Where the ride starts if you are staying on South Beach
If you typed jet ski rental South Beach into your phone from a hotel on Collins Avenue, here is the straight answer from the dock: our jet skis do not launch from the sand at South Beach. Every standard rental starts at Pier 9, Dinner Key Marina, 3400 Pan American Drive in Coconut Grove, and the ride itself happens on Biscayne Bay.
That matters for planning. You will cross the bay from Miami Beach to the mainland, park or get dropped off at the marina, check in at our stand, and ride inside a guided free-riding zone with a lead guide. You will not be riding along the ocean side of South Beach.
If you already know the plan works for you, open times and today's rate are on our Miami jet ski rental page.
We would rather you know this before you book than find out in the car. The rest of this guide covers getting here, what the hour on the water looks like, who can drive and who can ride, what to bring, what the price covers, and how real groups staying on the beach usually set up their day.
For the longer story on what a free-ride zone means and why ours runs on the bay, read Jet Skiing South Beach: The Free-Ride Zone Explained.
Getting from South Beach to Dinner Key Marina
Put 3400 Pan American Drive, Miami into your map app and look for Pier 9 at Dinner Key Marina. The marina sits on the Coconut Grove waterfront, on the mainland side of the bay.
If you drive. Guests park in Lot 62 and pay with the Pay By Phone app. The lot is a short walk from our stand. The lot belongs to the city, so a parking ticket or a problem with your car is handled with the City of Miami, not with us. Download the app before you leave the hotel so you are not setting up an account in the sun.
If you take a rideshare. Ask to be dropped at the Dinner Key Marina entrance on Pan American Drive and walk toward the smiley flags at Pier 9. Leave a few extra minutes on top of whatever the app estimates, since our check-in time is firm.
If you are coming for more than one activity. A combo day keeps everything at the same marina on the same day, with one waiver and one parking spot for all of it. See /combos for the pairings we run.
However you get here, aim to be at the stand at least 15 minutes before your departure. Our policies treat a missed time as a no show; we try to fit you into a later slot that day if one is open, and otherwise you rebook for another day.
What the hour on the water actually looks like
The standard jet ski rental is a 60-minute guided free ride on Biscayne Bay. Here is how it runs from the moment you reach the dock.
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- 1Check in. Show your government photo ID, confirm your waiver, and settle the balance and the deposit with a card that matches your ID.
- 2Gear up. Life vests are provided and you wear the one you are given.
- 3Safety briefing. A guide walks the group through how the ski handles, the boundaries of the zone, and the break and photo spots.
On the water:
- 1Head out with the lead guide. The guide takes the group to the free-riding zone.
- 2Ride your hour. Inside the zone's boundaries you set your own pace under the guide's supervision.
- 3Use the break and photo zones. Stopping to swim in the middle of the zone is not recommended because of other riders; the guide points out the places to pause.
- 4Ride back together. Once the ride starts you stay out until it ends, and you do not swap skis with other riders along the way.
First time on a jet ski? That is normal here. The guides give full instructions before you leave the dock, and the ride is set up for beginners as well as people who want speed. Our jet ski tips for first-timers post covers throttle, turning and balance in more detail.
One thing to plan around: the ride runs inside designated boundaries with a guide. If you picture yourself cruising along the beach in front of your hotel, that is not this trip. What you get is open bay water, a guide nearby and room to open it up inside the zone.
1-seater or 2-seater: picking the right ski
You choose the ski at booking. Both run the same zone, the same briefing and the same guide; the only difference is how many people sit on it.
| 1-seater (Single) | 2-seater (Double) | |
|---|---|---|
| Riders | One | Two sharing one ski |
| Driver | 18+ with valid photo ID | 18+ with valid photo ID |
| Passenger | None | 6+, riding with an adult driver |
| Rider weight | Max 250 lb | Max 350 lb for both riders together |
| Same zone, briefing and guide | Yes | Yes |
| Good fit for | Riders who want their own handlebars | Couples, a parent with a child, anyone who wants to share |
The Double carries up to 350 lb for both riders together. If your pair is over that, book two Singles instead.
