South Miami, FL Outdoor Activities

As Luis Niño programmed the printer for another press run, all he could hear was the ocean—the waves rolling against the boat's hull, the wind whipping across the sails. After navigating waters from the Florida Keys to the Bahamas for years as a recreational sailor, he dreamed of one day captaining his own ship, eventually taking the leap and launching Sailing on Biscayne Bay.

Today, Captain Niño and his wife, first mate, and professional photographer Mabel welcome passengers with English and Spanish salutations as they board the Dorinda, a Tartan 34 sailboat. They charter two- or three-hour, half-day, and full-day sails through Biscayne Bay along Miami, Brickell, and Key Biscayne. Luis and Mabel entertain guests with drinks and snacks and can also arrange a catering menu.

Its sides look like the planking of a ship, but its wheels are suggestive of a bus. On the open-sided deck space, a guide dressed in a felt tricornered hat, sailor's shirt, and red sash crows "Ahoy, matey!" to welcome up to 49 passengers onto the US Coast Guard-certified amphibious vessel. Then the wheeled ship is driven toward the water, where it hits the surface and glides forth with almost no break in rhythm. For the next 90 minutes, Miami Land & Sea Pirate Adventure's semiaquatic tour pirate ship vessel roams both land and sea as guests take in the city's many sights.

In Action Town Florida's 34,000-square-foot enclave, battles take place with paint, lasers, and putters. A professional paintball team designed the outdoor paintball arena, which sprawls across 2 acres and encompasses terrain such as a village, a wooded area, and a professional field filled with inflatables. Area 51, the 25,000-square-foot laser-tag arena, fuels competition with high-tempo music and glow-in-the-dark obstacles. The nine-hole miniature golf course also glows in the dark, offering a helpful way to distinguish between real obstacles and imaginary friends' heads. Action Town Florida also fills its facility with arcade games, bumper cars, and climbing walls, as well as a bounce-house city with very reasonable property taxes. Its party packages give guests a taste of all offerings, along with refreshments and food.

Captain Joe, a US Coast Guard master licensed captain, has been sailing for more than 35 years and wanted to share his love for running charters to the Bahamas with others. Within a matter of years after he created Captain Joe’s Boat Rentals, Tours and Charters, Inc., his fleet swelled to more than 12 vessels ranging from 14-foot fishing boats to 45-foot luxury yachts, not to be confused with humpbacked whales. In addition to helming charters to the Keys and Caribbean and island-hopping sightseeing tours, he offers boat rentals, with which patrons can hit the high seas on their own or take boating lessons.

After a short introduction, lessons from one of WaterSports Miami’s experienced pro kiteboarding instructors turn ground-dwellers into high-flying thrill-seekers. The knowledgeable instructors can introduce newcomers to the excitement of kiteboarding, paddleboarding, and yachting. Kiteboarding lessons and paddleboarding yoga also add an element of adventure to beach excursions, without inevitably digging through sandcastles in search of lost car keys.

Miami’s azure beaches and kaleidoscopic cityscapes beckon eyes downward as Miami Seaplane Tours’ Cessna 172 Seahawk skirts across the horizon. With more than 30 years of experience, pilot Tony Anderson flies jet-setting adventurers above Miami in the renovated interior of his ultralight Cessna, which accommodates up to three passengers. The aerodynamically enhanced craft now offers four distinct seaplane tours, ranging in length from 30 minutes to two hours. Passengers soak in panoramic views of downtown Miami’s hotels, beaches, and mansions, or sail over the soiree of Fort Lauderdale. Tours can also glide north of the city, all the while dodging clouds and errant beach frisbees thrown by Dan Marino.