Miami's Boating and Sailing Guide

Aquamarine, sun-speckled water is one of the most enduring images of Greater Miami & Miami Beach, and when you’re here, the desire to get out on the water is strong. Spending time on a boat is a must while visiting the destination, whether you’re looking to charter a boat or a yacht for an afternoon or just looking for the thrill of sailing. Here are all the ways to enjoy boating and sailing in Miami.

Experience The Thrill of Sailing in Miami

The warm winds off Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean make Miami a perfect place for sailing, whether you want to do it yourself or leave it to the pros. If you’d like to try sailing on your own, the Coconut Grove Sailing Club offers lessons as well as chartered boat tours. Shake-A-Leg Miami, also in Coconut Grove, goes a step further with sailing certification classes. This boating center also offers certifications in powerboating as well as group charters and kayaking trips.

Enjoy A Chartered Boat Adventure

Chartering a boat and posting pictures of yourself sunning on the bow with the skyline in the background is a quintessentially Miami experience, and you don’t have to make friends with a boat owner to enjoy a day on the water. A bevy of charter companies are happy to take you out. Tropicalboat Luxury Yacht Charters rents everything from small day boats to large yachts and can take you as far as the Florida Keys and the Caribbean. Y Charter Miami offers yacht charters and will build a special itinerary for you and your group.

Ready to hit the water? Here are six charter boat tips to know before you go.

Sail Around Miami Like The Rich & Famous

For something upscale, charter a yacht and explore Miami like the rich and famous. Biscayne Lady Yacht Charters offers a large fleet, ranging from the 131-foot Venetian Lady, with private meeting spaces and dining areas, to the intimate Miami Lady and Island Queen. Both are 76-foot yachts that fit up to 140 people.

EP Yachting operates luxury charters out of the Miami Beach Marina and even sells yachts. Water Fantaseas operates two yachts, with charters for up to 400 people. Prime Experiences has access to over 75 yachts and can arrange a charter no matter your group’s size. GetMyBoat allows you to rent boats of all sizes from private owners across Miami.

Unforgettable Boat Tours of Miami

One of the most enjoyable ways to see Miami is on a boat tour. You’ll skim the coast of Biscayne Bay’s islands past celebrity homes and grand yachts. Island Queen Cruises & Tours runs 90-minute tours past “Millionaire’s Row,” Fisher Island and PortMiami. The boat has two levels, so you can enjoy the sun-soaked views or relax in air-conditioned comfort.

Enjoy a more “Miami Vice”-like experience with Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures. You’ll tear through the turquoise waters on 45-minute tours that take you past Star Island, Fisher Island and Miami Beach.

Want to go even faster? Then take a Zodiac on Biscayne Bay with Ocean Force Adventures. These small, intimate boats (only six passengers at a time) let you explore coves and natural sights that larger vessels can’t reach.

If you’d like to see the legendary Stiltsville, the historic Deering Estate in Palmetto Bay offers four-hour tours through Biscayne National Park to the famous stilt homes located about a mile offshore. The Pelican Island Skipper runs catamaran tours from Deering Estate as well, taking you past the mangroves along the bay shore and ending at a bird sanctuary.

Boating Hot Spots & Dockside Restaurants

Biscayne Bay is Miami’s most popular boating destination, allowing you views of the Downtown Miami skyline and the homes along the Venetian Islands. Further south, you can sail under the Rickenbacker Causeway to Key Biscayne, taking in the sights of Crandon Park and the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park lighthouse on the southern tip. A little further along, you’ll find Stiltsville, and beyond that is Boca Chita Key and its lighthouse inside Biscayne National Park. Further north, you can stop at any of the islands in Oleta River State Park in North Miami Beach and enjoy one of its only-accessible-by-boat beaches.

If you and your crew are hankering for lunch, dinner or happy hour by the water, Miami has many restaurants that are accessible by boat. American Social in Brickell sits near the mouth of the Miami River and is a popular after-boat spot. You can also tie up at the Miami Beach Marina and catch sunset at Monty’s Sunset or dock in Coconut Grove and enjoy a glass of wine at the Bayshore Club. Further up the Intracoastal Waterway, Duffy’s Sports Grill in North Miami Beach is a popular place to watch sports.

Miami Marinas For Your Boating Adventure

The area is teeming with marinas, nearly all of which have some kind of boating adventure awaiting you. In the South of Fifth neighborhood, you’ll find Miami Beach Marina, South Beach’s busiest marina and home to Monty’s Sunset and Texas de Brazil restaurants. It’s also a nice docking-up point for exploring South Pointe Park. Miami’s largest marina is Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove. Crandon Marina in Key Biscayne is perfectly situated for exploring the southern part of Biscayne Bay and has a great after-boat drinks spot, Gramps Getaway. To the north, there’s Bill Bird Marina, near the Haulover Inlet and Haulover Park Beach, and Pelican Harbour Marina, near North Bay Village and off the shore of mainland Miami.

Explore more ways to plan your boating adventures.