Private Boat Tours in Cape Coral Florida

Illustrated map showing Cape Coral, Pine Island Sound, Charlotte Harbor, Cayo Costa, Boca Grande Pass, Redfish Pass and Bokeelia Sandbar in Southwest Florida.
Interactive Map
Aerial drone view of Shell Pass in Pine Island Sound near Bokeelia, Florida, with boats navigating between mangrove islands and shallow turquoise waters.
Boats navigate through Shell Pass between mangrove islands in Pine Island Sound near Bokeelia, one of Southwest Florida’s most scenic and secluded waterways.

If you’re looking for unforgettable private boat tours near Cape Coral, Florida, Florida Gulf Discovery offers personalized boating adventures on the beautiful waters of Southwest Florida.

Florida Gulf Discovery operates from Placida, Florida, a gateway to Boca Grande, Cayo Costa, Bokeelia, Pine Island, Pine Island Sound, secluded beaches, sandbars, and barrier islands along the Gulf Coast.

Whether you’re visiting Cape Coral on vacation or live in Southwest Florida year-round, our private boat tours give you the opportunity to experience dolphins, coastal wildlife, beautiful beaches, island destinations, waterfront dining, and spectacular Gulf sunsets — all at your own pace.

Explore Southwest Florida by Water

Drone view of Wilson Cut at Pineland on Pine Island Sound, Florida, showing the navigation channel, breakwater, marina docks, and recreational boats.
Aerial view of Wilson Cut at Pineland, one of the primary boating entrances to Pine Island Sound. The protected navigation channel provides access to Bokeelia, Jug Creek, Back Bay, Cayo Costa, Useppa Island, and the surrounding waters of Southwest Florida.

Southwest Florida offers an incredible combination of protected waterways, barrier islands, shallow bays, Gulf beaches, and natural wildlife habitats. From relaxing cruises to full-day island adventures, every private tour can be customized around your interests.

Operating from Placida gives Florida Gulf Discovery direct access to some of the most beautiful boating destinations in the region, including Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island, Cayo Costa, Pine Island Sound, Bokeelia, Shell Pass, Bokeelia Sandbar, and Pine Island.

Along the way, you may see playful dolphins swimming beside the boat, manatees in quiet waters, pelicans diving for fish, ospreys along the shoreline, and other coastal wildlife.

The natural beauty of Southwest Florida is often best experienced from the water.

Visit Beautiful Beaches, Islands & Sandbars by Boat

Drone view of hidden sandbars near Bokeelia in Pine Island Sound, Florida, with a private boat exploring shallow turquoise waters.
Aerial view of one of Bokeelia’s hidden sandbars in Pine Island Sound. This secluded destination offers crystal-clear water, wildlife encounters, shell beaches, and unforgettable private boat adventures in Southwest Florida.

One of the highlights of our private boat tours is visiting beaches, islands, sandbars, and coastal destinations that are best experienced by boat.

Popular destinations may include:

  • Boca Grande & Gasparilla Island – Beautiful Gulf beaches, historic landmarks, and classic Southwest Florida scenery.
  • Cayo Costa State Park – A remote barrier island known for natural beaches, shelling, wildlife, and undeveloped coastal scenery.
  • Boca Grande Sandbar – A popular place to anchor, swim, relax, and enjoy the shallow waters.
  • Pine Island Sound – A large and beautiful boating area surrounded by islands, mangrove shorelines, wildlife, and protected coastal waters.

    Aerial view of Cayo Costa showing a protected coastal lagoon, mangrove shoreline, white-sand Gulf beach, and the barrier island landscape of Southwest Florida.
    An aerial view of Cayo Costa illustrates how Southwest Florida’s barrier islands protect inland waters from the Gulf of Mexico. These natural landscapes created sheltered estuaries that supported abundant wildlife and later attracted Native Americans, fishermen, and coastal communities.
  • Bokeelia & Pine Island – Explore the northern end of Pine Island and the surrounding waterways, islands, and waterfront communities.
  • Shell Pass – A scenic waterway in the Pine Island area surrounded by the natural landscapes of Southwest Florida.
  • Bokeelia Sandbar – A shallow-water destination where we can stop, relax, swim, and enjoy a different side of Pine Island Sound.

Depending on the weather, tides, water depth, and your itinerary, we can stop near sandbars and beaches where you can swim, search for shells, explore the shoreline, or simply relax and enjoy your time on the water.

Waterfront Restaurants You Can Reach by Boat

Outdoor waterfront seating at Jug Creek Marina Tiki Bar overlooking Jug Creek in Bokeelia, Florida.
The waterfront patio at Jug Creek Marina Tiki Bar in Bokeelia offers a relaxing place to enjoy lunch, drinks, and beautiful views of Jug Creek and Pine Island’s scenic waterways.

