Island Dolphin Care Reviews

Don't even question it or think about it for a moment just book it and go. The tour itself is great but definitely book one of these dolphin encounters

We visited Island dolphin care as a family of 4 and all took part in the on the dock experience to meet the dolphins close-up.
This was simply an amazing experience! The staff were so passionate about their work and the dolphins are so beautiful and clever.
This experience was the highlight of our trip to the Florida Keys. Loved it!

My boyfriend and I decided to go on an adventure since we both had the day off because of the holiday. Perfect day, we loved the experience, the tour was super cool, we got to see the dolphins from close and our guide was very knowledgeable. It was so nice to see the backstage on this great organization. Definitely recommend and will be back.

IDC is amazing!! My daughter loved every minute of it. Is did the 5 day therapy program. Getting to see and interact with the dolphins daily was an unforgettable experience. All the staff are super sweet and the director Luke is AMAZING!!!!!

I really had a great and unique experience at the dock with a trainer and the Dolphins, it’s a non profit organization and the guys really care about their dolphins, much better than other places around and not crowded, I would definitely do it again

Where all the mammals, humans and dolphins alike are nurtured and well cared for. This is a non-profit that provides therapy for children and adults with special needs as well as vets with ptsd. Take the tour, hear the back story of the founding family and the success they had with their son - truly inspirational. Watch the dolphins frolic and jump right before your eyes. Here- you will feel truly connected to nature through our cousins. It’s therapeutic for everyone — a perfect addition to your family or couple vacation!
(Call ahead to book a tour )

Beautiful facility dedicated to serving those in need. Blessed to see some very touching milestones and breakthroughs during session. Tour guide was very knowledgeable, dolphins were fantastic! This is a must-see in the Keys. I will come back again and again.

This place is amazing! The story, the experiences, and the staff made this our favorite experience in Key Largo. My son has anxiety with water so he and I did the dock experience and loved it. My daughter is adventurous so she did the dolphin float and got to play with the dolphins in the water. You cannot go wrong either way. Thank you IDC for your mission and these experiences!

Dolphin Care is very great and no expensive.
We are a luck , we have see Dolphin.
The boat is cool.!

This past June I had the opportunity to work as a therapy intern at Island Dolphin Care. In my short six weeks at IDC, I got to work with the amazing therapists and trainers and saw first hand who helps make IDC the amazing place that it is. The therapists are all so kind, patient, and make each session an absolute joy. The trainers, too, are extremely knowledgeable, caring, and ensure the water sessions are safe and fun for everyone (including the dolphins). Every week at IDC working with clients and families was so rewarding and I'm so grateful that I got to be apart of such an incredible program! Deena and Pete have done a fantastic job of ensuring that everyone who comes to IDC leave with nothing short of smiles and amazing memories. If you are ever in the Florida Keys, stop by to see the magic they have waiting at Lorelane Place!

What a fun experience - well worth the money! We got to watch trainers work with the dolphins on medical care, exercise and play. Our tour guide Sharon was very friendly and knew lots of information. The trainers were available to answer questions. And what an amazing story as to the family that started this organization - look it up. It's worth the read! I would highly recommend this tour!

Our family went to this facility to meet dolphins for first time and it was fantastic experience. Our guide explained everything in detail and it was well worth it.

This is our second visit to Island Dolphin Care. Every time we go we appreciate it more. It is not large or glamorous but rather deeply moving. Peter and Deena expanded what begun as "self- invented therapy" for their own son, Joe, into a healing center. They use the most magnificent creatures in the universe toward healing by giving the participants a rare an precious opportunity to witness nature at its best. Surrounded by therapists and trainers, participants of any age, interact with dolphins for a week. Peter, Deena and Joe are present daily in this family run non-for-profit center. It is a true and inspiring labor of love.

This is our first time ever come to this Dolphin Care facility. This is non-profit agency that training dolphin, it is not like other commercial place. Staffs are nice, knowledgeable.

In our first visit to the Keys (from Ohio) we happily stumbled on this experience. As a clinical psychologist for 40 years working thousands of children with various disabilities one can quickly identify high quality therapeutic interventions (and unfortunately there are all too few of them). It took about 30 seconds to figure out this is one of those special places/programs. That impression was then reinforced over the hour and a half of a wonderful tour with a caring and knowledgeable guide (who is one of the therapists). Watching the care, expertise (and good humor) of the trainers, being “up a close and personal” with all the dolphins, having a “tour” with a patient, knowledgeable and obviously caring and passionate professional was an amazing experience. Their broad range of therapeutic expertise was obvious, from their dolphin trainers to their Occupational Therapists to their behavior therapists but in any therapeutic environment it is the intangible aspects of caring and compassion that separates merely very good from the exceptional. This therapeutic intervention oozes the expertise, selflessness and compassion that very few do. It is fun to spend 1 1/2 hours rubbing shoulders with an (understated) world class program. Thank You.

We just got back from visiting island dolphin care and took the tour and was able to see war vets participating with the dolphins in therapy. We got to understand the impact they are making to help kiddos with special needs and war vets. If your in key largo you must visit and help support this awesome place!

My daughter and I had great luck being introduced to Island Dolphin Care through her autism skills summer camp. We visited in group-form for a 1-day session. During the session, it became apparent to me these dolphins were special. Just being close to them would give me a bit of chills. They seemed to radiate energy. A sense of comfort. Zooey (my daughter) became infatuated with the dolphins.

We visited again this past summer at Zooey's request, for the 5-day experience. I was a bit nervous - simply because I was unsure what to expect out of a 5-day therapeutic dolphin adventure - although I knew the experience would ultimately be positive. But any anxiety I was feeling subsided upon entering IDC. The air in the facility is that of unity and friendship. The combination of the decor, warm, enthusiastic staff, and these magical dolphins surrendered us into a state of ease. The dedication, patience, and kindness Zooey's therapist Taylor displayed the entire week, deserves applause. All my family members who were in attendance at IDC shared the same gratitude.

Zooey came home from the experience confident and motivated. Eager to begin her new school year as a 3rd grader. Typically she struggles to transition into new settings. This unexpected change made her mom and I very happy. We hope to be back next year.

Thank you to all the wonderful people at IDC.

Israel M.

I got a couple of co-workers together and we attended their yoga class. Breathtaking views, friendly staff, clean atmosphere, and happy dolphins. :) The class was very relaxing and a great way to start the day. The instructor was super professional and knowledgeable. We plan on going back and supporting such an awesome place.

We stumbled on this place while vacationing over Christmas this year. We really had no idea what to expect. This place is magical. The work they do helping children and adults conquer their life's challenges large and small is so healing and beautiful. We were all blown away and so touched by all this place is. The tour guides are passionate, very informative & their stories of success with their mission is incredibly beautiful. You leave this place feeling overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude that it ever came to be.

Highly recommend the tour at Island Dolphin Care. Excellent facility, great tour guide, beautiful story of dolphins helping people in need. I think the $18 was well worth the visit. The trainers and interns were excellent and caring and loving their job. If you can make an extra donation, please do so, since they have a donor who is matching all your donations up to a million dollars.

My wife/I visited this place in
Key Largo, Fl
A few hundred yards off the beaten track, you will find yourself immersed into the wonderful world of dolphins. It’s a special place and you feel that the moment you arrive
It all began with a dolphin and a “special
needs child”. Today the facility is home to a family of dolphins and tremendous staff. Their mission, Creating that special place that families can visit with their children.

Thank you for making our visit so wonderful

I went on a spur of the moment tour and I just simply cannot say enough Danielle and Alyssa went out of their way to show me a perfect time interacting with the dolphins and the facility tour. If you’re ever in the Key Largo area I promise you won’t be disappointed. You will be smiling for days and all of your friends will be jealous.

It was my first time in the keys and with all the beautiful places to see, Island Dolphin Care was by far the most wonderful! My guide Joe Cianciolo was an amazing wealth of information and so personable. It is clear that this place is truly special and the staff genuinely care about the dolphins and the people. I cannot say enough, i highly recommend everyone to stop in and experience the love for yourselves! I already can't wait to visit again 🥰

We picked this place both because of the experience offered and also because of the place itself. We were told at IDC that they had just recently started offering experiences to the public because the latest big storm had damaged some equipment. Usually they work with people as a form of therapy. I suggest you look up their story for yourself. It is heartwarming.

As for our time there...everyone was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. My husband, 18yo daughter, 17yo son, and I did the dolphin float. I picked it because I like the idea that I don’t have to do anything and neither do the dolphins. They still get fish for interacting but they can hang out in the other area if they don’t want to play with humans. Luckily, most if not all of them got involved. We kissed them, pet them, and they even pulled our float around a little.

Now for the cons. IDC is new at this. There is no real plan or organization so if you are looking for structure and a “perfect” experience you won’t get it. I liked it better this way. It felt a bit more relaxed. We felt like we were helping the dolphins get used to people and helping the trainers figure out what works best too. The only other thing was it seemed each float sprung a leak or got a hole. Yet again, this kind of made it more fun (after all it just got us closer to the dolphins) but they could probably use some tougher floats. And we eventually ended up in the water with our new friends which was an amazing feeling.

Not only would I recommend any activity there but I would recommend looking up making a donation. Having fun and feeling like your money is going somewhere worthwhile is a great combination.

I have brought my high school Marine Science class to the Keys for years. For the past 3 years I have included Island Dolphin Care in my trip. The kids have a fantastic time while there. We have had a wide variety of opportunities during our visits and the students love the interaction with the dolphins. Even if they didn't get the opportunity, being that close to the dolphins is awesome.

My female chaperone the last two years loved the place so much that she now is one of the trainers! Our loss IDC's gain, but it just shows the excitement found at Island Dolphin Care.

I also love their approach to therapy for veterans and others in need. The dolphins seem to bring out the best in everyone.

This is just fantastic! Incredibly professional and responsive staff! This is the fifth time we have participated in the five-day program! And each time we are surrounded with care and love!

Decided to check this place out because I had a free day to explore the keys, and this was the top destination in Key Largo. It was definitely worth stopping by! I didn't know much about dolphins, and the tour was really interesting and gave me a lot of information. But watching the kids interact with the dolphins during the therapy session will simply melt your heart! They have a really great program going on here!

We (myself and my two children) visited Island Dolphin Care in early June and had the most amazing time. It was such a wonderful experience. The trainers are so informative, and this facility took great COVID precautions - face masks, no trainers near visitors, and only one family unit allowed in at once. We stood on the lift and the dolphins came up to us, and they did tricks. We were even able to help with the signals! It was truly magical, and I would recommend a visit to this dolphin facility to everyone!

We wanted to avoid the commercial attractions with dolphins like Sea World and opted for this sanctuary,and we don't regret it. The dolphins are born and kept in captivity, not sure how great that is although they are in natural sea water and are able to swim out to the sea in the past. They genuinely do look relaxed and unpressured to do any tricks and flips which they don't want to. The dolphins care are based on volunteers and a few full time staff. They run therapy programmes for disabled people and veterans. It was a really amazing experience being just a metre from them and observing how they reacted to their medical treatment (some were sick), how they played with and without a trainer and during a therapy session. Our guide Joe was very organised and knowledgeable, the tour took an hour and we finished where the children can touch sea urchins and sea stars (not starfish!).

There was also a Groupon promotion at the time so we got entry for 4 people at $50. We were in a group of 8 adults and 5 children.

We did the dolphin float which was an unstructured free form float with the dolphins. The dolphins pushed us around the lagoon with our feet, gave us kisses and even sang happy birthday to me. What an amazing experience of a lifetime. We will never forget it. Everyone was so helpful and friendly and made our experience there great.

We love informative, historical tours wherever we go. This was amazing. It is rare to find a person totally suited to and happy with his job. This is Joe, our guide. He spent a ton of time with us, educating us on every aspect of Island Dolphin Care, including its history, therapy, dolphin care, grounds, facility and staff. There was a small tank that had crustaceans and other small sea life which a person could touch and observe. We were fortunate enough to observe a therapy session with the dolphins and speak with a staff member about their approach to therapy. Watching the response of the participants helped us comprehend what a joyful impact this opportunity could have on anyone, not just those challenged by disabilities. One dolphin even gave a belly ride, where an individual lays on the belly, and the dolphin swims on its back to take the rider to the dock. Were were there over an hour. Great opportunity for all ages.

