Anna Maria Island private tour: why a private boat fits here
An Anna Maria Island private tour is almost always a boat, because the water is what the island is about. Egmont Key can only be reached by boat, and the regular ferry leaves from Fort De Soto, not from the island. A private boat from Holmes Beach gives your family or friends a direct way out to it, with nobody else aboard.
The three options below cover a quiet evening on the bay, a full day on a party pontoon and a five hour Egmont Key trip. Each is priced for the whole group, so the sum to watch is the cost per person. Prices are starting prices from October 2026.
Our picks: private boats
Take the sunset boat for an evening on the bay, the pontoon for a full day with Egmont Key, or the five hour tour when the island is the goal.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private five-hour Egmont Key boat tour
- Private boat tour to Egmont Key
- For up to 6 people
A private five-hour boat tour to Egmont Key for up to six people. It leaves from St. Petersburg, not from Anna Maria Island.
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Private double-decker pontoon with Egmont Key
- Double-decker pontoon boat
- Sound system and water slide
- Egmont Key State Park visit
- Dolphin watching and snorkelling
A 4 to 8 hour party boat for up to 12 people, with inflatable floats, shelling and the ruins of Fort Dade on Egmont Key. A captain's fee of 60 USD per hour is added.
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Private sunset boat tour from Holmes Beach
- Private 90-minute boat tour
- Views of Tampa Bay, Manatee River and Skyway Bridge
- Wildlife watching chances
A 90-minute evening trip with an experienced captain for up to 12 people. A captain's fee of 60 USD per hour is added.
Check availability →Private boats around Anna Maria Island
Compare a private sunset cruise, a double-decker pontoon and an Egmont Key trip, with current availability.
Private sunset boat tour from Holmes Beach
The private sunset tour starts at a marina in Holmes Beach and lasts 90 minutes with an experienced captain. You head out over the water for views of Tampa Bay, the Manatee River and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and there are chances to watch wildlife along the way. It suits a couple or a group of friends who want the evening light on the water to themselves.
The price is 430 USD for the boat, which takes up to 12 people. Two people pay 215 USD each, four pay 107.50 USD each and six pay about 72 USD each. A captain's fee of 60 USD per hour is charged in addition. A shared sunset cruise from the same town starts at 65 USD per person, so six people pay 390 USD there against 430 USD on the private boat before the captain's fee. The private option makes most sense for larger parties, and when you want the boat to yourselves.
Private pontoon rental with Egmont Key
The double-decker pontoon is the party boat of the three. It carries up to 12 people on trips of 4 to 8 hours and comes with a sound system, a water slide and inflatable floats. The route includes a stop at Egmont Key State Park, where you can explore the ruins of Fort Dade, follow nature trails, look for shells and snorkel. Dolphin watching is part of the trip too, though wild animals can never be promised.
This is the one for a family reunion or a group of friends who would rather spend the day moving between beach, water and island than sit on a schedule. The starting price is 600 USD per group. Twelve people pay 50 USD each, eight pay 75 USD each and six pay 100 USD each, with the captain's fee of 60 USD per hour on top. Longer days cost more through that hourly fee, so a full eight hours is best filled with a full boat.
Private Egmont Key boat tour from St. Petersburg
The five hour private Egmont Key tour is the pick if the island itself is the goal. It departs from St. Petersburg and takes up to six people, which suits a family or a small group of friends. The price is 834 USD per group: six people pay 139 USD each, four pay 208.50 USD each and two pay 417 USD each.
The alternative is a shared four hour trip to the same island, which starts at 89 USD per person from Gulfport and 92 USD per person from Madeira Beach. Six people pay 534 and 552 USD in total there, against 834 USD privately. Choose the private boat when the extra hour, the smaller party and a departure that belongs to your group matter more than the saving. Read more in our Egmont Key guide.
Which private tour suits your group
For two to four people on an evening out, take the sunset boat. For eight to twelve, the pontoon brings the cost per person down and fills a whole day. Our dolphin tour guide lists the shared boats if you prefer a lower price per seat.
Private boat tours on Anna Maria Island: questions
Can I reach Egmont Key by private boat from Anna Maria Island?
Yes. The private pontoon rental from Holmes Beach includes a visit to Egmont Key State Park, and the five hour private tour goes there from St. Petersburg. The regular ferry leaves from Fort De Soto instead.
Is Egmont Key open?
The state park reopened on 12 August 2026, and all buildings remain closed. It is open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset every day, with no park entry fee. The lighthouse, built in 1858, and the ruins of Fort Dade, built in 1898, are seen from outside.
What does a private boat cost per person?
For a group of six, the sunset boat is about 72 USD each, the pontoon 100 USD each and the Egmont Key tour 139 USD each. The sunset boat and the pontoon add a captain's fee of 60 USD per hour.
Will we see dolphins?
The pontoon includes dolphin watching and the sunset boat includes chances to watch wildlife. Wild animals can never be promised on any trip.