Where Yachts Dock in Miami: A Marina-by-Marina Guide
Vice City Yacht Club charters depart from Sea Isle Marina, Miami Beach Marina, and Regal Marina. Every marina reaches Biscayne Bay, the sandbars, and Star Island.
Where Yachts Dock in Miami: A Marina-by-Marina Guide
Vice City Yacht Club charters depart from three primary marinas: Sea Isle Marina (1635 N Bayshore Dr, Edgewater), Miami Beach Marina (300 Alton Rd, South Pointe), and Regal Marina (2215 NW 14th St, Little Havana). Some charters also depart from Coconut Grove. Each yacht is permanently assigned to one marina; the exact pickup location is listed on the boat's detail page and confirmed in your booking email. Every marina reaches the same destinations—Biscayne Bay, Haulover Sandbar, Nixon Sandbar, and Star Island—with similar transit times. You choose the boat first, and the marina follows. If you want to see any of them in person, book a free 30-minute marina visit before you pay anything.
Sea Isle Marina: Edgewater & Brickell Departures
Sea Isle Marina sits at 1635 N Bayshore Dr in Edgewater, a five-minute drive from Brickell and ten minutes from downtown hotels. This bayfront marina serves most of our mid-size and larger yachts—60 to 135 feet—including Astonish (97 feet, four hours from $6,750), Sale Vita (105 feet, four hours from $8,100), and Matrix (135 feet, four hours from $9,450).
Parking is valet or self-park in the adjacent lot; spaces are limited on weekends, so arrive 15 minutes early. From the lot, walk to the dock office and check in with the attendant, who will direct you to your captain's slip. The marina sits on the bay side, so you're in open water within 10 minutes—no bridges, no river locks.
Transit time to Haulover Sandbar is roughly 25 minutes north; Star Island and the Venetian Islands are 10 minutes south; Nixon Sandbar near Key Biscayne is 20 minutes southeast. A typical six-hour charter from Sea Isle includes 30 minutes of cruising each way and four to five hours anchored. For logistics specific to Brickell departures, see renting a yacht from Brickell.
Miami Beach Marina: South Beach & Ocean-Side Departures
Miami Beach Marina is located at 300 Alton Rd, on the southern tip of Miami Beach in South Pointe. This is the closest departure for anyone staying in South Beach, Ocean Drive, Lincoln Road, or South of Fifth. The marina offers valet parking at the entrance; the attendant takes your keys and you walk directly to the dock office to meet your captain.
Boats berthed here range from 27 feet to 70 feet, including Unforgettable (27 feet, four hours $900), Ibiza (37 feet, four hours $1,000), Crescendo (45 feet, four hours $1,150), and Playhouse (70 feet, four hours $3,500). Miami Beach Marina provides the fastest access to the Atlantic Ocean via Government Cut, the deep shipping channel at the south end of the beach. If your group wants to cruise offshore or head straight to the sandbar, this marina cuts 10 to 15 minutes off the trip compared to bayfront departures.
Transit time to Haulover Sandbar is 20 minutes north via the Intracoastal; Star Island and the Venetian Islands are 8 minutes west into the bay; Biscayne Bay's open water is immediate once you exit Government Cut. For a detailed itinerary, see a perfect South Beach yacht day.
Regal Marina: Miami River & Little Havana Departures
Regal Marina sits on the Miami River at 2215 NW 14th St in Little Havana, west of downtown. This inland marina serves guests staying in western downtown neighborhoods, Coral Gables, or anyone who prefers the novelty of a river departure. The route to open water is longer—15 to 20 minutes—but it includes the working waterfront scenery of the Miami River: drawbridges, cargo terminals, and waterfront restaurants.
Boats at Regal Marina are typically smaller to mid-size: 37 to 57 feet. Examples include Habana (37 feet, four hours $1,050) and Monaco (57 feet, four hours $1,750). Parking is in an adjacent lot; spaces are first-come, first-served. Check in at the dock office and your captain will walk you down to the slip.
The river departure runs east past downtown's bridges, under the Brickell Avenue drawbridge, and into Biscayne Bay near the mouth of the river. Once in the bay, transit times are similar to Sea Isle—25 minutes to Haulover, 15 minutes to Star Island. Regal Marina works well if you're staying west of I-95 or want a route that feels more like a full harbor tour before reaching open water.
Coconut Grove Departures: When & Why You'd Use This Marina
Some charters depart from Coconut Grove. The marina sits deep inside Biscayne Bay's southwestern corner, so the ride is protected from Atlantic swells. That makes it practical for families with young children or groups planning a long, slow cruise rather than a sandbar party.