Amazing. These dolphins and the crew are doing some incredible work healing those on need. The staff are friendly and happy to answer any question you have. Everyone wears masks.

We had a lovely time visiting the facility with our young kids. Alyssa led the tour, giving a lot of fascinating information about their program and dolphins in general. We spent a lot of time watching the dolphins and even interacting with them through hand signals that the dolphins recognize. It’s a good idea to call ahead to find out when the tour will run. Everyone there was very friendly, helpful, and welcoming.

what a wonderful little place with a wonderful mission. See the dolphins up close and learn how they help others

The team was very professional and saw to our needs. You can tell they all love the dolphins. The staff and trainees are very knowledgeable and really care about the family of dolphins in their care. We asked a lot of questions and they graciously answered them all. Well worth the trip from California to see them.

Island Dolphin Care was perfect for us and our 2 yo son. We went at the beginning of the week for a tour, and we saw all the dolphins, saw them do all their tricks, and learned a lot. We didn’t pay for the additional add-ons like actually touching and interacting with the dolphins, but we may do it when my son is older. We were extremely close to them though. The facilities themselves are intimate, and we loved that that Island Dolphin Care is a nonprofit and helps others. We hope to be back and highly recommend it!

We had an amazing visit to Island Dolphin Care this morning. Kelly gave us a walking tour of the facility. Dina, the Director, stepped in to photograph our experience interacting with the dolphins in their “On the dock” program. Yes, I was a bit of a giggling kid, as it was pretty cool to touch and interact and speak with Squirt, the 37 year old mama dolphin. My husband and I sat on the dock following Joe’s instructions as we touched and kissed the dolphin. It’s something we will fondly remember that we did together...as a fun adventure and to support this worthy not-for-profit that makes children smile and Veterans forget their troubles for a while!

Took the tour last week. Sharon was a great guide. Unfortunately didn't get to see the dolphins in action with kids or disabled, but I did get to witness feeding time. These dolphins are smart and well trained. Great to see the work they do with those in need.

What a brilliant concept for working with children as well as the families So often siblings of special needs children just sit in the waiting room :( Here the experience is a family affair

My son Dylan had an amazing experience at Island Dolphin Care. It was fun, safe and entertaining for the viewers as well as the participant. It's always the highlight of our trip to the Keys. Thank you to the dedicated trainers and the Dolphins!

My wife and I signed up for an 11:00 AM tour, and found this place to be wonderful. We had never heard of this place until TripAdvisor recommended it. They specialize in using trained dolphins as therapy animals for select groups (kids with cancer, vets with PTSD, etc.). Tours to show the dolphins doing their thing are less than $20 per person - great price for a tour, and to see dolphins do their stunts! And a worthwhile organization to support with donations too.

I scheduled a visit to Island Dolphin Care for my boyfriend, to participate in their Veteran's Program. He absolutely loved the experience and had such an amazing time! The staff were great and very knowledgable. You can see the pride and care they take with their dolphins. I highly recommend reaching out to them regarding the various therapy programs they offer, or taking a tour--you will not be disappointed!

We came across Island Dolphin care after waiting in traffic to go to key west. We are so excited we stopped. Such a heart warming experience. Loved seeing the dolphins up close. You can even pay a fee to go in the water on a huge platform that dips in the water with the dolphins. Or you pay a smaller fee to tour them and feed them. Worth every penny. Life changing

What a great story about how this facility got started and how the story continues. The facility is such a blessing to anyone with special needs. The employee seem to love their work with the dolphins and with the kids they were interacting with. The entire experience was eye opening as to what amazing things can be accomplished through working with dolphins. Very entertaining and educational at the same time. Loved it!

We absolutely loved meeting the dolphins and seeing the facility. It was a favorite event of the trip!! Someone even took pictures of us with the dolphins from afar so that we could remember the experience. I wasn't expecting that, and very much appreciated it.

Expertly guided by Alyssa as she shared stories of the dolphin mission. The dolphins are clearly loved by their caregivers and people’s lives are transformed by association, education, and therapy. We also enjoyed the touch tank with sea urchins, cucumbers, snails, and starfish. It was a truly memorable day

I had so much fun with the dolphin Zoe! To interact with her was amazing! She even painted me a picture :)

Island Dolphin Care has an incredible story you will want to learn about. Their work with special needs children and others is a testament to what perseverance and vision can lead to. There are different recreational dolphin encounter opportunities in Key Largo and Islamorada, but this is a "don't miss" if you want to see the dimension of therapy.

Our tour of Island Dolphin Care with the owner Pete was great! Pete and Dina have thrown their hearts and souls into developing an awesome therapy center, centered around their clients. We observed a water class with the dolphins, and noted the great care taken to ensure the clients had the BEST experience. I believe everyone there loved what they were doing, including the dolphins! Seeing the connections between the clients and the therapists and the dolphins was very touching. I would recommend this place to anyone with a need for therapy!!

What an incredible place! The facility is filled with knowledge, great staff, wonderful gift shop and the sweetest Dolphins! Got to kiss "Lotus" & "Figi". Got a special tour from Joseph Hoagland, and I am looking forward to reading a book about him, Breaths That Count, by Deena Hoagland. I highly recommend this place!

We were late for their Trick or Treat event (half hour before closing and everybody was gone) but the kind staff still let us in and look around. We stayed around the pool area and the dolphins were swimming around and when I wave and said hi, one of them stayed with us and checked us out. It was amazing we were only several feets away. They are very gentle and friendly. Beautiful creature. Then the trainers let us interacted with the dolphin on the platform for a few minutes (they were doing a fundraiser and ppl who donated a certain amount and reserved a spot gets to do a full session, i think. We were very fortunate for them do that for us, i believe cause we miss everything and they don't want us get empty handed. They encourage donation). Everyone is very kind and helpful. The encountered with the dolphin was amazing it was the highlight of my trip. They help us do a few tricks with the dolphin and let us touch them. The dolphin brought us gifts from under water and we will cherish them.

PS the staff told us they will do sth similar in Christmas. So keep an eye out!! The gift shop is very reasonably priced with good stuff and got a few stuff and made our donation. I encourage everyone to do the same.

We had an amazing experience with Misty. From booking to the actual day - we were extremely impressed. They were very flexible as one kid wanted to the swim with the dolphins (which was amazing) while the other kid has some disabilities - we were unsure if they would want to participate. They allowed us to sign up for the dolphin meet and greet but gave us the option to upgrade if the kiddo showed interest in the swim. It was kind of them to offer this option. Both kids had unique and amazing experiences. It was quiet and not overwhelming whatsoever. Would 100% recommend (especially for kids with ASD).

Although we are locals and see lots of dolphins in our waters when boating this was a very educational close look at these wonderful mammals. Having our family from Kansas join us was a special treat for them who rarely get to see any dolphins (or the ocean for that matter). Joe, our guide, was excellent and answered all our questions. Most of all, their mission to provide therapeutic, motivational and educational experience to people with special needs makes this place worth while supporting.

Special thanks to everyone involved our day at IDC!!! Danielle was great with our orientation and grabbing some amazing pictures. Krystal and Mo were great with the dolphins, and we loved the fact that we got Tashi! Also thank you to Brittany for setting everything up and making the day possible.

My mom is still talking about how amazing of a time she had and how it was one of her best birthdays ever.

We will for sure be back with the rest of the family! Great company

This organization is designed to assist children with handicaps by encouraging their interaction with dolphins. The day we went no children were there but we watched the dolphins being trained. This is not a tourist trap, but rather an interesting experience with a good purpose.

IDC is the most magical place on Earth and the therapists and trainers are some of the best we have worked with! They welcomed our whole family with open arms and were so patient and kind with our daughter, she has two brain disorders and is nonverbal. Danielle and Eli were so amazing with her and both of my older neurotypical sons (13 and 16)! They brought our whole family together and it was so special to see her and her brothers bonding and coming together to make special crafts for us to take home. It was just what we all needed. My daughter was so excited and bonded so well with the beautiful dolohins, too. She thrived and the smiles on her face all week made me cry tears of happiness.
We made memories that will last a lifetime and I am forever grateful for the whole staff at IDC!

We had an incredible visit at Island Dolphin Care, Taylor was so patient and so kind working with our daughter, she was so positive and very supportive while they were in the water with the dolphins, it was amazing for our daughter to be able to swim and interact with the dolphins! The 5 day program was so special allowing the time to build relationships and comfort. The entire Island Dolphin care team was truly amazing, everyone from the dolphin trainers to the office staff, they all made us feel like we were part of the family and at home while we were there. We all loved it so much and hope to go back again and again.

Worth visiting when driving through. Great charity for disabled people. The dolphins are great to see.

Island Dolphin Care is a “must do” when in Florida. We drove almost 2 hours from Fort Lauderdale, and we were so glad we did! Lift experience was phenomenal and learning about the therapeutic programs our admission costs support makes me want to go again and again! The hearts of the people who work there are truly beautiful and their dedication to the dolphins, clients, visitors and the programs they serve is extraordinary! Adults, teens and older kids will enjoy this amazing and unique dolphin interactions!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amazing place! They were all so kind and friendly. It was a fun and informative tour and interaction with the dolphins. They have a great program and it was definitely worth going! Highly recommended!

We went to Key Largo on a day-trip from Homestead. We didn’t know about this dolphin facility, but I casually googled and decided to take our family there for a tour. It turns out that they also offer several types of “add-on” experiences. I suggest checking these options prior to the tour. Really worth it!Looks like they are trying to do their best to keep the dolphins happy and at the same time help people through therapy.

This non-profit organization is truly amazing! The staff is very knowledgable and so nice to be with... everyone should have dolphin happiness around them every day! Kissing Bella and Fiji has made my year!! What a great experience and I am so thankful for all the photos too. Joe made sure we had the ones we wanted.. THANK YOU! Please keep this place thriving... we hope to be back sometime. Another thing checked off my bucket list, thanks to everyone there! Something I will never forget!
Joan and Keith Attwood, and Chris and Linda Chandler

While looking for things to do in the Keys, we found a description of this center and were immediately intrigued. We were so amazed at what we found here. The knowledge and dedication of the volunteers was exceptional. We learned so much about the center’s mission while watching trainers and interns working with these special animals and the size of the our group was perfect for touring and getting questions answered. Perhaps the most moving part of the tour happened when the special children entered the water with the dolphins and their therapists. The expressions of joy while interacting with the dolphins were so special to see. Appropriately, no photos are allowed at this time for privacy reasons. The suggested donation of $18 was more than reasonable for what we took away from this wonderful experience.

The staff and facility at Island Dolphin Care are AMAZING and one-of-a-kind. IDC offers tours to the public (about an hour), educating visitors about their programs and their mission - highly recommended for all ages - you will be delighted and impressed. Our son with Down Syndrome participated in a week-long camp which included sessions with therapists and dolphins to further accomplish goals set for him. Thank you, each IDC member for your thoughtful compassion, your professionalism, your creativity, your investment in so many individuals and families!

Awesome way to spend an hour on a cloudy day. We were able to see dolphins getting fed and trained too

What a wonderful experience as so many have already said. My parents in their 70s and I and my boys, 7 and 9, so enjoyed the tour. My dad had never been so close to a dolphin, and my boys marveled at their flips. I was so deeply touched by their mission and getting the chance to observe the therapy in live-time in person was very touching. I truly believe my boys left understanding more deeply not just about dolphins but about the concept of how animals can impact the life of someone with special needs and circumstances. The questions the boys had after we left allowed me to explain PTSD and why veterans would benefit from an animal’s touch and presence. Thank you for allowing the public access to such an inspiring resource.

This little dolphin care center is a great destination for several hours. The staff is extremely informative and the dolphins entertaining.

My family and I recently visited this facility, and I am so impressed by their mission and work. It was our favorite thing to do while visiting the Keys! I wish I could visit every day. We had the privilege to observe a group of children with special needs undergoing a therapy session (they do free tours for the public). The dolphins are wonderful, and the whole place has such a sense of peace and healing. We also did the dock session with the dolphins, and my children and I both had the experience of a lifetime with these fascinating and joyful animals! My daughter emphatically recommends this experience, and she wholeheartedly says, “5 stars!” I was also thrilled to support what they do. They also help PTSD veterans in a unique and powerful way. I can’t recommend this non-profit highly enough! If you only go to one place in Key Largo, go here!

