Take your family on a boating excursion to make this summer the best summer

Summertime means long bike rides, grilling on the deck, beach weekends and pool time. It means taking time to relax and have fun, especially with family and friends. In Northeast Florida, it’s easy to enjoy summer, with ample opportunities to get outdoors — but it’s most special out on the water. This summer, take a scenic boat tour of the beautiful waterways of St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Whether it be on a sailboat cruising with the dolphins, renting a pontoon and swimming on sandbars or singing sea shanties on a pirate ship, there are a plethora of boating excursions to explore.

Sailing Tours:

Celebrating 25 years in St. Augustine, the Schooner Freedom is a premier tall ship made of 76 feet of steel. It’s the only schooner charter vessel between Charleston and the Keys, and boasts almost 2,400 square feet of sail. Join them for day sails, sunsets, moonlight sails with live music, full moon sails, private charters and Fins and Freedom — a special partnership with Marineland, offering a one-of-a kind educational experience about the majestic bottlenose dolphin.

For the ultimate in luxury sailing, head to Now and Zen Sailing Charters. With a smooth-sailing 42-foot catamaran and staff to take care of every need, take a sail for the day, for sunset, overnight or weekend or weekday vacations. The catamaran fits a max of six guests and they even cater picnics from local restaurants.

Pirate Ships:

For an experience even more unique, board the Black Raven Adventure Pirate Ship, designed to be a floating stage for live performance pirate shows. Suitable for all ages, sail across the Matanzas Bay to find treasure and learn to sword fight, or take a tropical sunset cruise with a fully stocked bar and views of historic downtown. They offer rum runner cruises, birthday adventures and private charters.

River & Intracoastal Waterways Tours:

Florida Water Tours is based in St. Augustine and offers an ecotourism experience! From family-friendly adventures to adults-only excursions, Florida Water Tours offers daily departures, private tours and specialty cruises — like the Moonlit Mysteries evening tour, the unforgettable Dolphin and Wildlife Adventure, and sunset cruises. Cruise through wetlands and coastal marshes to find an ecosystem teaming with wildlife.

Tour the St. Johns River with McCoy Waterways, a private charter that offers sunset cruises and small group boat rides to find hidden gems in Jax. Holding two to six passengers on a 26-foot Monterey Explorer Bowrider, with a bimini top, they cruise for two to six hours, depending on the package, throughout Jax and to St. Augustine and back.

St. Johns River Taxi offers transport on the water throughout downtown Jax and runs specialty cruises for happy hour, sunset and sightseeing. Taking you through coastal areas for a special educational ecotour, they will also soon offer historical tours through some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Jax.

To experience a bit of a thrill, Crazy Fish Airboat Rides take you out on the water on a 600-horsepower airboat! Fly through wetlands and creeks to spy local wildlife, like alligators, turtles and manatees; herons, egrets and wild turkeys; and learn about Florida history dating back to 1565. This one-and-a-half hour airboat experience offers public and private tours run by Captain Mike, a U.S. Navy veteran and U.S. Coast Guard Captain. 

Pontoon Rentals:

For a personalized day of fun with your best crew, rent a pontoon boat! Beaches Marina on Vilano offers 20-foot pontoons that are family-friendly. Cruise through the Intracoastal waterways, stop for a swim and create a day that will surely be memorable for all. Gone2Sea offers captained and self-guided pontoon rentals in a variety of sizes, holding 8-14 passengers. Cruise through St. Augustine Inlet and enjoy a relaxing day on the water.

In Jax, enjoy the water of the St. Johns River with St. Johns Premier Boat Rentals, offering pontoons for up to 10 people. Rentals include a paddleboard, floating platform, rafts for leisure tubing and more. Make new memories on the St. Johns River! Lazy Lou’s Pontoons offer exceptional quality, comfort and performance with their 2022 Bennington 20-foot pontoon. Tubes, fishing kits, snack boxes and coolers are available to make your day even more special. Head to Ragged Point or Black Creek, or hit up a favorite fish camp for happy hour.