Coconut Grove is also the closest departure to Stiltsville, the historic stilt houses seven miles offshore in the middle of the bay, and to Cape Florida at the southern tip of Key Biscayne. A six-hour Coconut Grove charter can comfortably reach Stiltsville, anchor for two hours, and return with time to cruise the Venetian Islands. For more on Coconut Grove charters, see the Coconut Grove yacht rental page.
The downside: Coconut Grove is farther from most hotels, and transit time to northern destinations like Haulover Sandbar is 35 to 40 minutes each way.
How Marina Assignment Works: You Don't Choose
Each yacht in our fleet is permanently assigned to one marina based on its size, draft, and slip availability. That marina is listed on the boat's detail page under departure information. When you book a yacht, you are booking its assigned marina; you cannot request a different departure location.
If proximity to your hotel is a priority, filter the fleet page by departure location or choose a boat explicitly listed as departing from the marina closest to you. For example, if you're staying at the Kimpton EPIC in downtown Miami, Sea Isle Marina is a five-minute drive; Miami Beach Marina is 15 minutes across the MacArthur Causeway. If you're at the W South Beach, Miami Beach Marina is five minutes; Sea Isle is 20 minutes.
The marina address is confirmed in your booking email immediately after you reserve. If you have specific parking needs or other logistical questions, call us before booking—we'll tell you which boats depart from which marina and what to expect at each location.
What Happens at the Marina: Boarding, Parking, and the Pre-Departure Walk-Through
Arrive at the marina on time. Charter time begins at the scheduled hour, and it includes boarding, the safety briefing, and departure. If you arrive 20 minutes late to a four-hour charter, you get three hours and 40 minutes of cruising time. A no-contact no-show is cancelled without refund.
When you arrive, look for the dock office or marina attendant. At Sea Isle and Miami Beach Marina, valet parking is available; at Regal Marina, park in the adjacent lot. Check in with the attendant or your captain (who will be waiting near the dock office or at the slip), and you'll be walked to the boat. Boarding takes five to ten minutes: the captain loads your coolers and bags, assigns a spot for your group's belongings, and conducts the safety briefing—life jacket locations, emergency procedures, and head (bathroom) instructions.
Bring sunscreen, towels, your own alcohol (cans and plastic only—glass is prohibited), and a Bluetooth-ready playlist. Ice and coolers are provided. The captain never drinks; you and your guests may. Non-marking shoes are appreciated.
Free Marina Visit Before You Book
If you want to see the marina and walk the actual boats before committing, book a free 30-minute marina visit at vcy.club/visit. A crew member will meet you at the dock, show you two or three boats in your size and price range, and answer logistics questions. No card required, no deposit.
Other Miami Marinas You'll Hear About (and Why We Don't Use Them)
Bayside Marina, at Bayside Marketplace downtown, primarily serves small tour boats and transient slips. Haulover Marina, near Haulover Inlet in Bal Harbour, is used by fishing charters and boats that need immediate ocean access; most private yacht charters consolidate farther south for better proximity to hotels and the broader Biscayne Bay cruising area.
Other municipal marinas—Crandon Park Marina on Key Biscayne, Pelican Harbor in North Bay Village—serve recreational boaters and small fishing operations but lack the deepwater slips and dockside services required for a fleet of 25- to 135-foot yachts. Charter operations focus on a few well-maintained, centrally located marinas with reliable shore power, fueling, and parking.
Marina Comparison: Sea Isle, Miami Beach, and Regal at a Glance
| Marina | Address | Closest Neighborhoods | Parking | Transit to Open Water | Typical Boat Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Isle Marina | 1635 N Bayshore Dr, Edgewater | Brickell, Downtown, Edgewater | Valet or self-park | ~10 minutes | 60–135 ft |
| Miami Beach Marina | 300 Alton Rd, South Pointe | South Beach, SoFi, Ocean Drive | Valet | ~8 minutes via Government Cut | 27–70 ft |
| Regal Marina | 2215 NW 14th St, Little Havana | Little Havana, Coral Gables, West Downtown | Self-park | ~15–20 minutes (river route) | 37–57 ft |
| Coconut Grove | 3400 Pan American Dr, Coconut Grove | Coconut Grove, Coral Gables | Public lot | ~10 minutes (sheltered bay) | 40–70 ft (seasonal) |
Every marina reaches the same core destinations: Haulover Sandbar, Nixon Sandbar, Star Island, the Venetian Islands, and Stiltsville. Transit time differences are 10 to 15 minutes at most. Pick by proximity to your hotel and by which boat you want—the marina will follow.
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Ready to see where your yacht departs? Browse the full fleet with live pricing and marina assignments, or book a free 30-minute marina visit to walk the docks with a crew member before you commit.