Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: 2026 Bimini Ferry Guide
A Miami to Bahamas day trip is the most ambitious of South Florida’s day excursions — a 2-hour high-speed ferry to Bimini, the closest Bahamas island to Florida. With ferries departing from Fort Lauderdale (45 min from Miami), you can be on a Bahamian beach by 11 AM and back home by evening. The trip combines a fun ocean cruise, an authentic Caribbean island experience, beach time, snorkeling, casino access, and bragging rights about visiting another country in a single day. This 2026 guide covers everything to plan a perfect Miami to Bahamas day trip.
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: How It Works
The most practical Miami to Bahamas day trip uses Balearia Caribbean’s high-speed ferry from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) to North Bimini. Bimini is the westernmost Bahamas island — about 50 miles east of Florida — and the only realistic option for a single-day round trip.
Ferry departure: 8:00 or 9:00 AM from Fort Lauderdale (depends on day)
Ferry duration: 2 hours each way
Bimini arrival: 10:00 or 11:00 AM
Time on the island: 5–6 hours
Return ferry: ~5:00 PM
Back in Fort Lauderdale: ~7:00 PM
Total day commitment: 12+ hours from Miami pickup to Miami return
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: Pricing
Ferry economy round-trip: $155+ (per person, plus taxes/fees). Real all-in: ~$190–$235.
Ferry premium tiers: Various seating upgrades (~$190–$325 round-trip).
Day-trip packages: Most operators bundle ferry + Bimini Hilton Day Pass + ground transportation. ~$220–280 per person.
Resorts World Bimini Day Pass: Optional add-on (~$60–$120 day pass) for pool, beach, food.
Customs/immigration fees: Sometimes included; verify with operator.
Travel insurance: Recommended for international ferry travel ($30–$50).
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: Passport & Customs
The Bahamas is a foreign country. Critical requirements:
U.S. citizens: Valid passport REQUIRED for entry to Bahamas AND re-entry to U.S. Both directions. Passport card, NEXUS, or REAL ID alone do NOT qualify.
Other citizens: Visa requirements vary by passport. Verify with the Bahamas Consulate before traveling.
Customs declaration: Standard arrival forms.
U.S. re-entry: Standard re-entry process. May involve customs questions and bag inspection.
Departure tax: Some routes include $30 departure tax — verify if included in ferry price.
Check-in time: Arrive at the ferry terminal 2–3 hours before departure for security and document verification.
Common rookie mistake: Forgetting passport. The ferry will not let you board without a valid one. Don’t rely on passport copies or driver’s licenses.
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: What to Do in Bimini
Resorts World Bimini
The flagship destination. Tropical pool complex with multiple bars, beach club, water sports, casino, restaurants. Day pass typically $60–$120; included with most ferry day-trip packages. The most convenient single destination if you want pool/beach/dining/casino in one stop.
Hilton at Resorts World Bimini
Premium hotel attached to the resort. Day pass options. Higher-end pool experience, wellness center.
Radio Beach & Bimini Bay Beach
Public beaches. Free, soft white sand, gentle blue water. Quieter alternative to the resort beach. Bring your own snorkel gear.
Bimini Road / Atlantis Stones
An underwater rock formation off the coast — some believe it’s the lost city of Atlantis (most geologists call it natural). Snorkel tours visit the site. Among the most distinctive Bimini experiences.
Sapona Shipwreck
1924 concrete-hulled ship that sank in a 1926 hurricane. Now an iconic snorkel and dive site. Half-submerged, easy to view from the surface or with light snorkel.
Big John’s Conch Bar
Local-favorite Bahamian restaurant. Fresh conch salad, conch fritters, Bahamian beer. Cash-only.
Compleat Angler Hotel (historic)
The hotel where Hemingway stayed in 1935–1937. The original burned in 2006 but a memorial site remains. For Hemingway fans visiting Bimini.
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: Sample Itinerary
5:00 AM: Depart Miami hotel for Fort Lauderdale Port Everglades (45 min drive).
