Everglades Airboat Tour From Miami Beach
How to get from the beach to the sawgrass, which tour to pick, and what the day actually looks like.
The Everglades start less than an hour west of South Beach, but most visitors never make it out there. Without a car, it’s hard to reach. This guide covers how to plan an airboat tour from a Miami Beach hotel, with or without a rental car.
The short version
- Where the tours leave from: our dock at 17696 SW 8 St, Miami, FL 33194, on the Tamiami Trail at Dade Corners.
- How far that is: about 25 miles from South Beach. Plan on 45 minutes, and more at rush hour.
- No car? Book any private tour and we pick you up at your hotel.
- Best tour for most visitors: the 1.5 hour private safari. It’s long enough to get deep into the sawgrass and short enough to be back for dinner on Ocean Drive.
Option 1: hotel pickup (no car needed)
This is the easiest way to do it. We collect your group from your hotel, rental or home anywhere from South Beach to Kendall and drive you to the dock. Your group gets a private airboat with its own captain. When the tour is over, we drive you back. You don’t have to deal with parking, tolls or directions.
Private transportation is included with every tour, sunset rides too. Just call 1-888-893-4443 with your pickup address and group size.
Option 2: drive yourself
With a rental car, head west from Miami Beach across the causeway, then out to SW 8th Street (the Tamiami Trail). The dock is inside the Pilot Travel Center at Dade Corners, and there’s parking on site. Driving yourself works for every tour, including the sunset tours.
Which tour should you pick?
1.5 hour private safari
The best choice for most Miami Beach visitors. It covers about 13 miles of sawgrass and open water, and hotel pickup is available.
2 hour private safari
The longest ride, about 17 miles. Pick this one if you’re a photographer or if seeing wildlife is the reason for the trip. Hotel pickup is available.
Sunset airboat tour
Private rides that start at 4:30pm, under a pink and violet sky. Book at least a day ahead. Private transportation is included.
What you’ll see
The tours run through open Everglades sawgrass and water west of Miami. Riders regularly see alligators, turtles and wading birds, often right beside the boat. Your captain runs the boat fast across the open water, then shuts the engine off when there’s wildlife to watch.
Fitting it into a beach vacation
Many guests spend the morning at the beach and take a midday or afternoon tour. Others go out first thing and are back at the pool by early afternoon. With pickup, plan on about three to four hours door to door for the 1.5 hour tour, depending on traffic.
Skip the drive. We pick you up.
Every private airboat tour includes round-trip private transportation from your Miami Beach hotel or rental. Call with your address and group size to book.