THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Board the Pellicano at Vilano Beach Pier for a calm, narrated two-hour cruise through St. Augustine’s Intracoastal — dolphins, historic landmarks, and coastal ecology in easy reach. Learn the history and spot wildlife while onboard comforts and accessibility make this tour suitable for most travelers.
Board the Pellicano at Vilano Beach Pier for a calm, narrated two-hour cruise through St. Augustine’s Intracoastal — dolphins, historic landmarks, and coastal ecology in easy reach. Learn the history and spot wildlife while onboard comforts and accessibility make this tour suitable for most travelers.
You step onto the Pellicano at Vilano Beach Pier and the harbor air immediately changes — salt and warm varnish, gull calls, the slow clack of rigging. The boat slips south along the Intracoastal Waterway, skimming past mangrove-edged Salt Run and the inlet that guards St. Augustine's harbor. Dolphins appear with the ease of local commuters, arcing in tight groups and making the crew laugh; pelicans hover and osprey quarter the water like patient sentries.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Red Boat Tours, LLC · St. Augustine, Florida
You step onto the Pellicano at Vilano Beach Pier and the harbor air immediately changes — salt and warm varnish, gull calls, the slow clack of rigging. The boat slips south along the Intracoastal Waterway, skimming past mangrove-edged Salt Run and the inlet that guards St. Augustine's harbor. Dolphins appear with the ease of local commuters, arcing in tight groups and making the crew laugh; pelicans hover and osprey quarter the water like patient sentries.
This two-hour cruise traces layers of the city's past and shoreline geology. You’ll pass Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age hotels and the Bridge of Lions, while guides point out the coquina walls of Castillo de San Marcos — the Spanish colonial fort built from fossilized shell rock. The Intracoastal itself is a calmer ribbon of estuary carved by tidal exchange and stabilized by marsh and mangrove roots.
Culturally, St. Augustine is a collision of Spanish colonial history and coastal recreation; the boat’s narration ties architecture to the sea and explains conservation efforts for manatees and sea turtles.
Practical notes: tours depart from 260 Vilano Road (Vilano Beach Fishing Pier), last about two hours, and remain in protected waters — no open-ocean crossings. The Pellicano has padded seats, blankets for cool mornings and bottled water; life vests are provided for all ages. Wear non-slip shoes, bring sunscreen and binoculars, and time your cruise for morning or late afternoon when wildlife activity and light are best. Tours are wheelchair accessible and refundable with 24-hour notice, but weather can cancel on short notice.
easy.
2 hours.
Minimal fitness required; suitable for most adults and children when accompanied.
Departures are from Vilano Beach Fishing Pier at 260 Vilano Road, St. Augustine; arrive 15–20 minutes early for boarding.
No — this tour stays on the Intracoastal Waterway and Salt Run, avoiding open-ocean conditions for a calmer ride.
Yes — the Pellicano and boarding procedures are wheelchair and stroller accessible; staff can assist when needed.
Common sightings include Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, ospreys, occasional manatees and sea turtles; sightings are natural and not guaranteed.
St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental U.S.; its harbor and coquina stone (used on Castillo de San Marcos) shaped colonial and 19th-century development under figures like Henry Flagler.
The Intracoastal’s marshes and mangroves are critical nursery habitats; avoid feeding or disturbing wildlife and follow guidance to minimize wake and shoreline erosion.
Red Boat Tours, LLC operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step onto the Pellicano at Vilano Beach Pier and the harbor air immediately changes — salt and warm varnish, gull calls, the slow clack of rigging. The boat slips south along the Intracoastal Waterway, skimming past mangrove-edged Salt Run and the inlet that guards St. Augustine's harbor. Dolphins appear with the ease of local commuters, arcing in tight groups and making the crew laugh; pelicans hover and osprey quarter the water like patient sentries.
You step onto the Pellicano at Vilano Beach Pier and the harbor air immediately changes — salt and warm varnish, gull calls, the slow clack of rigging. The boat slips south along the Intracoastal Waterway, skimming past mangrove-edged Salt Run and the inlet that guards St. Augustine's harbor. Dolphins appear with the ease of local commuters, arcing in tight groups and making the crew laugh; pelicans hover and osprey quarter the water like patient sentries.
This two-hour cruise traces layers of the city's past and shoreline geology. You’ll pass Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age hotels and the Bridge of Lions, while guides point out the coquina walls of Castillo de San Marcos — the Spanish colonial fort built from fossilized shell rock. The Intracoastal itself is a calmer ribbon of estuary carved by tidal exchange and stabilized by marsh and mangrove roots.
Culturally, St. Augustine is a collision of Spanish colonial history and coastal recreation; the boat’s narration ties architecture to the sea and explains conservation efforts for manatees and sea turtles.
Practical notes: tours depart from 260 Vilano Road (Vilano Beach Fishing Pier), last about two hours, and remain in protected waters — no open-ocean crossings. The Pellicano has padded seats, blankets for cool mornings and bottled water; life vests are provided for all ages. Wear non-slip shoes, bring sunscreen and binoculars, and time your cruise for morning or late afternoon when wildlife activity and light are best. Tours are wheelchair accessible and refundable with 24-hour notice, but weather can cancel on short notice.