Rudee Tours

My husband and I had a great time on the whale watching cruise the weekend of our 25^th Wedding Anniversary (Feb 6^th). We both love the ocean and were thrilled to learn how much the company does to work with whale researchers to spot & help track whales (through photography & data they gather on the cruises) in an effort to protect them. We saw 2 whales and just had a wonderful day. It was freezing so dress very warmly!!! :-D

Went on the 4 hour fishing expedition today. When we got underway they drove the boat 40 minutes across the bay. When we got to a spot we only caught small fish that were not legal to keep which I didn’t plan on keeping any anyhow but I could go to any lake and catch sunfish. They offered no paper towels onboard so bring your own to wipe your hands on. We moved to 4 different spots and the captain could not keep the boat still so many snags with other fishermen ensued. We did catch alot of fish however nothing bigger than 10 inches. The boat ride back was 40 minutes so all together the 4 hour trip really resulted in about an hour and a half of fishing… They could’ve fished right out of the inlet and we would’ve had more time fishing and the long trip to the fishing holes did not yield anything substantial. The crew after we got underway walked around with a tip jar which may I add is very tacky. Put a sign up that says «gratuity is appreciated but not expected» the captain said the deck hands work solely on tips… I really don’t believe that.

We did the rudee rocket ride that they say is a very fast. I was expecting a really fast ride that my kids would think was fun. It was not that fast. It was a very pleasant ride and we saw a lot of dolphins. My kids 8 and 10 were kind of bored but it was a nice breeze on a hot day and very nice. We got there for the 10 am ride so it was only $ 58 for the 4 of us for the hour.

Outstanding.
This was such a good time. We saw more dolphins than we could count. It was worth the money for the 90 minute cruise.
The captain is very punctual. If it says it leaves at 11 then it leaves at 11, not 11:02. If your not on-​board then your not going. I would recommend that you get there 45 minutes before your cruise. You pay at the yellow building, not at the ship. Then line up as close as the boat is docked. This will allow you to get your pick of seats. This is important.
I recommend that you sit on the first level on the starboard (right) side of the boat. Main level for two reasons: 1) You have shade and it is much cooler in the summer. 2) You will get a more up close view of the Dolphins. Starboard side seems to get the most dolphins on. You will have the beach on the port side on the way out and the open Ocean on the starboard side.
The crew is very friendly and the tour guide is very knowledgeable and interesting. The captain is excellent and gets the ship as close to the Dolphins as he can. He goes fast when appropriate to get the Dolphins to ride the waves along the boat.
This is a must do when in Virginia Beach.

We had a little trouble finding the place. The place to get tickets is in the yellow building in the first parking lot on the left. I know it is the one that says «dolphin tours», but I was looking for a big «Rudee Tours» sign…
The tour was a lot of fun. We saw lots of dolphins and some were riding waves on our return trip. We got some fun and educational information about the dolphins and Virginia Beach during the tour.
The ship rocked quite a bit, especially when it stopped. (Be aware if you have motion sickness).

My family & I had a great time on the Rocket for this past Father’s Day. I’ve always seen it go by when I’m on the beach, but had never looked into it until I wanted to something different for my Dad this year.
Living in a vacation town, I expected the prices to be higher than what it was worth, but I was pleasantly surprised & thought the price was very reasonable. $ 88 for 4 adults for our 12pm cruise. Yay!
We arrived a ½ hour early because it’s first come first serve. Our boat wasn’t sold out though. It’s free parking if you’re doing any of the tours as well which is nice. We boarded at 11:30 & took off at 12pm. They play fun music while you’re on board & seeing the oceanfront skyline was a cool experience! I’ve lived here my whole life & have never seen it from that far out in the ocean.
I thought we may see a few Dolphins, but I was shocked to see as many as we did! Once we got down to the end by Cape Henry the boat came to a stop & we were able to see at least 20 dolphins swimming around. The guide said it was good a time of the year for it.
My family & I had a blast & we’re planning on bringing my out of town wedding guests when they arrive in a few months.
A great way to see Virginia Beach!