One of the best ways to enjoy Southwest Florida is to combine a private boat tour with lunch or dinner at a waterfront restaurant. From our operating area in Placida, several excellent boat-accessible restaurants can become part of your day on the water.

Depending on your tour route, available time, weather, and dock conditions, waterfront dining destinations may include:

  1. Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant – One of the most famous boat-accessible island restaurants in Pine Island Sound, surrounded by Old Florida scenery and accessible primarily by boat.

    Family boat trip enjoying dinner at Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant in Southwest Florida with Florida Gulf Discovery.
    A family boat trip to Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant, one of the classic island dining destinations in Southwest Florida.
  2. Lazy Flamingo 3 – A casual waterfront restaurant at Four Winds Marina in Bokeelia, making it a natural stop while exploring northern Pine Island Sound.
  3. Jug Creek Fish House – A local Bokeelia waterfront destination that fits well with trips through Pine Island Sound and the surrounding islands.
  4. Yucatan Waterfront Bar & Grill – A waterfront restaurant on Pine Island that can be combined with exploring Bokeelia, Pine Island, and the surrounding waterways.

A waterfront dining stop can be combined with island hopping, dolphin watching, sightseeing, beaches, sandbars, or wildlife exploration, making lunch part of the boating adventure.

With a private tour, there is no need to rush. Explore the islands, enjoy the water, and when it’s time for lunch, arrive by boat.

Dolphin Watching & Sunset Cruises

Playful bottlenose dolphin swimming upside down near Placida Trestle and Boca Grande Sandbar in Southwest Florida
A playful bottlenose dolphin rolls upside down beside the boat near Placida Trestle and Boca Grande Sandbar, a behavior frequently seen in the rich waters of Southwest Florida.

The waters around Placida, Boca Grande, Charlotte Harbor, Bokeelia, and Pine Island Sound provide excellent opportunities to encounter wild bottlenose dolphins and other coastal wildlife.

Dolphins may appear alongside the boat, travel through the passes, or feed in the surrounding bays and waterways. Because dolphins are wild animals, sightings can never be guaranteed — and that is part of what makes every encounter unique.

Guests enjoying a private sunset boat tour through Boca Grande Pass with Florida Gulf Discovery LLC.
Guests enjoy a private sunset cruise through Boca Grande Pass aboard Captain Pavel’s Axopar 29. Florida Gulf Discovery LLC offers exclusive boat tours featuring spectacular sunsets, dolphin encounters, and Southwest Florida’s scenic coastal waters.

Our private sunset cruises offer another way to experience Southwest Florida. Watch the sky change as the sun approaches the Gulf horizon while enjoying the comfort and privacy of your own boat tour.

Every sunset is different, and being on the water gives you a completely different perspective of the Gulf Coast at the end of the day.

Why Choose Florida Gulf Discovery?

Weathered driftwood standing in the shallow waters of Redfish Pass with North Captiva Island in the background, Southwest Florida.
Ancient driftwood lines the shoreline at Redfish Pass, while North Captiva Island rises across the emerald waters of Southwest Florida. The scene highlights the powerful coastal forces that continually reshape Florida’s barrier islands.

At Florida Gulf Discovery, every tour is:

  • 100% private — only your group is onboard.
  • Customized to your interests and the conditions of the day.
  • Led by Captain Pavel, a USCG-licensed captain with extensive experience on Southwest Florida waters.
  • Limited to six passengers in accordance with licensing regulations.
  • Focused on safety, comfort, exploration, and enjoying the day at your own pace.

Your trip takes place aboard a modern 2024 Axopar 29 Sun Top, powered by twin Mercury 200 HP V6 FourStroke engines and designed for a comfortable day exploring Southwest Florida.

Whether you’re interested in dolphins and wildlife, beaches and shelling, sandbars, island hopping, waterfront dining, or a private sunset cruise, we can customize your trip around what you would most like to experience.

Book Your Private Boat Tour Near Cape Coral, Florida

Guests enjoy a private boat tour while relaxing beside a modern Axopar boat anchored in the shallow waters of Padilla Beach on Cayo Costa, Florida.
Guests relax in the crystal-clear waters of Padilla Beach during a private boat tour with Florida Gulf Discovery. Located on the eastern shoreline of Cayo Costa, this peaceful destination is ideal for swimming, floating, wildlife viewing, and enjoying Southwest Florida’s natural beauty.

If you’re staying in Cape Coral and want to discover more of Southwest Florida by water, Florida Gulf Discovery offers private boat adventures operating from Placida, Florida.

From Placida, we can explore Boca Grande, Cayo Costa, Pine Island Sound, Bokeelia, Shell Pass, Bokeelia Sandbar, Pine Island, beautiful barrier islands, secluded beaches, sandbars, and wildlife-rich coastal waters.

Contact Florida Gulf Discovery LLC to reserve your private boat tour and let Captain Pavel help you plan a personalized day exploring Southwest Florida from the water.

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