Quick Details
Departure Location: Dante Fascell Visitor Center in Homestead, FL
Duration: 3.5 hours
Start Time: 9:30 AM or 1:30 PM
Age Limit: This activity is great for all ages.
Important Information:
-
- All minors must be accompanied by an adult.
- Before completing your booking, make sure to read our Cancellation Policy.
- Please read all the information below including the drop-down menus to learn more about this trip.
The Boca Chita Lighthouse will undergo construction until further notice. During this period, scaffolding will encircle the structure, and public access to the lighthouse will be temporarily restricted. Please check Biscayne National Park’s website for updates. We appreciate your understanding.
Passenger
$ 83
Passenger
Ages 5-12
$ 49
Passenger
Ages 4 and under
Free
Join us as we journey across Biscayne Bay and back through time to tell you the stories of the people whose influence shaped Biscayne National Park and its surrounding Miami and Florida Keys areas into what they are today.
This 3.5 hour experience will motor across Biscayne Bay and along the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys with a 1-hour stop at either Boca Chita Key, Elliott Key, or Adams Key. (The key stops are based on the conditions of the day.)
While you listen to the stories of Biscayne’s past, you will have the opportunity to see some of the extraordinary wildlife that inhabits the protected Mangroves and Seagrass meadows as you cruise along.
This activity is great for all ages! There is no snorkeling or paddling during this experience. There is a small beach at Boca Chita. We recommend you wear clothes that could potentially get wet from water splashing onto the boat. This is not a glass bottom boat tour although you will be able to see the bottom of the bay in the clear waters of Biscayne from the side of the boat.
The Boca Chita Lighthouse will undergo construction until further notice. During this period, scaffolding will encircle the structure, and public access to the lighthouse will be temporarily restricted. Please check Biscayne National Park’s website for updates. We appreciate your understanding.
-
This program will depart from Convoy Point located at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center in Homestead, FL. 9700 SW 328th Street Sir Lancelot Jones Way Homestead, FL 33033. Check out our Transportation Page to learn more about transportation options for this location.
You will check-in at the Park store that’s located on the second floor right next to the visitor center 30 mins before the trip departs. Please complete your waivers before your trip to ensure a smoother check-in process.
-
This Biscayne cruise is great for all ages. We do ask to keep an eye on younger passengers in your group to ensure everyone’s safety. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. Guests must be 42″ tall to go into the Boca Chita Lighthouse.
The Heritage trip does offer ADA accessibility, however there are times the boat is undergoing routine maintenance and we will replace it with a boat that is not ADA. If you require an ADA accessible ramp for the boat, please call (786) 465-4058 when booking to be sure appropriate accommodations are possible. The Boca Chita from Coconut Grove trip is ADA accessible.
This program has movements that could cause problems for pregnant women, those with recent surgeries or back injuries, and can cause motion/sea sickness. To best accommodate you and make your trip safe and enjoyable, please make a note in your reservation or privately notify our captain or mate if:
-
- You have any recent surgeries
- You have any back injuries
- You have any medical conditions
- You are prone to motion/sea sickness
- You are pregnant
- You have any other concerns regarding your safety and health
-
-
We recommend that you bring along the following:
- Water Bottle
- Snack
- Sun Protection: Reef safe sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats
- Light jacket
You can also bring a small cooler and a bag with you on the boat. Please do not bring anything that you don’t wish to get wet. We recommend storing any valuables in waterproof bag as water may splash in the boat on windy days.
-
Boat Information
-
- The boat we use is a 40′ Power Catamaran. This boat does have an emergency bathroom but it has limited privacy. We highly recommended using the bathroom in the visitor center before departing, as well as using the bathrooms on the island. During the trip, the boat stays in the bay the whole time, this will lessen the chance of motion sickness. There are times when we have routine maintenance scheduled that we will replace this boat with a different boat from our fleet. Anything from a 27′ Center Console Power Boat to a 30′ Inflatable Power boat. These boats do not have bathrooms.
- There is a cooler with extra water on the boat, you will be able to use it to refill your water bottle. While cruising in the bay, especially on a windy day, there’s a chance that water will splash into the boat; we suggest storing anything that you don’t wish to get wet in a drybag.
-
-
Online waivers will be sent with the booking confirmation. No printing necessary. You can even complete the waivers on your phone! Adults over the age of 18 must complete and submit their own waiver. Minors ages 17 and younger must have a parent or legal guardian complete and submit a waiver on behalf of the minor. For snorkeling activities there are separate waivers for adults and minors, please be sure you are completing the appropriate waiver. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. To complete the waiver process, you will need to confirm your email address through and email that will be sent by Smartwaiver.
-
Do you support any ADA needs?
- The Heritage trip does offer ADA accessibility, however there are times the boat is undergoing routine maintenance and we will replace it with a boat that is not ADA. We do our best to accommodate any ADA needs, for better assistance please contact us at (786) 465-4058 or email us at info@bnpi.site and we’ll gladly assist you on any concerns.
Is there a place on the boat to hold my stuff?
- You can keep small items on the boat during your excursion but there is a possibility of them getting wet during the trip, we ask that you use a dry bag and keep personal belongs hidden inside of your vehicles.
Is this a glass bottom boat?
- This is not a glass bottom boat, but in shallow areas the seagrass will be visible from the side of the boat. This trip will not go out to the ocean side, coral reef barriers will not be seen.
What is a Naturalist?
- Our tour guides, Naturalists, are continuous students of the natural world and provide interpretive, educational, and historical programs in South Florida’s National Parks. Each are trained by the National Park Service to ensure they are equipped with and can provide the most up to date information, research, and opportunities when connecting with guests.”
What does interpretation mean?
- Interpretation is a purposeful form of communication that seeks to translate the world around us. Our Naturalists help interpret the natural environment, history, research, etc. to support guests in broadening their perspectives, deepening their understanding, and inspiring them to cultivate meaningful connections with South Florida’s National Parks.