Fort Lauderdale

With so many things to do in Fort Lauderdale, we’d recommend firstly anchoring on the inside of Elliott Key, where you can swim, snorkel, or simply lounge on the pretty beach. Spend the afternoon here, then sail a little further south to spend the night behind Pumpkin Key.

The middle keys offer excellent snorkeling opportunities, with Sombrero Reef near Marathon possibly being the very best. The crystal clear waters are the perfect depth for snorkeling with colorful fish, interesting topography and a great variety of coral.

Head to Bahia Honda on your Florida yacht charter, one of the best anchorages in the Florida Keys. Drop your hook near the scenic Old Keys Trestle Railroad Bridge and go ashore to walk the beautiful beach. Enjoy a stunning Florida sunset and on board dinner at this calm natural harbor.

Depart Bahia Honda and sail out to Looe Key, a National Marine Sanctuary with magnificent snorkeling and diving. The reef has a great wall for scuba divers.

Stop at Marathon for a close up view of recovering sea turtles at the Turtle Hospital. One of the most rewarding things to do in Fort Lauderdale, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes experience, complete with an educational presentation about how they rescue, rehab and release the turtles.

The language spoken in Fort Lauderdale is English.

The currency in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the United States Dollar (USD).

Visitors to the United States will need a passport valid for the duration of the stay. A valid passport is required for charters to the Bahamas. Cruising fees and immigration fees are payable, check with our base team on arrival. Talk to us to make sure you have the correct documents before you travel for your Fort Lauderdale sailing charters.

An airport taxi can be hailed directly from the airport and we recommend that you ask the fare before getting into the taxi. Car rentals are also available at the airport. We can help arrange your taxi transfers during your Florida yacht charter.

Internet access can be found at various restaurants, cafes and marinas throughout the cruising ground, which you can use while sailing Fort Lauderdale.

You can find Fort Lauderdale weather forecasts from the WindFinder website.

There are plenty of choices for provisioning for your Fort Lauderdale yacht charter, please refer to the base guide.

Please only take soft bags and not suitcases as they are too cumbersome on board.

The land electrical current in Fort Lauderdale is 110V.

The dialing code for Fort Lauderdale is +1 754.

Day 1: Provision in the morning and leave by 2pm. Sail to Miami and take your pick of spots to spend the night: Dinner Key Marina, Bay Side Marina, Miami Beach Marina, Crandon Park Marina, “No Name Harbor,” or Nixon’s Harbor.

Day 2: Depart from the Miami area and sail south down Biscayne Bay. Anchor on the inside of Elliott Key, where you can swim, snorkel, or simply lounge on the beach. Spend the afternoon there, then sail a little further south to spend the night behind Pumpkin Key.

Day 3: Sail out through Angel Fish Creek into Hawks Channel, at high tide if possible. Entrance and exit can be tricky, but in between is plenty of draft. Sail to Craysfort Reef, and snorkel mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Depart the reef and sail back to “No Name Harbor” or Miami Beach Marina to spend the night.

Day 4: Depart early in the morning and sail back to Harbor Towne Marina. Unload, clean up, and be on your way by Noon. Take one last look at the shimmering waters – you’ll be back before you know it.

Get in touch to book your dream yacht charter.

Day 1: Provision in the morning. Board and depart by 2pm. Sail to Miami and spend the night at Dinner Key Marina, Bay Side Marina, Miami Beach Marina, or “No Name Harbor”.

Day 2: Leave the Miami area and sail south down Biscayne Bay. Anchor on the inside of Elliott Key, where you can swim, snorkel, or simply lounge on the beach. Spend the afternoon, then sail a little further south to spend the night behind Pumpkin Key.

Day 3: Sail out through Angel Fish Creek into Hawks Channel, at high tide if possible. Entrance and exit can be tricky, but in between there is plenty of draft. Sail to Craysfort Reef, and snorkel mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Sail north to Key Largo and pull into Marina Del Mar. Getting hungry? Have dinner at a local restaurant and stretch your legs, then spend the night in the marina.

Day 4: Get ready for a full day of sailing! Cruise southwest on the outside down to Marathon, enjoying every moment on the water. Stay over at Marathon Marina, the “Crown Jewel of the Florida Keys”.

