Table of Contents
When you imagine certain tourist meccas in the United States, each has a must-try way to travel. It could be a soaring helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, or a picturesque train ride unveiling the misty vistas of the Rocky Mountains. When it comes to Miami, the airboat is the vehicle of choice, skimming through tropical coastal and inland waterways with ease. If you are visiting for the first time, then you must make it your number one choice.
Why Choose to See Miami by Water?
The largest city in southern Florida, Miami, has a population of 450,000. Yet its metropolitan borough houses around 6 million residents. It experienced rapid growth over the first half of the twentieth century, and due to its amiable climate, it has attracted the rich and influential from across the United States. In fact, between 2010 and 2018, the downtown population grew by 40%.
While it is a hub for modern building projects, plush condos and waterside plazas, it does have a deep tie to nature. Few cities are as intrinsically linked to the water as Miami. On the East sits the vast Atlantic Ocean, with the Gulf of Mexico to the West and the start of the Caribbean in the South. Around this, areas such as Bimini nestle between Miami and the Bahamas, in a realm of age-old pirate activities on the high seas. At the centre of all this sits Biscayne Bay, Miami’s waterside focus.
Even inland, the rivers and waterways are crucial to how Miami operates and functions. To the South are the Keys, with their sporadic Archipelago formations. The Miami River flows out from the inland region to Biscayne Bay, and the whole delicate balance is protected by the Miami Waterkeeper.
Around these beaches and riversides, life thrives, from modern celebrity homes to beautiful colonial architecture. This is what makes a Miami boat tour so special, as it dips in and out of the snaking canals and coastlines, giving you a glimpse that would be impossible to catch from land, and without the bustling traffic.
What to Expect From a Boat Tour
Most boat tours depart from Biscayne Bay, as this is where most of Miami’s boat activity takes place. It is advisable to book online, as in peak seasons, tours can fill up very far in advance. Tours last for 90 minutes, and in this time you will get to see a range of celebrity homes and sights that flourish around the bay.
Fisher Island is one of the places you will visit. Since 2015, it has had the highest per capita income of anywhere in the United States. There is no access to this island by road; instead, arrival can only be made by boat, helicopter, or ferry. Similar to this is the man-made Star Island, which is the most expensive neighbourhood in the United States and has plenty of star homes within it.
Even more jam-packed with the abodes of the rich and famous is Millionaires’ Row. Here you can find the houses of sports stars like David Beckham and Shaquille O’Neal, along with pop stars like Shakira and Gloria Estefan. You may also recognise some of the places from their inclusion in iconic movies like Scarface.
One real curiosity you will pass is the Flagler Memorial Island. Totally uninhabited, this once perfectly rounded man made island contains but a single obelisk. It was originally a monument to Henry M. Flagler, who was a local industrialist. Yet as it did not have a sea wall, the tides have drastically altered the islands shape, and it has been overrun with unique flora and fauna. In many ways, it is Miami in microcosm, as industrial powers and modernity collide with the natural world.
Traversing the Everglades by Water
If nature is more your thing, then the Everglades is close by, and was the first ever National Park, set up in 1947. Renowned for its biodiversity, it spans 1.5 million acres of marine habitats, wetlands and forests. To list the animals that call it home would be too long a list. From reptiles like gators and turtles, to birds, fish, insects and mammals, it provides a sanctuary for all.
Gators are the most popular resident in the Everglades, and it is the only place in the world where they coexist alongside crocodiles. Crocs themselves will be found alongside the Glades coast. Alongside them, you may see many other frogs, snakes and lizards. The area has one of the most plentiful bird populations on Earth.
Around 30 federally threatened or endangered species inhabit the area. You will be very lucky to see some of them, but it is not impossible. These include the Florida panther, which is a subspecies of mountain lion. The last population surviving in the Eastern US is here. Numbers place them somewhere between 120 and 230 panthers in the wild today.
Another is the Leatherback Sea Turtle, the largest of all Florida’s Turtles. These creatures are big, growing up to six feet in length. Habitat loss, egg collection, hunting and accidental capture through commercial fishing have decimated them. As they feed on jellyfish, they are often killed by the ingestion of plastic in the waters.
Few creatures are as unique as the Manatee. Also known as the Sea Cow, the West Indian Manatee has been endangered since 1967 and was recently upgraded. Manatees are now being tracked so that they can see what is causing this rapid population decline. Many believe this may be due to a loss of habitat, droughts, storms and flooding, along with boat accidents. There are even orphaned manatees being rehabilitated at Tampa Zoo, which you may be able to visit if you add it to your itinerary.
Dry season is the most popular time to visit and it runs from December to April, though wet season can provide a totally different take on the park as more animals and creatures surface. Miami Everglades tours are the best way to do this, as you are accompanied by an expert guide who can give information on the park and, crucially, keep you safe.
Why Is the Airboat So Iconic?
The airboat comes under a range of different monikers, including the Bayou Boat or Swampboat and it is synonymous with travel in Miami. They are almost exclusively used in the sub-tropical regions of the Southern United States, mainly because they are perfect for marshy, boggy areas.
The reason for this lies in their unique design. Boats are flat-bottomed and have an aircraft-type propeller at the back, which pushes them along the water’s surface. This is ideal in conditions where standard, underwater outboard engines would get clogged up with mud, reeds and rushes.
Airboats were actually invented way back in 1905 in Nova Scotia, Canada and were used for skating across thick ice. They were the brainchild of Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone pioneer. After military use, they began to be taken on by civilians around 1930.
Glenn Hammond Curtiss was the first person from Florida to register one back in 1920. Originally, they were a quick way to access the swamps for fishing and hunting purposes. Now, they have become the main way to provide eco tourism, jetting people around the Everglades without causing harm or damage. They have also been used in rescue situations, saving people when hurricanes and floods leave them stranded.
The Ongoing Regeneration of the Everglades
The Everglades is actually a river that moves very slowly, albeit one that is sixty miles wide and one hundred miles long. Known as the River of Grass, it is now much smaller than it used to be, with 50% of its wetland habitat destroyed due to drainage projects.
However, this is changing, with money now pouring into regeneration projects and research in the area. Florida International University (FIU) is one institution that has managed to acquire $6.375 million to study renewal and how it impacts local communities.
Another major milestone has been the planning of the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project. This will protect the flow of water from Lake Okeechobee as it moves through the Everglades system to the sea. Governor DeSantis recently announced that all the contracts are now in place for this work to move ahead.
Make Miami a Stop on Your Vacation
Whatever your aims or the makeup of your party, Miami can provide interesting experiences for all. You may want to see the opulence and luxury of some of the United States highest earners, or just see where all those celebrities hang out. From private islands to tree-lined avenues, it’s here.
Yet if you want to experience nature and wildlife at its finest, it has that. Not only can you travel out into its oceans, but the Everglades also provides you with a unique biodiversity you will experience nowhere else on the planet.
Thus, a guided tour not only provides you with all the information, safety and access you need. It is an experience you will remember forever. Florida is beautiful. Book in advance, and get ready for the boat ride of a lifetime.