Jet ski and boat rentals in Miami: where they leave from and what they cost
Where the jet skis and boats actually leave from, which water you get, what an hour costs and the Florida rules nobody mentions until you are at the desk.
The short version
- Jet ski on the bay: Miami Jet Ski Rental, Bayside Pier 5, from $159 an hour.
- Jet ski on the ocean side: BouYah at Miami Beach Marina, Pier A, 10 am to 5 pm.
- A boat with a captain: Beach Boat Rental, Mid-Beach, from $250 per boat.
- Quiet water instead: Oleta River State Park, kayaks and boards by the hour.
- Fishing: Therapy IV, Haulover, half day at 8 am or 1 pm.
Pick the water before the company: Biscayne Bay from Bayside is flat and good for a first ride, Miami Beach Marina puts you at Government Cut where the bay meets the ocean, and anyone born after 1987 needs the Florida boating card or the desk's temporary certificate.
Pick by situation
| First time on a jet ski | Bayside, Biscayne Bay: flat water and a set one-hour loop |
| You want the ocean | Miami Beach Marina at Government Cut, or the beach side in South Beach |
| A group of eight with drinks | Beach Boat Rental: boat, captain and fuel in one price |
| No engine at all | Oleta River State Park: kayaks and paddleboards in the mangroves |
| You want to catch something | Therapy IV from Haulover, half or full day |
Miami Jet Ski Rental
The easy start. Skis leave from Pier 5 at Bayside downtown at 10 am, noon, 2 pm and 4 pm for a one-hour loop around Biscayne Bay past Star Island and the cruise ships. The water inside the bay is usually flat, which is what you want the first time.
From $159 for the hour on their own site, with gas and tax included; booking online takes $20 off the walk-up price. Two people can share one ski. Google rating 4.7 from more than twelve hundred reviews.
BouYah, Miami Beach Marina
Right at Government Cut, the channel where the cruise ships come in and the bay meets the Atlantic. You get the jet ski, a guided jet ski tour or a yacht from the same desk, and the view back at South Beach from the water.
Open 10 am to 5 pm every day, weather permitting. Prices are on their booking page rather than on the site. Google rating 4.8 from more than five hundred reviews. Monty's at the marina is the beer afterwards.
Miami Beach Jet Ski Rentals
The beach-side option: you ride the ocean rather than the bay, so expect more chop and a better view of the hotels from outside. Good if you are already in South Beach and do not want to cross to downtown.
Prices on booking. Google rating 4.8 from more than a thousand reviews. Ocean conditions change through the day; morning is usually calmer.
Beach Boat Rental
Every boat comes with a licensed captain and fuel, so the price on the site is the price. The fleet starts with 27-foot Montereys for eight people and runs up to a 145-foot yacht for thirteen guests.
From $250 per boat on their own site; the bigger boats run into the thousands. Bookings are final unless they cancel for weather or a mechanical problem. Bring your own drinks and snacks, hats for the small boats, and cash for the captain's tip. Google rating 5.0 from more than two thousand reviews.
Prime Luxury Rentals
Yachts with crew for a full day on the bay, usually ending at the Haulover sandbar. This is the group that books a week ahead and splits the bill.
Prices on request. Google rating 4.9 from more than two thousand reviews. Ask what fuel, crew tip and food cost before you pay the deposit; those three items move the final number most.
Oleta River Outdoor Center
The mangrove park at the north end of the bay. Kayaks, canoes and paddleboards by the hour, bikes for the trails, and the quietest water in Miami once you are a few turns into the mangroves.
Open 8 am to 5 pm every day. The state park charges an entry fee per car on top of the rental. Bring water and bug spray if you stay past four. Google rating 4.7 from more than fifteen hundred reviews.
Therapy IV
A deep-sea charter that has sailed daily from Haulover for decades. Up to six people per boat, private or shared, with half-day trips at 8 am or 1 pm and a full day from 8 am to 4 pm. Sailfish and mahi when they are running.
Prices are on the booking form rather than the site. Google rating 4.8 from more than four hundred reviews. Take motion sickness tablets the night before, not on the dock.
Before you go
- Florida law: renters must be 18, and anyone born on or after 1 January 1988 needs a Florida boating education ID card; rental desks sell a temporary certificate after a short test
- Everyone on a jet ski wears a life jacket; the desk provides them
- Bring photo ID and a card for the deposit
- Afternoon storms are common from June to October; morning slots are calmer and less likely to be cancelled
- Ask whether fuel, tax and the captain's tip are included before you pay
Skip it if
Where they are
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to rent a jet ski in Miami?
Miami Jet Ski Rental at Bayside lists one hour from $159 including gas and tax, with $20 off when booked online. Most other operators show prices only on their booking pages.
Do you need a license to rent a jet ski in Florida?
Renters must be 18. Anyone born on or after 1 January 1988 needs a Florida boating education ID card or the temporary certificate rental desks sell after a short test. Life jackets are required on a jet ski.
Where do jet skis leave from in Miami?
Bayside Marketplace downtown (Pier 5) for Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach Marina (300 Alton Rd, Pier A) for Government Cut and the ocean side, and the beach in South Beach for open water.
How much is a boat rental with a captain in Miami?
Beach Boat Rental lists boats with a captain and fuel from $250 per boat for a 27-foot Monterey that takes eight people; larger boats and yachts cost much more.
Is there something calmer than a jet ski?
Oleta River State Park in North Miami Beach rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards by the hour, 8 am to 5 pm, in the mangroves at the north end of the bay.
More guides
Prices, departure points and hours from each operator's own site, checked on 20 October 2026. Ratings from Google Places, refreshed every two weeks. Florida rules from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission summaries and Florida Statutes 327.39 and 327.395.