Family Jet Ski Rental in Miami: Teens, Kids and Parents

A family can ride jet skis together on Biscayne Bay, but the rules about who drives, who signs and who rides as a passenger are specific, and getting them right in advance is what makes the morning smooth. This page sets them out plainly, then covers safety, the pontoon option for bigger families, and how to plan the day around kids.

Quick answer: can families ride jet skis in Miami?

Direct answer: yes. At Jet Ski Miami 7, drivers must be 14 or older, children can ride as passengers behind a parent (each jet ski seats up to 2), a parent or guardian signs for anyone under 18, and the person who books and signs must be 21+ with a government photo ID. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 who drives needs a Florida boater safety card, which is done online in about 30 minutes. Rides are self-guided from the Miami Beach / North Bay Village area, daily 7 AM – 6 PM, from $189 per jet ski for 1 hour, plus $30 per passenger. Book at /book.

Who can drive, who can ride, who signs

Three points families most often miss:

• The boater card applies to teens. A 15-year-old who wants to drive needs the Florida boater safety card just like a 30-year-old does. The temporary certificate is online, takes about 30 minutes, costs about $14, and the link is sent after booking. Have the teen do it at home the week before; the license page walks through it.
• The 21+ rule is about the booking, not about riding. An 18-year-old can drive with a card, but cannot be the person who books and signs. A parent or another adult 21+ with a government photo ID does that.
• Every rider is on the waiver, including passengers and children. It is signed electronically from a private link after booking, so there is no clipboard on the dock; the parent signs for the under-18s.

Kids as passengers

Direct answer: a child rides behind the driving parent, in a life vest that we provide, holding the driver's waist or the grab handles. Whether a particular child is ready is a judgement call for the parent: they need to be able to sit securely, hold on through turns, be comfortable in the water, and follow the safety briefing. Calm morning water makes a big difference for a first-timer, and a 1-hour ride is a better first test than a longer one.

The passenger fee is $30 per jet ski. If you have two children and two adults, the usual shape is two jet skis, one adult and one child on each.

Safety, honestly

• Life vests are mandatory for everyone and provided; tell us the children's ages when you book.
• Every ride starts with a safety briefing and a recommended route. The ride is self-guided; nobody rides behind you, so the briefing is where you ask the questions.
• The riding zone is about 25 square miles and GPS-monitored, and the jet skis slow down automatically in no-wake zones. There are no speeding tickets to worry about, and no need to memorize channel markers with a child on board.
• No alcohol before or during the ride, for any rider.
• Mornings are the calmest water with the least boat traffic. Summer afternoons can bring storms and winter mornings can be cool. If conditions are unsafe, we cancel and refund the unused time including the deposit, or reschedule for free.
• The fleet is fully insured.

Routes that work with children

• 1 Hour, $189 per jet ski: the Venetian Islands (10–15 minutes from the start) and Star Island (15–20 minutes), calm protected water, back within the hour. The right first ride for a family.
• 2 Hours, $349 per jet ski (plus a bonus 30 minutes, 2.5 hours on the water): adds the Haulover sandbar, a 25–30 minute ride north, where you stop in shallow water and swim. Kids who like the beach love the sandbar; see the Haulover sandbar page.
• 3 Hours or Full Day reach the Downtown skyline, Key Biscayne and the Cape Florida lighthouse. Better for families with teens who drive their own ski than for small children.

Wildlife on the bay is possible but never promised; do not tell a six-year-old they will see a dolphin.

Bigger families: the pontoon option

Direct answer: if your family is more than fits on jet skis, or if some members do not want to ride, the 28 ft Bennington pontoon boat is the alternative. Like the jet skis it is self-guided, rented by the hour: 2 hours $300, 3 hours $450, 4 hours $600, 5 hours $750, 6 hours $900, Full Day $1,000. Ask about capacity for your group when booking.

Families often combine the two: grandparents and small children on the pontoon, teens and parents on one or two jet skis, everyone meeting at the sandbar. Jet skis are up to 6 per booking.

Money and booking details

• From $189 per jet ski for 1 hour; extra passenger +$30. Group rate for several skis is shown at checkout, as are Florida sales tax and booking fees. Full table on the price page.
• $30 booking deposit for 1–3 jet skis, 20% of the total for 4 or more jet skis or for a Full Day. Balance at check-in by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
• $150 refundable security hold per jet ski on a card at check-in, released about 5 business days after return.
• The booking deposit is non-refundable; cancel at least 48 hours ahead and the ride moves once to another date within 90 days.
• Gift certificates from $189, never expire, if a grandparent wants to pay for the outing.

Planning the family day

1. Book a morning slot (9 or 10 AM) and arrive 30 minutes early. Kids get restless; the briefing is quicker when everyone is fed and sunscreened.
2. Have every driver born on or after January 1, 1988 do the boater card at home from the link sent after booking.
3. Sign the waivers from the private link the night before, including the parent signatures for under-18s.
4. Bring: swimwear under clothes, towels, sunscreen, hats for after, a change of clothes for the kids, water, a waterproof pouch for one phone.
5. After the ride, Miami Beach is 15 minutes south for lunch and the beach; the Frost Science museum Downtown (20–25 minutes) is the air-conditioned afternoon. Our one-day plan has a family variation.

Pickup and drop-off are at Bill Bird Marina in Haulover Park (10800 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33154); parking instructions are sent right after booking. Jet Ski Miami 7 has a 5.0 rating on Google from 46 reviews (October 2026) and answers family questions on WhatsApp at +1 (786) 863-1721, in English and Russian. More family-friendly ideas are on the blog and in things to do in Miami.

Frequently asked questions