Summer on the Water: Virginia Beach Dolphin Tours, Watersports & Boat Rentals

How We Picked

A warm-weather guide to getting out on Virginia Beach's water — dolphin tours, watersports, and boat rentals that mostly run spring through fall. Seasons and hours are set by weather and daylight, so several operators close or shorten hours off-season; we mark the seasonal ones and recommend booking ahead. Details come from each operator's own site.

The Picks

  1. Rudee Tours

    Rudee Inlet's 40-plus-year dolphin- and whale-watching fleet, plus sunset cocktail and fireworks cruises.

  2. GoKayak Dolphin Tours

    Guided two-hour dolphin kayak tours through Lynnhaven Bay's marshes, with near-daily sightings April through October.

  3. Chesapean Outdoors

    Guided dolphin eco-tours and a First Landing paddle, with hourly kayak and SUP rentals from a Laskin Road dock.

  4. Adventure Parasail & Rudee Inlet Jet Ski

    Virginia Beach's original watersports operator since 1985 — parasailing, jet skis, and banana-boat rides at Rudee Inlet.

  5. VB Surf Sessions

    Lifeguard-certified Oceanfront surf shop with surf lessons and SUP and kayak tours from Owl Creek.

  6. Bay Venture Boat Rentals

    Self-drive 24-foot pontoon rentals for Linkhorn Bay, Broad Bay, and the Lynnhaven Inlet — no boater's license required.

  7. VB Tiki Tours

    Private tiki-boat cruises on Great Neck's Lynnhaven Basin — sunset, happy-hour, and sunrise-yoga outings.

  8. Virginia Beach Watersports

    Sandbridge's Back Bay outfitter with captained sunset cruises and jet-ski, pontoon, and kayak rentals.

  9. Back Bay Getaways

    Sandbridge's southernmost outfitter, running guided kayak and bike trips toward Back Bay refuge and False Cape.

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