6:00 AM: Arrive at ferry terminal. Check-in process begins.
8:00 AM: Ferry departure.
10:00 AM: Arrive Bimini. Customs clearance.
10:30 AM: Resorts World check-in (if day pass included). Pool/beach time.
1:00 PM: Lunch at Big John’s Conch Bar (local) or resort restaurant.
2:30 PM: Snorkel tour to Sapona Shipwreck or Bimini Road (~$45 add-on).
4:30 PM: Return to ferry terminal.
5:00 PM: Ferry departure.
7:00 PM: Arrive Fort Lauderdale.
8:00 PM: Arrive back at Miami hotel.
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: Tips
1. Bring your passport. Cannot be repeated enough. The ferry will not board you without it.
2. Pack light. Daypack with passport, sunscreen, swimsuit, towel, water bottle, snorkel gear, change of dry clothes for ferry return, light cash ($50–100 in U.S. dollars accepted everywhere).
3. The day starts very early. 5 AM Miami departure for an 8 AM ferry is common. Sleep is sacrificed.
4. Consider an overnight in Bimini. The all-in-one day trip is exhausting. A 2-day, 1-night Bimini stay dramatically improves the experience and isn’t dramatically more expensive.
5. Check ferry schedules carefully. Schedules vary by day of the week and season. Hurricane season (June–November) can have cancellations.
6. Currency: Bahamian dollar = U.S. dollar 1:1. U.S. dollars accepted everywhere. Bring small bills for tips.
7. Phone service: Many U.S. phone plans don’t cover Bahamas without international roaming. Verify your plan or download offline maps.
8. Sunscreen: Bahamas is at lower latitude than Miami. UV is intense. Reef-safe sunscreen mandatory at most beaches.
9. Tipping in Bahamas: 15–20% standard. U.S. dollars fine.
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: Alternatives
Multi-Day Bahamas Trip
For more time + the famous “swimming pigs” of Exuma (a Bahamas-only experience), consider a 3-day, 2-night Bahamas trip. Fly Miami to Nassau (35 minutes) → connect to Exuma → see the pigs. Significantly more expensive but includes the iconic Bahamian experience.
Cruise from Miami
3-day cruise to Nassau or CocoCay from PortMiami. ~$250–500 per person all-inclusive. Lower per-day cost than ferry day trips. More convenient for families.
Day Trip via Plane
Silver Airways flies Miami → Nassau in 50 minutes. Day trips are possible (early flight + late return) but significantly more expensive than the ferry. ~$400–600 round-trip flight.
Miami to Bahamas Day Trip: Best Season
Best: December–April. Calmer seas, less hurricane risk, ideal weather.
Acceptable: May, October–November. Some weather variability.
Riskiest: June–September. Hurricane season; ferry cancellations possible. Travel insurance with cancellation coverage strongly recommended.
Plan Your Miami Day Trips
For more, browse our complete Miami Day Trips Guide, plus deep dives on the Everglades tour from Miami, Everglades airboat tours, Miami to Key West day trip, Fort Lauderdale from Miami, and Biscayne National Park.
For ferry schedule details and bookings, visit Balearia Caribbean.
If a single day in Bimini turns out to be less than you wanted, the same stretch of water is served by three- and four-night sailings out of Dodge Island, most of them stopping at Nassau plus a cruise line’s private island. That is a completely different trip with different economics, and our Port of Miami cruise port guide covers the terminals, the parking and the embarkation timing before you commit to one.
The ferry and a cruise are not versions of the same trip. Short sailings out of PortMiami run three or four nights, call at Nassau plus a cruise line’s own private island, and start around $250 per person in an inside cabin. Our guide to cruises from Miami sets out what those actually involve.
If you would rather sleep aboard a ship and see Nassau or a private island than make the same-day ferry run to Bimini, our guide to 3-day cruises from Miami covers the three-, four- and five-night sailings instead.