How to Get to Raccoon Island in Miami (With Kids)

If you’ve heard about Raccoon Island (Sandspur Island) and are trying to work out how you actually get there, you’re not alone. It’s one of those Miami experiences that sounds simple on paper but takes a bit of planning — especially when you’re travelling with children.

This guide walks through everything you need to know about getting to Raccoon Island, including parking, departure points, timing, traffic considerations, and what the journey itself is really like. The aim is to help you decide whether it’s practical for your family and how to fit it into a wider Miami or Florida itinerary without unnecessary stress.

Some tour links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend experiences we’ve personally done or genuinely believe can work well for families.

If you’re still deciding whether Raccoon Island is worth visiting at all, it’s worth starting with our full review:Raccoon Island Miami with Kids: Is It Really Worth It?

What Is Raccoon Island and Where Is It?

Raccoon Island is a small, natural island sitting in Biscayne Bay, just off the Miami coastline. It's not connected to the mainland — there are no bridges, no roads, and no public access. The only way to reach it is by boat. The island is home to wild raccoons that have become accustomed to human visitors.

The Only Way to Get There: By Boat

Getting to Raccoon Island by Tour Boat

Because the island is only accessible by water, a guided boat tour is your only realistic option as a family. Tours go daily and stop there for around an hour, giving families time to explore the shoreline, watch the raccoons up close, and enjoy some light water play before heading back. It's a half-day experience rather than a full day out, so understanding the logistics matters — particularly if you're fitting it into a wider Florida itinerary such as our guide: 5-Day Everglades, Florida Keys and Miami Itinerary for Families.

We booked a tour using Aqua Party Boat as the operator which I would highly recommend for families wanting to visit Raccoon Island. The tour departed from Miami harbour at 9.45am and included:

• A boat ride of around 45–60 minutes each way through Biscayne Bay

• Approximately one hour on the island itself

• Optional swimming or floating in the water during the trip

Total time from departure to return is roughly 3 to 3.5 hours, so plan your day accordingly.

Get Your Guide is a good platform for this kind of booking — you can cancel up until the night before, which removes a lot of stress if your plans change or the weather looks uncertain. We've found it worth checking both Get Your Guide and Viator for the same tour, as prices and availability can vary. We got ours discounted from £75 to £56 in April 2026.

Getting to Raccoon Island by Kayak

If you'd prefer a more active way to experience Biscayne Bay, kayaking to Raccoon Island is a genuine option — and for families with older, confident children, it adds a different dimension to the whole experience.

The route involves paddling through a roughly 1.5-mile mangrove passage from North Miami. The waters around the island are shallow, calm, and protected from heavy waves, which makes the paddle manageable even if your children haven't kayaked much before.

Starting point: Kayak rentals are available from Oleta River State Park in North Miami, which is a popular and well-established departure point for independent paddlers heading towards the island. If you're renting independently, you'll need to plan your own route and timing.

Honest assessment for families: Solo kayaking to Raccoon Island is technically possible but involves a reasonable amount of open water paddling and navigation. For most families, it's a significant undertaking — especially if your children are younger or you're not experienced paddlers. It also adds considerable time to what is otherwise a half-day activity.

The Better Middle Ground: A Guided Kayak Tour

If the kayaking element appeals but you don't want to do it independently, there's a third option worth knowing about — a guided kayak tour that combines a boat tour alongside the Kayaking experience.

This option is bookable through both GetYourGuide and Viator, and like the standard boat tour, cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure.

Is the Journey Worth the Effort?

Honestly — yes, for the right family.

The logistics are manageable once you know what to expect. The traffic getting into Miami is the main variable, and as long as you leave plenty of time, the actual process of getting there is straightforward. The experience works best as part of a wider Miami day rather than a standalone trip. We did ours on the morning of our Miami day, which meant the afternoon was free to explore the city at a relaxed pace, for more on what to do with kids in Miami, see: Fun things to Do in Miami with kids

And if you're planning the wider trip, our 2-Week Florida Family Itinerary: Everglades, Florida Keys and Theme Parks shows exactly how we fitted Raccoon Island into a full fortnight in Florida.

Planning a Family Trip to the USA

If you’re planning a family trip to the United States, we’ve created a collection of practical guides based on our own experiences travelling there with a child. In our USA Travel Hub, you’ll find advice on everything from ESTA requirements and travel insurance to driving, healthcare and managing jet lag with kids, alongside destination guides for places we’ve explored including New York, Colorado, South Dakota and Florida. It’s a useful starting point for parents researching how to plan a smooth and enjoyable family trip to the USA.