Day 5: Sail out to Sombrero Reef for an early morning snorkel, then sail northeast to Windley Key. Pull into Holiday Isle Marina, remembering not to dock at the transient dock, and get a full night’s sleep.

Day 6: Another full day of sailing awaits you, this time on the outside up to Government Cut and into Miami. Sailing with the Gulf Stream will make for a fast, fun cruise. Choose an overnight spot in one of the many marinas and moorings.

Day 7: Sail on the outside up to Port Everglades and back to Harbor Towne Marina. Spend the night on the boat, dreaming of your next Floridian adventure.

Get in touch to book your dream yacht charter.

Day 1: Depart from Marathon and sail to Bahia Honda, one of the best anchorages in the Florida Keys. Drop your hook near the Old Keys Trestle Railroad Bridge and enjoy the calm natural harbor at Bahia Honda State Park.

Day 2: Sail out to Looe Key, a National Marine Sanctuary with magnificent snorkeling and diving – with a great wall. Tie up to one of the mooring balls for a few hours and then head for Newfound Harbor. Anchor at the exclusive Little Palm Island Marina, which offers a 5-star restaurant and hotel accommodation. If such an expensive marina is not in your itinerary, Newfound Harbor is an excellent place to spend the night on the hook, and there’s a delicious restaurant you can dinghy into.

Day 3: Depart Newfound Harbor and sail to Key West. Stay at Bight Marina, or anchor out in Man of War Harbor. Stretch your legs and experience the nightlife and shopping in the quaint village of Key West.

Day 4: Depart Key West and sail to the uninhabited island group of the Marquesas. Bask in the solitude, calm waters, and sandy beaches. This is the perfect opportunity for some swimming and relaxation.

Day 5: Depart the Marquesas and sail back to Key West. Stop along the way for some fantastic snorkeling by mooring to the dive buoys on the reef. Spend two nights in Key West to take in all that this destination has to offer.

Day 6: Keep exploring Key West and consider a day sail out to the reef for some snorkeling.

Day 7: Depart Key West and sail back to Bahia Honda for your last night out on the hook.

Day 8: Depart Bahia Honda and sail back to Marathon. Arrive early enough to unload, clean the boat, and disembark by Noon. Remember, you’ll never be done exploring all the Keys have to offer.

Get in touch to book your dream yacht charter.

Day 1: Depart from Marathon in the evening and sail to the Dry Tortugas overnight. This is about a 12-16-hour cruise, and arriving in daylight hours will make your approach easier. Don’t worry – there’ll be plenty of rest and relaxation soon!

Day 2: Arrive at the Dry Tortugas, the most isolated and least visited national park in the United States. You should plan to spend two nights here, but if the weather deteriorates, cut your stay short and head back to Key West. There are no services on these remote islands – a tradeoff of their satisfying solitude.

Day 3: Go ashore on Garden Key and tour Fort Jefferson National Monument. This was originally built in the mid-1800s as a military fort to be used by Union forces during the Civil War. The fort was converted to a prison, whose most famous inmate was Dr Samuel Mudd, an alleged conspirator in the Lincoln assassination.

Day 4: Snorkel the reefs surrounding the islands. Go ashore on Loggerhead Key or Hospital Key for a cookout – just be sure to leave as little footprint as possible. Bush Key, a protected bird sanctuary offers great bird watching from your yacht. Note that landing is prohibited so the birds aren’t disturbed.

Day 5: Depart the Dry Tortugas early in the morning and sail to the uninhabited island group of the Marquesas. Be careful of Rebecca Shoal on the way, and arrive before dark. Enjoy the quiet and solitude that this island group offers. The calm waters and sandy beaches are perfect for swimming and relaxation.

Day 6: Depart the Marquesas and sail to Key West. Stop along the way for some fantastic snorkeling by mooring to the dive buoys on the reef. Spend the night at Bight Marina, or anchor out in Man of War Harbor. Stretch your legs and experience the nightlife and shopping in the quaint village of Key West.

Day 7: Depart from Key West and sail to Bahia Honda, one of the best anchorages in the Florida Keys. Drop your hook near the Old Keys Trestle Railroad Bridge and enjoy the calm natural harbor at Bahia Honda State Park.

Get in touch to book your dream yacht charter.