Captain Johnny's Dolphin Watch — Local services in Roanoke Island

I really enjoyed this experience. Went with my family on a recent vacation/ getaway to the outer Banks. We found this tour on their website. We booked our tickets, and we were not disappointed. It's very enjoyable! I will agree with what their website says. Based on our experience, you are almost guaranteed to see some. If not many many dolphins in the water! I would bet we saw at least a hundred or more during our trip over a period of about 2 hours. At points, there were literally dolphins all around the boat! The staff was fairly friendly, and they were giving information about the dolphins around us. They were also answering questions if they could. They do offer some sodas and bottled water on the boat for sale at very reasonable prices. They also have candy bars for sale. Would definitely recommend this one for families! The one downside I saw to this whole experience is that some of the facilities used when loading and unloading the boat aren't the safest in appearance for small kids or those with mobility issues. Many of the shore side/ dockside walkways do not have handrails alongside them. It would be extremely easy for a small child to fall over. Side, is also not that well suited for anyone needing a handrail for mobility issues. The Marina used for boarding and departing the boat could certainly use some accessibility, handrail and guardrail upgrades for more Peace of mind. Also, the walkways used at times are not the widest, and could leave some feeling a bit uncertain about their footing on the platforms. Just be careful, and you'll probably be okay. But overall, I would definitely recommend this for families as an educational and enjoyable family experience for a...

We had an amazing time on the sunset tour! Found dolphins very quickly and followed them for a while. The captains were very knowledgeable about the dolphins, the sound, and even took us to Pirates Cove and showed us all the expensive fishing boats. The other dolphin tour boats from different tour companies were radioing Capt Johnny's asking for tips on finding the dolphins - they definitely know their stuff.

Only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because we went during the COVID-19 pandemic and they did not require masks while on the boat, nor did it seem like they were trying to limit capacity on the boat. There was no way to social distance, and even though it's technically open air, it was still a very confined area and I would have expected masks to be required when you're required to sit directly next to a stranger. Thankfully most passengers on the boat were smart enough to wear masks, but enough didn't that it...

We visit the Outer Banks almost every year and have went on several dolphin watching tours. However, this was our first time touring with Captain Johnny. By far, it was the best experience we have had on any of our vacations. We likely saw 25 dolphins, young and older, swimming in pairs and frolicking together in larger pods. We also had a brief sprinkle during our sunset tour that provided a great rainbow for the family to enjoy. Johnny also returned the boat to the docks through the marshes, so we got to see a different part of the sound that we had never experienced before. The crew was helpful and courteous. They shared much about the area, the hunting lodge, the pelican island and the Bodie lighthouse. They were also quick to answer any of our questions. It was a great experience and we will definitely return to Captain Johnny's for our next dolphin...