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Pet Friendly Florida
Tours and Activities

Florida Tours and Activities That Take Dogs

Kayaks, charters, walking tours and attractions where the operator says dogs are welcome, from the Panhandle to Key West, with the conditions that come with them.

Updated October 4, 2026 7 min read By

Very few tour operators say in writing that dogs are welcome. Most say nothing, a few say no, and the ones that say yes are scattered across hundreds of listings. We went looking: we searched Viator’s Florida listings for ones whose own description mentions pets or dogs, and we read activity pages on Tripster in a dozen Florida cities by hand. This page is what survived, 29 experiences from the Panhandle to Key West.

How to read it. Every pet statement below is the operator’s own wording on its listing, which we have paraphrased. We have not taken these tours and we do not vouch for them. A listing that says “pet friendly” does not tell you the weight limit, the fee, how many dogs, or whether your dog’s size is welcome, so ask before you book. Several of these listings add conditions, and we point those out. The booking links on this page are affiliate links: if you book through them we earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Panhandle and Gulf Coast

Destin: Crab Island charters

Crab Island is Destin’s famous sandbar hangout, and it is reached by boat, which makes a private charter the way a dog can see it. Three private charters here say dogs are welcome. One describes “brand-new, pet-friendly pontoons” for a two-hour dolphin and Crab Island trip, one says “we are dog friendly,” and one calls its customized dolphin charter a pet-friendly excursion. Because a private charter is yours alone, you can ask the captain about your dog’s size, a life jacket and where the dog rides before you pay.

Destin’s beaches are closed to ordinary dogs, so a boat day is a useful way to give a dog some water time. See our Destin beaches and parks guide for the rules on shore.

Pensacola: pontoon rental

A luxury pontoon rental on Pensacola’s waters describes itself as family and dog friendly and invites you to bring “four-legged friends.” A rental means you are the captain, so the life jacket and the supervision are yours. See the pontoon rental on Viator

Marianna: Merritt’s Mill clear-kayak tours

Two guided clear-kayak tours on Merritt’s Mill Pond in Marianna say dogs are welcome with conditions: the dog’s weight has to fit within the kayak’s limit, and a towel has to be used. Ask the operator how those limits work for your dog and your own weight before you book.

North Florida

St. Augustine: walking tours and Ripley’s

St. Augustine is the easiest place on this list to bring a dog, because much of the historic district is outdoors. Two tour operators say so in their listings: one historical tour says it is “pet friendly, all sizes and breeds welcome” and offers free parking, and a 10 a.m. walking history tour says it is “always pet friendly.” Ripley’s Believe It or Not! lists well-behaved pets as allowed.

Our St. Augustine guide covers the rest of the city, including the beaches and our houses that welcome dogs.

Central Florida: Springs and Lakes

Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs

Clear-bottom kayaks and canoes over the springs are the signature Central Florida activity, and several operators say a dog can come. The Silver Springs guided clear-kayak tour allows dogs within a combined kayak weight limit of 425 pounds. The Silver Springs canoe listing says dogs are permitted on a leash within the state park and are allowed on its canoe rentals. Rainbow Springs says pet-friendly paddles are available.

Many springs are inside or beside state parks, and Florida State Parks keep pets off beaches, boardwalks and playgrounds and out of bathing areas. An operator’s “dogs welcome” covers its boat, not the rest of the park. Read our Florida state parks pet rules first.

Orlando and Kissimmee

Two lake paddle rentals in the Orlando area say dogs are welcome: a two-hour clear kayak and paddleboard rental that calls itself family and dog friendly, and a “Paddle with Pups” session whose instructors are experienced in teaching both people and their dogs. In Kissimmee, an e-bike tour with a trailer says children or “furry friends” can ride in it, so ask for the trailer’s weight limit and ventilation details for your dog.

Cocoa Beach: pontoon rental

A 12-passenger pontoon rental on the Cocoa Beach river says pets are welcome. As with any rental, the safety plan for the dog is yours. See the pontoon rental on Viator

Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida

Weeki Wachee: a tour that is not in the state park

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park does not allow pets; the Florida State Parks pet policy lists it by name as an exception. This guided paddleboard tour is a different thing: its listing says you can bring your pet along, and a listing for the tour says it starts at Roger’s Park on the river in Spring Hill, which is outside the state park. Confirm the meeting point and the pet terms with the operator before you drive out. See the Weeki Wachee tour on Viator

St. Petersburg: sunset cruise

A sunset cruise to Johns Pass, Madeira Beach and St. Pete Beach says it is pet friendly and that a pet fee applies. Ask what the fee is and whether it is per dog. See the sunset cruise on Viator

Fort Myers and Naples

Two kayak tours on Big Hickory Pass, one a guided group tour and one private, say dogs are permitted. The Naples boat trip “Bark on the Ark” visits Keewaydin Island for about an hour and a half, provides a bag of goodies for the dog, and allows only one dog per person.

Miami and the Keys

Miami: Oleta River State Park and private charters

Oleta River State Park, in North Miami Beach, has two listings that welcome dogs. The kayak, canoe and paddleboard rental says dogs are welcome when supervised and wearing a flotation device. The guided eco-tour paddle says it welcomes kids, pets and coolers. Three private Miami charters on a Formula Thunderbird say they take well-behaved, small-breed dogs, and ask you to say in the reservation that a dog is coming.

Islamorada and Key West

An Islamorada half-day private boat tour says it is pet friendly, and a Key West private fishing charter says pets are welcome. The Key West Aquarium lists dogs as welcome as long as they are on leashes. A private boat means the captain’s rules, so ask about size limits and life jackets. For Dry Tortugas and other Key West day trips, see the park rules on our Key West things to do page.

Before You Book Any of These

  • Ask for the weight limit and the number of dogs in writing. A “dogs welcome” line often hides a limit, such as the Silver Springs kayak weight cap or the small-breed rule on the Miami charters.
  • Ask about the fee. At least one cruise here says a pet fee applies, and others do not mention one.
  • Put the dog in a life jacket. See our boating with dogs guide for what to buy and how to fit it.
  • Check the heat and the shade. A paddle or a pontoon has little cover. See our heat safety guide.
  • Confirm the cancellation terms if the dog turns out to be unwelcome on the day, and book the dog in at the same time as the people.
  • Service dogs are covered by different rules than pets. See our Florida service animal guide.

More Pet-Friendly Florida

Continue with our Florida dog beach directory, pet-friendly hotels in Florida, and pet-friendly vacation rentals in Florida.

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