Aventura, FL Outdoor Activities

Miami Water Sports’s esteemed crew helps guests to navigate the waters of Miami Beach with an armada of vessels ranging from party barges to kiteboards. Although experienced riders can rent their own watercraft, the staff hands out kiteboarding wisdom during beginner through advanced lessons for individuals or groups. They also host kiteboarding excursions, which travel to such faraway locales as the Dominican Republic. Alternatively, the company's paddleboard rentals are useful when trying to blend in with a pack of swimming dogs.

Wind-leashed high-flier and Skybanditz founder Francisco Escudero has blown spectators away at such competitions as the Velocity Games and the Bahamas kite race. He is the North Miami Beach area coordinator of the Florida Kitesurfing Association and founder of Skybanditz, where he and his trained staff conduct all manner of surf- and sky-borne expeditions. They outfit maritime adventurers with all the proper kiteboarding, kayaking, and paddleboarding gear, as well as lead kayak tours through Marine Stadium and several small islands. They also give guests the option to explore the high seas on their own or with friends. Instructors, meanwhile, cover safety and proper techniques during kitesurfing programs that range from beginner level to Level X, an echelon they reserve for students who are ultra-advanced or genetically related to flying squirrels.

Bike and Roll equips locals and tourists with eco-friendly transportation to explore the Magic City. Mounted on roving Segways and pointing out historical facts as they ride, guides swing tourists past such iconic locations as the Miami River, the eclectic Miami Beach Architectural District, and South Pointe Park at sunset. In addition to daily tours, Bike and Roll offers rentals of Trek bicycles for recreation or transportation and in-line skates for carving figure eights into the city's asphalt ice rinks.

Located in North Miami Beach, H2O Dive Center facilitates safe diving experiences with a staff of SSI-certified instructors, informative ocean-exploration courses, and quality equipment rentals. During each dip in the center's pool, professional scuba divers prep beginners for open-water dives by demonstrating how to properly use the provided equipment and imitating the accents of sea turtles. Seasoned divers can further their studies during advanced diving courses or a three-part open-water certification course.

Back in 1955, Bayside Marketplace was abuzz with fishermen selling the day’s catch to people eager to bring home a fresh dinner to their families. Today, the waterside marketplace still bustles with shoppers, but now both tourists and locals bob in and out of retail shops and restaurants, and stop mid-step to catch street performers in action. It’s in this lively epicenter—which reminds many of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf—that Boat Rental Miami calls home. Here, rental offices try to bring a bit of the past into the future through fishing trips and leisurely bouts at sea.

New and veteran boaters alike can visit the market’s Pier 5 and board a wide range of vessels to experience the Atlantic Ocean or Biscayne Bay. Boat Rental Miami outfits boaters with sports boards with extended swim platforms, kraken deterrent, and wakeboard storage for fishing vessels with extra-quiet four-stroke motors. Frequent boaters can sign up for one of the club’s membership programs and receive regular discounts on rentals, while novices can try their hand at steering during Saturday boating classes.

South Beach Charters LLC’s pair of 32' Silverton Flybridge Cruisers carry a certain swagger as they glide across the waters of South Florida. That’s because the privately chartered boats are often loaded down with partying payloads immersed in VIP style. Nicknamed the “Disco Boat” and “Discotheque”, the vessels were completely customized in 2012 with 10-speaker marine sound systems and spinning disco balls to go along with ample seating for up to 12 passengers. A friendly crew, which includes a captain and for an additional fee bartenders and a private DJ, keeps the party buoyant, looking out for party-crashing icebergs. Ocean adventurers can also opt for add-ons such as snorkeling gear, standup paddleboards, kayaks, and inflatable island rafts to enjoy on their aquatic jaunt.