A 2-seater makes sense when one person wants to drive and the other wants to hang on and look around, or when a child is coming. A 1-seater makes sense when everyone in the group is 18 or older and wants to drive. Many groups mix the two. If you are riding alone, the solo jet skiing guide walks through the Single in detail.
Who can drive, who can ride, and the paperwork
These rules come straight from our jet ski page, policies and FAQs. They apply to every rental, whether you are staying on South Beach or around the corner.
- Drivers are 18 or older and carry a valid government-issued photo ID.
- Passengers are 6 or older and ride on a 2-seater with an adult driver. A child riding passenger has to be able to hold on independently.
- Every participant brings valid government photo ID. A driver's license or passport works.
- Every participant signs a waiver. A parent or guardian signs for anyone under 18.
- Drivers born after January 1, 1988 pass a short online state boating exam before they ride. Our FAQs say to finish the online waiver, and the jet ski exam if you need it, before you arrive so your reservation is valid.
- No pregnancy on the jet ski.
- No drugs or alcohol before or during the ride.
The exam is the item that catches South Beach visitors most often. Do it the night before at the hotel. If two people on a 2-seater were both born after that date, only the driver needs it, since the passenger does not operate the ski and you cannot swap partway through.
Swimming ability is required, as our jet ski rental page lists it. If anyone in your group is nervous in the water, ask us before you book.
What the price covers, and what is added at check-in
We do not print prices in blog posts because rates move day to day. The live rate is always in the booking box on our jet ski rental page. What we can tell you is what that rate buys and what gets added.
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Included in the rental:
- The 60-minute guided ride
- The safety briefing and a lead guide
- Life vests
- The designated photo and break zones
- Fuel
Added at check-in: tax and the marina fee, on every booking at every rate.
Held on your card: a refundable damage deposit, card only. The jet ski page spells out what can keep the deposit, so read that line before you ride. Bank refunds of the hold can take a few days to show.
Ways the rate can drop:
- Member rate. The VIP Membership gives a year of member pricing on every activity, including the jet ski. It covers one member seat per activity per day and is personal to the member; friends riding with you book at the standard rate.
- Combos. Booking two or more activities on the same day applies combo savings automatically. See /combos.
- Price match. For walk-ins, we match a deal from a Miami-based competitor for the same activity, day and time when you bring the full proof listed on our policies page.
Member pricing does not stack with combo or promo discounts; it is already the member's best rate.
Paying at the dock: cards, ID and the little things that stop a check-in
Most check-in delays we see come down to payment, so here is the full list from our policies.
We do not accept:
- American Express, online or at the dock
- Apple Pay, Apple Card or any digital wallet
- Prepaid debit cards and gift cards
- Cards without an embedded chip
- Cards whose name does not match the cardholder's ID
What has to be there: the person who paid must be at check-in with the same card and a valid government photo ID. If the card cannot be verified, we take a different form of payment. A card authorization form is filled in before the ride, and you sign a completion invoice afterward.
If your group is splitting the bill, decide before you arrive whose card is on the booking, and make sure that person is in the car with the rest of you.
What to bring from the hotel, and what to leave there
The marina is a working dock. There are no private changing rooms or lockers, so come dressed for the water.
| Bring | Why |
|---|---|
| Government photo ID | Required for every participant, and the driver must show it |
| The card you booked with | It has to match the ID of the person who paid |
| Swim attire, worn | No changing rooms at the dock |
| Reef-safe sunscreen | Recommended on our jet ski page |
| Water bottle | Recommended on our jet ski page |
| One phone, if you must | Only cell phones may come on activities |
| Leave behind | Why |
|---|---|
| Bags, shoes and extras | A group dock box holds them, but it is unsecured storage |
| Cameras other than a phone | Only cell phones are allowed on activities |
| Valuables | We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items |
Waterproof phone cases are sold at check-in. Even with a case, a phone that goes in the bay is your loss, so keep it zipped away unless you are in a photo zone. Our what to pack for a jet ski day post goes deeper on clothing and sun.
