If you’re visiting (or living in) Miami and haven’t taken a boat cruise yet, you’re missing one of the best ways to experience the city. After more than a year here, I finally went—and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long. I highly, highly recommend it.
I booked the classic 90-minute cruise from Bayside Marketplace. It loops around Star Island and returns to port. I half-expected a Gilligan’s Island disaster (how did the skipper of the SS Minnow mess it up so badly?), but our captain kept us safe and on course.
The tour highlights celebrity homes and landmarks—Shaquille O’Neal’s former mansion, the Scarface house, Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s place, Julio Iglesias’ pad, and more. Even if you’re not a huge celebrity follower, it’s fascinating. But honestly, the real show is the view: downtown Miami’s skyline, Biscayne Bay, Fisher Island, South Beach, the port, and all the islands in between. It’s stunning.
I took the 5 PM. cruise (departures every two hours from 11 a.m. onward), and the timing was perfect. In the late afternoon light (especially on a clear day), the colors of the water, buildings, and reflections are unreal. As the boat heads back toward Bayside, the sun dips toward the horizon, painting downtown Miami in gold. It’s one of those moments where you just stop talking and soak it in.
The Bayside boat tours still run daily, and the celebrity homes/landmarks remain popular highlights. Some properties have changed hands (e.g., Shaq sold his Star Island mansion years ago), but the views—downtown skyline, Star Island estates, South Beach from the water—are as stunning as ever. Prices have not increased ($28 for adults, $19 for children), and sunset departures are still the best for that golden-hour magic. For more information or to book, call The Miami Tour Company at (305) 260-6855.
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