Island Dolphin Care is an amazing place with some of the most generous and caring staff that i've ever met. The Dolphins at IDC are all so different and so special. I am so thankful that my family was able to do a dockside tour and learn more about all of the special programs offered at IDC.

Such an awesome experience from the call to make the reservation to the minute we left. Friendly, educated staff and clean facility - excellent work with special needs and really love what they do with the animals and programs they offer. Our 16 & 13 Year old daughters did the lift interactive experience and got to pet and kiss the dolphins and be in the water on a platform and see them up close. They loved it!! Worth every penny for the work they’re doing here!

My wife and I found this small non-profit on Key Largo and went by for a tour. We ended up making a donation to support the therapeutic work they are performing. This is not a place you go to feed the dolphins, swim with them (yourself, as a tourist) or see a performance, the team here provides a variety of therapeutic experiences for children with autism, for example, and other groups - notably to include Veterans. Fantastic work they are doing and an amazing origin story. Worth a visit. Call in advance.

I visited this past weekend with my family. I fell in love with your facility, dolphins and all of your staff.

My father suffered a stroke 3 years ago. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's 6 months later. He was impressed by Joe's story and to see him has inspired my Dad to swim with your dolphins.

It has become our goal to re-visit your facility and have my Dad be able to get in the water again.

I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Dina Pete and the staff. Are 5 STAR PLUS! What they’re offering locally nationally and internationally should NOT be missed. On of the most affordable tours in the Keys to see 1 of FLORIDA Keys I’m incredible Institutions! A must see must EXPERIENCE! Special love and thank u to to
Mr. Eli!!!
Fantastic for special needs. Just the best. Enjoy our Joyful photos. Xoxo. God bless all that u do IDC team! Leslie and Reid.

My kids, father and I had an unforgettable experience at Island Dolphin Care last week. We are all still giddy from it! I expect this memory to have an everlasting positive impact, and definitely plan to return in the future. The place is simply magical, there is truly a Higher Power working through the staff to perform miracles and produce positive and I’m sure often unexpected results.

If you can make the time to read Deena’s book Breaths that Count, the mission and life-changing results will be even clearer to see when you do come to visit.

We were very pleased to learn about this facility. Excellent work being performed by experience dolphin trainers, occupational and recreational therapists. This non-profit is doing groundbreaking work with young children and military veterans. Very worthwhile experience. Great to meet Joe and his family, the owners.

Our family had a great experience learning about an amazing organization and how they are using dolphins to assist people with special needs and veterans. Melanie did an excellent job sharing how the program began, how the dolphins are trained, and the interaction they have with people. A great program and well worth the time!

We had such a memorable time here! A definite must do if you're in the area... we drove 2.5 hours and were not disappointed! We were lucky to have one of the founders give us the tour - so informative and he didn't rush us through. The work they do is amazing.

My family and I were fortunate to be welcomed to join our niece on one of her visits to IDC a couple weeks ago. She doesn't get to see us often so to be able to share this with her meant a lot to all of us. My sons got to see dolphins up close for the first time and then watch me go in the water with my niece for her session. I am forever grateful to IDC for not only giving me the gift of this experience but for taking such good care of my niece. She absolutely loves IDC and all of the staff there. Highly recommend!

My husband and I took a tour of this facility. Amazing work is done by these dolphins and their humans. We returned 2 days later for an add-on and had a dock experience. We got to interact with 4 of the dolphins during a training session. I was experiencing a difficult time in my life personally and healthwise, so it was very therapeutic to get close to them.

Our family and son with ASD participated in Island Dolphin Care's 3 day program while we were in Key Largo. We probably would have done the 5 day program, but it was the 4th of July week and we had already planned a few other excursions during our time there. From the start, the communication with the staff at IDC was professional, warm, and caring. It was clear that they are NOT a tourist trap or an amusement park, and ARE completely dedicated to animal assisted therapy and individually tailored therapy sessions. Although the application form took about 25 minutes to fill out, the staff carefully review it to tailor the session to your child and family's needs, and they already knew a lot of specifics about each family member including names, preferences, and dislikes when we first arrived.

I'm not sure if it's because they were still in the process of reopening to the public post-COVID or the holiday weekend, but we had the WHOLE place to ourselves during our 2 hour morning therapy sessions. There was a warm welcome sign welcoming our son and our family, and the staff were also there to welcome us. The lead therapist we worked with, Eli, has over 16 years of experience at IDC and was a special education teach before that. We always felt well cared for and most importantly, our son was engaged, happy, and looked forward to going to the sessions. It probably also helped that they had elevators at the facility (he loves elevators), and he did some bubble painting the first day before going to swim with the dolphins (he loves bubbles). The dolphin swims were amazing, and the staff took pictures the whole time that they then uploaded to a website where we had full access so we could be fully present during the experience. The dolphin trainers are very knowledgable, friendly, and accustomed to working with families with special needs.

Overall, I highly recommend IDC. If we ever return to Key Largo, we'll be back!

10/10 recommend, we had an awesome 1:1 experience and the staff was so knowledgeable and kind. We had a great time and will be back

We visited Island Dolphin Care after reading about it on TripAdvisor. We were not disappointed! The young staff members that provided the tour and worked with the dolphins were helpful, enthusiastic, and dedicated to their causes. The organization provides a great life for the dolphins who cannot be released in the open ocean. The therapy programs provided to people with special needs and veterans with PTSD are wonderful. The emphasis they place on saving our environment is laudable. We highly recommend that you take advantage of the tour and support the organization's efforts.

Fabulous mission for families with special needs or extra therapy! Their non- traditional approach is inspiring!

Danielle, Missy, and the entire staff were amazing. Everyone was so kind, professional, and apt with my daughter and I. The dolphins were also very sweet. I definitely recommend it!

Sharing the water with Leo guided by his wonderful trainer was a wonderful activity. I highly recommend that you visit and enjoy meeting members of the Island Dophin Care family.

The float tour was such an amazing experience for our family. We gained a new appreciation for dolphins and how they can be potential therapy to people in need. The staff was extremely accommodating and loved sharing what they do. This was the highlight of our trip the Florida Keys.

Our guide was Missy. We went on a tour of the facility. Missy was engaging, knowledgeable, and took ample time to pass along the history and rehab programs offered at the facility. The group composed of my sister and our husbands and the personal time spent under Missy’s tutelage was one of the best experiences I’ve had at any similar animal encounters. It garners not only a five star review but a donation in support of their program.

Went for Thursday morning yoga with my husband and learned of the amazing work they do here with programs to help those in need. An incredible non-profit I am happy to support and encourage others to do as well.

Wonderful facility! My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour.Our guide, Josh was very knowledgeable. The staff was very friendly and attentive. Their love and care for the dolphins and the patients is well evident. The dolphins are very active and friendly. Highly recommend!

This was our 2nd time going to Island Dolphin Care. Once again, it was such a remarkable experience!! Our special needs son and our entire family enjoyed the class and swim each and every day. It was very educational, hands on and just so much fun! The team at IDC is truly the dream team! Highly recommend this experience and you will cherish memories for a lifetime.

We toured this facility and thoroughly enjoyed meeting the staff and learning about their good work. We were able to watch a therapist and several dolphins working with a small child and her mother in the water. The dolphins were ever so gentle with the child. It was amazing to see how they interacted. Great opportunity to see dolphins up close. Recommend calling ahead to make sure they are able to provide a tour. They request a small donation for the tour. There is a gift shop where your purchases help the organization.

I can’t express the joy that we experienced in this facility, swimming with dolphins, starting with the amazing staff of volunteers that makes you feel welcome and that warm, fussy feeling every minute you spend at Island Dolphin Care. We learned about this facility thanks to the VA recreational therapy program. My husband is a disabled veteran and he had a wonderful time, as well me and our 17 year old son. I truly suggest to visit their webpage and read their story and the great therapy programs. It was my very first experience swimming with dolphins and interacting with them and needless to say it was one of the most rewarding experiences I ever had in my life, not only because I got to be with them in the water but how these majestic animals help people of all ages in a very special way. I sure hope to get to visit this place again. The staff is wonderful, very down to earth, while we were there it felt like you were visiting good friends. It felt so good to be there that I’m actually considering to do an internship and become a volunteer.

An incredible place! we love meeting you. Volunteers work in a dolphin therapy program. Visitors are also welcome and can interact with the dolphins at affordable prices.

The staff is amazing, their mission is incredible! My kids had an amazing time learning hands on about how to respect the ocean and the animals that live in it.

The whole team was so impressive and our guide Joe was so knowledgeable. This is a super program. The dolphins are well cared for and do incredible therapy work with special teams and individuals.

Special thanks to out guides Danielle and Bella showing how IDC cares for the dolphins that help humans. We saw how the dolphins and their trainers teach each other to communicate, how they create new tricks and watch out for each other, The facility is designed for making more of you and showing better ways of living.

We left the facility 5 minutes after we arrived when we realized the facility was not a rehab for dolphins but a cage for trapped wildlife that had been ripped away from their family in the ocean. My mother in law had bought the tickets and we were mislead about what the dolphin care center was about. I do appreciate that they are trying to do good in the world for children with disabilities but it is at the expense of another living thing. When we asked how the dolphins came to the center our tour guide tip toed around the question (I don’t blame her because she was probably told lies from the owners) but she did announce that dolphins in captivity live longer. This is completely untrue and a full blown lie. Have you ever seen Black Fish or done any research on dolphins or whales in the wild vs captivity? These bold statements are fabricated to make the people working here to feel ok about keeping wild animals trapped in a small swimming pool to perform for treats. I feel bad that so many are duped into buying tickets and continuing the cycle of hunting sea life to trap them in a pool until they die.

Staying nearby so my son and I booked a tour at the last minute. Great facility and impressive dolphin therapy programs. Not a tourist “swim with dolphins” place, but so much more. Check it out for an hour if you’re in key largo!

What an Amazing Time I had Swimming with the Dolphins at “Island Dolphin Care”
Everyone Must Go and Enjoy this Magical Experience!!!❤️😘👍🏻🐬🐬 A Gracious Thanks to the Owners, Deena and Pete and my Wonderful Coach Danielle for making this All Possible!!! The Dolphins are So Smart and Have Been Trained Perfectly to Insure the Most Memorable Swim Session at Island Dolphin Care!!! It is a Wonderful Experience for The Whole Family!!! I Can’t Wait to Take My Family!!! They even take Beautiful Pics of the Entire Experience So You Can Always Have Them!!!
A Fabulous Adventure!!!❤️❤️❤️

This is a must do if you are in Key Largo. These people do amazing work with the dolphins. Our grandsons were in awe!! So glad we stopped here!!

Amazing tour. Unbelievable what this family has done and continues to do to help others in need.
Highly recommend!!

My family came down to key largo to celebrate my mother’s 50th birthday. We were staying right down the street from Island Dolphin Care and looked it up to see what it was. The work they do at this facility is so special. They help children and veterans with disabilities of all kinds. I am so happy we found this place and loved that all the proceeds go to helping people and families in need. If you have the opportunity to visit or donate please do so!

When we told our boy he was going to swim with the dolphins, he asked if he could give them a hug! And then he did! This is a special place for special people. A must for all special needs families!!

Unbelievable super personable. My son loves it here. Very knowledgeable about all aspects of dolphin. Everyone there makes you feel very welcome. I am a local business owner. And I will definitely recommend this to all my clients.

Anxious to be able to go back! We had an awesome adventure there with our 21 year old daughter. Everyone there was so caring and easy to work with. We feel like we have so many new friends!

Island Dolphin Care is a special place. We were given a private tour of the facility with Eli (he’s fantastic). We learned so much about dolphins as well as the many programs they have for veterans and special needs people. The sights and sounds are breathtaking and the dolphins are magical. I highly recommend taking a tour of this fantastic facility.

Dolphin therapy for differently-abled individuals and veterans. What a great program! We had a blast touring the facility and learning about dolphin therapy, what it can do and the success stories of learning/physical/mental/PTSD disabled individuals that have gone through the program. Inspiring and of course, DOLPHINS! The personnel, from trainers and interns to the volunteer staff were wonderful and willing to answer any questions. No time limit for our tour, we stayed and talked to several people.

This was a wonderful experience and would recommend to anyone who would like to see the dolphins up close but can’t spend the money on swimming with them. The guided tour gives you a chance to see them up close and learn more about dolphins and sea life.

