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Image by Eco Cruising from Wikimedia

The Best Dolphin Tours in Virginia Beach


 

With a Motto of Landmarks of Our Nation’s Beginning and a record-long recreational beach that hosts the East Coast Surfing Championships, among other things, Virginia Beach is a great place to live or visit! Virginia Beach is also home to famous sons and daughters e.g. singer Juice Newton, music producer Timbaland and Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Gabby Douglas. The other famous residents of this coastal city are dolphins that can be found just a few miles offshore especially the shallow shoreline waters just off Sandbridge Beach are teeming with dolphins. Virginia Beach’s true colours come out during the summertime when visitors flock to the oceanfront and boardwalk. Also known for its flourishing local dining scene, arts and entertainment, maritime history and family-friendly attractions, Virginia Beach features its own unique districts that offer experiences for everyone to enjoy.

One of the most popular activities that travellers want to do when they are vacationing somewhere warm like VB is going out to the sea for dolphin encounters. As indicated earlier dolphins are never far away from Virginia Beach shores. A stroll on the shore at sunrise or sunset guarantees spotting these beloved marine mammals’ rounded fins skimming the surface as they leap through the waves. With large groups of dolphins often ambling off of our coast the best way is to get on the water by boat, kayak or parasail to observe them in the wild from different angles. In VA Beach there are numerous dolphin tours that will take you closest to the pods to experience interactions with these clever mammals.  Continue reading this article for insights on the best dolphin tours in Virginia Beach.

Click Here for the best activities that can be done on water in Virginia Beach.

 

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

 


The Virginia Aquarium are leaders in coastal and marine environment conservation, they also run seasonal boat tours that immerse guests in unique aquatic experiences since 1989. The tours will return in the Spring of 2023 with excursions that offer an unforgettable journey in search of Virginia’s most common and charismatic marine mammal: the bottlenose dolphin. If you are ready to find adventure, make memories and take in the fresh sea air, then add this to your plans.  This incredible 2 to 2.5-hour tour brings you as close as possible to commonly observed species like bottlenose dolphins, as well as a variety of  Virginia coastal of seabirds and waterfowl. Learn from knowledgeable marine educators who engage in responsible viewing practices, research and conservation. A portion of all ticket sales supports the aquarium’s education, research, and conservation initiatives. Visit the Virginia Aquarium website for up-to-date schedules and prices.

For more facts about the Virginia Beach Aquarium. CLICK HERE

Practical Information
Address: 717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, United States
Call: +1 757-385-3474
Guest Services: VAMSCGSO@VirginiaAquarium.com
Website: virginiaaquarium.com
*Dolphin sightings are not guaranteed and all tours are weather-dependent.

 

Patriotic Excursions

The Best Dolphin Tours in Virginia Beach

Image by Gilles Lagnel from Pixabay

According to Patriotic Excursions, the best water views are on the water. Patriotic Excursions offers various types of boat tours exploring the waters. Whether you want to dolphin-watch, go fishing, sit back, and relax or even take on a special ops simulation, all you need to do is book it! All they want is for you to experience beautiful Virginia Beach waters in the best way possible. Whether you love military history or nature or want to catch a glimpse of a pod of dolphins they’ve got you covered. Their mission is to turn their boat tours into a classroom while keeping things fun and exciting. Virginia Beach possesses an expansive history and they are is ready to teach you all about the fascinating facts and information.

To enjoy a water tour like only Patriotic Excursions can provide we recommend the Military Appreciation & Dolphin Watching Tour. Take a sea tour aboard an authentic U.S. Navy RHIB of Dam Neck Naval Annex and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. You can witness merchant and naval maritime traffic as well as live military aviation while enjoying an up-close view of local dolphins and marine wildlife.  Also, book the Sunset Dolphin Watching and get to see Watch the sunset over Cape Henry and then see it over the Chesapeake Bay! Have the opportunity to get some up close and personal photos of these mammals, unlike any other tour. See and learn about the socialization between Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins.

Practical Information
Address: 3211 Lynnhaven Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Call: +1 757-785-0060
Hours: Open 24 hours
Website: patrioticexcursions.com

 

Rudee Tours – Rudee Rocket Dolphin Trip

The Best Dolphin Tours in Virginia Beach

Image by Michelle Raponi from Pixabay

There’s a certain beauty and grace to the way dolphins swim, and in Virginia Beach, the best time to see them in the waters off the coast would be between Memorial Day and Labor Day, basically, summertime is a great time for dolphin-watching. Rudee Tours is located at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center on the oceanfront. Rudee Tours stands out with its three pillars: expertise, excellence, and extraordinary. They offer everything from dolphin-watching tours to thrill rides many of which are exciting tours for families while also sharing their efforts for wildlife conservation. They showcase this through educational fun dolphin-watching tours and  Wildlife Exploration. Their crew has over 40 years of experience in providing safe navigation through the sea, so you will be in safe hands. On this trip, you will sit back and enjoy all the sights of the beautiful Virginia Beach coastline while watching dolphin frolic in the water. Bottlenose dolphins are one of the highlights of these 60-minute Rudee Rocket trips. This is the ultimate way to experience the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and you’ll want to be sure you have your camera ready to capture dolphin jumping and surfing in the boat’s wake. The Rudee Rocket has it all; Flash, Splash, Speed and Dolphins.

The best things to do with children in Virginia Beach.

Practical Information
Available: May to September
Address: 200 Winston Salem Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Call: +1 757-425-3400
Website: rudeetours.com

 

Adventure Parasail

 

A different way to view dolphins is on a parasailing expedition on the waters of the Atlantic. Rudee Inlet is the take-off point for several parasailing tours including Adventure Parasail. If you haven’t experienced the serenity that comes with floating 1,000 feet about the water, you should give it a try. While dolphin sightings aren’t guaranteed, they are extremely common and to view them from above is something you won’t soon forget. Soar over Virginia Beach with our exciting parasailing adventure! It’s fun for everyone in the family. We offer gentle and dry takeoffs and landings from our Coast Guard-certified parasail boat.  All of their captains are U.S. Coast Guard certified and put your safety first. They have over 50 years of combined parasail experience. You can elect whether to fly single or with your friends as they can accommodate up to three people in one flight. Flight times range between 8 and 12 minutes, depending on the height of the flight (You can fly 600, 800, or even 1,000 feet in the air!) Anyone can parasail as long as you’re at least 4 years old and 40 pounds. Unfortunately, pregnant women are not permitted to fly due to Coast Guard regulations.

Practical Information
Address: 300 Winston Salem Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Call: +1 757-422-8359
Hours: Mon-Sun: 9 am to 5 pm
Website: beachparasail.com

 

 

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