This was on my list of things to do on my birthday and I’m so glad that we were finally able to experience this exhilarating boat ride.
We encountered some blunders getting started. On the website, it says that they have 10 a.m. rides and that you can get $ 5.00 off for coming early. We arrived at 10 a.m. on June 7^th (as indicated on their website — photo provided) and was told that they no longer are doing the 10 am rides due to low sales at that time. The parking attendant explained this to us. She also said that we should come back at 11:30 a.m. for the 12 noon ride. So, as she suggested, we decided to go out for breakfast and return at 11:30 a.m. When we returned from breakfast at 11:30 a.m., the parking attendant gave us a parking pass and we went to the booth. When we arrived at the booth to pay, we were told that they were not doing the 12 noon ride due to high winds. We were puzzled because it wasn’t windy but we assumed it must’ve been quite windy out on the water. Oh well, I was very disappointed and aggravated. We were about to walk away when I said to my boyfriend that we should ask if they are going out a later time. So, we went back to the booth and the lady said that they would try at 2 p.m. Okay, cool. No problem. It would’ve been great if she had said that before we walked away but no worries.
As we walked away, we noticed a Jet Ski Rental place next door, so we headed over there to kill some time before the boat ride.
When we returned at 1:30 p.m., we paid for our passes, took some photos and climbed aboard the boat. A photo was taken before we sat down. I noticed the boat was clean and thankfully, we were one of the first to arrive and were able to choose a seat close to the front (3^rd row).
When we pulled off, they played the them to Jaws. How awesome was that! The guide encouraged us to make lots of noise so that the captain could go faster. We all shouted and screamed when he pulled off. The loud music made it so much fun because it seemed as if everyone knew all the words and we all sang and danced in our seats. I’m not sure how fast the captain was going but he was hitting and jumping those waves and making jerks here and there that made the ride lots of fun. The dolphin watching took place near the Cape Henry lighthouse. We were able to see a pod of dolphins that appeared to surround the boat. After dolphin watching, we headed back towards the inlet. It was a beautiful, sunny day and lots of people were out on the beach. It was awesome to see all of the surfers, swimmers, fishermen, and sun bathers.
I had a fantastic time on the Rudee Rocket and I will certainly come back. However, before I come all the way to Rudee Inlet from Great Bridge, I will definitely call beforehand to check on the times. I’m hoping that the parking attendant was wrong about those 10 a.m. rides being no longer offered. $ 5 off is a big help to folks in groups. My boyfriend and I could save $ 20 with our 4 kids.

We went on the dolphin tour, it was fun! They take you out on the boat and you look for dolphins, we saw some right away! They are so amazing to watch, they were chasing our boat and playing :) The second half we didn’t see many dolphins but we saw lots the first half. Recommend!

Took the dolphins tour it was a amazing experience seen a lot of dolphins they were following the boat trying to keep up. The staff was extremely friendly had conversations with people and seemed as if the really loved their jobs but, then again I would love a amazing job like that myself. price is very affordable. there were a couple people that worked for tips I was unaware of that and never carry cash on hand so kinda felt really bad.

Really bummed. Not the crews fault, but we did not see any whales or dolphins on our trip yesterday. (Jan. 3). Soooo, no not every trip you see wildlife. The waves were pretty rough and a lot of people looked and got really sick. It was an uncomfortable situation. The ride lasted a little longer than normal because the captain was in search of whales and dolphins. So, thank you for that. Never been whale watching before. a let down for our first experience.
The photo they take before the your board the ship, they use as a souvenir. They print it out and sell for $ 10. Obviously want to make money so they won’t take a photo with your phone.
They had a full bar, snacks and restrooms abroad the boat.

We went out dolphin watching on the Rudee Flipper when we vacationed in Virginia Beach last month (Sept 2014). Our son had never gone out on a boat. Overall it was a fun experience. We were amazed at the number of dolphins we saw and the crew was knowledgable and friendly. I would have given them 5 stars but was really unimpressed with the fact that they allow smoking on the boat which was NOT disclosed anywhere on their website or brochures or we would not have gone. I have severe allergies and cigarette smoke really makes me ill (causes sinus issues that morph into a migraine) so I do my best to avoid situations where I know there will be cigarette smoke. To pay $ 21 a person to go out on a boat for an hour and a half and then have to breathe cigarette smoke was not cool at all. It was one guy doing all of the smoking and I think it’s ridiculous in this day and age where smoking is banned so many places that a business would allow smoking on a small boat crammed with people who all paid to be there and have no way to get away from the smoke. So, if you have issues with smoke I would recommend you skip the Rudee Tours. I enjoyed the trip but paid with a migraine from the smoke which was not how I wanted to spend my limited vacation time :-/.

