Crab Island in Destin is the Ultimate vacation rental experience. There are so many things to do at Crab Island or around Crab Island you don't want to miss the full experience.
Let's discuss some of the Do's and Don'ts of Crab Island.
1. DO NOT GO ON A SLOW BOAT- There is too much to see and do at Crab Island to just go 10 mph out to Crab Island and back. There are tons of things to see and do and a 50 mph pontoon rental boat is just too slow to see everything there is to see. Let's review some of the fun things around the Crab Island area that are worth seeing.
a. DESTIN HARBOR- The Destin Harbor is the ultimate in cool. There are tons of
good restaurants like Dewey Destin's, AJ's, Harbor Docks, Margaritaville, etc. In
addition, there are tons of really cool shops, kiosks with cool beach gear, a climbing
wall, etc. If you rent a pontoon boat for 6 hours instead of 4, you can enjoy some of
these amenities.
b. HOLIDAY ISLE- Holiday Isle is tucked just south of the Destin Harbor. There are
beautiful homes and boats in fabulous canals. It's worth an hour of your time
cruising through the canals on your pontoon boat.
c. LULU's RESTAURANT- There is nothing like approaching LULU's restaurant by
boat. You can drop anchor and chill for awhile at the bar or inside with the fam.
Food is good, but atmosphere is fabulous. The kids can play outside on the beach,
while the family rests from the sun inside or outside on the patio. Lulu's is owned
by Jimmy Buffett's sister.
d. BAYOU'S- There are tons of Bayou's within just a couple miles of Crab Island
where you can see the back side of some marvelous homes. Joe's Bayou is one of
those places. It's just North east of Crab Island about 1/2 mile.
e. JUST SOUTH OF BRIDGE- If you are a family and want to get away from the
chaos, just north of the bridge on the west side is a great place to drop anchor and
play. The water is beautiful and the beach is fun.
f. DEWEY DESTIN'S- There are all types of fun places to eat in the Destin area, but
Dewey Destin's at Crab Island is epic. It's a hole in the wall restaurant with a dock
facing Crab Island. The views are Epic and the food is great.
Please note: 30a Pontoon Rental offers 150, 200 and 350 hp tritoons instead of 50 hp pontoons. This gives you an opportunity to explore more.
2. RENT FOR 6 or 9 HOURS INSTEAD OF 4 and 8. Let's face it. There is regular time, and water time. Water time goes by way faster. A 4 hour trip on the water just isn't enough. Most true boaters stay out for 6-9 hours. Like we mentioned above, there is just too much to do to go 4 hours. 30a Pontoon Rental offers 6 and 9 hours instead of the typical 4 and 8 hour trips.
3. GO TUBING- Very few boats are fast enough to pull a tube. However, you don't want to miss out on other fun the water has to offer. 30a Pontoon Rental offers 150 and 200 hp tritoons where you can pull a tube. We offer 2 person tubes.
4. FLOATING PADS- Don't even bother going to Crab Island without a floating pad. A floating pad is a great way to relax, have fun, etc. Kids love it! They can play king of the mountain. Bachelorettes love it because you can get the entire party on a float. A floating pad allows you to be in the water, but also relax in the sun. TOTAL MUST!
5. YOLO BOARDS- The water is so clear at Crab Island that paddling around is a blast. You can test your balancing skills while at the same time enjoying seeing fun fish and crabs under the water. Ya never know, maybe a dolphin will swim by.
6. DOUBLE DECKERS WITH SLIDES- This is also an absolute must. Kids love it. Teens love it. Bachelorette parties love it... and yes, even 50 and 60 year old's love it. Yes, we've had all ages love sliding down the double decker with slide. Plus, the double decker pontoons with slides have plenty of sun coverage. Make sure to go down slides with feet first and land on your bottom.
7. GO BIG- There are tons of different style pontoon rental boats. However, most folks offer 23 foot, 12 passenger pontoon rental boats. In the pontoon world 12 passenger means 12 / 150 lb people. If you have more than 10 adults on a typical pontoon rental, it's NOT big enough. Make sure to get at least a 28 foot pontoon boat. 30a Pontoon Rental offers 28 foot single decker and double decker pontoons with slides. Our boats are registered as 14 and 18 passenger boats, but coastguard only allows 12. This just gives you way more room to relax, have fun, etc. Plus, a bigger pontoon boat is smoother.
