Sunset Kayaking In Miami
Sunset kayaking in Miami should be on everyone’s bucket list. It’s a great way to enjoy nature and see some amazing views of downtown Miami.
Best Kayaking In Miami
When looking for the best place to kayak in Miami we recommend kayaking in Virginia Key with Virginia Key Outdoor Center (VKOC). The staff is amazing and always so helpful. They also offer other outdoor activities like mountain biking, stand up paddleboarding, and guided nature trail walks. You can rent their equipment or you can join them on a group tour.
We had already rented kayaks from VKOC once before, and ended up exploring the north east corner of Virginia Key and seeing manatees. This time however, we joined in on their sunset paddle tour.
Sunset Kayaking In Miami
The time of departure varies on the time of year, so make sure you know exactly when you should arrive by. When we got to the launching site, we filled out some quick paperwork and were given life jackets and paddles.
Next, we climbed into our kayaks and headed out. Our first stop on the tour with VKOC was the Miami Marine Stadium. It was built back in 1963 for watching water sports. Later on it also became a venue for concerts and other sporting events like boxing. After Hurricane Andrew ravaged the area in 1992, however, the stadium was declared unsafe and closed to the public. Since then, it has become popular with street artists and taggers.
We then continued on towards the mainland. On the way we passed others in boats and on jet skis. And then… WE SAW DOLPHINS!! We think there were at least three of them and they swam around us a few times. One even swam right under our kayak! It was such a cool experience!
We drifted quietly for a bit, watching the dolphins swim around us. We eventually pulled ourselves away as we saw the sun was going down and wanted to explore a little more. We paddled towards a small island and got out of our kayaks to walk around. We didn’t stay long though since we wanted to be back on the water to see the sun set.
So we paddled back out onto the water and saw what we can honestly say has been the prettiest sunset we’ve ever seen in Miami. The colors were just spectacular!
It’s hard to truly describe the peace and calm we felt as we watched the sun set. The smell of the ocean, the soft breeze, and only the sound of the water made this a truly wonderful experience.
Reluctantly, we started making our way back to our starting point. We had been on the water for almost 2 hours but it seemed like only a few minutes.
A Few Tips For Your Tour
- – The odds of you falling in are pretty slim, but just in case, we recommend having a waterproof case for your phone. Our [easyazon_link identifier=”B01MUWNM2Q” locale=”US” tag=”buddythetrave-20″]Meritcase Waterproof Case[/easyazon_link] has worked wonderfully, both on our first kayak adventure with VKOC and when we went swimming with manatees in Crystal River, Florida.
- – You’re in South Florida. Even in the cooler months we recommend wearing some [easyazon_link identifier=”B0054NFYDG” locale=”US” tag=”buddythetrave-20″]insect repellent[/easyazon_link]. When we stopped on the island we were getting bit by a few no-see-ums.
- – When getting in and out of the kayaks your feet are probably going to get wet and sometimes the ground can be a bit slippery so we recommend wearing some [easyazon_link identifier=”B071KFMK6J” locale=”US” tag=”buddythetrave-20″]water shoes[/easyazon_link].
We had such a great time sunset kayaking in Miami and really recommend anyone in the area do it, local or visitor. Like we said earlier, everyone at VKOC is just so nice and they offer a lot of different tours. Something we’re interested in trying out next time is the stand up paddleboarding or maybe the full moon paddle.
If you’d like to learn more about VKOC and what they offer, feel free to check out the VKOC website or the VKOC Facebook page. We know you’ll have a great time no matter what you do!
Click below to see the items we recommend for your sunset kayaking tour | ||
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**A big thank you to Virginia Key Outdoor Center for having us! Although we were offered a complimentary tour, as always, all opinions are our own.**
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Hey Vicky! Great post! I’ll probably be in that area this time next year and this looks like something to add to my list of things to do!
Kayaking seems like so much fun, especially when accompanied by a breathtaking sunset. When would be the best time of the year to explore Miami and try kayaking there, Vicky?
Hola, hola! It’s been a while but I’m finally in Florida. I recently secured a room for rent in the Fort Lauderdale area and now starting to look around for things to do in Miami. The sunset paddle by the Virginia Keys looks good. I checked out their website and am tempted by their New Year Eve’s Firework paddle. Do you think it’s worth ringing in my first new year’s eve in Miami from the water?
Hi Mark! I think that would be an amazing way to bring in the New Year!
Wow! Kayaking is a fun. I would love to do it when in Miami 🙂
I hope you’re able to, it’s a lot of fun!
I love to travel and explore new places, I visit Dubai a lot. There are so many places to explore in the world.