Key West Speedboat Safari Eco-tour: Exploring the Backwaters and Sandbars

There is such a variety of water tours you can do in Key West, but I think we found the best one with teens: the Safari Eco Tour with Sunset Watersports. The Key West Safari Eco Tour is actually a trip where you get to drive a speed boat and as a group you follow the leader through the mangrove islands and sandbars of the Lower Keys. No, just because it’s a small boat and a tight knit tour that doesn’t mean everyone is able to drive the boats, but we’ll explain all that below. This is a really fun way to get out on the water and is a hit with older kids.

If you’re intrigued but not so sure about driving a boat, don’t worry. We’ve got lots of info about how the Sunset Watersports Safari Eco Tour works, because it’s very unique among the teen-friendly options in Key West. If you have any questions about this experience or need some more recommendations for great things to do with kids and teens in the Keys, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great adventure in the Florida Keys.

Highlights of the Speedboat Safari from Key West

The thing that makes the speedboat safari eco-tour so much fun is how independent you feel when you’re out exploring, just you and whomever you’re sharing your boat with. Yes, you’re following your guide to drive the boat through the right channels and passages, but the feeling of freedom you get when you’re on a boat is really something else, and you can feel it when you’re going through the turquoise waters of Key West.

I love being on snorkeling tours and sailing trips, but speedboats are a different sort of fun. It’s not all fast driving though. The speedboat safari also goes through some narrow mangrove passageways and shallow sandbar areas. You get to see quite a few types of environments, watching for wildlife and enjoying the warm breezes of the Gulf of Mexico (you’re not on the Atlantic side). You get to access parts of the Florida Keys that most tours can’t go, including the beautiful Mud Keys, which are quiet, peaceful and what you expect a deserted Caribbean island to be like.

The Sunset Watersports speedboat safari eco-tour was a big hit with our kids. For teens and tweens not having to be a part of a big group sometimes feels more fun than being on a catamaran or doing a sandbar cruise. The small group atmosphere and the individual boats make it feel like a very tailored experience. Our kids felt special and even though our destination for the day was set before we even got into our boats, the amount of time we spent swimming and exploring, the route through the mangroves, and even the speedboat run from the rain all seemed like they were something being done just for us. The speedboat safari is a great eco tour to enjoy with older kids.

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Tips for a Great Speedboat Safari

As you’re planning your time in Key West, be sure to set aside a few hours to be able to do the speedboat safari out to Mud Keys. Sunset Watersports offers the tour twice daily and space is limited, so if you’re planning a visit with teens or if you have more than just two people that want to do this trip, book it as far out as you can to ensure you can actually get spots on the tour.

From arrival and orientation until you’re back on the docks at Cow Key Marina (eastern part of Key West on Stock Island), it’s about three hours. You’ll have about 40 minutes of speedboat driving and navigating the mangroves until you get to your planned sandbar area, then around an hour of swimming and exploring the land, then another 40 minute speedboat drive back. The total time may vary based on weather and what everyone is feeling like, but plan for three hours.

Some people get nervous on the water, and being in a speedboat can be a little intimidating if you didn’t grow up with boats. Make sure that everyone participating in the speedboat safari trip is comfortable and ready for this type of fun. These are small speedboats that only seat two people each, which means they’re easily maneuverable, but it also means that the small boats can feel the bumps from waves and wakes as you go along. We all thought that made the speedboat element of the trip more fun, but that’s not how everyone might feel. Just be sure that you know your group well and that nobody is too surprised with the adventure.

Can Anyone Drive the Speedboats on this Tour?

Unfortunately, driving the boats on the speedboat safari isn’t a free-for-all and you must meet certain requirements. You need to have completed your Florida Boaters Safety Course or have been born in 1987 or earlier. The course isn’t difficult, but it’s important and if you’re new to boating there is a lot of information about driving boats and general safety that you’ll need to know. As far as age goes for driving the boat on the speedboat safari, Florida regulations state that no one under 14 years old can operate a personal watercraft, but because of the boat and tour type, all speedboat drivers must be 18 or older AND have their boaters safety certificate or be grandfathered in (1987 or older).

Being Prepared for a Key West Speedboat Safari

When you’re getting ready for your speedboat safari eco-tour, you’ll need to bring a little gear. First and foremost this is a boat tour through the waters of Key West and the Mud Keys. It’s all about being on the water and enjoying the beautiful ecosystems you pass though. And it’s all in the exposed sunny waterways, so be sure that you’re well sunblocked in advance. Reef-safe sunblock is important, and then we like to wear sunshirts as well. Hats that will stay on when you’re driving the speedboat fast are helpful too, as well as sunglasses. I like polarized sunglasses when we’re exploring the Keys because there’s always something to see just below the surface of the water.

And speaking of what’s below the surface, when you get out to the Mud Keys and have your time enjoying and exploring the sandbar and islands, you will have the chance to snorkel, so bring your gear for it. Keep in mind that this is not snorkeling like you do out at the reef on a Rise and Reef Snorkeling tour, but this is sandbar snorkeling. It’s a chance to look for seahorses and stingrays. You’re moving with the flow of the current and looking for crabs in the seagrass. It’s very different and is beautiful in its own way. Since we’re talking about snorkeling and being in the water it goes without saying almost that you should arrive for your speedboat safari with Sunset Watersports dressed in your swimwear and ready to go. And bring towels if you like, but they aren’t necessary because the sun and speed will dry you off pretty well.

When it comes to bringing a camera on a speedboat safari eco tour, it’s up to you whether or not you think a big camera is a good idea. There will be birdwatching opportunities and maybe dolphins, so a large camera and lens could be a good idea if you’re into photography, but if you do bring these be sure that you have a waterproof bag / dry bag for them. I think just a camera phone or a GoPro is perfect for this sort of tour, but everyone is different. We got great pictures and video with our easy GoPro and cell phones.

Where does the Speed Boat Safari Leave From

Sunset Watersport Safari Eco-Tour doesn’t go from the main tour marinas in Key West like so many other trips do. Instead, the speedboats leave from the Cow Key Marina on Stock Island, which is just east of the main island area of Key West. If you’re staying in the Historic Districts, it’s a 15-20 minute drive to Cow Key Marina. From the Roosevelt Blvd hotels, it’s usually less than 10 minutes to Cow Key Marina. Once there, parking is limited so pay attention to the posted signs, and if you’re unsure where to park for your speedboat tour, ask at the tiki hut where you’ll check in. The best option may be to get an Uber because parking is so limited and there is a restaurant that may use up most of the parking spaces.