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Top 12 Places in Miami to Visit by Boat

Miami is home to nearly 150 parks and recreation areas, many of which are set up very well for boaters. There are three national parks in Miami, two of which touch the city on the southwest (Everglades National Park) and southeast (Biscayne National Park). Miami is wild, hot, tropical, and lush with natural beauty. It is lovely from the ground, but even more incredible by boat.

Here are some of the best places in Miami to check out from a boat.

• Key Biscayne

Key Biscayne is a great place to hang with your best friends and family while you enjoy the beautiful sunshine in the Miami sky. Located not far from Miami's downtown or the famous South Beach, Key Biscayne is a secluded island just off Florida's Gold Coast.

Known for its homes, breathtaking beaches, and fine dining, located just across the Rickenbacker Causeway, a short jaunt from downtown Miami. The best way to enjoy the area is from the water - on a Miami boat rental or luxury yacht rental.

• Biscayne National Park 

Shimmering waters. Intriguing wildlife. The site of a dozen shipwrecks and over 10,000 years of history. Every day is a new adventure in Biscayne National Park, the largest marine park in the continental U.S. and home to Florida's only living coral barrier reef. A day in the park offers opportunities for a sailboat, boat charter, jet ski, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, or just relaxing on deck to gaze out over the bay. No pass or fee is required for entry into the park.

• Oleta River State Park

Oleta River State Park is a quick thirty minutes north of Miami and is the largest urban park in Florida at 1,000 acres. It is nestled along the Oleta River and Biscayne Bay. Oleta is known for its mature mangrove swamp forests and has much to offer boaters.

Oleta River State Park is primarily used by canoes, kayaks, rafts, and stand-up paddleboards, though pontoon boats are occasionally seen here as well. All visitors must keep their group sizes under ten people and need to stay at least six feet apart from other visitors.

• Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove Here's where the locals hang out all day long. It is a bohemian neighborhood known as the "Grove" to locals, and they love it for its small-town feel. Hugging the shoreline of Biscayne Bay, it hosts the largest marina in Miami, several mega yachts, luxury boats, and the occasional regatta.

• Elliot Key

Located within Biscayne National Park and the northernmost of the true Florida Keys, Elliott Key has been used by local Indian tribes, pirates and slave traders, and even pineapple farmers. The seven-mile-long key is only accessible by boat and today offers some great hikes, fishing, and picnicking. Elliott Key is especially known for its many snorkeling spots, including Sawgrass Bay, Sandwich Cove, Hurricane Reef, and Mandalay Wreck, where you can enjoy over 500 varieties of fish that swim these waters.

• Flagler Memorial Island

The MacArthur Causeway bridges the waters between Miami's South Beach and the condos of Bal Harbour. Lurking beneath that bridge, however, is a secret island made by man. Made in memory of Henry Flagler, the founder of Standard Oil and the Florida East Coast Railway, this 4-acre island has a purposeful 110 ft obelisk rising from its center in his honor.

• South Pointe Park

As the name suggests, South Pointe Park is on the southern tip of South Miami Beach in Florida.

Two of the highlights of this park are the long South Pointe Park Pier, South Pointe Park Lighthouse, and, of course, Miami Beach, which stretches on the island's east side, starting at South Pointe Beach.

Boat east into the Atlantic Ocean, or west and travel up Government Cut into Biscayne Bay. Adjacent to this park sits the Miami Beach Marina, which offers deep waters, easy access, and 400 boat slips. Every slip comes with electric, telephone, and cable hookups, water access, and proximity to some of the best restaurants and attractions Miami offers.

• Matheson Hammock Park and Marina

If you want to catch one of Miami's most spectacular sunrises, Matheson Hammock Park is where you need to be. You have nearly unobstructed views of the vibrant sunrise here, framed by the tall and tropical palm trees and coral rocks.

Many people visit this area because the water is calm and relatively gentle here, making it an ideal spot for beginners, families, and peace-and-quiet seekers. Many people swim, wade, and kayak close to the beach. You'll find kite-boarders, speed-boaters, and wakeboarders a little further out.

Since this park is nearly 10 miles south of downtown Miami, you'll have a front-row seat to the sights of Biscayne Bay and the skylines of Miami, Key Biscayne, and Virginia Key.

• Miami Beach Art Deco District

Miami Beach's Art Deco Historic District is one of the world's great collections of Mediterranean Revival and Miami Modern architecture. The district was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1980 and has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects as one of the most significant international groupings of such buildings ever designed. Their porthole windows and ship-like railings look much like boats out of water.

• Miami Marine Stadium

Miami Marine Stadium has been the landmark for locals to show off to their friends for decades. First used as a theater for powerboat racing, the structure was recently put on the National Register. Decades of graffiti and street art have made it a colorful canvas for those who can view it from the water.

• Homestead Bayfront Park

This park is 35 miles south of Miami and near the bottom of Biscayne Bay. From this park, you have an unobstructed view of the Bay and Biscayne National Park, less than 10 miles east.

This small but mighty park features a marina (Homestead Marina), a playground, boat ramps, great fishing holes, and a natural, shallow atoll pool. The beach is soft, and the water is crystal clear. Many people choose to sunbathe, snorkel, swim and wade on the beach.

From the park, you can take your boat north up the Biscayne Bay, south down into Card Sound and Barnes Sound, or east to Elliott Key. If you choose to check out the Keys, take a moment to admire the historic Boca Chita Lighthouse on Boca Chita Key.

• Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

This gorgeous state park is on the south side of Key Biscayne, which is only accessible by crossing the William M Powell Bridge and the Bear Cut Bridge. Or, of course, you can always access the islands via boat.

One of the highlights of the park is the Cape Florida Lighthouse. This 1825 lighthouse was originally built to guide ships around the Florida Reef safely. Now it is a cultural landmark open to the public to explore. If you walk up the 109 stairs of the lighthouse, you'll see Stiltsville to the southwest, all of Bill Baggs State Park, a beautiful area of the Atlantic Ocean, and even part of Miami.

While you're here, consider anchoring and camping in No Name Harbor. This bay is a pretty spot with covered picnic tables, free boat pump-out, restrooms, and easy access to The Cleat Mia and Boater's Grill, which are right on the shores of No Name Bay.