Rookery Bay Reserve

Rookery Bay Reserve: Our most recommended tours and activities

Marco Island: Ten Thousand Island Jet Ski Guided Tour

Marco Island: Ten Thousand Island Jet Ski Guided Tour

Reach parts of the Ten Thousand Islands that boats just can't get to, on a guided jet ski tour. Search for dolphins and birds, and visit the pristine waters of Rookery Bay as you ride the waves on the back of a jet ski. Discover the rich wildlife and diverse ecosystems of Florida's Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, where the Gulf of Mexico meets the everglades. Zip in and around the small uninhabited islands that make up the chain of islands known as the Ten Thousand Islands. Pass small islands overgrown with red mangroves and see the rich ecosystem the unique archipelago is famous for. See an array of wildlife in and around the water, including the elegant Great Blue Herons and Egrets in their natural habitat. Jet across the calm water, passing oyster flats, and small sandy beaches. Ride your jet ski to Rookery Bay National Reserve which stretches across 110,000 acres of pristine mangrove forest, uplands, and protected waters. Keep an eye on the water for playful dolphins in the larger bays. Local resident Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins use this area to hunt for their meals, play with each other or catch up on their sleep. They share the waters with manatees and w wide variety of other marine life.

Marco Island: Kayak Mangrove Ecotour in Rookery Bay Reserve

Marco Island: Kayak Mangrove Ecotour in Rookery Bay Reserve

Discover the relaxing calm of the waters of Rookery Bay reserve on this kayaking tour from Marco Island. Explore the most pristine mangrove forest in North America and search for wildlife with the help of your biologist and Florida naturalist guides. Meet your guides and get set up with your kayaking gear. Keep your things dry with the included waterproof bag. Start off with paddling instructions and a safety briefing to ensure that you are confident in the kayak before setting off on your adventure.  Ride through the mangrove mazes and tunnels where you can discover some of Southwest Florida’s most popular wildlife. Try to spy some of the over 150 species of birds that call this area home, as well as manatees and dolphins. Glide over oyster reefs, mudflats, and hidden bays. Get so close to the mangroves that your guide will be able to show you the small creatures that live in this beautiful forest, like the mangrove tree crab and the mangrove periwinkle. Search for shells, such as, the famous horse conch and the lightning whelk. Peer into crystal-clear waters for the chance to spot sea stars and urchins. Listen as your guide shares important facts about this amazing ecosystem.

Marco Island: Mangrove Maze Kayak Tour (2hrs)

Marco Island: Mangrove Maze Kayak Tour (2hrs)

Join us on our mangrove maze adventure on our the most comfortable and stable kayaks(choose from singles or doubles). On this industry leading small group adventure (no more than 8 people max verses 20 people and two guides) we will keep our eyes out for ospreys diving for fish, pelicans flying overhead, mullet fish leaping out of the water, marine life on the mudflats, dolphins, and much more. Our experienced naturalist guides and experienced kayakers(industry leading Level 3 ACA Trip Leading) will teach everyone how to paddle through these tidal areas that require more strength and maneuvering on some days. We believe this a really fun way to get some sun and exercise while on vacation paddling thru these magnificent mangrove mazes and tunnels in SouthWest Florida. If paddling with alligators isn’t for you or your group this is the perfect trip.

Sunrise and Shine 10,000 Islands Shelling Tour

Sunrise and Shine 10,000 Islands Shelling Tour

Meet your captain and certified master naturalist guide in Goodland and head out in search of rare and sought-after seashells. Boat departs at sun up to get on the beach before the other shelling companies. Possible shelling locations: Kice Island is regarded as the "shellers" island near Marco. The barrier island has fantastic shells on the gulf shore but is a notoriously difficult anchorage with a shallow mangrove shoreline, and is open to wind and waves. Our expert captains know where to go, and our certified Florida Master Nauturalist guides know where to find the rarest and most exotic shells. Boat tours explore barrier islands of the 10,000 Islands. Tour the barrier islands surrounding Marco Island Florida. Marco Island is a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico off Southwest Florida, linked to the mainland by bridges south of the city of Naples. Experience the mangrove estuary of the Rookery Bay Preserve. Rookery Bay is a National Estuarine Research Reserve in Naples, Florida supported by the Friends of Rookery Bay. See the quaint fishing village of Goodland. Goodland is a census-designated place in Collier County, Florida, United States. The population was 267 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Marco Island: 2 Private Hour Sunset Boat Tour

Marco Island: 2 Private Hour Sunset Boat Tour

Experience marine wildlife in southern Florida and discover the wonders of Rookery Bay Reserve and Marco Island on a guided tour in a speedboat. Take in the warm seabreeze, the refreshing water of the Gulf of Mexico, and a sunset splashed with champagne. Begin this guided tour by departing from Goodland Boat Park, just east of Marco Island. Along the way, admire the beauty of the Rookery Bay Reserve, a 110,000 acre area that is dedicated to preservation of a pristine mangrove forest, protected waters, and wildlife. Next, experience Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands with the sun perched behind the mangroves along a beach. Stop on an isolated island to collect shells and find wildlife along the way. Here one can spot local dolphins, which are regularly seen on this tour, and different species of birds. Finally, stroll along a private beach in search of more seashells and view the beautiful sunset that the Gulf Coast is known for. Enjoy the view with a complimentary bottle of champagne and make a toast as the sun goes down.

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What people are saying about Rookery Bay Reserve

Overall rating

5
(1 reviews)

Muke was awesome with the Jetski tour. We went deep into the islands and had tons of fun on the skis. He made us feel like true owners of the skis and didn't hover over us like hawks. if you want a great Jetski adventure I would highly recommend this tour.

Lovely experience! If you are in the Everglades, you need to see up close what it looks like in the Mangrove Tunnels. Joe, the guide told us about the animals, the history of the place and other things in a nice way.

We had a fabulous tour and learned so much. Dillion our guide was excellent. He was so knowledgable, personable, and paced our tour wonderfully. Highly recommend him and the tour company.

Dylan was an incredible guide. He was super knowledgeable and very personable. This tour was 10/10 and my wife and it is easily the highlight of our trip

We had a great time. Lots of explanations throughout our walk, we highly recommend!