Jet Ski Tours in Miami: Routes, Prices & What to Expect

Guided jet ski tours vs. solo rentals, what's the difference?

This is the first thing to sort out, because "jet ski tour" and "jet ski rental" sound interchangeable but they're not. The experience, the price, and what you're allowed to do are all different.

Guided tours

A guide rides alongside you on a separate jet ski and leads the group through a set route on Biscayne Bay. You stop at landmarks, they tell you about the mansions and the islands, and you follow their pace. Most tours run 1-2 hours and cost $150-$300 per jet ski.

What you get: a sightseeing experience with context. You'll pass Star Island, Fisher Island, the Venetian Islands, and the Miami skyline. The guide knows which celebrity used to live where and will point out the mega-yachts. You ride in a group (usually 4-10 jet skis), which means you're not doing 45 mph the whole time — there are slow stretches for sightseeing.

What you don't get: freedom to go wherever you want. You follow the guide's route and pace. If you want to park the jet ski and just float for 10 minutes, that's not really how it works.

Solo rentals

You get a jet ski, a life jacket, a safety briefing, and a designated riding zone on the bay. Within that zone, you ride however you want — fast, slow, circles, whatever. Some operators include an escort guide on a separate jet ski for safety (Funwaves does this), while others just point you in a direction and say go.

Solo rentals run $85-$160 per hour at most places. At Funwaves Watersports, 30-minute rides start at $85 and hour rides start at $150, with fuel and safety escort included in the price.

What you get: control. You pick the speed, the direction, and when to stop. If you want to do laps at full throttle, nobody's telling you to slow down (as long as you're in the riding zone and not in a no-wake area).

What you don't get: the guided sightseeing commentary. You'll still see the skyline and the islands, but nobody's telling you which mansion belongs to which rapper.

Which one should you pick?

If it's your first time in Miami and you want to see the highlights — go guided. If you've been to Miami before and you just want to ride — go solo. If you're with a group that has mixed experience levels, guided tours keep everyone together and safe.

The Biscayne Bay jet ski tour route

Almost every jet ski tour in Miami runs some version of the same route through Biscayne Bay. Here's what that looks like, landmark by landmark:

Star Island

This is the main attraction on every tour. Star Island sits in Biscayne Bay between Miami Beach and downtown, and it's lined with waterfront mansions owned by (or previously owned by) Gloria Estefan, Diddy, and a rotating cast of billionaires. You ride past at slow speed — close enough to see the pools, the docks, and the yachts tied up in front of $40 million houses.

Fisher Island

The southern tip of Miami Beach, accessible only by boat or ferry. This is one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country. You won't land there, but the tour passes along the shoreline and it's worth seeing — the scale of the properties is something else.

Government Cut

The shipping channel between Fisher Island and Miami Beach. This is where cruise ships from Port Miami pass through on their way to the Caribbean. If you time it right, you'll be on a jet ski watching a 20-deck cruise ship glide past, which is one of those things you don't forget.

Venetian Islands and Palm Island

A chain of small islands connected by the Venetian Causeway. The mansions here are slightly more understated than Star Island ("understated" meaning $15 million instead of $40 million). Longer tours include a pass through this area.

Downtown Miami skyline

The Brickell and downtown towers from the water. This is the angle you see in every Miami music video — the full skyline reflected on the bay. Longer tours cruise closer to the shore for photos.

Haulover Sandbar (extended tours only)

Some longer tours (2+ hours) head north to the Haulover Sandbar, a shallow area in the Intracoastal Waterway where boats anchor and people hang out in waist-deep water. On weekends, it turns into a massive floating party with dozens of boats, music, and people. It's exactly as chaotic as it sounds.

Miami jet ski party packages

If you're in Miami for a bachelor party, bachelorette weekend, or just a group of friends looking for something bigger than a regular rental, party packages exist — and they're more involved than just a jet ski rental.

