Cruise From St. Pete Pier to Egmont Key
Ferry from St. Pete Pier to Egmont Key with time to explore beaches and ruins
Duration
4 Hours
Includes
Round-trip ferry, 2 hrs on key
Highlights
Ride The Pelican from St. Pete Pier to Egmont Key and cruise past local shorelines and under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Spend time on the island exploring beaches, a historic lighthouse, and the ruins of Ft. Dade before the return trip.
- Cruise about 60 minutes each way along the Florida coast
- Explore Egmont Key for around 2 hours, based on weather and travel time
- Pass under the Sunshine Skyway bridge en route to the island
- Step into shallow water to get on and off the island
- Buy wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks, and limited snacks on board
- Ride a 60-foot boat with space for up to 49 passengers
Things to know
Arrive 30 minutes early to allow time to park and reach gate 24. Outside alcohol is not permitted, and alcohol purchased on board must stay on the boat and cannot be consumed on Egmont Key. Do not apply spray sunscreen while on the boat.
Cancellation Policy
Full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Full refund if the operator cancels due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. No-shows will be charged the full price.
FAQs
Yes. You will need to step into shallow water when going on the island.
No. Outside alcohol is not permitted on the boat. You can buy wine and beer on board, but it must remain on the boat and cannot be consumed on Egmont Key.
You can buy wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and limited snacks on the boat.
Meeting details
St. Pete Pier
Perfect for
Egmont Key State Park sits at the point where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico, a narrow island just over a mile and a half long that has no roads, no cars, no stores, and no permanent residents other than a park ranger and the Tampa Bay Pilots Association crew who guide commercial ships in and out of the port. It is accessible only by boat, and this cruise from the St. Pete Pier is the only ferry service departing from downtown St. Petersburg.
The island's history runs deeper than its beaches. Named for John Perceval, the second Earl of Egmont, the key was first mapped by Spanish surveyors in the 1750s. Congress authorized a lighthouse in the 1840s to reduce ship groundings at the bay's entrance, and the current lighthouse, built in 1858, still stands and operates today. During the 1850s, Egmont Key State Park's land served as an internment camp for captured Seminole people during the Third Seminole War, a painful chapter the Seminole Tribe has referred to as one of the final stops on the Trail of Tears. Union forces occupied the island during the Civil War, and in 1898, the U.S. military built Fort Dade to protect Tampa Bay during the Spanish-American War. At its height, the fort was a small city with brick roads, electricity, and a population of 300. It was decommissioned in 1923, and the ruins now sit half-reclaimed by tropical vegetation, open for visitors to explore.
Today, Egmont Key State Park is jointly managed as a National Wildlife Refuge and a Florida State Park. Between 1,000 and 1,500 endangered gopher tortoises roam the island, loggerhead sea turtles nest on its beaches, and more than 100 bird species use the island for nesting and migration. The cruise itself is part of the experience: passing beneath the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and watching for dolphins on the open water of Tampa Bay adds a scenic hour on either side of your time on the island. For visitors looking for an uncrowded, car-free beach day with a layer of history and wildlife that most Florida beaches cannot offer, Egmont Key State Park is one of the most distinctive day trips on the Gulf Coast.