I was a TAD underwhelmed by rudee rocket. The staff is very friendly, which was a plus. We went on the 12pm ride and the wait to board (they ask you to arrive 30 minutes early) was brutal in nearly 100 degree weather, there was very little shade on the dock. Once you start to board the boat they take a picture for you to purchase after the ride (it was only $ 8, why not). FYI, you’re allowed to bring your own drinks on the boat. There’s also a bathroom, I didn’t see anyone actually use it… but it’s there
You’re allowed to sit wherever you want, the front is apparently a smoother ride, but I didn’t feel that the back was rough at all. The boat is surprisingly really clean for going out 4 times a day. There are seat belts but there was never an announcement to actually use them.
Once the boat starts moving, the breeze was amazing, you move relatively fast, but I was expecting so much more speed from the «RUDEE ROCKET!!!» The ride was nice and I enjoyed the view.
Halfway through the ~1 hour ride, the boat slows down so you can see the dolphins, which is an amazing sight being so close to them. The captain of the ship gets the dolphins to trail the boat which is another amazing experience.
*I recommend sitting at the front or right of the ship to see the best view of the dolphins, or the back of the boat when they start to trail*
The host/​tour guide was really nice, but I could tell she was dreading trying to get a less than half full boat excited for the ride, I’m sure it’s better when there’s a full boat of enthusiastic people.
You really don’t get that wet at all (another disappointment). It’s literally a mist, and I was sitting in the back and next to the rail.
They play music on the ship which is fun and entertaining, mainly top 40.
Overall it was enjoyable, great sight-​seeing adventure. I was only disappointed because it’s advertised as a thrill ride for it’s speed and water. Then I didn’t go very fast and didn’t get very wet.
I think I would’ve enjoyed one of the other boating options they have just as much.
I probably won’t try Rudee Rocket again, but I think everyone else should at least once.

We had a great time on this tour. The staff is all so very friendly and all smiles. You can tell they really enjoy their jobs. We went out on a whale watching tour with The Virginia Beach Aquarium. We did get to see 2 whales which was so cool! They do have a little snack bar and an area to sit and eat and keep warm. The boat is good sized so everyone has a chance to see the whales. It was an all around good time!

That was AWESOME!!! My kids and I loved the speed boat and the dolphin watching. And if you want to get soaked, sit 6^th row or higher on the right. We got SOAKED!!!

This is must do when I visit Va Beach! Speedboat and dolphin tour all for $ 22. Zip past boats and jet skiers. Sit in the back if you care to get wet! Cool music selection. The captn slows down so you can stand up and snap pics of the dolphins then it’s back to speeding along the shore! Save $ 5 if you go at 10 am.

My boys 9 ands 11 loved this ride so cool to scream, get wet and go fast. They even saw dolphins and enjoyed it so much, one said it was the best thing he has ever done!!!

Awesome. I would like to just sum this review up with one word, but I will elaborate. I called, asked a bunch of questions, they were all answered by a friendly polite girl. Score! There is parking, and yes it is free! They have a cute little store where you can grab a drink or small snack before you go out on the boat. While inside, they were selling little fish key chains that were made by kids out of leather and hand painted. I couldn’t help myself so I got one for my uncle. We went on the faster yellow boat. The tour guide was friendly, and attempted to be funny :-)
We ended up seeing a bunch of dolphins, and I was so glad! It was an amazing experience. They played some good music while we drove as well. They take a nice picture of you as you are getting on the boat, and I must say, I regret not buying a copy. Oh well. I will definitely recommend this tour to anyone!
BY the way they have a larger, slower boat too!

This is about their Dolphin tours. We had a great time we saw a few dolphins and took the night cruise we had great seas in which to enjoy the viewings.

We went on the Rudee Dophin Ride. It was a leisurely ninety minute ride and the boat was roomy and nice with upper and lower decks with an interior cabin with booths and seating. Staff was nice and accomodating and the tour guide was very knowledgeable and open to answering questions.
We saw so many dolphins on the tour and it was wonderful to enjoy seeing the beach and the sights from the ocean. Some of the dolphins came so close to the boat, that is was like you could almost touch them. They are such beautiful creatures and to see them in their natural surroundings was fantastic. I had seen dolphins before but to see it through a child’s eyes was a wonderful thing.
There was a small food stand where you could purchase reasonably priced drinks, snacks, and ice cream. You have to call the Virginia Aquarium for tickets. You can also find coupons online.

Wow~what a blast!
The sun was shining, music was playing and we were on the Rocket with 2,000 horsepower!
Girls weekend-​in Virginia Beach! If you have the chance to go to Virginia Beach you must take a water ride on the Rudee Rocket.
It is an hour long ride –half way we had a chance to stop and see the dolphins perform for us! –What a show!
Hopefully you will lucky and see the dolphins– if not the speed boat ride is still a blast!!-enjoy!!!