What an incredible week! We don’t even have words for how wonderful our week at IDC was. I brought my youngest daughter (who has a rare genetic condition/CP/autism) for the 5 Day therapy program and truly, it is something we are going to try to do every year. Incredible staff, amazing dolphins, restful and completely enjoyable atmosphere. Dolphin assisted therapy is SO HIGHLY motivating for children across all abilities- and such a rich and rewarding environment to work on therapy goals. I also brought my older daughter who got to help as “assistant dolphin trainer” and it was such a gift for her to have such a fun and exciting time alongside her sister- both with the dolphins and in the classroom portion! Cannot say enough about the staff as well- we truly felt like family at the end of the week! We will DEFINITELY be back- sooner, rather than later!!!

Today my friend and I fulfilled a bucket list of playing with the dolphins. The tour was inciteful and definitely makes you appreciate the importance of this place. We were fortunate enough to sit with Joey and the dolphins. The trainers were great as we watched them feed and train. The kids were not there but the experience for children and vets is amazing and moving. I would highly recommend visiting and contributing to the 8 dolphins and the wonderful things these people do!

We did an encounter tour yesterday and it was more than amazing. What makes this facility such an awesome place is the staff! I cannot say enough about them. They were all super accommodating, understanding, answered EVERY question and most of all you can tell they live what they do and because of the passion they have towards what they do these dolphins are so well trained. You can just feel the love when you're there! What you can see them do up close and what you learn will make you definitely rethink how you treat our ocean waters. These animals are amazing creatures on our earth and it is worth to get to see how amazing they are up close in a facility that cares for them and the people that come through. Our tour guide Joe was super sweet and did an AWESOME job taking pics!! I wish I could remember our trainers name but she was just as awesome and sweet. thanks for all you do for these animals and the community @Island Dolphin care!

Just finished a 5 day program and it was a very special week. Therapist make it such a wonderful experience for our daughter with special needs. She loves working on the craft part of the program as well as with the amazing dolphins. Definetely brings her joy, relaxation and helps her esteem so very much. Not enough words to express our gratitude for Island Dolphin Care.

This is a great place to learn about dolphins and watch them swimming in the pools. They also have a touch tank with various critters including star fish, sea urchins and horse shoe crabs. They are a charity based organization that works with children and veterans with disabilities. and they get to swim and interact with the dolphins. It is a touching scene to watch. We were so happy that we were told about this place by a local resident.

We wanted to visit a Dolphin center that cares for their animals with research and education.
The center specializes in education and rehabilitation with the use of the dolphins.
A great way to see these beautiful animals in a environment that also cares for the dolphins well being.
The staff was exceptional and very knowledgeable.

My daughter and I stopped by today for an hour long tour of the facility. The work they do is so inspiring! It is a beautifully kept facility, and I could have watched the trainers with the dolphins all day. Our tour guide shared the history of how the facility came about, as well as the care of the dolphins, and the educational opportunities there. If you are in Key Largo, it's well worth an hour of your time, and the ticket fees help to support their mission!

This was a fantastic experience, and an opportunity to donate to donate to a good cause. I would go every week if I lived here.

My husband and I attended yoga on Thursday morning and it was an unforgettable experience. Truly amazing to be able to spend time with the dolphins. The work you do is remarkable!!! Thank you!!

My daughter participated in the 5 day program and she absolutely loved it. It was truly the best experience of her life. Everyone is extremely kind and wonderful. Missy made our experience so fun and really took the time to make everything perfect for us. I look forward to taking my son in the future.

Adapted from Field of Dreams.

"They'll come to Key Largo for reasons they cant't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway, not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past.

"Of course, IDC won't mind if you look around," "It's only eighteen dollars per person" They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it. For it is money they have and peace they lack."

What a magical place to visit. You'll here a beautiful story and will bathe in the warmth and love of the Dolphins.

A must visit!

Sometimes it seems that the world is lacking and decency and kindness. You can find it here at Island Dolphin Care!

Over the years we’ve had the opportunity to visit Island Dolphin Care with family and friends many times. This is truly a wonderful experience for all. From the moment you walk in the door you sense that there’s something special about it. The family that run it and the people that work there are welcoming and happy to talk to you about about the work that they do with special needs children and veterans. The dolphin therapy work that they do as a non-profit is incredible and we love seeing the dolphins interacting with the trainers, interns and clients. And to see how their program has grown over the years to serve others is awe inspiring. They have tanks with different specimens, a touch tank and a butterfly garden. It’s a must stop in the Keys!!

Stopped here as a recommendation by Miss Janet from the chocolate shop which is also wonderful by the way! The dolphins we're absolutely beautiful and very talented. They we're having a therapy session with veterans during our visit which was awesome to see. The whole establishment was amazing. They also have glass cases with sea life you can touch and hold. Their objective is to help with rehab with disabled children and veterans. They have 8 dolphins on the premises and we paid $18.99 for a very informative and interactive tour.

Incredible place with an incredible story! We were able to stop by without a reservation and got the tour. This organization has an incredible story (I won't spoil it here) and has a really relaxed environment. My wife and I were extremely glad that we stopped in for the tour and got to enjoy watching a therapy session. I would highly recommend this place if you are in Key Largo.

What a great experience!. We've been visiting the Keys for many years but never took the time to check out a dolphin facility. We see them in the wild (right in Florida Bay) but never up close and personal. And that is exactly what this is. Their story is amazing. Don't want to spoil it for you but it's well worth the $18 entrance fee.

Island Dolphin Care specializes in working with special needs people (children and adults). The dolphins have their own way of communicating and "healing" those with Autism, brain injuries (traumatic and PTSD), injured military and first responders. These people come from all over the US and the world and, in many cases, they pay little or nothing for these services. It's a very noble endeavor and worthy of your time to learn more about these amazing animals.

Their team is made up of people who are dedicated to the cause. Their knowledge and enthusiasm is addictive. Missy, who gave our tour spoke non-stop for almost 90 minutes. She made this experience very interesting, informative and fun. This is a must see in Key Largo!!!

my family and i got to visit island dolphin care and had an amazing experience. the staff is very kind/caring! 10/10 recommend:)

Everyone was amazing! Great place for children! There are so many places that you can interact with dolphins but this one does it with a purpose! They are really making a difference for special needs families and veterans!! I would do this over any other place!!

IDC is an awesome nonprofit caring for dolphins and people… my daughter (11) wants to be a vet when she grows up so we took part in a half-day ambassador program for her birthday. We got to prepare the dolphins food, pick toys and play with them, had a painting interaction, tossed them ice chips to catch in their mouths & got some petting, kisses and training in… they even brought the birthday girl back to vet area. Thank you so much Alyssa, we all had the best time :-)

Our encounter was more than we dreamed. Fun and informative it lifted our hearts. We’re still buzzed!

I had an amazing time at Island Dolphin care with my family! From the moment we arrived to the moment we had to say goodbye, we were treated with much love and care! This is a wonderful facility that’s equipped with everything and anything individuals with disabilities may need. This experience is one like no other. It’s unforgettable and will put a smile on anyone’s face. The staff is unbelievably incredible and they put in all their effort to make the experience what it is! We love island dolphin care and can’t thank everyone there for what they have done for us!

Thank you!

Leslie

We loved our tour of Island Dolphin Care! A very special place filled with love. We enjoyed every minute of our time there and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to witness these beautiful dolphins and humans interacting together.

We had such a great time. Everyone was fabulous! Missy did a great job communicated, and alyssa was excellent with the girls. All the staff was excellent and so much fun ! Such a cool experience and they made my daughter feel so special for her birthday. Thank you guys we will definitely be back. What a great organization.

Very nice what do here and up close vuew of dolphin training and interaction was fun with a knowledgeable volunteer guide.

SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE....fun for families or adults! We drove an hour to get there from coral gables and it was worth it ... super easy to find and the facility is beautiful! I love the Aquariums .... the tour guide was knowledgeable and had a great personality and very heart felt. The highlight was kissing and playing with the dolphins - I also got a chance to feed them. They are beautiful and well trained! The staff does an amazing job!!!! The staff also took amazing pics (a lot of them) and I’m very pleased! This facility is here for a good cause and I hope it’s around for a long time. I recommend this to anyone visiting the Keys

The majestic dolphins gave my special needs daughter such a self-esteem boost. She felt so empowered to be able to swim and be a trainer for a week, as she was able choose what performances she wanted them to do, and give them the commands. The facility is like a family and they invite you in as a member. The classroom activities were geared individually to the specific therapies we needed and they are able to approach it in such a way that is very enjoyable. Our experience was unforgettable and I highly recommend visiting them.

IDC is over the TOP Amazing from the second you walk in to the second you leave! I signed my daughter (14 yrs. old) and myself up for the Ambassador Program. We learned so much and did so many hands on things with the trainers and dolphins it was unreal. Do NOT waste your money at any other place to swim with the dolphins when you can spend the same amount to spend half a day with the trainers and learn so much more about the dolphins, swim and interact with the dolphins. We followed right along with the trainers and did every single thing they do on their daily schedule. From weighing their food, ultra sounds, brushing teeth, recess, swimming, painting and just interact with these amazing dolphins. We learned a ton and had no idea how much it takes to care for these dolphins until we were here. The IDC story is amazing and we loved watching the special needs children in the water with the Dolphins,I have never seen so many smiles in one area and squeals of excitement! This place is over the top and I recommend the Ambassador Program for anyone over 14. I had a fantastic time at age 39 and my daughter the same at age 14. Incredible Place, Incredible Story and Incredible Staff!

Very cool place doing a great service for veterans and individuals with disabilities. So cool seeing the dolphins up close!

My 15 year old nephew was visiting for the summer. He wanted to learn more as he is exploring careers and making a difference in the world. He participated in the Lyft experience. The trainers were patient and answered all of his questions. He learned a several hand signals and gained a greater understanding of the roles that are a part of Island Dolphin Care. He hasn’t stopped talking about it! Thank you to the kind trainers and volunteers for giving him their time and dedicated attention.

Trust me when I say, pick up the phone, make an appointment, make the time to visit Island Dolphin Care. Small kids, teenagers, and adults will LOVE this experience.

We got to explore a tank with baby nurse sharks and sting rays before we met the dolphins and had no idea the connection we were about to have with them. It was an up close, hands on experience that focused on the dolphins being comfortable with all the interactions. I was so impressed with how respectful and kind the staff were to the dolphins.

Our group worked with Fiji and Bella. Bella was so sweet and special, and Fiji was my favorite (don’t tell Bella!). Fiji brought me a leaf from the surface of the tank and I even brought it home.

This was hands down the most special experience on our trip and is something I will never forget. I highly recommend making the time to be a part of their mission and education. And when you go, tell Fiji hello for me!

Visiting the Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo was the highlight of our time in Key Largo. It was wonderful to see how the trainers interact with the dolphins and we even got to watch a therapy session. Our guides were very knowledgable and answered any question we had. The visit to the center was an absolute highlight and I definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Key Largo!

Great - We enjoyed our visit, learned something, and felt good that we donated! And the T-shirt we bought was really cute.

Great experience. You see dolphins in a new way, more as partners in rehabilitation. We watched the therapists training and taking care of the dolphins. Very interesting one plus hour your.

The Thursday morning yoga with dolphins was wonderful. Such a joyful experience. I would mar it in my calendar for my next visit.

We were fortunate to be able to visit Island dolphin Care while we were in Key Largo and we had an amazing experience. Joe gave us a great tour of the facilities and explained to goals and history of the place. Their work with the dolphins and people with disabilities is impressive. And we had so much fun interacting with Squirt and the other dolphins. Thank you for a wonderful morning. It is an experience we will not soon forget!

A wonderful research/training facility. Professional knowledgeable staff; Enjoyed our swim with the dolphins. The sensory area: is no longer viable.

The work this organization does is absolutely wonderful! Everyone was so nice and so knowledgeable. The dockside experience was something I have longed to do – be up close and personal with the dolphins. Was happy to see the dolphins are well cared for. And the story of how this organization came to be is absolutely amazing! I bought the book the founder wrote and it will bring you to tears. Please support them and visit them if anywhere near Key Largo. Well worth it!

We were amazed by this experience. I cannot say enough good things about the team and the program. We would recommend not only looking at this as an unforgettable experience but also making sure others learn about it. So very grateful that our son had the chance to connect. The staff is amazing. Blessed beyond words.

