Quick Details
Departure Location: Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove, FL
Duration: 3 hours
Start Time: 9:00 AM
Available Days: Thursday-Sunday
Age Requirement: 12+
Skill Requirement: All participants must have experience with kayaking
Important Information:
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- Footwear must be tightly secured to the foot. Flip-flops/ thong sandals or backless shoes are not allowed. We recommend wearing water shoes or strappy sandals that secure the back of the foot.
- You cannot bring your personal kayak, canoe, or SUP (Stand Up Paddleboards)
- For the safety of all our guests, there is a maximum weight limit of 275 for all in-water activities. This includes the following activities: kayaking, paddle boarding (SUPs), snorkeling, and SCUBA diving. There is no weight limit for guests who are not engaging in an in-water activity.
- Guests must be able to climb a four-step vertical ladder without assistance. This ladder will be used to get on and off the boat when participating in an in-water activity.
- Please allow yourself extra time to arrive at this location as traffic around the city may delay your arrival time to our dock location.
- Before completing your booking, make sure to read our Cancellation Policy.
- Please read all information below including the drop down menus to learn more about this trip.
Paddle the Seagrasses
Learn about this ecosystem found in the northern most part of Biscayne National Park. Paddle through the seagrass banks that surround the historic Stiltsville houses, just one mile off of the coastline. Look out for wildlife and learn about the important role that seagrass beds play in Biscayne Bay.
Departing from Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove, you will take a boat to Stiltsville. From there, your guide will help you aboard your kayak into the bay to begin your paddle.
From your sit-on-top kayak, you will see seagrass meadows, a sunken barge, and the Hicks and the Miami Springs Powerboat Club Stiltsville houses.
Come prepared. Bring water, snacks, sunglasses, hat, and reef-safe sunscreen. No flip-flops/ thong sandals or backless shoes are allowed on this trip. There is no store on-site but there is a Fresh Market is nearby.
You cannot bring your personal kayak, canoe, or SUP (Stand Up Paddleboards).
Departs from Dinner Key Marina
3400 Pan American Dr, Miami, FL 33133.
The tours and activities departing from Dinner Key Marina are possible thanks to a partnership between Biscayne National Park, the Florida National Parks Association, City of Miami, and the Miami-Dade County Parks Recreation and Open Spaces Department.
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This program Departs from Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove
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Please note: You will have to pay for parking at this location.
- We recommend parking in the Regatta Harbour Parking Garage located at 3351 Pan American Dr, Miami, FL 33133.
- There’s also a paid parking lot between Pan American Dr. and Regatta Park. This lot is limited to 4-hours.
Important Note: Visitors are advised that on certain days and time of day, parking availability at our departure location in Coconut Grove may be limited. To ensure a hassle-free experience, we recommend to opt for ride-share options such as Uber or Lyft. This will help mitigate potential challenges associated with limited close by parking availability.
- We recommend parking in the Regatta Harbour Parking Garage located at 3351 Pan American Dr, Miami, FL 33133.
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For the safety of all our guests, there is a maximum weight limit of 275 for all in-water-activities. This includes the following activities: kayaking, paddle boarding (SUPs), snorkeling, and SCUBA diving.
There is not a weight limit for guests who are not engaging in an in-water-activity.
For the safety of all our guests, guests must be able to climb a four-step vertical ladder without assistance. This ladder will be used to get on and off the boat when participating in an in-water-activity.
This tour is for guest ages 12 and older with experience in paddling. Please know that you will be paddling for a minimum of an hour.
All minors must be accompanied by an adult.
This program has movements that could cause problems for pregnant women, those with recent surgeries or back injuries, and can cause motion/sea sickness. To best accommodate you and make your trip safe and enjoyable, please make a note in your reservation or privately notify our captain or mate if:
- You have any recent surgeries
- You have any back injuries
- You have any medical conditions
- You are prone to motion/sea sickness
- You are pregnant
- You have any other concerns regarding your safety and health
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We recommend that you bring along the following:
- Water Bottle
- Snack
- Reef safe sunscreen
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Towel
Please note that you will get wet during this trip.
Footwear must be tightly secured to the foot. Flip-flops/ thong sandals or backless shoes are not allowed. We recommend wearing water shoes or strappy sandals that secure the back of the foot.
On windy days, water might splash in to the boat. We recommend storing any valuables in a waterproof bag.
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What equipment is provided during the program?
- Life jackets, kayaks, and paddles will be provided during this trip. We use sit-on-top kayaks that will be used as a double kayak. If your group is an odd number, then kayaks can turn into a single kayak. We will try our best to accommodate the odd passenger in a group to their own kayak, but passenger may have to share a kayak with another single passenger from another odd group.
- Kayak weight capacity: 425 lbs.
Boat Information
- The boat will have a max of 40 passengers. This boat does have a small bathroom for use. During the trip, the boat stays in the bay the whole time, this will lessen the chance of motion sickness. This trip will not stop at any of the islands.
While cruising in the bay, especially on a windy day, there’s a chance that water will splash into the boat; we highly suggest storing anything that you don’t wish to get wet in a drybag.
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Online waivers will be sent with the booking confirmation. No printing necessary. You can even complete the waivers on your phone! Adults over the age of 18 must complete and submit their own waiver. Minors ages 17 and younger must have a parent or legal guardian complete and submit a waiver on behalf of the minor. For snorkeling activities there are separate waivers for adults and minors, please be sure you are completing the appropriate waiver. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. To complete the waiver process, you will need to confirm your email address through and email that will be sent by Smartwaiver.
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Is there a place on the boat to hold my stuff?
- You can keep items on the boat during your excursion but there is a possibility of them getting wet during the trip, we ask that you use a dry bag and keep personal belongings hidden inside of your vehicles.
Is this a glass bottom boat?
- This is not a glass bottom boat, but in shallow areas the seagrass will be visible from the side of the boat. This trip will not go out to the ocean side, coral reef barriers will not be seen.
What is a Naturalist?
- Our tour guides, Naturalists, are continuous students of the natural world and provide interpretive, educational, and historical programs in South Florida’s National Parks. Each are trained by the National Park Service to ensure they are equipped with and can provide the most up to date information, research, and opportunities when connecting with guests.
What does interpretation mean?
- Interpretation is a purposeful form of communication that seeks to translate the world around us. Our Naturalists help interpret the natural environment, history, research, etc. to support guests in broadening their perspectives, deepening their understanding, and inspiring them to cultivate meaningful connections with South Florida’s National Parks.