) |
| Route | Dolphin area, then a snorkel stop at Cottrell Key, one of the small islands off Key West |
| Food and drink | Draft beer on the listing; the operator adds wine, champagne and soft drinks after snorkeling |
| Language | English |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before departure |
| Rating | 4.4/5 from 573 reviews on GetYourGuide |
What do you get on the Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip?
You get a guided dolphin search, snorkel gear with instruction, and a bar that opens once you are back aboard. The operator calls its dolphin area a playground and says it makes two such trips a day.
- Check in at William Street. Arrive 30 minutes before departure with photo ID.
- Dolphin watch. A guide narrates the route while the boat finds a pod.
- Snorkel stop. The listing sets the snorkel stop at Cottrell Key, in the wildlife refuge off Key West.
- Ride back. Draft beer, wine, champagne and soft drinks, and on the evening trip, the sunset.
The listing promises fish up close and, possibly, turtles; the operator mentions sea turtles, eagle rays and coral fish as the usual finds. None of these is guaranteed.
Where does the Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip leave from?
It leaves from the Sunset Watersports base at 201 William Street in Old Town. The listing does not state a meeting point, so I took the address from the operator's own page.
Open the departure point before you set out. Classic Harbor Line's schooner uses the next booth at 202 William Street, and Fury's Greene Street kiosk is a short walk away.
| From 201 William Street to | Distance | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Mallory Square | 829 m | 11 |
| Fury kiosk, Greene Street | 229 m | 3 |
When does it sail, and does it catch the sunset?
The operator lists an 11:00 AM and a 5:30 PM sailing, both 3 hours, with seasonal time changes. The listing prints no times, so confirm them on the booking calendar.
On 15 October the 5:30 PM departure is 91 minutes before sunset, so the sunset arrives on the return leg. In winter the same departure would end after dark, so expect the time to shift.
| Month | Sunset | Month | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6:01 PM | Jul | 8:19 PM |
| Feb | 6:22 PM | Aug | 8:02 PM |
| Mar | 7:37 PM | Sep | 7:32 PM |
| Apr | 7:50 PM | Oct | 7:01 PM |
| May | 8:04 PM | Nov | 5:41 PM |
| Jun | 8:18 PM | Dec | 5:42 PM |
If a sunset is the point, check which sailing the calendar offers for your date. If it is the dolphins, the 11:00 AM trip works with the same ticket.
What is the route, stop by stop?
The route has two stops, the dolphin area and the island chain for snorkeling, and the order is dolphins first. The listing gives no minute counts, though a reviewer put the snorkel at about 40 minutes.
| Block | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cruise out | Run from the dock toward the dolphin area | Sit forward for the view |
| 2. Dolphin watch | Slow approach to a pod, guide commentary | Keep hands in the boat |
| 3. Island snorkel | Gear briefing, then a swim at a small island in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge | Use reef-safe sunscreen |
| 4. Beer and return | Draft beer, wine and soft drinks on the way home | Dry off first |
The listing asks for biodegradable sunscreen, which fits the sanctuary setting. NOAA's viewing guidance applies to the dolphin leg: keep at least 50 yards away when watching from a boat, and never feed a dolphin.
3,800 square miles of Florida Keys waters are covered by the national marine sanctuary, home to more than 6,000 animal species.
What is on board and what costs extra?
Included on the listing are safety gear, snorkel gear and draft beer. Hotel pickup and gratuities are not included, and the operator adds wine, champagne and soft drinks on its own page.
- Included: snorkel gear, safety equipment, instruction, draft beer, and per the operator, wine and soft drinks.
- Extra: tips and transport to William Street.
- Bring: ID, swimwear, a towel and biodegradable sunscreen.
- Boat features: the operator lists an above-deck bathroom, a sunset deck, a sound system and a fully stocked bar.
The two sources disagree on the boat name, so treat the vessel as one of the operator's catamarans. The listing's own description does not state capacity.
How does it compare with other Key West dolphin trips?
This is the dolphin trip with a sunset option, priced between Fury's $73 daytime trip and the $123 schooner. The table lines up the closest rivals.
| Trip | Operator | Price | Duration | GetYourGuide rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This trip | Sunset Watersports Key West | $80 | 3 hours | 4.4/5 (573) |
| Fury dolphin watch and snorkel | Fury Water Adventures | $73 | 3 hours | 4.6/5 (871) |
| Sebago afternoon catamaran dolphin sail | Sebago Watersports | $50 | 2.5 hours | 4.4/5 (149) |
| Sunset Watersports open bar catamaran | Sunset Watersports Key West | $80 | 2 hours | 4.6/5 (513) |
| Classic Harbor Line schooner sunset sail | Classic Harbor Line - Key West | $123 | 2 hours | 4.9/5 (335) |
For the same three activities at $7 less, Fury's dolphin snorkel cruise has a higher rating but a sunset only from March to August. For dolphins without a swim, Sebago's afternoon catamaran sail is $30 cheaper and half an hour shorter. All of them are on my dolphin watching and snorkeling tour pages.
Is the Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip worth it against other Key West dolphin boats?
Yes, if you want dolphins, a swim and a possible sunset on one ticket, and no if you need guaranteed wildlife. At $26.67 an hour it sits below the $30.00 median, though its 4.4/5 from 573 reviews is lower than Fury's 4.6/5.
- Best for sunset seekers - the only dolphin-and-snorkel trip I list that ties into a sunset cruise on the evening sailing.
- Best for beer lovers - draft beer on the ride back.
