I highly recommend the dolphin watch cruise. We spoke with Holly to book the event. She was very…read moresweet and accommodating captain Jay and crew pointed out many interesting sites and shared stories and picture albums during the cruise. We saw dozens of dolphins. Well worth the trip.

This was our first dolphin/sunset cruise and we had a good time. Our captains were fun and had lots…read moreof stories and knowledge about the area. We had to drive quite a ways in order to find the dolphins, and we didn't see many up close, but dolphin sightings are not 100% guaranteed. The weather was not cooperating so we weren't able to see a sunset, but overall, it was a fun experience.

Found 2 large pods of dolphins to watch, along with much new information along the way.read more

Excellent family-friendly boat tour. Captain Beau and Firstmate Kevin were courteous,…read moreknowledgeable, and made the tour relaxing, while taking us to see several dolphin pods. We had the opportunity to see many, including baby dolphins, up close. Highly recommend for a great wildlife experience.

The Outer Banks Adventures air boat with Captain Jamie was fantastic! It was a lot of fun for our…read morewhole family and specifically for our kids. Captain Jamie was very knowledgeable about the area wildlife and history. He provided an educational, interesting, and fun experience. He was the perfect captain for the trip. Talking on the headsets during the ride was fun too! We'll definitely do it again!

James was a fantastic tour guide! The airboat was a great time, one of my favorite tours I've ever…read moredone. The boat is fast and fun with great fun facts about the area at stops! I accidentally dropped my sunglasses to the bottom of the airboat and he even rescued them (sorry, James!). Would definitely recommend!

An amazing evening boat ride. We saw dolphins within 20 minutes and followed a small pod for the…read morenext 1.5 hours and saw many more. The first mate, naturalist, was very knowledgeable and provided great information! We brought our 2.5 year old and she loved it too! A wonderful part of our vacation and recommend this to anyone looking to get out on the water. We would will go again next time we visit!

Great tour and great time today during our tour! Got to see tons of dolphins and was a great…read moreexperience. We did get soaked on the way back but we knew that was bound to happen so it was no big deal. Highly recommend Safari Dolphin Tours! (Fyi my pics are not the best!)

Had a Great Time!!! Capt'n Vinny is Hands down the Best Captain east the Mississippi, hell even…read moreeast the Intercoastal and I stand by that!!! Book a charter and I promise it will be a great time had by all!!

Bottom: A fun and relaxing two-hour cruise on a 55-foot sailboat for which you can bring your own…read morefestive drinks and snacks. Having vacationed in Nags Head for the past 40+ plus I feel like I've done it all so when my husband mentioned taking a sunset cruise on Downeast Rover I was curious. I also vaguely recalled that I had seen this excursion featured in Our State magazine earlier in the summer. With the forecast looking favorable we signed up for a Friday evening sail in mid-August. We booked about 10 days in advance and at that time there were only a handful of spots left on the sailboat so next time I'll be mindful to book earlier. Downeast Rover does daytime trips as well but I suspect the sunset cruise is the most popular. I was worried that sailing on a sailboat with 20+ people would feel cramped and chaotic but it didn't at all. The group in the stern was very chill and the group in the bow was tastefully having a good time with their cooler of Trulis. My husband and I sat mid-ship and just quietly relaxed and took in all of the sights. We probably seemed disenchanted but we were just soaking it all in. About those Trulis . . . Downeast Rover welcomes passengers to bring food and drinks. Most groups brought something festive to drink and perhaps a snack. The nature of the sunset cruise is that it squarely goes through the dinner hour. I think we had to be on the Manteo waterfront at 5:30pm and we didn't return until after 8pm. We didn't take much in the way of drinks or snacks onboard with us because we hoped to get a nice dinner afterwards but by the time we got back to the slip most restaurants we wanted to try were closed. Sooo, in hindsight, maybe we should have taken some sandwiches from Poor Richard's to enjoy on the sail. And as a side note, we encountered an epic sunset so we lingered out on the sound a bit longer than planned which is why we didn't return until after 8pm. Also, the departure time for the cruise changes a bit to accommodate the sunset time. Chris was our Captain and he diligently steered us into the sunset. Mate Ethan kept us all entertained. Ethan shared a lot of interesting history and stories about the Outer Banks. Having spent a good bit of time studying the history of the barrier islands I thought I knew a lot but Ethan's knowledge really impressed me and was shared in an entertaining way. He also sang us a sea chanty or two which was fun. Which reminds me, be sure to bring cash to thank the crew for a safe and fun adventure. Regarding the Downeast Rover, I was expecting it to be a romantic historic wooden sailboat but it is straight out of the 80s! The steel 55 foot topsail schooner has been retrofitted and certified to accommodate 25 passengers. There is a head on board but its probably not very glamourous so I was sure to skip it. We were fortunately to have decent winds so we were able to get under sail after leaving the Manteo waterfront.

Despite being stepped on and walloped in the head with a tie down, it was still a very relaxing…read moretrip I'd do again. The narrator was kind, although I would have happily sat in silence (how we actually sail on our own) - but it was nice to let someone else do the work. $120+$20 tip for two gourmet exactly for a beautiful experience.