We came there as part of a military veterans group. The staff and team that they had are super friendly and very knowledgeable. The biggest thing is that some of us in our group had really experienced some of the worst that fighting a war can offer but for the four or five hours we were there, we were able to forget and be present with these unbelievable dolphins. The key word is fun!! We had a blast and I would recommend Island dolphin care to anyone.
Dan

This facility is really worth a trip and your support. It was amazing to watch the dolphins be so careful with disabled children, tailoring what they did to each child's needs instinctively.

Amazing experience, such a lovely and caring place. We did the tour. My wife's dream was to be with dolphins and we were abel to spend some time meeting Bella, shaking hands, giving hi fives and she even sang Happy Birthday to my wife. The trainers were amazing, you can fell the love they have for this animals that help so many people in therapy instances. We enjoyed our time so much that we are going to be communicating with management to see if we can become volunteers. We definitely built longlife memories and can't wait to bring my kids.

Wonderful day at Island Dolphin Care with the South Florida Miata Club yesterday. The heartwarming work they are doing there is only matched by the caring staff that works there and pours their heart and soul into helping others. It's nice to know there are still such caring people in this world today. Highly recommend visiting and seeing the wonderful work they are doing there.

This was an awesome experience! Our son who has Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy just turned 40. He is non verbal but communicates well with other means. He is always up for another adventure and one of his friends told us about IDC. We visited in April of 2025 and had a great time. Danielle, our therapist/instructor was patient, kind and extremely capable. She has tremendous insight into the world of disability. Our one time session didn't gain any new function but was a deeply enriching encounter that is completely unique. They have wetsuits and that was helpful. We would highly recommend this to anyone. They also offer photos of the session for an additional charge (you can look at them before purchasing) and they were excellent.

My husband and I decided to visit the Island Dolphin Care due to the great review on Trip Adviser. We weren’t disappointed, in fact we both truly enjoyed our time there. We booked via the website, the website was easy to use and we received the confirmation promptly. The staff and owner at IDC are really wonderful and delivered great customer service. They have great knowledge and provided great information during the tour. Our tour was conducted by Kathy who is a wonderful ambassador of IDC. She took the time to talk to everyone and answered any questions given. She was warm and has a wonderful personality. We also spoke to the owner, Deena, who is a wonderful lady and spent the time to get to know us and talked to my husband about his MS. What she did to start this great cause was inspirational. It was great to see Deena personally said goodbye to the visitors as they left IDC. Thank you to IDC for a fantastic time, it’s the highlight of our time in Key Largo. We will definitely visit again if we are in Key Largo.

Absolutely amazing!!! We enjoyed every minute! We had the honor of being able to sit on the dock and interact with the dolphins. Fiji has my heart. He was my favorite dolphin but they are all incredible. The staff was super friendly and they obviously love their dolphins as their families. We will make this an activity every time we come to the Keys! Can't wait to bring the grandkids 🙂❤

We had a wonderful tour guided by Ginny, a volunteer at Island Dolphin Care. The passion she expressed about working here and the amazing help these dolphins are to special needs people, my party was both touched and inspired by the goodwill going on in this outstanding facility. Thank you for educating us, Ginny and all the staff at Island Dolphin Care.
Maria Trautman
Canada

I found out about the Island Dolphin Care whilst looking on TripAdvisor for things to see and do whilst in the Key Largo area. I emailed them in the evening to reserve places on their tour the next day and received a quick reply to confirm. We didn't want to visit a Dolphin Centre where the dolphins are made to put on a show or swim with paying members of the public for entertainment. The Island Dolphin Centre runs tours for small groups to see the dolphins at rest and play and their interaction with children/young adults with special needs through therapy sessions. The work the Island Dolphin Care does, and the people who work their, are amazing and it was a very inspirational visit. I would thoroughly recommend a visit to this facility.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE! AMAZING STAFF !
WONDERFUL PLACE TO SPEND WITH FAMILY. DOLPHINS ARE AMAZING AND FUN.

I have the pleasure of bringing a group of veterans to Island dolphin care once a month and I have been able to see firsthand how amazing the staff and dolphins at this facility are. The staff truly care about their clients and providing the best services possible to meet each person‘s individual needs. IDC is Second to none!!

We visited Island Dolphin care today and had a private tour with Deena Hoagland, their executive director. She spent 2 hours with our group telling us all about their mission and her personal dedication to the dolphins and organization. Its so amazing how they help special needs children and veterans by having them learn and interact with their beautiful dolphins. This is a nonprofit organization that does amazing work. We loved spending time there interacting with staff and watching the dolphins work with special needs children and also watch their trainers feed, play with and interact with the dolphins. Definitely a must do when visiting Key Largo!!!

Yesterday, my son who has Autism & Epilepsy went to Island Dolphin Care thanks to SONFISH (my son won Auction through his school and Sonfish donated the Award). This experience exceded our expectations of this therapeutically encounter with Dolphines. The process, the attention,.... Dolphins innocence / tenderness / and beauty made this swimming unforgettable! we will be back and we recommend this way highly instead of the commercially pleasing tourist attraction plan. These creatures can bring their sincere kindness and deserve the respect and handling experienced at Island Dolphine Care......No fuss, low key, excellent trainers (Danielle was fantastic with my son and her Dolphins!)....clearly not there for the profit but for the believe in the healing possible from such encounters! It was an honor to be there :) unforgettable one <3

Heart warming experience, beautiful success stories! Dolphin therapy is amazing and so powerful! Highly recommend it

I am Nadia and I am 11 years old. My dad and I came to Key Largo on vacation because I always dreamed of swimming with dolphins. We did not only do that, but we also learned about the dolphin’s daily routines and how to take care of dolphins. The dolphins themselves are incredible and the staff was super nice and very experienced.
I will always cherish this day.
Thank you Island Dolphin Care!
Thank you Monique, Madison, and the rest of the staff for making my experience UNFORGETTABLE!

Incredibly friendly staff and amazing how they interact The Dolphin’s with various groups for me was particularly personal since I have a child with a disability in to see what they do with those children it’s amazing a must see!!

I went to IDC to try a new therapy program that they have. I had acupuncture therapy on my neck to relieve pain and then did a float session in the lagoon with the dolphins. It was amazing. I was relaxed from the acupuncture and was able to really enjoy the float. I have been in the water with dolphins before but to me this was fantastic. The dolphins are not being controlled by trainers (trainers are watching) and interact with you because they want to. I would highly recommend anyone that needs this type of therapy to call IDC for more information. You will not regret the call.

When we were blessed with two autistic grandchildren we were convinced that the most important contribution that we could offer was for them to be happy. We are constantly on the alert for anything that would be AMAZING. This was the best ever! Their parents were impressed and grateful for the quality of learning that went on while grandma was thrilled with Caleb and Shannon's happy smiles. Shannon even gave me a whole sentence:"Shannon want dolphins, please. " I can not thank you enough for their happiness. We are grateful for your diligence, patience, and kindness. We are already SAVING for next year. Please feel free to use us as recommendations.
Stephanie Montero

The tour of Island Dolphin Care was one of the highlights of our trip to Key Largo! These people are on a mission to make the world a better place, and we got to see their work first hand. The day we were there, a group of displaced veterans was enjoying an experience of a lifetime. Their faces went from stern and serious to lighthearted and happy as they played in water and interacted with the dolphins. That joy was infectious, and we couldn't help but smile too! Our guides were knowledgeable and personable, and they shared the story of the facility, took us through the touch tank area, and memorial garden. Thank you so much Island Dolphin Care for the important work that you do!

This is the best kept secret on Key Largo! Dolphin Care is an experience that provides a peaceful up close dolphin experience for visitors. It is easy to understand how people benefit from these therapy dolphins. The staff was knowledgeable and accommodating. I look forward to visiting again.

Really had a great time at the facility. Was just incredible the work they do there, and Joe was an excellent tour guide. He was obviously very passionate about the services they offer, and that the animals receive the best possible care.

Our visit to Island Dolphin Care was so much fun! Our tour guide Joe was very knowledgeable and gave us the in-depth story about how the facility started. The dolphins are so sweet, a few came right over to us and smiled. My kids also enjoyed the touch tank. Their gift shop has lots of cute and unique items. Love their mission and will definitely go back!

This is our second visit to IDC for our daughter, Gaby's assisted therapy. We love this place, the staff are wonderful, and of course, the dolphins are amazing. We will definitely be coming back.

This was the most amazing morning that we have ever spent in the Keys. The experience with the dolphin was truly memorable. The staff are so committed and welcoming. The dolphins were truly delightful. This is an experience that will make us smile every time we think of it.

What a wonderful experience. We paid $20 per person. They were flexible with the time of the tour. They told us how they use the space for training the dolphins. Learned a lot about these beautiful animals. Plus saw them being trained. Highly recommend doing this when in the area. Great for all ages!

They are excellent , very pacient omg I want to come back soon , recomendé
For everyone and especial for a kid with especial needs

The Island Dolphin Care center visit was great. We had a great tour by Ginny and were introduced to Peter and Deena. In additional to a personalized tour, we were able to observe two therapy sessions being performed on two young women. Life changing experience my wife and me. The highlight of our week long vacation in Key Largo. I am better off knowing that this organization is available and making a difference to the most challenged families on earth. Keep up the great work and we will be sure to visit you again.

This was an amazing experience. The professionalism and bright smiles from staff too let's not forget the Dolphins. We are amazed at the programs and education that this Sanctuary provides.

Our family loved our visit/tour while we were on vacation. It was educational and heartwarming to see the excellent work that is being done there. We even got to meet Joe. We will tell all of our friends about the one-of-a-kind experience.

I was truly touched when I learned about this facility and what they do for families with special needs. If you have a chance to look at their FB page - check out the article “the story of IDC”. I was very fortunate to spend some time learning about and visiting this special place and meeting the resident dolphins -I’m extremely partial to Lotus and may or may not be stalking her on their dolphin cam.

I believe that animals can play a central role in rehabilitating people. The initial idea was created by a woman from up north whose son had undergone and operation at a young age and wasn't dealing well with it psychologically. They now have about 8 therapists who work with the kids (and now former soldiers with PTSD) to help them cope with their tragedies. I think there are about 8 dolphins and 8 trainers on staff as well. The tour was superlative and the feeding of the dolphins entertaining. But the real story is how much spending time with therapists and dolphins can help people deal with their issues

I love coming here and the staff is absolutely fabulous, so knowledgeable. Their love for the dolphins and the love for the clients is outstanding. It’s inspiring and a joy to visit island dolphin care.

This is hands down the best thing we did in the keys!! What an amazing experience. I cannot day enough about it. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable and they went way above to make sure that we had the very best time, which we did!!

The facility is wonderful and we hope to someday bring our 3.5 year old grand daughter who is developmentally disabled to Key Largo for some therapy. It is wonderful what your facility has done for children.

I wanted to visit a dolphin center that did not have the animals in a circus type show. The facility is amazing and Island Dolphin Care is committed to caring for the animals and helping people. The tour was awesome. My husband and I received so much information. I highly recommend a visit.

My has ASD, and we came to IDC for a 5-day therapy program. Our therapist, Miss Danielle, was amazing — kind, professional, and truly exceptional. From the very beginning, she established a great connection with both of my children. The therapy sessions in the classroom were filled with a variety of interesting activities such as painting, sensory exercises, coordination tasks, speech therapy, and many more. The whole family got involved, which made the experience even more rewarding. Swimming with dolphins was an unforgettable experience, brimming with happiness and joy for our entire family. My son with ASD absolutely loved it, and I can already see positive changes in him. I am incredibly thankful for the entire IDC team.

Eli our tour guide was awesome and the dolphin float was the coolest experience we have ever done! We met so many sweet and playful dolphins and it was incredible to see them interact in such a relaxed atmosphere. My daughter and I both can’t stop talking about it and can’t wait to go back!!

We love the Keys and come yearly and I’m shocked we haven’t heard more about this place. This is by far the best dolphin experience we have attended and we are Florida girls that love dolphins. Learning with this facility does for children with special needs made the experience even more fulfilling. I’m so happy we could be a part of something so magical!

Dolphins were quite the characters! Really fun to watch them. Best part, they offer Yoga on Thursday on a dock right above the Dolphins. They splash you and tease all the yoga Wackos.Def. a must visit place in the keys.

