Miami Bayside Boat Tour

"We collected our miami bayside boat tour tickets at the Bayside Marketplace kiosk and were up on the top deck about ten minutes later. The bay was glassy flat and the Brickell towers threw long reflections while the captain picked out Fisher Island on the way past. A steady breeze kept the open deck comfortable even with the sun still fairly high."

"The Millionaire's Row stretch past Star Island and Palm Island held everyone's attention, mostly because the captain actually knew which house belonged to whom. We also caught two manatees drifting near the mangrove edge by the Venetian Islands, which nobody on board expected. Narration carried clearly through the speakers even at the stern."

"Our paseo en barco por la bahia de Miami turned out to be the quietest hour of the whole trip, with the cruise ships at PortMiami rising over us like apartment blocks as we slipped by. Water smelled of salt and diesel near the channel, then went clean and warm again out in the open bay. I sat on the shaded side and still ended up a little sunburnt."

"Most miami bayside boat tour tours board from the same crowded marina, so the dock gets busy and the shaded seats go first. We ended up on the sunny side, which was fine with a hat but hot by the halfway point. Views of the downtown waterfront were wide open the entire way, no obstructions."

"The miami bayside boat tour tour we joined used a broad catamaran, so the ride stayed level even when a big wake rolled through near the channel. My partner gets seasick on small boats and had no trouble at all. The crew handed out water and pointed out the Venetian causeway bridges as we passed under."

"Light on the bay was soft and copper-coloured by the time we rounded the last island, and the glass towers downtown lit up one floor at a time. Wind picked up on the water so a light jacket was welcome. Captain kept the narration relaxed rather than scripted."

"A pod of dolphins crossed our bow just outside the main channel and the crew made clear that sighting is never guaranteed. The miami bayside boat tour gave us the MacArthur Causeway from an angle you simply never get from a car. Spray came over the rail twice, which the kids near us thought was the best part."

"Skip-the-line bayside boarding meant we walked straight down the dock while a long queue was still forming behind us. This Miami landmarks cruise covers a lot of shoreline, so expect wind noise on the upper level and bring something to tie your hair back. Lower deck has windows if you would rather stay out of the spray."

"We boarded late and only found standing room near the stern, where the engine drowned out half of what the captain said about the islands. Scenery was still open and the bay was flat, so no complaints about the ride itself. Get on early if you want to actually follow the commentary."