6 Best Cruises and Boat Rides in Miami

If there is one place where it is worth taking a boat trip, it is undoubtedly the south coast of Florida. Touring the waters of the Atlantic Ocean is one of the best things to do and see in Miami during your next vacation.

As you will see, numerous local companies offer this type of experience in safe boats with specialized guides and in several languages, seeking to give the traveler the best possible experience so that you will always be eager to return to enjoy the warm weather of the city. Choose the one that best suits your itinerary and budget.

The traditional tour of Biscayne Bay or Biscayne Bay in Spanish is one of the most requested tours by travelers touring the city. For that reason, you will find numerous companies offering this experience in the city.

What do these excursions include?

In addition to a quiet boat ride to get to know the bay and the city of Miami from another perspective, the experience of a tour of Biscayne includes the accompaniment at all times of an expert guide.

The cruise takes place aboard a scenic boat and you will arrive at Miami's Millionaire's Row to admire the beautiful waterfront enclaves.

It is a group tour and the number of crew members will depend on the size of the boat you hire for the experience.

The tours usually start from a common meeting point and participants are usually asked to arrive about 20 minutes before departure time to accommodate the crew and provide basic safety briefings during the tour. The tour usually takes about 80-90 minutes to complete.

Finally, keep in mind that, like other Miami experiences, you may encounter companies with Spanish-speaking guides, so check availability with the company you choose to hire before making payment.

Useful information

• Price: Varies depending on the participant. Adults and young people over 12 years old will pay about 35€, children between 4 and 11 about 20€ and children under 5€. These prices are approximate.
• Duration of the excursion: The complete tour of the Bay of Biscay will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete.
• Recommended if... You are looking for an economical, fun and highly available option that you can do even on a short stay, such as a day trip to Miami.

To all my traveler friends who prefer less organized options and who like to take their adventures at their own pace, I recommend booking this private boat tour option to enjoy some of the best of the American East Coast.

What do these excursions include?

The most interesting thing about hiring a private boat tour is that you will have the opportunity to decide the most appropriate departure time, as well as the route of the places you want to visit.

The companies that offer this type of service offer guides in several languages, the most popular being English, Spanish and French; if you want to make sure you have a guide in Spanish, ask before making the final payment.

Finally, keep in mind that certain excursions may be in high demand during the high tourist season, such as the winter months in Miami. If you are traveling to the city during these times, make your reservations as far in advance as possible.

Useful information

• Price: Although these types of experiences are available from 330€, you can include in the trip a group of 4 to 6 people depending on the company you hire.
• Duration of the excursion: Between 2 and 3 hours approximately depending on the company.
• Recommended if... you are looking for an option that allows you to set your own pace and live your own experiences. Highly recommended if you are going to the city with a group of people and are looking for a fun alternative in warm waters.

Watching the sunset over the waters in Miami is one of the best things to do in the city. As a result, numerous companies offer travelers end-of-day tour options that allow you to combine the experience of a tour of the waters with the last rays of light.

Seriously consider this alternative, especially if you've had a busy day of sightseeing and want to end your day of exploration on a high note.

What do these excursions include?

In addition to access to the boat tour, these types of excursions usually include an expert guide who accompanies the group of travelers throughout the excursion and a snack served directly on the boat during the tour.

Most companies also include a complimentary glass of either wine or beer.

While it is true that the tour may vary depending on the company you choose, sunset boat tours generally take place in the waters of Biscayne Bay, whose size and proximity to the city allows visitors to get fabulous views of some of the most famous neighborhoods, such as Little Havana or the Wynwood District.

A tour of the bay also allows you to appreciate the island of Miami Beach in all its splendor.

Useful information about Miami Beach

• Price: Approximately 30€ for an adult ticket, children under 4 years old do not pay, but must be seated on an adult's lap.
• Duration of the tour: You should reserve about 2 hours for the experience and arrive at the meeting point 15 to 20 minutes before departure time.
• Recommended if... you don't have the option to take the tour during the day, this is a great option for people who are in town for a short period of time, like 3 days in Miami or less.

Another fantastic alternative is to take a day cruise from the city of Miami to the Bahamas. Specifically to Bimini Island.

Among the islands of the Bahamas archipelago, Bimini is known for its white sandy beaches with little tourist traffic, sport fishing and for its excellent atmosphere.

It was a favorite retreat for authors such as Ernest Hemingway who, according to his own records, first visited the island in 1935.

What do these excursions include?

