Guides · North Biscayne Bay
Where it is, when to go, what the rules are, and how to get there — with or without your own boat. Written by the crew that runs charters here every week.
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The Haulover Sandbar is a shallow sand flat in north Biscayne Bay, Miami, just inside Haulover Inlet near Bal Harbour, where the water drops to roughly 2–4 feet at low tide and boats anchor side by side to swim, float, and party. Locals sometimes just call it "the Miami sandbar." On a sunny weekend it turns into a floating block party; on a quiet weekday it's one of the calmest swim stops in the bay.
What makes it work is simple geography. The flat is shallow enough to stand on, big enough for a crowd, and protected inside the bay — so even when the ocean is choppy outside the inlet, the sandbar usually stays comfortable. Its position near Haulover Inlet also means ocean water flushes through on the tide, which tends to keep the water cleaner and clearer than the deeper, siltier parts of the bay — how clear on any given day is tide- and weather-dependent.
There is no bar, no dock, and no beach access. It is boat-only, which is exactly why it stays special: everyone out there either owns a boat or chartered one. If you're in the second group, a captained sandbar charter is the standard way in — more on prices below.
Rule of thumb: the Haulover Sandbar sits in about 2–4 feet of water at low tide. Depth changes with the tide, so a spot that's waist-deep at noon can be chest-deep or swim-only by late afternoon — check the tide table before you plan your day.
The sandbar sits in north Biscayne Bay on the bay side of Haulover Inlet, in the Bal Harbour / Haulover Park area of Miami Beach's north end. It is reachable only by water. Any captain who works Miami knows it — on a Saturday you can navigate to it by simply following the raft of anchored boats.
How long the ride takes depends entirely on where you launch:
The approach itself is the one part that punishes carelessness. The flat shoals quickly from the surrounding channel, and every season boats run aground trying to nose in too fast. Come in slow, watch your depth, and anchor at the edge rather than plowing onto the bar. On our charters the captain handles all of this — anchoring in the right depth for the tide is his problem, not yours.
Short answer: weekends around midday for the party, weekdays for peace, and — whichever you pick — aim for a window around low tide on a light-wind day. The tide matters more than most first-timers expect.
Weekends are the show. Boats start arriving mid-morning, the raft-up builds through midday, music carries across the water, and the scene peaks in the early afternoon before thinning out toward evening. If your picture of the sandbar is dozens of boats, floats everywhere, and a party atmosphere, come Saturday or Sunday between late morning and mid-afternoon.
Weekdays are a different place entirely. Same sand, same clear shallows, a fraction of the boats. Families, couples, and small groups get the flat almost to themselves. Weekday dates are also easier to book on short notice.
The tide is the variable that actually decides how good your day is. Around low tide the bar is at its shallowest — that's when you stand in knee-to-waist-deep water next to your boat, which is the sandbar experience people come for. At high tide much of the flat is swimming depth instead of standing depth. Exact timing shifts every day, so check a Haulover-area tide table, or just tell us your date and we'll plan the charter window around it.
Season-wise, Miami boats year-round. November and December usually bring the flattest, calmest water; January through April is peak demand (book ahead, especially around spring break in March); summer runs hot with brief afternoon storms that usually pass quickly. Our weather policy covers you either way — free reschedule on the captain's call, 48 hours or more out. For the full month-by-month picture, see our guide to the best time to boat in Miami.
People anchor, get in the water, and stay for hours. That's the honest core of it — the sandbar is a destination where the boat becomes your basecamp and the shallow flat becomes the venue.
On busy days, the defining ritual is the raft-up: boats anchor close and tie off side by side into long chains, and the party spreads across all of them. Groups that arrived separately end up sharing music and coolers. Around the rafts, the flat fills with floating mats, inflatables, and people standing in waist-deep water with a drink in hand. Jet skis buzz the perimeter, and someone's playlist is always winning the volume contest.