- Trade-off - the lower rating and unclear boat details.
I have not been on board, so this view rests on the listing, the operator's page and the reviews in my sample. GetYourGuide's review summary asks for clearer information on visibility and the marine life to expect.
When is the best time to go?
The best months are March to May for low rain, and June to October for the warmest water at 84 to 88 degrees F in the model. For dolphins the listing gives no seasonal pattern, so I would not time the trip around them.
| Month | Mean sea surface temperature | Mean daily maximum wave height |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72.5°F | 1.1 m |
| Feb | 75.6°F | 1.0 m |
| Mar | 74.3°F | 1.1 m |
| Apr | 77.8°F | 1.3 m |
| May | 82.6°F | 0.8 m |
| Jun | 85.1°F | 0.9 m |
| Jul | 86.2°F | 0.7 m |
| Aug | 88.2°F | 0.5 m |
| Sep | 86.8°F | 0.6 m |
| Oct | 84.3°F | 0.9 m |
| Nov | 79.8°F | 1.0 m |
| Dec | 77.5°F | 0.9 m |
| Month | Avg high 2025 | Avg high 2015-24 | Days with 1 mm+ rain | Sunset on the 15th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°F | 73°F | 7.7 | 6:01 PM |
| Feb | 75°F | 74°F | 6.2 | 6:22 PM |
| Mar | 75°F | 76°F | 4.3 | 7:37 PM |
| Apr | 78°F | 78°F | 6.9 | 7:50 PM |
| May | 82°F | 81°F | 10.8 | 8:04 PM |
| Jun | 84°F | 84°F | 16.3 | 8:18 PM |
| Jul | 86°F | 85°F | 15.1 | 8:19 PM |
| Aug | 87°F | 86°F | 17.8 | 8:02 PM |
| Sep | 85°F | 85°F | 19.3 | 7:32 PM |
| Oct | 83°F | 82°F | 16.0 | 7:01 PM |
| Nov | 77°F | 79°F | 8.6 | 5:41 PM |
| Dec | 76°F | 75°F | 7.4 | 5:42 PM |
Check the live forecast from the National Weather Service Key West, because wind affects both the ride home and the visibility at the snorkel stop.
- March to May: 4.3 to 10.8 rain days, sunset at 7:37 to 8:04 PM.
- June to October: warmest sea, 15 to 19 rain days.
- November to February: cooler sea, 72.5 to 79.8 degrees F, early sunset.
What do passengers say?
All 20 reviews I read were 5/5, so the sample is positive-only. Crew and dolphins lead the themes, and two reviewers saw no dolphins.
- Crew: 12 of 20 praise the captain or crew.
- Dolphins: 10 of 20 mention dolphins, but 2 saw none and accepted it.
- Snorkel: 6 of 20 mention the snorkel stop, and one puts it near 40 minutes.
- Sunset: 4 of 20 mention the sunset.
- Comfort: one reviewer found the ride home a little rough, and another who skipped swimming felt well looked after.
Who should skip the Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip?
Skip it if you want guaranteed dolphins, a small boat, or a reliable sunset in winter. The listing offers none of these.
- Guarantee seekers: no trip guarantees wildlife, and a sail such as the schooner sunset sail is the safer evening.
- Party seekers: the open bar cruise has live music.
- Anyone wanting a clear meeting point: the listing omits it, so use the operator's address.
More alternatives are on my Key West boat tours page.
How do you book the Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip?
Book the 3-hour Sunset Watersports dolphin snorkel trip from $80 per person, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Check availabilityI earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Pick the 11:00 AM or the evening sailing on the calendar, and read the time against the sunset table above.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tour in Key West?
For dolphins, a swim and a possible sunset on one ticket, this trip at $80 and 3 hours is a good pick. For a quiet sunset, choose a schooner.
How much do Key West boats cost?
On my list, trips run from $49 for a reef snorkel to $123 for a schooner sunset sail. This trip costs $80.
Do you always see dolphins?
No. Two of the 20 reviews I read saw none, and the operator does not promise sightings. Wild dolphins move with food and tide.
Is the sunset part of the ticket?
On the evening sailing, yes, according to the operator. The 11:00 AM sailing does not include a sunset cruise.
Can non-swimmers join?
The listing does not state a swimming requirement. One reviewer who skipped the swim felt well looked after, but ask Sunset Watersports what a non-swimmer can do on board.
Is the beer included?
Yes, the listing includes draft beer. The operator's page says wine, champagne and soft drinks are included after snorkeling too.
Is the tip included?
No. Gratuities are not included in the ticket.
Is hotel pickup included?
No. The listing excludes hotel pickup and drop-off, so go to 201 William Street yourself.
What should I bring?
Bring ID, swimwear, a towel and biodegradable sunscreen, as the listing asks.
What if the weather is bad?
The operator's captains assess the weather on the day, and an unsafe trip is postponed or cancelled with a refund when it cannot be rescheduled. That policy is on the operator's cruise page for its sunset sail, so confirm it applies to this trip.
Sources: Sunset Watersports dolphin watch and snorkel page (times, address, price range, boat); Sunset Watersports cruise policies; GetYourGuide listing 283307 (checked 2026-10-17); NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; NOAA Fisheries marine life viewing guidelines; National Weather Service Key West; City of Key West bus fares; Open-Meteo archive and Marine APIs (climate, sea temperature); sunrise-sunset.org (sunset); Nager.Date (US holidays); OSRM on OpenStreetMap (walking time).