My nephew has 2 special needs children and they both attended a week of dolphin therapy and it was AMAZING! The first day was a little scary for them but they immediately fell in love with their water companions but also the great therapists that were assigned to each. I highly recommend IDC for any special needs individuals, regardless of age. This is a wonderful and fun experience not only for those in the water but also for the families. Please donate to this wonderful organization. Its worth every penny.

I visited Island Dolphin Care with several fellow disabled military veterans. The staff were very accommodating, polite, and educated us on various aspects of the dolphins and the therapies they provide. It was wonderful to see how supporting IDC is to military veterans and to public service in general. In a world with such animosity, people like these truly restore hope and faith in the community in regard to the perception toward public service.

The experience with the dolphins was surreal, to say the least. It's hard to believe they are so intelligent and talented, both. And the relationship between dolphins and humans is still beyond fathomable. I could easily make the analogy they are the aquatic version of man's best friend. I believe this would be a phenomenal experience for anyone who suffers from any disability, whether it be physical or mental. Once in the water with these precious animals, the stressors of life seem to simply disappear. I will certainly never forget my experience at IDC. I envy the folks who work there, as I wish I could spend every day interacting with the animals and making a positive impact on others' lives. Their efforts are greatly appreciated and have not gone unnoticed. Keep up the good work! Hope to see you again in the near future.

-DH

Patient with the client. Good program in the „classroom“. Our family enjoyed it very much.
Swimming with the dolphins could be longer ;-)!

What a wonderful place to visit! This is such a great experience.
The volunteers and trainers were very informative and you can certainly tell they love what they do. I love that they provide therapy to veterans with PTSD too. thank you for what you do!

Wonderful facility! Our family of 6 (ages 7- 66) all loved seeing and learning about the dolphin pod at Island Dolphin Care. The staff were kind, professional, and very knowledgeable. 10/10 experience.

We visited this place on a tour as a recommendation from a family member who lives nearby. The kids loved seeing the dolphins and touching the sea creatures in the touch tank, and I loved learning about the cause. Highly recommend .

Alyssa and Missy rolled out the red carpet for us. We had an amazing experience with the dolphins and the painting that they created for us.
Alyssa was friendly and provided us so much great information and insight on the programs that they run. We highly recommend a trip the next time you are in town. It was truly the highlight of our trip and beautiful pictures as well!! They are doing great work!!

Recently went on a tour of Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida and was very impressed not only with their beautiful facilities, the friendly staff and owners, and the remarkable animals but also with the mission of the organization. Amazing to see the kids and dolphins interact. Lots of joy! Definitely worth a stop!

Island Dolphin Care offers a Thursday 8am Yoga session. My friend and I went today and it was a very unique and fun experience. Yoga was held on their floating deck and the dolphins swam by frequently. Be sure to visit if you like yoga and want to enjoy the dolphin scenery!

Ok - lets get this out there up front. This is not your normal type of dolphin experience. No ‘show’; no ‘tricks’.....

What you get is a tour of the facility, the very personal history of the people who set it up and run it, and the very, very personal experiences of people who have seen at first hand what the facility can do for its clients.

The information about the dolphins was fantastic, but what was really humbling was to witness a therapy session. It made me realise how lucky we are to have our health, and healthy children.

I won’t go into details, but to see the looks on the faces of the participants as they interacted with the dolphins was truly grounding.

Not the norm for a dolphin ‘trip’ but one well worthy of your support.

The whole team are absolute legends. 100% recommended.

This is a great facility that is doing wonderful things to support those in need as well as the dolphins. We were lucky enough to be able to float and interact with the dolphins, they even played a game of catch the ball with us. Knowing the money we paid is going to help this facility and those in need made it even better.

please go to the web site and learn about them before you go.

My sweetheart and I came here for a tour and were amazed.

This is place has worked miracles for coutless people, their children and spouses. The guided tour was give by Melanie, an lovely lady who is a volunteer there. She is very passionate about what they do there.

The tour showed their facility and some of the aquatic therapy sessions in progress. The staff is amazing, full of smiles. You can see how the kids there bennift from it instantly. Please keep in mind that this is not a "swim with the dolfins" tour. This is a professional facility dedicated to enriching and helping disadvantaged (physically, psychologically and some times both) peoples through an amazing program and with the assistance of dolfins. We were able to see each of the dolfins and take a few memorable pictures.

I won't spoil for you the amazing story of how one mom's strength, dedication and love for her child... Made this possible. Made it possible to make a difference in hundreds of lives and ...the lives of families.

Go see for yourself...

We had a great time visiting Island Dolphin care. The people were very accomidating and made adjustments for my sons need. My son got the feed the dolphins as well as pet them and then watched them wave to us. We had a great time and will come back another year.

My husband and I visited IDC last month and we were blown away by this amazing place. The facility was very clean and had so much to offer for special needs children including specialized equipment and technology. The employees were all very nice and helpful and showed us around. The dolphins were the icing on the cake. It was so special to see how they intuitively work with children of all skill levels.

What a heartwarming and well run facility. Was the highlight of our trip to Key Largo! Such dedication and so so informative. Well Done!

Anytime we get to see Dolphins is always a happy time! We took our two teenage grandsons & our 7 year old grandson for a basic tour. Although it wasn’t a bad experience, it wasn’t great! I’m so thankful that I purchased our tickets on GROUPON for $10 for each person, rather than purchasing the tickets at the door for $18 for each person.

Even though I do have a passion for Dolphins & I know that this facility does offer therapy secessions, I don’t think I would recommend this tour for your visit to Key Largo.

I do wish them luck for their therapy!! And it appears as they could use some donations for some facility repairs. It’s a bit worn down.

We went with our Miata group and had a great time. Also very informative. Everyone was helpful, knowledgable, and pleasant. My friend did the dolphin touch experience and was on cloud 9 with tears of joy. Thank you for all that you do.

An amazing facility! We went as a couple for an hour or so and learned so much about the company’s mission and the dolphins! Get to see dolphins up close and watch how they are trained

We were traveling to Keys after long time with my brother
visiting from Europe.
My son has autism and attended therapy at Island Dolphin care 7 years ego. We were so excited.
When we arrived we received very nice and warm welcoming like extended family. Beautiful people and beautiful dolphins.
After my experience with dolphins 7 years ego I can not
just simply call them animals. I have a huge respect for those gracious and smart creatures of the ocean.
My son, now 6’3” still love his little toy dolphin Tashi from
Dolphin care. He touched a real Tashi, baby dolphin as first human been 7 years ego. He is so proud of it!
Now little Tashi is not a baby dolphin anymore, he is grownup and very energetic.
We could never forget experience and help for my son from Island Dolphin care when was needed the most.
Thank you so much
TatG Ontario, Canada

I highly recommend! We had a fantastic experience. The entire team at IDC was friendly, professional, and they are very passionate about their important mission. We could not have enjoyed it more.

For our family, dolphin therapy is unforgettable. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Ms.Johnson, Team and, of course, the dolphins for the wonderful individual approach to each child, each family and for your professionalism. After dolphin therapy, I see only positive moments in communication with my son and daughters. During the week, my kiddos participated in classroom activities and water activities with dolphins, with the support of the Therapy Team. This is great motivation for all of us, communication skills have improved. The dolphins are great friends and we will definitely be back. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Island Dolphin Care creates joy every single day- you can see this joy on the faces of the children and their families and the veterans that they serve everyday. This is a rare and special place that deserves all the credit in the world. I love visiting and watching the sessions and sitting in the garden and just experiencing all that this place has to offer. A must see for EVERYONE- especially those passing through the Keys or in Miami or anywhere near.

We visited here last week and participated in the Thursday Yoga with Dolphins program and it was beyond incredible! What a special experience being able to do yoga up close and personal with dolphins! We visited the gift shop and center afterwards and I hope anyone who sees this review will help support them!

This tour was a delightful surprise. We were looking for something to spend time on one afternoon, so booked the tour. Joe was our tour guide and did a great job. The the facilty is a non-profit organization, providing specialized therapy for persons with disabilities, vets, and others. I highly recommend this tour.

We went to this place because of the great reviews on TripAdvisor. This is a wonderful place to bring children to see dolphins and experience small tanks of fish. We loved our guides who did a great job of explaining the history of the place as well as demonstrating the uniqueness of the place. I highly recommend it and I look forward to returning.

Great visit! Very informative. You see the dolphins close up in an actual training environment. Make sure you understand you are not touching or interacting with the dolphins but it's well worth the visit!

During our vacations in south florida, we were looking for something different to do besides snorkeling or water activities. We went to this place hoping to see the dolphins. However when we got there, we encounter not only the dolphins but an amazing experience. Learning about the work they do with kids and adults with disabilities, was really heart warming. All of this while being able to get very close to the dolphins and have a little interaction with them, see how they take care of them, play with them, even they allow us to feed them. Even my teen kids enjoy it. AMAZING!!!!

I went for my 30th birthday the tour was amazing, Joe was awesome & very knowledgeable about the dolphins! My favorite dolphin was Fiji, my husband and I got a chance to interact with the dolphins which was a wonderful experience! The dolphins are very smart and entertaining.

This is tour is cool for all ages.

Absolutely humbling experience. Loved seeing all the dolphins and their incredible mission to help so many people. What a beautiful and inspirational family. Wishing you continued success in helping so many people and spreading your love xoxo

Favorite part was from the beginning to the end with the staff and their cordial invite to their place of work very informative , safe and tranquil environment. My 7 year couldn't stop saying thank you to her mom and dad how she just loved the Dolphins.

The gift shop had a good assortment of gifts to purchase. I recommend , and being prior service US Army great relaxing time . God bless you guys and all the great work your doing to preserve nature and its habits.

Hidden Gem! Felt very special and VIP!
I will come back again!
Everyone was nice and friendly! Dolphins really very smart!

It was wonderful to see the beautiful dolphins and to hear about how they help people with learning and physical disabilities.

Fantastic program! After each time we see changes in the behavior and condition of our son! Very friendly and highly professional team!

We had the chance to do yoga in the morning, while the dolphins were out for their free time. It was magical! The owners are passionate people who truly care about their ‘families’ wellbeing.

I went to the Island Dolphin Care for a tour. It was such a great and emotional experience. The tour guide, Sharon, was informative and personable. The trainers were so good with the dolphins and were so loving and entertaining. The dolphins were the stars of the show! I would highly recommend visiting this facility!

Such a fantastic experience playing with the dolphins and watching my child light up. This place is truly special and provides something for everyone. The staff is so friendly and informative and learning about how special dolphins are and the history of the facility was an experience we will never forget

‪Throughout my tour at Island Dolphin Care, not only was I able to look at dolphins, I learned about how amazing and beneficial this organization is. Although you won’t be able to physically interact with the dolphins, the idea of dolphin therapy that is promoted by this organization is genuinely inspiring, and the beautiful history behind Island Dolphin Care is amazing to hear about. Additionally, the tour guides are extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and great with small children. I highly recommend a visit. ‬

This review is penned by my ten year old daughter. “My time spent at Island Dolphin Care was an awesome, enriching experience. I have always had a passion for marine life, especially dolphins. All I had to do was spend half an hour with the beautiful creatures and knew at once that I had come to the right place. It is a wonderful non-profit organization with an amazing purpose, and I will always cherish the time spent interacting with the dolphins at IDC. Thank you Danielle, Jessica and especially Dalai for an incredible afternoon at Island Dolphin Care.”

Amazing organization! Thoroughly enjoyed the tour and watching the dolphins work their magic. I highly recommend a visit.

Had the opportunity to visit this wonderful facility, talk to the trainers and see the types of training the facility provides to special needs children and veterans with PTSD. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and truly love this organization. I was happy to have the opportunity to contribute to IDC.

Another wonderful experience for our family at IDC. Nothing better in the world for our family to forget about life's challenges and experience time in the water with the dolphins. Look forward to coming back.

Highly recommend visiting this non-profit if you’re ever in Key Largo. You’ll see some neat dolphin behavior, but it’s all about the therapy they do - mostly with special needs children. Very knowledgeable staff that spent a lot of one-on-one time with us. Sharon was a great guide, and even the founder (Deena) spent time with us.

What an amazing experience! So Friendly and passionate!

