3 hours · Private · Up to 6
Snorkeling Excursion
A reef or backcountry snorkel stop, gear aboard.
| Whole boat | $500 |
|---|
Editorial spotlight · Private charters, Key West
2026 Conch Shell Awards nomineeBest Boat Tour
Mermaid Charters
One captain with thirty years on this water, one 30-foot Scarab, six guests. Sandbars, snorkeling, dolphins, sunsets, and the two trips nobody else lists: lunch at the Geiger Key fish camp by boat, and a tiki-bar afternoon with a sandbar stop.
- Private trips from
- $500
- Sandbar day
- $650
- Tripadvisor
- 4.9
- Guests
- Up to 6
Editorial spotlight. Mermaid Charters is a nominee in the 2026 Conch Shell Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The company
Family-operated, one boat, no crowds
Mermaid Charters is locally owned and family-operated around Capt. Mike, who has run boats in these waters for more than thirty years. The boat is a twin-engine 30-foot Scarab with a lily pad, two paddleboards, snorkel gear, a cooler and ice. Every trip is private for up to six.
The menu is longer than most one-boat outfits: eleven trips, including a four-hour lunch run to the Geiger Key Marina fish camp with a Boca Chica sandbar stop, a tiki-bar crawl by water, and a five-hour tiki, Snipes Point and sunset combination. Reviews describe Mike as laid-back and accommodating, the trips as built around the group.
“Locally owned and family-operated.”
- M
Captain
Capt. Mike
Owner-operated.
The one nobody else runs
Lunch at the Geiger Key fish camp, by boat
Four hours: out through the backcountry to the Geiger Key Marina fish camp on the Atlantic side, tie up for lunch at the waterfront restaurant, then a stop at the Boca Chica sandbar on the way home. The boat brings the lily pad and paddleboards; lunch is on you.
The tiki-bar version does the same idea with waterfront bars instead of the fish camp, and there is a five-hour tiki, Snipes Point, sandbar and sunset day at $1,500.
| Geiger Key lunch and sandbar, 4 hours | $750 |
|---|---|
| Tiki bar, sightseeing and Boca Chica, 4 hours | $750 |
| Tiki, Snipes, sandbar and sunset, 5 hours | $1,500 |
Whole boat, up to six. Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026.
Check AvailabilityThe boat
30-foot Scarab
Twin engines, room for six, and the toys aboard for a sandbar afternoon.
The Scarab
- Length
- 30 ft
- Power
- Twin engines
- Guests
- Up to 6
- Aboard
- Lily pad, 2 paddleboards, snorkel gear, cooler, ice, water
Book it
Trips
Every trip is private and priced for the whole boat, up to six guests, all ages. Checked against FareHarbor on September 30, 2026. Online booking carries a discount over the phone rate, per their site.
2 hours · Private · Up to 6
Champagne Sunset & Dolphin Watching
Dolphins, then the sunset with complimentary champagne and light hors d'oeuvres.
| Whole boat | $500 |
|---|
Private · Up to 6
Swimming, Sightseeing & Dolphin Watching
The easy afternoon: a swim stop, the harbor and the backcountry, dolphins.
| Whole boat | $500 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Sandbar Excursion
Four hours at a sandbar with the lily pad and boards.
| Whole boat | $650 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Island Excursion & Dolphin Watching
Boca Grande, Snipes or Mud Key with a dolphin run.
| Whole boat | $650 |
|---|
3–4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Snorkeling & Sunset
A late snorkel and the sunset home.
| Whole boat | $650 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Tiki Bar, Sightseeing & Boca Chica Sandbar
Waterfront bars by boat with a sandbar stop.
| Whole boat | $750 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Geiger Key Lunch & Boca Chica Sandbar
Lunch at the fish camp, sandbar after.
| Whole boat | $750 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Snorkel, Boca Grande & Dolphins
The three-in-one afternoon.
| Whole boat | $800 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Sandbar & Sunset
Sandbar afternoon, sunset home.
| Whole boat | $800 |
|---|
4 hours · Private · Up to 6
Snorkel, Boca Grande & Sunset
Snorkel, sandbar and the sunset in one.
| Whole boat | $950 |
|---|
5 hours · Private · Up to 6
Tiki Bar, Snipes, Sandbar & Sunset
The long day: tiki bars, Snipes Point, a sandbar and the sunset.
| Whole boat | $1,500 |
|---|
Before you go
Know before you go
Where to board
The site lists 241 Front Street in Old Town; other listings give North Roosevelt Boulevard. Your confirmation says where, and it is worth confirming by phone: (305) 735-4358.
Included
Captain, lily pad, two paddleboards, snorkel gear, ice, water and cooler space.
Bring
Your own food and drinks. Alcohol 21+, and not before snorkeling.
Cancellation
Free with seven days' notice, 50% at three to six days, full charge inside two days, per their policies page. A 3% card fee applies.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.9TripadvisorRating as of September 30, 2026
- #88of 397Boat tours and water sports in Key West, Tripadvisor
- 30+YearsCapt. Mike on the water
Reviewers write about Capt. Mike's laid-back, accommodating style, the island stops at Boca Grande, Snipes and Mud Key with floats and toys, and how well the trips work for families and sunsets.
Questions
Good to know
How many people can go?
Six, all ages. Every trip is private and the price is for the boat.
What is the Geiger Key trip?
A four-hour run to the Geiger Key Marina fish camp for lunch at the waterfront restaurant, with a Boca Chica sandbar stop. $750 for the boat; lunch is on you.
Can we bring drinks?
Yes, BYOB. Alcohol is 21+ and not before snorkeling.
What does it cost?
From $500 for snorkeling or the champagne sunset to $1,500 for the five-hour tiki, Snipes, sandbar and sunset day. Checked September 30, 2026.
Where does the boat leave from?
Confirm with the booking; listings differ between Front Street and North Roosevelt.
Book Capt. Mike
Private sandbar, snorkel, sunset and fish-camp trips for up to six.
Check Availability