You will depart from the port of Miami aboard a cruise ship whose final destination is the Bahamas archipelago, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Many of the companies that organize this type of experience take travelers to the most popular private resort on the island: the Hilton Hotel, which belongs to the famous hotel chain. You'll spend the day enjoying the facilities, where lunch, breakfast and dinner options are available.

Depending on the company you hire, other activities are possible on the island, such as snorkeling on the reefs, jet skiing, parasailing or swimming with dolphins.

If any of these appeal to you, don't forget to contact the company organizing the experience for specific details.

Like many other cruise experiences in the city of Miami it is possible to find this experience available in several languages, mainly English and Spanish.

Useful information

• Price: The cost to pay for this experience is around 240€ per traveler.
• Duration of the excursion: It is a full day activity and you should reserve at least 11 hours for the tour. I recommend it for travelers who will be in Miami for 5 days or more.
• Recommended if... You want to experience a short cruise in your own flesh. Although the boat is a little smaller the tour experience and adventure is quite similar.

A great alternative that allows you to save time, money and effort on your trip to Miami is to book a combined option that includes several activities you want to do in the city.

One of the most popular and requested options for travelers visiting Miami for the first time is the combined experience of a tour of the city, either in an air-conditioned vehicle or in the Miami tourist bus, complemented with a boat excursion on Biscayne Bay.

What do these excursions include?

The combined experience allows you to take advantage of two of the essential activities when getting to know the city.

On the one hand, there are options that take you in an air-conditioned vehicle and others in which you will have a pass to get on board the tourist bus in Miami. In either case, this tour will allow you to visit the city's highlights, including the districts of South Beach, Wynwood, Downtown, Little Havana, Bayside and more.

You will also get a ticket with which you can join one of the several boat tours of Biscayne Bay that take place every day in the city. Keep in mind that you will need to arrive at least 20 minutes before departure time to board the boat.

Useful information

• Price: You will have to pay about 50€ for the experience.
• Duration of the excursion: Depending on the company you choose and the itinerary, it can take up to 5 hours to complete the experience.
• Recommended if... you are looking for a simple way to organize your vacation without worrying about planning a lot of details. Analyzing the excursions separately you will notice that the price difference for hiring the individual services is practically non-existent.

Continuing with the combined experience options in Miami, you will find companies that offer a pack with the most impressive adventures to do in the city: the traditional boat tour through the waters of Biscayne Bay, a tour of the city on the tour bus and an excursion to visit the Everglades National Park.

The latter is among the largest parks in the United States and is one of the nation's most important natural assets due to its size and biodiversity.

What do these tours include?

When talking about the activities included in these excursions, it is important to keep in mind that the order in which they are done will depend mainly on the company you hire for the excursion.

First of all, you will have access to the city's tourist bus, with which you will be able to take a tour through the highlights that Miami has to offer. The bus has a narrated tour in several languages to learn the most relevant information.

On the Everglades tour you can take the traditional excursion that includes an airboat ride through the waters of the mangroves to admire the swamp creatures in the wild, learning about and seeing up close such impressive creatures as alligators and turtles that have lived in this environment for thousands of years.

Finally, the Biscayne Bay tour is an opportunity to admire the crystal clear waters of the sea, and observe both the coast and the city skyline from another perspective.

Useful Information

• Price: From 65€ the adult entrance ticket, while children usually pay a little less for access.
• Duration of excursion: You should reserve a full day for the experience as the tour of the National Park alone will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
• Recommended if... Family visits, Everglades activities are very focused on being educational and entertaining for all ages, the alligator show is impressive!

Finally, I would like to share with you some tips that I believe can be very helpful to those travelers who will soon visit the city.

Organize your route and be on time for the excursion

Plan your route to arrive at the meeting point at least 20 minutes before departure time. The passenger confirmation and boarding process takes some time and the captain will depart at the scheduled time whether or not you are there to board.

Book in advance

Another important tip is to book this type of excursion in advance, especially if you are visiting the city during a peak tourist season, such as winter in Miami.

Despite the increased demand during specific seasons, places are always limited and the only way to secure a place is by booking in advance.

Take only what you need

On more occasions than I could count, I have seen travelers take with them far more than they should, especially for cruises of a day or more.

If, for example, you book the Bahamas cruise tour, chances are a change of clothes, your bathing suit and sunscreen are more than enough.

Read carefully the opinions of other travelers

Boat tours in Miami are among the activities with the largest number of participants and also with the largest number of providers, so you should avoid at all costs those that offer a poor service. Use the services of websites such as Hellotickets, where users leave their impressions freely. It is the best possible provider.