Nice way to spend an afternoon…read more After beach, sand, sun, beach, sand, sun, it was a nice break to do something different. Our neighbors at the house we rented suggested dolphin watching and recommended Capt. Stuart Wescott and his tour. Wasn't too happy that I had to travel down to Manteo (car travel in the Outer Banks can be murder - worst than the GW bridge in rush hour). Luckily, it wasn't as bad as I had feared. The quaint little town of Manteo was an added bonus. Nice seaport-esque village with nice quaint little stores. As for the cruise itself, you actually sail with Capt Wescott. He was very nice and knowledgeable. Told silly jokes to keep the voyage light hearted. Sold drinks at a very reasonable price. The bathroom was also very convenient and clean. Strangely, this seems to be a selling point compared to their competitors. Saw many dolphins. Very docile and peaceful. Don't expect any flips or spins or twists. This isn't a SeaWorld show. The captain was very patient. Kept us out there a while until everyone had their fill of watching dolphins swim. After the initial excitement of finding and seeing the dolphins, there's only so much more you can watch, at least for me. On the downside, it is a touch expensive for a ferry ride but comparable to everyone else. Overall, a nice alternative If you need a break from the beach to let the sunburn recover.

My family and I have enjoyed this particular company for several years now. We always see dolphins…read more The Captain is very knowledgable and entertaining. The boat is spacious, clean and shaded. I highly recommend Outer Banks Cruises A.K.A. Captain Johnny's Dolphin Tour.

We had a spectacular sunset cruise! The weather was perfect, the boat was perfect - there was…read morenothing that could have been better. This was an experience my family will always cherish and remember.

Highly recommend! We had an amazing private sunset cruise with Native Island Sailing. Our family…read moregroup of 7 loved every minute--beautiful views, a smooth, quiet solar powered electric boat, and a great price (less than individually pay for a public boat tour!). Captain Brian was the perfect guide: relaxed, friendly, and full of local knowledge when asked. The coastline is stunning and full of stories--just ask. An unforgettable experience!

When we come to the Outer Banks we do look for grilled or lightly blackened seafood...but a couple…read moreof days ago I was looking for good ole-fashioned clam strip basket. Hard to find in Richmond so if I have a chance to get them, I jump at the chance. The special of the day was a flounder basket. I was able to substitute clam strips for other items, and the basket included a nicely sized piece of flounder (fish of the day), heaping helping of clam strips, fries, hush puppies, and slaw. "Beer of the Day" was $2.00! Wife got the cheesesteak sub with fries. All food--as they tell you when you walk in is fried--is fried. Totally OK with that and it was very, very tasty. Friendly staff, items mostly homemade, clean restaurant, a clear view of an honest-to-goodness working dock. Exactly what we were looking for for our last night in Manteo area. If you have not been to the Marina and Grill...please get there for a fun, tasty, almost entirely homemade meal at very reasonable prices, rubbing elbows with locals and people coming off of the fishing day, just adds to the charm to this slightly off the beaten path gem.

I had been craving shrimp since I moved to OBX back in April. We were on our way home from…read morealligator refuge and decided to take a trip into wanchese to eat. Found this spot in Yelp and said why not. I ordered the fried shrimp basket, hubby ordered the fried grouper and we loved our selections. My husband isn't a fan of shrimp but he tried it and loved it. The girls that working were super friendly. We got there just in time for lunch rush. Loved looking out to the harbor. We will be back and I'll give a follow up review.

If you think your kids have even the slightest interest in this Pirate Adventure - DO IT! My…read morehusband and I took our 6 year old niece and nephew, and they had a BLAST! If you have a lot of people going along, it can get pricey, but for us, it was worth every penny and the hour long drive down from the northern end of the island. The kids start off with a pirate tattoo - our little mateys decided on "PIRATES!" knuckle tattoos and a seashell - and getting dressed up in pirate garb. There are accessories too for purchase, but we told our niece and nephew that we could do ice cream after if they forego the swords. Thank God, they chose wisely. At that point, adult chaperones, just sit back, relax, and take some picture, because the crew takes care of everything. They sneak the kids through town onto the boat and take them through an adventure complete with finding a treasure map, firing water cannons at Stinky Pete the pirate, and sharing the booty. In reality, you're driving around in circles, and the ship's captain will have a few fun asides for the adults, but the kids really buy into it, and the crew is top notch. They really get into it, which I believe is saying something for these guys putting on multiple shows a day, many times a week.

What a fantastic voyage and show! We took our (just) 2 year old and 6 year old on the boat. Our…read moreolder one was definitely more into the action than the little one. The mate, Jinx, and "Captain Blarney" did a great job! The music was spot on and they kept the kids entertained the entire time. I loved it too! The pirate costume to borrow and tattoo was a nice way to start the adventure! The cost is pricey, but we all had a nice time! They have a tip jar out (well deserved) and it was nice they didn't even ask for a tip or stand there at the end of the voyage with the jar. If you have a little one 3-9 they'd probably love it too.