Weather, timing and booking ahead
We run seven days a week, 10 AM until sunset, all year, weather permitting. Departures go out every 30 to 60 minutes across the activities.
Weather. Certified staff watch radar and conditions all day and decide when it is safe to ride. Light rain is normal and we ride in it. Lightning means nobody goes out. When weather or an operational issue stops a ride, you get a credit voucher that is good for 2 years on any activity. We do not give cash refunds, and that applies to delays as well.
Booking ahead or walking in. Reservations online or by phone hold your spot. Walk-ins are welcome when space allows, but they have lower priority than reservations, and a large walk-in group may be split up. If you are a group coming over from the beach together, book.
Building in slack. Delays happen with weather and equipment. Do not stack a dinner reservation right on top of your ride time.
For how wind and afternoon storms change a ride, read how weather affects your Miami jet ski ride.
How four kinds of South Beach groups usually book
A couple. The usual choice is one 2-seater with one person driving the whole hour, or two Singles if you both want the handlebars. On a 2-seater, decide who drives before you book: the driver needs photo ID and, if born after January 1, 1988, the online exam. The passenger still brings ID and signs a waiver.
A parent and a child. A child aged 6 or older can ride as a passenger on a 2-seater with an adult driver, as long as they can hold on independently. The parent or guardian signs the child's waiver. Under 6, the child cannot ride, and a teenager under 18 rides as a passenger, never as the driver.
A family of four with two kids. The simple setup is two 2-seaters, each parent driving with one child behind. Check the 2-seater limit on the jet ski page against your pairs. Both parents need ID, and each parent born after the 1988 date takes the exam.
Friends on a weekend trip. Mix Singles and Doubles so everyone who wants to drive can. Reserve rather than walk in, so the group rides together. If one of you holds the VIP Membership, that member rate covers one seat; the rest book at the standard rate.
If the group wants a fixed route with a lead guide instead of the free-ride zone, see the next section.
Standard rental or a guided tour route
The standard rental is what most people mean by a jet ski rental. We also run private guided tours on set routes across the bay, booked in advance by text.
| Standard rental | Guided tour | |
|---|---|---|
| The ride | Guided free-riding inside the zone | Private, with a lead guide on a set route |
| Length | 60 minutes | 1 hour (Routes A and B) or 90 minutes (Route C) |
| Group | Solo or two-up | 2 to 5 skis, up to 2 riders per ski |
| Booking | Online at the jet ski page | By text, in advance |
| Start | Dinner Key Marina | The Jet Ski Zone at Dinner Key Marina |
Route A is the Sandbar loop. Route B is a longer loop past Vizcaya, the Island Stop and the Sandbar. Route C runs to Virginia Key, Fisher Island and Key Biscayne. Every route starts and finishes at Dinner Key, so a guided tour does not change the South Beach answer either. The routes and their rules are on the guided jet ski tours page.
Your step-by-step plan from the hotel to the water
- 1Book your jet ski rental: pick the day and time and choose 1-seater or 2-seater for each pair.
- 2Book with a chip card that is not American Express and not a digital wallet, in the name of someone who will be at check-in.
- 3Everyone signs the online waiver. A parent or guardian signs for each minor.
- 4Each driver born after January 1, 1988 completes the online state exam.
On the day:
- 1Pack ID for everyone, the booking card, reef-safe sunscreen and water. Wear your swimsuit.
- 2Install the Pay By Phone app if you are driving, and plan to park in Lot 62.
- 3Leave the beach early enough to be at Pier 9 at least 15 minutes before your time.
- 4Check in, take your life vest, listen to the briefing, and ride.
If you want to stretch the day, pair the ride with a parasail on the same visit. The jet ski and parasailing combo post shows how people split the morning and afternoon.
Ready to ride? Book a jet ski rental at Dinner Key Marina and we will see you at Pier 9.
Book your Miami jet ski
Member rates apply on every booking. Tax & marina fee added at check-in.
Frequently asked questions