What a typical party package includes

Packages vary by company, but here's the general structure:

• Party boat + jet ski combo: 3-4 hours on a party boat with a portion of the time on jet skis. Usually includes a floating mat, Bluetooth speakers, and sometimes banana boat rides or water trampolines. Some include an open bar. Price: $150-$200 per person.

• Jet ski group rental: 4-10 jet skis booked together at the same time. You all ride out as a group, sometimes with a guide. Price: $85-$160 per jet ski, discounts sometimes available for groups of 6+.

• Custom charters: Some companies will build a package around what you want — jet skis for an hour, then a boat for two hours with food and drinks. Pricing depends on group size, boat type, and add-ons.

At Funwaves, we can accommodate groups for jet ski rentals — just reach out to us directly for group sizing and availability. We also rent boats, ATVs, and Polaris Slingshots if you want to build a full day of activities.

What to know before booking a party package

• Group size matters. Most jet ski rides are 1-2 people per ski. A group of 8 means 4-8 jet skis, which not every company can handle at the same time slot.

• Book early for weekends. Party packages on Saturdays and Sundays — especially during spring break and summer — book out 2-3 weeks in advance.

• Check if BYOB is allowed. Some party boat combos let you bring your own alcohol. Others include an open bar. Some don't allow alcohol at all. Ask before you show up with a cooler.

• The boating license still applies. Everyone born after January 1, 1988 who wants to ride a jet ski needs a Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card. In a group of 10, there's always someone who forgot. Don't be that person.

Yacht rental with jet ski add-on

This is the premium option, and it's more accessible than you'd think. Several Miami charter companies offer private yacht rentals where jet skis are either included or available as add-ons.

How it works

You charter a yacht (typically 40-70 feet) for 3-4 hours. At some point during the charter, the captain anchors in a calm spot on Biscayne Bay — usually near the sandbar or one of the islands — and you hop on jet skis while the yacht sits there. When you're done riding, you climb back on the yacht.

What it costs

• Yacht charter (40 ft, up to 12 people): $700-$1,000 for 3-4 hours

• Jet ski add-on: $160-$200 per jet ski per hour (1-2 hour minimum)

• Full combo (yacht + 2 jet skis, 4 hours): $1,000-$1,800 depending on the yacht

• Luxury yacht (70 ft+, jet skis included): $750+ per hour

Per-person math for a typical group: a 40 ft yacht at $900 for 4 hours, plus two jet skis at $320, split across 10 people = about $122 per person. That's… surprisingly reasonable for a yacht and jet ski day in Miami.

When the yacht + jet ski combo makes sense

It makes the most sense for groups of 8-12 people who want a full day on the water. You get the lounging, the music, the anchoring in a bay — plus the adrenaline of jet skiing. It's the best value when you split costs across a larger group.

It doesn't make sense for 2-3 people. At that point, just rent jet skis — you'll spend a fraction of the cost and still get the same Biscayne Bay experience.

Boat rental with jet ski — what people actually mean

When someone searches for "boat rental miami with jet ski," they usually mean one of two things:

1. A boat rental company that also rents jet skis — so you can book both from the same place and combine the experiences.

2. A boat charter that includes jet skis — the yacht+jet ski combo described above.

If you're looking for option 1, Funwaves rents both jet skis and boats from our Miami Beach location. You can book them separately or pair them for a full day on the water. The advantage of booking from the same company is logistics — same location, same check-in, same team.

What's included in a jet ski tour (and what's not)

This is where companies in Miami differ the most. A good tour should include all of the following at no extra cost:

• The jet ski (Yamaha VX or equivalent)

• Coast Guard-approved life jacket

• Fuel for the full duration

• A safety briefing and riding instructions

• An escort guide on a separate jet ski

What's usually not included (and you should ask about):

• Fuel surcharges — some companies charge $60-$75 per hour per jet ski on top of the quoted price

• The temporary boating safety card — if you need one, it might be $3-$10 at the dock

• Photos and video — some companies sell GoPro footage as an upsell

• Tips — guides work for tips at most companies

At Funwaves, fuel is always included. No surprise fees at the dock. What you see online is what you pay.