Our Destin, FL boat rentals are available by reservation only. Please visit our Reservation page to check availability or to make your reservation or call (850) 650-2628. To hold a boat for you, we require your name, phone number, and a small deposit. We charge a 15% deposit at the time of your reservation, and the remaining payment is due at the time of your rental. The deposit is refundable if you cancel your rental with at least 48 hours notice or if you are unable to use the boat at the time of your rental due to inclement weather. If you have any questions, please call us at (850) 650-2628.
Should your boat rental reservation need to be canceled, please contact us at least 48 hours prior to your rental. Cancellations made prior to 48 hours will receive a full refund minus a 3% cancellation fee. Cancellations made with less than 48 hours notice and “no-shows” will be charged the rental rate plus sales tax. Unfortunately, we are not able to refund guests for every illness or injury, family emergency, death in the family, child’s baseball game, work crisis, sunburn, hangover, and “unexpected circumstance” that may occur. To protect against these situations, travel insurance is highly recommended. The cancellation policy will be waived if the rental is cancelled by management due to inclement weather at the time of departure (see weather policy below, and please note weather cancellations cannot be made prior to the date of the rental).
If the weather is unsuitable for boating on the day of your rental and you are unable to use the boat, we will do our best to reschedule you, or you may cancel. Your reservation deposit is fully refundable if you are unable to use the boat due to weather conditions. Weather decisions will be made by management on the day of your scheduled rental. If you suspect poor weather, please call us before assuming that you will be unable to go, as it is not unusual to have a chance of rain on any given day.
During the off-season (mid-September through early May), we usually still have availability a day or two before. This may vary during peak Spring or Fall Break weeks, in which case we recommend securing your boat at least a week in advance. During peak season (mid-May through Labor Day), we often have a waiting list and book out 2-3 weeks in advance. Please reserve early if you wish to rent a boat during your stay. If we do not have any boats left on the day that you would like to rent your boat, you can ask to be added to our waiting list and you will be given first priority in the event that we have a cancellation.
A half day rental is 4 hours, and can be morning (9am-1pm) or afternoon (1:30-5:30 or 2pm-6pm). A full day rental gives you use of the boat between 9am and 5pm (8 hours).
Yes, rates do vary for holiday weekends including Memorial Day weekend, Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival, July 4th weekend, and Labor Day weekend. Please verify rates before booking.
All of the pontoon boats listed on our site are US Coast Guard safety inspected and equipped (life jackets, anchor, and safety equipment) and come with 10-foot bimini tops for shade and a full tank of fuel. Additional fuel is the responsibility of the customer.
Florida state sales tax is an additional 7%. $10 Boater’s test required for anyone born after Jan 1, 1988. Test can be taken online here.
If you are new to boating, you will be provided with the instruction you need to make sure that you have a safe boating experience. If you can drive a car, we can generally get you comfortable with the boat in 10-15 minutes. You can also check out our video about how to drive a pontoon boat. If you still aren’t comfortable with operating a boat, we also offer the Crab Island Shuttle Boat.
Yes, the US Coast Guard considers every person that has a heartbeat as a passenger on a boat. If a boat says it seats 12, that means a total of 12 passengers will be allowed on that boat (including children). You will be ticketed and forced to end your rental if you have more than the allowed amount of passengers on a boat. The Coast Guard and Marine Patrol are very strict on this.
Pontoon boat rentals are allowed anywhere within the Choctawhatchee Bay as far east as the MidBay Bridge and as far west as the Brooks Bridge. Use in the Gulf of Mexico is prohibited. Center console rentals are allowed in the Gulf up to 5 miles offshore (weather permitting), in addition to the previously mentioned areas.
Our Destin boat rentals are available from several different locations along the Destin Harbor and Choctawhatchee Bay. You will receive address and directions to the rental facility in your confirmation email once you make your reservation. All of our boats are kept in deepwater wet slips. You will not need to tow a boat or load it into the water.
We pride ourselves on having the most diverse rental options in Destin. All of the Destin pontoon rentals listed with Destin Vacation Boat Rentals are newer models (2014-2019) with vinyl flooring, bimini tops, swim ladders, and quiet four-stroke engines. We have photos of each of the different models that we offer on our Boats & Rates page so that you can see the features of each of our boats for yourself, and decide on the boat that best suit your family’s individual needs.
We do our best to make sure you get the boat that you reserve. In rare instances, due to mechanical issues or damage done to the boat by other renters, we may have to move you to another boat to accommodate your reservation. We reserve the right to change your boat to the closest available replacement at any time to ensure your safety.
There are many activities that the whole family can enjoy! We suggest starting with this list of Destin watersports activities.
Alcohol is allowed on the boat. As with driving a car, please choose a designated driver as it is against Florida law to drive a boat while under the influence of alcohol.
We do have pet-friendly boats available! Please inquire when making your reservation, as pets are not allowed on some boats. Note that there may be a $25-50 per pet cleaning fee (depending on the boat, and stated in the individual boat description and the confirmation email), and that pets are not allowed on area beaches so your pet will need to stay on the boat or in the water at all times, or you will be subject to a fine from Marine Patrol.
Florida fishing licenses are now available online or through the FWC app for iPhone and Android! Click here for more information. Cost is $17 for non-Florida residents for a 3-day pass.
Yes, from Memorial Day to Labor Day we offer fireworks cruises for the Thursday night air show and fireworks display over the harbor. Contact us for details!
Yes, we have a large selection of boat slips for rent in Destin as well as boat trailer storage. Contact us for details!