Cruises and Boat Rides in Miami

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

As you will see, numerous local companies offer this type of experience in safe boats with specialised guides and in several languages, seeking to give the traveller 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 popular tours for travellers 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 Biscayne tour experience includes the accompaniment of an expert guide at all times.

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

This is a group tour and the number of people on board will depend on the size of the boat you hire for the experience.

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 English-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 will pay around 35€, children between 4 and 11 will pay around 20€ and children under 5€. These prices are approximate.
• Duration of the tour: The full tour of the Bay of Biscay will take approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to complete.
• Recommended if... You are looking for a cheap, fun and highly available option that you can do even on a short stay, such as a day trip to Miami.

For all of my traveller friends who prefer less organised options and like to pace their adventures themselves, I recommend booking this private boat tour option to enjoy some of the best of America's East Coast.

What do these tours include?

The most interesting thing about hiring a private boat tour is that you will have the opportunity to decide the most suitable 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 peak tourist season, such as the winter months in Miami. If you are travelling to the city during these times, make your reservations as far in advance as possible.

Useful information

• Price: Although this type of experience is available from €330, you can include a group of 4 to 6 people in the trip depending on the company you book with.
• Duration of excursion: Approximately 2 to 3 hours 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 of Miami is one of the best things to do in the city. As a result, numerous companies offer travellers 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 tours include?

In addition to access to the boat tour, these types of excursions usually include an expert guide who accompanies the group of travellers 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 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 neighbourhoods, such as Little Havana and the Wynwood District.

A tour of the bay also allows the island of Miami Beach to be appreciated in all its splendour.

Useful information about Miami Beach

• Price: Approximately 30€ for an adult ticket, children under 4 years old are free, but must be seated on an adult's lap.
• Duration of tour: You will need to book about 2 hours for the experience and arrive at the meeting point 15-20 minutes before departure time.
• Recommended if... you don't have the option to do 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 Miami to the Bahamas. Specifically to Bimini Island.

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

It was a favourite 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 on board a cruise ship whose final destination is the archipelago of The Bahamas, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Many of the companies that organise this type of experience take travellers to the most popular private resort on the island: the Hilton Hotel, part of 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 snorkelling on the reefs, jet skiing, parasailing or swimming with dolphins.

If any of these appeal to you, don't forget to contact the company organising 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 traveller.
• Duration of the tour: This is a full day activity and you will need to set aside at least 11 hours for the tour. I recommend it for travellers who will be in Miami for 5 days or more.
• Recommended if... You want to experience a short cruise in the 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 travellers visiting Miami for the first time is the combined experience of a tour of the city, either in an air-conditioned vehicle or on the Miami sightseeing bus, complemented by a boat trip on Biscayne Bay.

What do these tours 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. Either way, this tour will allow you to visit the highlights of the city, including the districts of South Beach, Wynwood, Downtown, Little Havana, Bayside and more.

You'll also get a ticket with which you can join one of several boat tours of Biscayne Bay that run every day in the city. Please note 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 around 50€ for the experience.
• Duration of the tour: 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 organise your holiday without worrying about planning too many details. If you look at the excursions separately, you will notice that the difference in price 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 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 tours, 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 tour.

First, you will have access to the city's sightseeing bus, which will take you on a tour of the highlights of what Miami has to offer. The bus has a narrated tour in several languages to provide you with the most relevant information.

On the Everglades tour you can take the traditional tour which includes an airboat ride through the mangrove waters 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 see both the coastline and the city skyline from another perspective.

Useful information

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

Finally, I would like to share with you some tips that I think will be very helpful to those travellers who will soon be visiting the city.

Organise your route and be on time for the excursion

Plan your route so that you 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 these types of tours 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 can count, I have seen travellers 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 swimming costume and sunscreen will be more than enough.

Read other travellers' reviews carefully

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 who offer a poor service. Use the services of websites like Hellotickets, where users leave their impressions freely. It is the best possible provider.