Star Island, the skyline, and a sandbar stop

Miami, the way it was meant to be seen

Unlike group sightseeing boats, a private charter means the route, the pace and the stops are entirely up to you. Cruise the Venetian Islands and past Star Island — exclusive residential islands visible only from the water — then position the vessel wherever the downtown skyline looks best, from Brickell Key north to the Venetian Causeway. Depending on the vessel and the day, a tour can include an hour anchored at a sandbar for swimming, a slow pass by Fisher Island, or a cruise toward Virginia Key.

The bay itself does a lot of the work: over 800 bottlenose dolphins live year-round in Biscayne Bay, over 500 species of fish live in these waters, and in winter more than 1,000 manatees gather in South Florida's warm coastal shallows. Most private tours run 4 to 8 hours on day boats and yachts up to 50 ft, with select vessels offering 2 or 3 hour formats — day boats start around $700 for a 4-hour charter.