I am currently fighting cancer for the second time and this was just completely awesome experience to let my guard down and focus on healing.

Thanks team!

Island Dolphin Care was so much fun to visit. It’s s great concept and their therapy is very effective.

My family had some time to kill before we had to leave for the airport and we stumbled upon Island Dolphin Care. They were wonderful with our young daughter and the tour was very interesting. Also learning about all the great programs they have for special needs children and veterans was very great! Thanks again loved seeing the dolphins!

We didn't realize we needed reservations for the tour, but Danielle was kind enough to let us go outside to observe the dolphins from the balcony. Our experience confirmed to us that this is a valuable organization and we'll definitely make plans to come back again for the full tour. This time we'll make reservations!

We had an unforgettable time in Key Largo MileMarker 100 Oceanside in a very well organized loving environment with trained Dolphins that exceeded our dreams !

We saw a group of autistic children in the water with the dolphins. You could tell that they were having a wonderful time.
Danielle gave us a tour. And she was a very friendly helpful informative Guide

Despite challenging weather conditions, we had a very positive experience learning about the dolphins and interacting with them up close.

The staff and owners always go out of their way to make our visit wonderful! They are all very nice and patient. We have been there several times and have always had the best experience, the dolphins are so smart, gentle and extremely well taken care of.
This is my daughters favorite place and I am so thankful for all the smiles and fun she has every time she visits, I can't say enough good things about IDC

We spent a long weekend down in Key Largo, and my daughter (12) didn't want to go out on the boat fishing with the guys, so found this place online. It was easy to schedule, the staff are amazing and the experience is not the commercial cookie cutter experience I have seen in the past.

Wow. What wonderful vibe!! We were truly blessed to have met all the wonderful staff in this little piece of paradise in the Florida Keys!! It was incredible how happy my kids were during the whole program. Their smiles were ear to ear and still are several weeks after the fact!! It’s like these animals teleport you to a happy place where nothing else matters. From the owner to the therapists to the dolphin trainers and interns, I cannot stop applauding this beautiful production that they’ve put together!!

This was the most fulfilling tour I have ever experienced!!! A must see when in Key Largo. It has touched my heart and perspective on the powerful impact these amazing dolphins have on individuals with special needs. I am spreading the word on the life changing work done in this amazing facility.

What a great experience for a family of all ages! We learned so much in a fun and informative way. I highly recommend taking the full interactive tour.

Great place to tour. Our tour guide Madison was terrific. She explained to us all the great things they do there. Highly recommended

The tour was personal and reasonably priced compared to other dolphin experiences. While interacting with the dolphins is not included, we got to see them up close and observe them working with some clients who were obviously benefiting from their therapy with them. The director, who led our tour, was happy to answer all of our questions and was clearly passionate about helping people and taking the best care of the dolphins. What a great program!

We love all of the wonderful people and dolphins at IDC. The staff is knowledgeable and generous with their time and care. Spending time with them and the dolphins is truly healing.

I couldn’t possibly say enough good things about Island Dolphin Care. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, and it’s very clear the animals are incredibly loved and well taken care of. We weren’t sure how our special needs son would respond, but thanks to the staffs willingness to be flexible, we all had an amazing time. We can’t wait to visit again!

I do not go to dolphin shows, etc.

My daughter wants to work with dolphins and we snorkel with them in the wild etc. So, when I saw the word Dolphin “Care” in the title, I wanted to see if it was a rehab.

It turned into something similar, yet different. It is a worth little stop just for the learning center and information, but there is so much more going on.

They are a fantastic group of genuine people that pull you in, and make you want to spread the word about helping people with PTSD, autism, traumatic brain injury etc.

The dolphins will live out their future life and the program will phase into something else. They got started many years ago.

The water the dolphins live in is from the ocean just outside the Penny Camp reefs. They only allow interaction from non therapeutic visitors to help pay for the scholarships of those needing therapy.

We had a wonderful tour of Island Dolphin Care! Our 13 and 10 year old loved it and the staff were very friendly and answered all of our questions. Highly recommend!

We had such a fun time learning about this beautiful organization & seeing their dolphins up close! Our 2,5, & 7 year old loved it & the touch tank as well!

Island Dolphin Care is a wonderful facility and we had an unforgettable time! I’m a huge advocate for animals and this place is 100% focused on the welfare of the dolphins. The interactions are never forced. The dolphins always make the choice when it comes to contact. We lucked out because they really gave us a lot of attention and were eager to play!

Their main focus is provide therapy for handicapped children and veterans which is commendable. And it is apparent that each staff member has a deep love for the dolphins they care for and the population they serve. I honestly can’t say enough good things about our visit. Thank you for a wonderful experience! :)

I went to Island Dolphin Care to participate in their Veterans' program. My review is based on my experience during that time, not as someone who took a tour or participated in another experience the center offers.

First and foremost, the mission of this organization makes it worthy of a visit. They strive to improve the lives of those suffering from disabilities and maintaining a high quality of life for their dolphins. Every staff member I encountered was friendly and helpful.

The Veterans' program consisted of two components- classroom and dolphin swim. My only disappointment was the classroom time. Since it is a therapeutic program, I thought this time would been more like therapy (i.e. ways to cope, mindfulness)... but it was more arts and crafts while generally talking. When things were discussed related to issues as a disabled veteran, it was if I offered up the information. I understand these are sensitive topics, my expectation was just a therapy component where you typically do discuss these things. This is my ONLY criticism and my advice to IDC would be to revamp the classroom time for veterans.

I was fortunate to work with the same dolphin 4 of my 5 days- Fiji. This was the most rewarding part of the program for me. Fiji really seemed to be in tune with my feelings and interacting with him, all the problems of the day just melted away. I feel very fortunate I was able to work with him almost the entire time. The time interacting with Fiji was definitely the most beneficial to me.

The staff is just AMAZING. On the last day, there was a group swim and I didn't realize how many people would be there. Mallory, Monique, and Phillip were very accommodating to ensure I was able to participate whilst reducing my anxiety about larger groups. Unfortunately I cannot remember the name of the trainer who worked with Fiji and I most... but she was awesome in answering questions and making it an educational experience in addition to a therapeutic one!

Overall, I would recommend the program as well as the facility as a whole. I plan to return for their other open to the public programs because I enjoyed the atmosphere, dolphins, and staff so much. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Fantastic tour! My husband and I learned all about the care, training, etc. of this facility. You can tell the employees and volunteers are so passionate about the dolphins and wanting to maintain a healthy, safe, fun environment for them.

My granddaughter and I had a very nice tour of the facility and were impressed with all they do. The hurricane caused some damage that is still in the process of being repaired but the dolphins are safe and healthy and the mission of helping folks is continuing. If you get some free time, please take a look.

My mother, grandmother and I were referred to Dolphin Island Care by our AirBNB host and it did not disappoint. From the moment we walked in we were greeted by friendly staff and volunteers, who were knowledge, polite and positive. We booked a tour and were blown away by not only the information we learned but the staff's willingness to interact with us and allow us to interact with the dolphins. I was able to donate a little more for an up close tour with the dolphins where they showed off their many tricks! Not only did we have a great time but we donated to a great cause! Thank you Dolphin Island Care!

As always, we had the most amazing experience. The staff was helpful, and extremely knowledgable. We got to hear an amazing story about a groundbreaking operation performed on one of the dolphins.

This tour is about the very special story of a boy, Joe, who overcame physical limitations from a serious heart condition, thanks to his special relationship with a dolphin. Then his family started this wonderful non-profit facility to provide therapeutic treatments with Dolphins. The visit is about that special story and the wonderful things taking place at this center. Very informative visit, and for us it was a new way to look at dolphins and learn about them.

I had never been close to dolphins before and it was definitely a bucket list wish. I have MS and knew that actually swimming with dolphins was something I was not physically strong enough to handle. The trainers at Island Dolphin Care created a perfect session that enabled me to get close and personal without fear.

I felt a special connection to the momma dolphin too and could have spent the whole day with her too! I came away with more confidence in my abilities.

What an amazing organization. I admire their mission and expertise. I highly recommend this to anyone but especially those with physical limitations.

If you want a “dolphin experience” this is the place - but it’s so much more than that. The dolphins are awesome though - Tashi and Grace were my favorites and I could write another paragraph on each of them and on my dolphin swim. It’s an amazing “family” – of people and dolphins. Everybody was great – the people really do make the biggest difference. They all took the time to explain what was happening and answer all my questions. I went in knowing a little but came out learning a lot – about the dolphins, their lives and their care (they’re pickier about what the dolphins eat than some parents are about what their kids eat 😊), and especially about the therapy IDC provides for families with special needs children (from all over the world) and for veterans, and, of course, IDC’s history – why it is such a special place.

I took the tour Tuesday morning (the dolphins seemed as interested in us as we were in them) and then did the “Ambassador Program” on Thursday during which I was lucky enough to share part of my experience with a junior-high class. Seeing their smiles and joy at being up-close and personal with a dolphin for the first time and their giggles (at the “fart sound” vocalization the dolphins make when you press their melon) made my experience even more memorable.

But there were so many smiles that day that I didn’t really appreciate, until I was speaking with one of the therapists afterwards, the one that may have meant the most - from a small boy who was there with his family.

IDC is a small nonprofit organization and our contributions really do count - so be an “Ambassador.” Go and, like me, you’ll leave saying: “I’ll be back.” 😊
Mike K.

My husband and I were there last week and absolutely loved it- we were able to watch the dolphins interacting with the special needs children- very heartwarming- our guide was great, as were the staff who worked there with the children and the dolphins- what a great facility - will definitely return there when we visit Key Largo- Romeo and Kathy 😎🌴

We took the tour of the facility and it was the highlight of our keys trip. What they do is phenomenal and it made us leave with so much gratitude. Their story is so touching. Our tour guide Missy was so informative, we learned so much about the dolphins and what they do. You are up close with the dolphins, even without an interactive tour. It was just us 2 and another family of 3, so very personal. They treat their dolphins like family. I highly recommend taking this tour and supporting their cause.

Island dolphin care is a dolphin-assistir therapy facility that does a beautiful job for people with special needs and veterans. The dolphins are very well taken care in a natural environment. They provide tours for tourists that explain their beautiful story, educate about dolphins and their therapy service. Definitely a great opportunity to learn more and enjoy nature and its wonders.

We have brought our two children with us on the tour and it was very boring for them. There were other families with children who left early as well. What the center does is important but the tour could be a bit better. You mostly hear the guide talking about his life experience.

I was on a trip in the Florida Keys with visitors from Spain, Colombia as well as my wife and two children. We came across Island Dolphin Care. What an amazing place! And the people who own and operate it;wow. This lady named Deena Hoagland and her family are fantastic. They truly care about the dolphins as well as the people they serve with all types of needs. The place is educational, beautiful and fun. If you’re in Key Largo, or are going there, do not miss this place.

It's pretty amazing when an activity/attraction has 94% 5-star reviews, but no surprise here. Would echo all the other positive reviews. Wonderful facility, warm welcoming staff, and the dolphins were a big kick. JoAnn was our guide, and she was fantastic -- knowledgeable, personable, never made us feel rushed. Would recommend without reservation.

Advance reservation required!
I can't say enough about the facilities and awesome work this non-profit is doing for kids, adults with physical/emotional challenges. Also a program for Veterans. Please check out the website! They also have a great intern program. I will definitely follow the site and visit again. Read the book "Breaths Than Count". Great read about the Real Story of how the movement began. Thanks to our volunteer/guide.

Unique experience with dolphins supervised by super animators.
We first had an explanation of the origin of the centre and its objectives. Then head to the pools for the encounter with dolphins.

I wanted my kids to be able to see some dolphins on their trip to Florida. We did so many other activities this was put off until our way home. We decided to stop in and tour. This place does wonderful things for some many people in need of support. Our tour lasted about 35-40 minutes. Our guide was great! He was friendly and very knowledgeable. He definitely loves his job. There was a petting tank for marine life. My kids got to touch a starfish and a couple other sea-life animals. Then we got to see the dolphins up close. We didn't get in interact with them because we couldn't stay long enough to do that portion, but we saw the trainers working with them and even giving one eye drops and breathing treatments to clean them healthy. I would recommend this to anyone who cares about marine life or needs the support of dolphins friends.

This experience was wonderful! The team was amazing! Very informative. We decided to meet the dolphins and I’m so happy we did! Great experience all around.