On quiet days it's simpler: swim off the back of the boat, stand on the sand, float, eat, repeat. Bring a mask and look around — the clearer water near the inlet makes for decent casual snorkeling on the right tide, and Biscayne Bay's usual suspects (rays, the occasional dolphin or manatee passing through) make appearances often enough to keep kids glued to the water.
If your group is more party than picnic, this is the same scene our Miami boat party charters are built around — same anchorage, bigger sound, bigger boats.
The sandbar has no gate and no bouncer, but it does have rules — some legal, some social. Follow these and you'll fit right in; ignore them and you'll hear about it, possibly from a patrol boat.
Every Come Yachts charter already carries the basics — licensed captain, fuel, ice, drinking water, a cooler, and Bluetooth sound. Here's what you add:
Want more toys? A jet ski add-on runs from $120 per hour per ski alongside any charter — worth it at the sandbar, where the perimeter ride is half the fun.
The direct answer: charter one, captain included. That's how most people on the sandbar got there, and it removes every hard part — navigation, the shallow approach, anchoring, patrol checks, and the drive home after a day of sun.
Our sandbar-ready fleet, with captain and fuel always included:
| Boat | Guests | Rate | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontoon / deck boat | up to 10 | from $140/h | 2h — from $280 |
| Sport boat 24–29 ft | up to 10 | from $190/h | 3h — from $570 |
| Yacht 40–49 ft | up to 12 | from $330/h | 4h |
| Yacht 50–59 ft | up to 13 | from $450/h | 4h |
The pontoon is the classic sandbar machine: stable, shallow-draft, easy to wade off, and the cheapest way onto the water at $280 for two hours. For a full sandbar day, most groups book 3–4 hours. The sport boat from $570 for three hours adds speed — useful if you're departing from the south and want more sandbar and less transit. Yachts make sense for bigger budgets and shade; note the 12–13 guest cap on private yachts is a USCG rule, not ours. Compare the whole fleet on our Miami boat rental page, or go straight to the sandbar trip page to book.
Booking is simple: 30% deposit holds your date, weather reschedules are free on the captain's call 48+ hours out, and you can pay in USD by card or crypto (BTC, ETH, SOL, USDT). Groups over 13? That's party catamaran territory — see boat parties for inspected vessels that carry up to 65.
Tell us your date, group size, and vibe. We'll match the boat, time the tide, and have you standing on the sand — from $280 all-in for 2 hours.
FAQ
About 2 to 4 feet at low tide on the flat itself, with deeper water around the edges. Depth is tide-dependent — at high tide parts of the bar can be chest-deep or more. Check a tide table for the Haulover area before you anchor.
Yes — around low tide most of the flat is shallow enough to stand next to your boat, which is the whole point. Because depth changes with the tide, footing that is waist-deep at low tide can be swim-only a few hours later.
You book one. The sandbar sits in open water in north Biscayne Bay, so there is no walk-in access from shore. Our captained pontoon charters start at $280 for 2 hours with fuel included, and larger boats go up from there.
Yes, for guests 21 and over. BYOB is standard on private charters — we supply the cooler and ice. Skip glass bottles: people stand barefoot on the sand, so cans and plastic are the norm. Your licensed captain stays sober and handles the boat.
Weekends for the party scene, weekdays for a calm day with your own patch of sand. Aim for a window around low tide on a light-wind day — that timing is tide-dependent, so we plan charters around the tide table. November and December usually bring the flattest water.
With Come Yachts, a captained pontoon for up to 10 guests starts at $140 per hour with a 2-hour minimum — $280 total. Sport boats start at $190 per hour with a 3-hour minimum, and yachts from $330 per hour. Captain, fuel, ice, water, and a cooler are included.
Keep exploring
Tell us about your day on the water — we reply with 2–3 matched boats and a firm all-in price. Within an hour, 9am–9pm ET.
We're matching boats for your date right now. Expect a reply within an hour, 9am–9pm ET.
Meanwhile — the full price list or the sandbar guide.