8. TRITOONS INSTEAD OF PONTOONS- Why is this a big deal. A tritoon is a smoother, and even faster boat. If you have anyone that doesn't like motion sickness, a tritoon will be a smoother ride.
Now for some other simple DO'S AND DON'TS
9. BRING SNACKS- Even though there are plenty of places to get snacks or food, it can be expensive to eat at Crab Island. There is something about being hungry on the water. Make sure to bring plenty of grub.
10. BRING LOTS OF WATER- Obviously many people like to drink alcohol while out on the water. First, make sure you don't drink and drive. We strongly suggest water between any other drink. As long as you have at least one full water between each beer, glass of wine, etc. you will feel much better and have much less chance of injury or accident. We even suggest water between sodas. Sometimes people aren't used to drinking 4-5 sugar sodas a day. Mixing water between sodas can be a huge help.
11. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER DIVE- Even if you are a shallow water diver, the water is unpredictable, and the depth is hard to determine. You are almost guaranteed an injury if you dive.
12. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER jump off the top deck of a double decker with slide. Wow! We can almost promise a broken ankle or something worse when jumping off the top. The water is just too shallow to jump off a top deck of a double decker pontoon rental.
13. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER walk on the seats or walls of a pontoon rental. Boat rental companies see tons of accidents because people aren't careful. Seats and ledges of pontoons are crazy slippery and will dramatically increase your chances of getting hurt. You wouldn't think it was dangerous, but it is. Plus, you risk damaging the boat and paying dearly.
14. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER- DRINK AND DRIVE- First, it's a matter of safety. The U. S. COAST GUARD boards about every 10 boats. If you are caught drinking and driving it's a large fine. Not worth it. Find a designated driver or hire one.
15. FAMILIES- We strongly recommend families with small children leaving Crab Island around 4:00. Crab Island is much like a restaurant that turns into a bar. The longer guests stay out, the less safe it is. Plus, the current changes around 3:30 making the waters more challening.
16. NEVER PARK CLOSE TO ANOTHER PONTOON- People don't realize how quickly weather can change or how bad the driver is close to you. Most of the boats are Crab Island are NOT anchored appropriately. Make sure to stay at least 75 feet from another boat. We hear stories of people paying $1000's of dollars damage because they parked too close. It's not worth it.
17. THIS SOUNDS OBVIOUS, BUT SUNBLOCK- Make sure to bring it. Not just bring it, but make sure to make several applications. If not, bring a hat, long sleeve shirt, etc.
18. BUDDY SYSTEM- Never swim alone. The current can get heavy after 3:30-5:00 and it can easily sweep people out to deeper waters. Make sure to swim with someone close by.
19. LIFE JACKETS- Make sure kids or low to average swimmers have life jackets. Again, the current can be challenging at certain times or if a storm comes in. Better to be safe than sorry.
20. TIP YOUR CAPTAINS, DECKHANDS, FOOD BOAT PEOPLE, etc. - This is a comment more for workers, but many of these people live off tips. Make sure to bring plenty cash to tip these folks. They really appreciate it. Yes, it seems like easy work floating around at Crab Island, but the days can be hot and tiring. A good tip is a huge blessing. Plus, many of these deckhands spend hours cleaning up these boats after each use.
22. LEAVE BEFORE SUNSET- It's always better to get out of Crab Island before sunset. Boats don't really have lights and the lights on the shoreline don't help much. There are things in the water you may or may not see. It's always better to come back before dark. Most boat rental companies require guests to be back before sunset. Don't push it.
23. STORMS- If you see a storm approaching and it's a long way off, it's better to pull up anchor and get out of harms way. However, if the storm shows up abruptly and there is not enough time to get out of the middle of Crab Island, make sure to secure the anchor and ride the storm out. It's usually the safer option. If you try to pull up anchor in the middle of a storm, you risk the potential for major accidents.
24. GLASS- We strongly recommend no glass. A busted bottle is hard to clean up on a boat. Plus, you don't want to have glass on the bottom of the water at Crab Island.
25. GET A CAPTAIN- You don't necessarily need a captain, but a captain will do one of a few things for you. First, they can get you there safely. Second, you don't have to stress about damaging a boat. Third, they know the fun places to go and great things to see.
There are so many other important things to know about Crab Island in Destin, but these are the basics. Make sure to visit www.30apontoon.com. We offer Yacht Charters, 150, 200, and 300 hp tritoons, fishing charters, etc.