Morning · Per seat
Dolphin & Mimosas Cruise
The cheapest way onto the boat.
| Per person | $60 |
|---|
Editorial spotlight · Sarasota Bay
2026 Sunshine Awards nomineeBest Sarasota Tiki Cruise
Barefoot Tiki Tours
A thatched boat with a proper bar top, a captain who spent thirty years in corporate finance before deciding he would rather be out here, and a bay that holds dolphins most evenings. Sunsets, sandbars and mimosas, in a group small enough to talk over the music.
- Sunset cruise
- $75
- Private charter
- from $750
- 5.0
- Reviews
- 80
Editorial spotlight. Barefoot Tiki Tours is a nominee in the 2026 Sunshine Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The operation
Thirty years in finance, then this
Captain Stephen is a USCG-certified master captain who came to this after more than thirty years in corporate finance and sales. The About page frames the business around atmosphere rather than itinerary, which matches what the reviews describe: a boat where the captain is also the host and the route bends to whatever the evening is doing.
The boat runs out of Sarasota with the bay, the sandbars and the resident dolphin population all within reach. Trips are sold by the seat on the public cruises and by the boat on the private ones, with a custom charter option that will run three or four hours wherever you want to go.
“The best trips are the ones where the scenery, the people, and the atmosphere all come together. That is exactly what we aim to create on every Barefoot Tiki cruise.”
- CS
Founder, USCG master captain
Captain Stephen
Background as listed on the operator’s About page.
The one to book
Sandbar Fun
The longer trip, out to a Sarasota sandbar with time in the water and the boat anchored alongside. Reviewers describe shotskis, chosen playlists and dolphins turning up most runs.
$99 a seat. The sunset and happy hour dolphin cruises are $75; dolphin and mimosas is $60.
| Per person | $99 |
|---|---|
| Sunset or happy hour | $75 |
| Dolphin and mimosas | $60 |
Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
Check AvailabilityThe boat
One tiki boat, captained
Per the operator’s site and the booking listings.
Format
- Crew
- Captained
- Sold as
- Seats or whole boat
Aboard
- Bar top
- Yes
- Music
- Your playlist
Private
- Dolphin or sunset
- $800
- Custom, three hours
- $1,200
Book it
Cruises
Public seats per person; private charters per boat. Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
Late afternoon · Per seat
Happy Hour Dolphin Cruise
Before the sunset run, same bay.
| Per person | $75 |
|---|
Evening · Per seat
Sunset Dolphin Tiki Boat Cruise
Golden hour with the thatch overhead.
| Per person | $75 |
|---|
Morning · Private
Private Dolphin & Mimosas Cruise
The boat to yourselves, glasses included.
| Per boat | $750 |
|---|
3 or 4 hours · Private
Custom Private Charter or Sandbar Excursion
Your route, your stops.
| Three hours | $1,200 |
|---|---|
| Four hours | $1,500 |
Evening · Private
Private Sunset Dolphin Tiki Boat Cruise
The sunset run, privately booked.
| Per boat | $800 |
|---|
Before you go
Know before you go
Departure
Sarasota. The booking confirmation names the dock.
Music
Reviewers consistently mention choosing the playlist; the boat runs a speaker system.
Group size
Public cruises are sold by the seat; private charters take the whole boat.
Dolphins
Resident pods work Sarasota Bay year-round, but they are wild animals.
Reviews
What guests say
- 5.0Google80 reviews as of October 2, 2026
- USCGCaptainCertified master captain
- $60EntryDolphin and mimosas cruise
Reviewers name Captains Stephen and Kevin, mention the shotski and the music, and book it for bachelorettes and birthdays.
Questions
Good to know
Where does it leave from?
Sarasota; the booking names the dock.
What does it cost?
$60 to $99 a seat, or from $750 for the whole boat. Checked October 2, 2026.
Can we pick the music?
Yes. Reviewers mention it on nearly every trip.
Will we see dolphins?
Sarasota Bay has resident pods and sightings are common, but not guaranteed.
A thatched roof on Sarasota Bay
Cruises from $60, the whole boat from $750.
Check Availability