Tarpon Bay Explorers Inc.

Tarpon Bay Explorers Inc. Eco-Tour & Rental Concession to J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
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The Mission of Tarpon Bay Explorers is to be a successful eco-tour business by providing excellent customer service and quality educational tours, rentals and merchandise all while furthering the goals of the US Fish & Wildlife Service at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and encouraging superior stewardship of our unique natural environment.

The Anhinga is a diving bird found all across SW Florida. They’re sometimes called the Snake Bird due to their long skin...
08/30/2026

The Anhinga is a diving bird found all across SW Florida. They’re sometimes called the Snake Bird due to their long skinny necks resembling a snake while they’re swimming. On the Commodore Creek Kayak Trail you may catch one with their wings stretched out as they dry off after a swim.

Guided kayak tours available today at 8:30am and 11:30 today! Make your reservations now!

Puzzling! We have a wonderful selection of nature themed puzzles available in our nature gift shop! They’re perfect for ...
08/29/2026

Puzzling! We have a wonderful selection of nature themed puzzles available in our nature gift shop! They’re perfect for a rainy afternoon inside! Open daily from 8am to 6pm!

Bald Eagles have been spotted around Tarpon Bay again! We are so excited to see the eagles return to the area to start t...
08/27/2026

Bald Eagles have been spotted around Tarpon Bay again! We are so excited to see the eagles return to the area to start their nesting season! This year we had a record breaking 13 chicks hatch on the islands, so hopefully we have another great season! Keep your eyes peeled for eagles flying over or perched up at their nests🦅🦅

Join us on our guided tours today:

☀️Guided Kayak Tour at 10am

🌿Refuge Tram Tour at 10am and 1pm

🐬Sealife and Nature cruise at 1:30pm

🌊Evening Nature Cruise at 6:15pm

08/24/2026

It’s Manatee Monday! Did you know there are four living species in the order Sirenia, and there are only three species of manatees in the world?

Our manatees are the Florida Manatee, a subspecies within the West Indian Manatee species. The other species are the Amazonian Manatees and the West African Manatees. The Dugong is related but looks slightly different, with a fluked tail instead of the round paddle that our manatees have.

All of the species in the order Sirenia are threatened and need strong conservation efforts to maintain or improve their population numbers.

Check out our gift shop for the cutest stuffies for the nature lover in your life! From manatees to spoonbills, we have ...
08/23/2026

Check out our gift shop for the cutest stuffies for the nature lover in your life! From manatees to spoonbills, we have a curated selection of adorable wildlife toys! Stop in any day from 8am to 6pm to shop our collection!

Love the view? Come paddle with us! Guided kayak tours this weekend available at 10am Saturday and 8:30am and 11:30am Su...
08/22/2026

Love the view? Come paddle with us!

Guided kayak tours this weekend available at 10am Saturday and 8:30am and 11:30am Sunday.

Rentals daily from 8am to 4pm. First come, first serve.

The Nature and Sealife Cruise is also available on Saturday at 11am and 1:30pm!

The Evening Cruise is available at 6:30pm Saturday.

Call to make your reservations or reserve online!

Yesterday we attended the 26th annual Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards. Nine of our incredible s...
08/21/2026

Yesterday we attended the 26th annual Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards. Nine of our incredible staff members had been nominated and we are beyond thrilled that two of our own took home awards in the Attractions category!

Congrats to Mo and Charlie for demonstrating exemplary customer service and showing Lee County what Tarpon Bay Explorers is all about! Come experience what brings customers back year after year!

Tarpon Bay Explorers was proud to have 8 of our amazing staff members nominated for the E Awards for outstanding hospita...
08/20/2026

Tarpon Bay Explorers was proud to have 8 of our amazing staff members nominated for the E Awards for outstanding hospitality! Thank you to Visit Fort Myers for hosting the awards ceremony to honor our nominees!

We have always had a mission of exceptional customer service- something each staff member works for every day. Come to Tarpon Bay Explorers to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and our friendly staff!

Two of our most iconic bird species next to each other and caught by one of our Naturalists through their binoculars! Th...
08/19/2026

Two of our most iconic bird species next to each other and caught by one of our Naturalists through their binoculars! The Roseate Spoonbill and the Osprey are two very different but very exciting birds! For a chance to see them join us on our guided tours today!

Refuge Tram Tour @ 10am and 1pm

Guided Kayak Tour @ 11:30am

Sunset Rookery Paddle @ 5:45pm (experienced paddlers)

08/17/2026

Happy Manatee Monday! Does it get any cuter than that? This baby manatee came into the harbor at Tarpon Bay with their mother this week! Tarpon Bay is a safe haven for manatees and their babies due to warm, shallow water and plenty of seagrass for them to eat.

Address

900 Tarpon Bay Road
Sanibel, FL
33957

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 6pm
Sunday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+12394728900

Website

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