Sailing around the island of the famous, doing nautical safaris in search of alligators and even steering a boat, among other proposals passed by water and very refreshing

In Miami, without a doubt, water is as protagonist as shopping malls, palm trees and beaches. In the open sea, in Biscayne Bay or in the swamps, the water is a good driver to know other facets of the city. Quiet navigations in search of famous houses and memorable sunsets, more intrepid proposals to travel the swamps in search of alligators and even feel a Celebrity in your own boat.

By boat, by celebrity homes

Actors, singers, athletes and other millionaires seclude themselves on islands overlooking the water in South Beach. Therefore, these mansions are best appreciated from a boat. The companies depart from the Bayside Marketplace shopping center and pass through Fisher, Hibiscus and Star Island, as well as the Avenue of the Millionaires (Millonaires Row) with anecdotes and curious facts about their owners. You can also see up close the Port of Miami with its huge cruise ships, and get a panoramic view ofdowntown 

 and its modern skyscrapers.

Island Queen Cruises makes ten departures a day from 10:30. The ships can accommodate up to 140 passengers, with seats in the air-conditioned cabin or on deck to the outside. The 90-minute ride costs US$ 27 for adults and US$ 19 for minors if purchased online. At the port it costs US$ 3 more.

Hop on-hop off, in Fort Lauderdale

The tour begins on the Riverwalk, a coastal walk on the Tarpon River that runs parallel to Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale’s shopping street. You can leave your car at Las Olas Riverfront Garage, adjacent to water taxi stop 1 . The route has 11 numbered stops, and it is possible to get off and on as many times as you want during the day. There are many restaurants, some over the water. The boat traverses the comb-shaped peninsulas lined with mansions, between stops 4 and 5. The landscape simulates a modern Venice where many entrepreneurs of well-known brands live. The boat makes two stops (8 and 9) very close to the beach. You can get off and walk there. It also stops at the Galleria Mall, Fort Lauderdale’s shopping mall with brands such as Apple, Victoria Secret and Macys. The last one stop It is a public park where you can rent bicycles, paddle board and kayaks. The walk takes all day.

Price adults US$ 26, and US$ 12 children from 5 to 11 years old.

Sunset in Key West

Key West turned sunset into a celebration. Every afternoon on this small island, the southernmost island linked to the North American country, many offer to watch the sunset from the sea with options for very different audiences. In the center of Key West you can compare the variants that are exhibited to the tourist. Some ships include music, partying and sell alcoholic beverages; others like the Appledore frigate offer to sail peacefully waiting for the sun to go down. The Jolly II Rover is a pirate ship, while another with a glass bottom also allows you to look at the underwater life that inhabits these crystal clear waters. Boats pass near Sunset Key, an exclusive island known for the multimillion-dollar homes of the celebrities. In general they all offer free snacks. The excursion lasts two hours and you have to be 30 minutes before the departure at the pier. Fares range from US$ 40 to US$ 65 for adults; between US$ 29 and US$ 32 minors.

The Everglades by airboat

Flat-floor boats propelled with a monstrous fan at the stern are unlike any conventional water ride, and by their type, they can circulate with a few centimeters deep. This type of vessel arrived in Florida in 1920 and has been a classic ever since.

The Airboats they enter through the channels that crisscross the Everglades, the home par excellence of the alligators that inhabit this soil. At full speed, feeling the wind in your face, you can penetrate into the swamps and check why they are called grass rivers. Some stops are made to see the alligators up close, which sometimes look like plastic lying on the bank of the channel, and others poke their eyes from the water with slow movements. There are also many birds, vipers, turtles, and raccoons, among other residents.

Everglades National Park has an entrance on Route 41, called the Old Tamiami Trail. The companies of Airboats They are before and after the park, in the vicinity of the access. Some operators are Cooperstown Airboats and Tigertail Airboats. Prices range from US$ 20 to US$ 40 for adults.

Some business options are: coopertownairboats.com and www.tigertailairboattours.com

Rent your own speedboat

There are many attractions in the area when one is behind the wheel or in this case at the helm. The Haulover Park has a boat rental concession (it is not required to have a helmsman’s  license). The area is ideal for going out to pispear nearby sites unknown to the motorist. The Haulover sandbar, betweenBal Harbour and Sunny Isles, gathers hundreds of boats on weekends, but is almost empty during the week. You can descend with water at your ankle on the sandbar in the middle of a huge bay, with the skyscrapers of Sunny Isles and Aventura in the background. From yapa you may be able to see some manta rays that usually roam the bank. Following the navigation south is the island of Indian Creek Country Club, where some of the most expensive homes in the entire state sit. The price starts at US $ 125 per hour, or US $ 400 for 4 hours for a 19-foot boat.

In Key Largo, the first of the keys that break off to the south of the continent, you can also rent a boat, in Pennekamp State Park. In this case the biggest attraction is not to see the city from the water but under it. It is ideal for snorkeling, as the corals attract all kinds of tropical fish. It is the only living barrier reef in the United States. The price for four hours is $210, or $359 for the whole day.

Alternatives to take flight

After the water, nothing like going to heaven… By seaplane! This tour departs from Key Biscayne, as soon as you cross the bridge that enters that island. The tour known as Miami and beaches ($225) is the most popular and lasts an hour, including a panoramic view of the skyscrapers and South Beach. You fly over Key West past its lighthouse and the houses on stilts dotted on Biscayne Bay, known as Stiltsville. Turning north you pass over Coconut Grove, its Vizcaya Museum and its gardens. The flight becomes low and slow over crystal clear waters. The pilot will do his best to get you to see the exotic marine life with manta rays, dolphins, manatees and sharks.

There are other shorter and less expensive tours such as South Beach (US$ 135 per person, 15 minutes); Miami Skyline (US$ 160, 30 minutes). Reservation must be made onlineat least two hours before the flight, but preferably between 5 and 24 hours in advance.

The ideal is to wear flip-flops or water shoes. Although it has a small spring, sometimes you have to get your feet wet above the ankles.

It is also possible to fly over the Florida Keys in a glider, known locally as a glider. The trips are only for one person plus the pilot and the rates start from US $ 120, for 20 minutes at 600 meters high, to US $ 200, for a 45-minute trip at 1400 meters from the ground. The most comprehensive option throws up a full view of Biscayne Bay, passing through the Everglades, the islands that make up the Keys and the Gulf of Mexico.

Tourists sit in the front seat of these gliding aircraft, enjoying the view and comfort of a silent flight. Flights depart from Homestead Airport, located in the south of the peninsula, 80 minutes from Miami Airport.

Parasail, for the brave

Observing the coast from a distance, from above, in this case is not for everyone. The parasail is a parachute taken to a boat that circulates slowly. The intrepid client starts standing from the boat, but his rope is released to take flight and admire the coast and the turquoise sea as if it were a bird.

You can fly two and three people at a time, in times ranging from 12 to 15 minutes. In Miami Beach, behind the Lowes Hotel is Miami Beach Parasail  (US$ 85 per person). Departures at 9.30, 10.15 and 11 have a discount of US$ 15. A few miles further north is Hollywood Parasail  ($65 at 10 and 11, and $75 the rest of the day).

Fountain: https://www.lanacion.com.ar/