We just visited the Island Dolphin Care for a tour, the staff was so helpful and nice, big recommendation! We saw the dolphins being fed and cared for :) The place has a really special spirit about it. If you ever have a chance to go and support this amazing place, don’t miss it!

Best adventure in our vacation, heartwarming and very impressive what people do with the dolphins there. We had the honour of beeing part of a meet and greet with five of those wonderful animals who attracted us with their sensitivity and empathy. One of the best experiences in my life and worth every single penny 😘

It’s a must stop if you’re in Key Largo! We were a little unsure of what to expect and were worried the adults wouldn’t enjoy it. We were very pleasantly surprised! Awesome place! Awesome mission! Awesome tour! We had 7 adults and 2 children (aged 4 and 5). Everyone enjoyed learning about the dolphins and how therapy is provided. We were able to watch therapy sessions and it was very moving seeing the clients interact with the dolphins. You get to see the dolphins up close and personal! Definitely worth the price!

I read about IDC on TripAdvisor and got interested in the work they are doing. We (my mom and I) drove by on our way from Key West to the mainland. We stopped at the ICD and they welcomed us with open arms. We were the only visitors at the time but that wasn’t a problem at all. We had the privilege to be guided around by Peter who started the ICD with this family. He told us a lot of beautiful and touching stories which make clear that the ICD is a magical place for a lot of families.

Seeing the dolphins was great. But that’s not what the visit is about. We’re very happy and thankful to have been introduced in the great job the care center is doing. Keep up the good work!

This tour was so refreshing— I left feeling like the animals were happy unlike so many other dolphin themed venues. They are so well taken care of and the therapy done here is jaw dropping. Such an amazing cause and fun tour! My 3.5 year old loved it and so did I! It’s a must to check out!

The staff are all very committed to the mission of Island Dolphin Care. I wish someone fed me as good as those dolphins. They do groundbreaking work with dolphin therapy and have helped one of my friends immensely.

Very professional and the dolphins are well taken care of. The staff does a tremendous job educating the public.

I loved this place so much kids would have so much fun to watch it was so much fun we stayed for about 3 hours just watching the dolphins best place ever should be #1 on TripAdvisor

It a great place supper friendly they do great thing for disabled people and vets
Thank you for a great experiences

This is a great place to visit. Very knowledgeable staff. They answered all questions and explained what was being done by the dolphin trainers. They do great work with children and veterans.

My visit was so lovely. The staff are all so kind, warm and informative. Then there are the beautiful dolphin! I cannot wait to return.

We called beforehand and were giving information by a lovely lady named Wendy. She was thoughtful and patient as well as enthusiastic. We went for the informative tour. About how this not for profit organisation started, what their goals are, how they take care of their dolphins, the clients and their families. We saw the dolphins up close as well as a therapy session in the water. It was very interesting to see how the dolphins motivate clients with mental health problem, and/or cognitive and/or physical disabilities. We saw how it affected the whole family including other siblings. It was wonderful to see.

What I most appreciated was our tour guide's explanation of the brave and persistent dedication by Joe's mother and Joe himself to establish IDC. Our guide also stressed and the extent to which the dolphins' innate behaviors and skills are RESPECTED! Three cheers!! Five stars!! Support IDC generously. Same for Equine Therapy where-ever it is available.

Thank you to Nicole and all the wonderful team at Island Dolphin Care. We got to watch an interaction with the dolphins, training behaviors and getting weights. The facility is very versatile with touch pools, classrooms, and many fish tanks.

The program they have for the public is amazing, and provides a service that is unequivocal to anywhere else.

Those that want to be in the industry should want to work here. Those that want to experience the healing therapy that these animals can offer, should want to be here.

As I was suddenly traveling solo, I was looking for comfortable and affordable things to do. I'm not sure how I feel about swimming with dolphins and find it ridiculously expensive, but I stumbled upon this organization and tour. I called ahead and when I arrived, Melanie, a volunteer was waiting for me to show me around. She told me the story of the organization, told me all about the different dolphins and the therapies and showed me the touch tank with cool sea creatures. She was super nice, as was Eva who helped me with my travel plans.

Also I got to see a short training session with the dolphins which was super cool. Only thing that would make it more amazing would be if you could touch the dolphins but I understand why they don't let you there.

So if you want to learn about dolphins, see them up close (and actually interact because they are super curious and come check you out) but not pay a crazy amount of money, definitely go here! Also you will thereby sponsor them which is good :)

We were surprising our kids with a trip to meet the dolphins. They loved it and learned a lot. Mostly, we like making a contribution to a good cause. Happy kids are a bonus! Thanks to the staff for a special memory

We love Island Dolphin Care and it's such a special place! We visit each year from the UK and we're made very welcome.
Highly recommend it, and the children and young adults really benefit from the whole rehab.

Loved our tour at IDC. The staff was so welcoming, and we adored seeing all of the dolphins. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered any question we had. This is a great way to support an amazing local nonprofit.

My family and I have been coming down to the Florida Keys for the past 15 summers. This last time, we stayed at the Kawama Yatch Club which is walking distance to the Island Dolphin Care. We decided to visit the place since it was so close. We had no idea what it was all about. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised. I honestly got a little teary eye at the beauty of the dophins and seeing them interact with special needs kids. The staff was very kind and friendly. The $15 charge was so worth it! The tour only took 1 hour which is all you will need. Looking forward to bringing my Autistic niece to play with dolphins. We all fell in love with this place.

The most magical place. The staff are some of the kindest most genuine individuals you could wish to meet. The dolphins are so well cared for and loved.

An inspirational, one of a kind place!
A must visit when in Key Largo

Island Dolphin Care is an amazing Key Largo experience - a must do! The staff is awesome, the tour is informative, and the experience of interacting with the joyful dolphins is exceptional. The entire team is patient, and it is evident that each animal is an equal member of the family. A 10/10, must see in Key Largo!

They do great job helping special kids and veterans from all over the world. Visiting to say hi, watch they awesome work and leaving donation is always a great idea. It's not about swimming with "cute" animals, it's all about how people and animals can help each other.

As a non-profit that provides dolphin experiences for people with disabilities as well as fulfilling dreams through the Make A Wish foundation, this center was truly inspirational.
We were there on a weekend, so we were not there when clients were there, but on the tour you get to hear about how the place was started, watch the dolphins as they go through training, feeding, and get medical care. We got to speak with some of the trainers and ask questions and the volunteer tour guides were very knowledgeable and could answer almost all of our questions. There's also a "touch tank" outside with lots of little creatures to hold. Overall a great experience and the $18 admission is well worth it. (you might even want to donate more once you learn about the wonderful services they provide)

This place is amazing!! My family was so impressed and we cannot wait to go back! They have adapted well to the COVID safety measures and the staff was very accommodating. We were thrilled to see and play with the dolphins and can tell they are well taken care of and happy!

This is such a worthy cause. Everyone should go and check it out to see the good work they do. I enjoyed it tremendously.

IDC was an amazing place. I brought my 17 yr old daughter here who has cerebral palsy. She had a great time and was so happy being in the water with the dolphins. She also had a great time during classroom time. It was such a wonderful experience. One we will never forget! The owners, the entire staff and the interns made us feel like we were family. We will be coming back in a few years!!!

We had such an amazing experience at Island Dolphin Care. We learned so much about the organization and the community it helps. They are open for tours during certain days/times and the dolphin experience is like no other that we have ever seen.

The tour of the facility and the team led training/education program is something everyone will enjoy. You leave with a better understanding of dolphins, the way they learn and interact with people along with how dolphins help people with rehabilitation therapy.

Meeting the dolphins up close, in small groups, gives everyone a chance to connect directly with the dolphins. Each person in your group will end up loving different dolphins and there might be heated discussions as to why your dolphin is better than other dolphins. I loved Tashi and Grace and Sarah were a close second and third. Others in our group loved Fiji and Squirt but Tashi has them beat (just don’t tell the other dolphins I said that).

Trust me, make Island Dolphin Care your next to-do in Miami. You won’t regret it.

I visited IDC for a tour this past week. Joe was my tour guide and gave me a detailed and in-depth tour of the facilities. Everyone we encountered was very friendly and welcoming, from the husband and wife team that run IDC to all of the trainers and therapists... and of course the Dolphins themselves! This is a very special place that is truly changing people's lives and it is clear that everyone working there believes in the mission and finds meaning in the work they are doing. A tour of IDC would be well worth your time to see and learn about their 8 beautiful dolphins and the great work they and the humans of this facility are doing to help some of those who are in the greatest need.

I was a bit leery taking this tour, as the facility is quite small and, well, I was just worried it wasn't as advertised. Happy to say I WAS SO WRONG. Yes, the facility is small, but the work they do here is HUGE. Incredible to see the therapy in action during our tour. Beautiful on so many levels. Also, IF YOU CAN TAKE THE YOGA CLASS DO IT. It was an actual class (not just a "for show" class) and it was incredible to do it with the dolphins hanging around the dock/lift. There were also training sessions during this time that were so fun to watch as you are doing yoga.

What an amazing experience we had on the float with the dolphins. Our daughter is terminally ill and we booked a special time for her. It was wonderful! The staff is so knowledgeable and unbelievably compassionate. We were overwhelmed with their kindness and our experience with the dolphins. HIGHLY RECOMMEND AN EXPERIENCE HERE.

We had such a wonderful tour at Island Dolphin Care! It is such a special place and so worth the time to tour and learn more.

The staff was super friendly and very knowledgeable. We paid the extra for the dockside experience to meet the dolphins up close and personal. It was an excellent experience. A bucket list item for sure!

My mom was visiting for the holidays and she wanted to experience meeting dolphins during her visit. We looked at TripAdvisor and saw that IDC was very highly rated. We drove to Key Largo from Miami to do a guided tour of IDC. The owner’s son, Joe, told us the history of how this non-profit organization was started and how the facility allows special needs children, and even military members, to interact with the dolphins. We then met Shane, one of the staff members who oversees the dolphin care at the facility. He took my mom and I to the waters edge to meet Lotus. He provided some extremely interesting facts about dolphins and even let us give Lotus a kiss and handshake. We ended our dolphin experience using hand signals to Lotus for her to do a few tricks. The tour was wonderful and we were not rushed at all. Make sure to visit the gift shop for some really unique gifts!

I visited IDC with my 4 year old son, who is diagnosed with ASD.

We had Danielle as our guide, and Luke was on hand to guide us and support us. I just want to start by saying thank you. Thank you for being so understanding with my son and taking the time to help him feel at ease and not rushed. This was our main worry as he struggles with transitioning from task to task.

Before we arrived from the UK, I spoke with Missy on the phone. She asked about my sons needs and how they would help.

When we arrived, they had a screen on the wall with a welcome sign and plenty of sensory activities to do and lots of information about the dolphins. Danielle was running behind, but she was apologetic and told us we could watch from the balcony.

Our whole experience with the dolphins was absolutely breathtaking. I am usually very against animals being kept in tanks, but these babies have been rescued and are so so loved. Their enclosure is huge.. and they are extremely happy, which is what matters most.
We did our swim with Sarah and Grace, and I have fallen in love with these 2 girls. They were so friendly, gentle, and beautiful souls. Grace was so vocal and happy. Sarah was super cuddly. What I loved was that they did not demand nor pressure the dolphins to do anything they did not want to do, and they did not force too much on them! The welfare of these dolphins is paramount from the beginning, and I love that so much.

Thank you for everything. We still have the leaf and sea grass from Sarah and Grace and will treasure these gifts forever. 🥺❤️ we can't wait to see the photos!!!!

The work that they do with people with special needs is 2nd to none. I was there with a family member who was doing a swim. My wife and I got to swim as well. Just an all around AMAZING experience.

My daughter and I shared a dockside experience. It was just magical. One of the veterinarians was our dockside guide and really took time to answer all of our questions. I love the mission of this group, helping those who are differently abled and their families as well as educating others about these beautiful mammals.

This was an amazing experience! We stumbled upon this special place and the team was kind enough to fit in a tour for us with no reservation. We were blown away by the dolphins, the loving atmosphere, how close we could get to them, their tricks, seeing each one’s personality…and of course our wonderful tour guide Alyssa. Good luck with your training journey with the puffer fish, Alyssa! Thank you so much for spending so much time with us today!