Island day trip · Bimini
Bimini day trip: the Bahamas by fast ferry from Fort Lauderdale
Bimini lies about 80 kilometres east of the Florida coast.
- The activity
- A same-day return to the Bahamas on the only scheduled passenger ferry between Florida and the islands, operated by Balearia Caribbean.
- Location
- Port Everglades Terminal 21 in Fort Lauderdale to Fisherman's Village at Bimini Bay, North Bimini, roughly 80 kilometres offshore.
- Duration
- About two hours each way on a 600-passenger high-speed catamaran, longer in a swell. A typical sailing leaves at 9am and reaches Bimini at 11am.
- Best time to arrive
- The ferry sails early from Fort Lauderdale and returns the same evening. Check in at least ninety minutes before departure, as this is an international crossing.
- Admission cost
- Round-trip fares start at about $199 to $225 including taxes, with Premium adding roughly $30 each way. Check-in opens three hours before departure and boarding doors close one hour before, without exception.
- Frequency
- Two to four sailings a week year round, with Wednesday, Friday and Sunday the core days and extra departures in summer and at holidays.
- Documents
- This is an international crossing and a valid passport is mandatory for every traveller, including children.
What to expect
The crossing is the first half of the day: the only scheduled passenger ferry between Florida and the Bahamas, run by Balearia, crossing the Gulf Stream from Fort Lauderdale. It is an international sailing, so passports and check-in ninety minutes ahead are required.
Bimini is the destination, the closest Bahamian island to the United States and small enough to cross on foot or by golf cart. The harbour, the beaches and the town are all within walking distance of the terminal.
Resorts World Bimini sits beside the ferry terminal and is where most day passengers spend their time: the beach club, the pools and the casino, with day passes sold separately from the ferry fare.
The beaches are the reason to leave the resort. Radio Beach and the stretches along the west shore are quiet, shallow and clear, and a short golf-cart hire opens up the length of the island.
Timing governs everything. The ferry sails early and returns the same evening, giving roughly six hours ashore, and missing the return is not recoverable the same day.
The honest takeaway
Reviews split between those who treat it as a beach day and those who expected to explore the Bahamas properly.
What visitors praise
- Genuinely Bahamian water. The clarity and colour are a clear step beyond the Florida coast.
- Fast and simple. Two hours each way with no flight or airport.
- Good for a first taste. Enough to judge whether a longer Bahamas trip appeals.
- Golf carts. Hiring one turns a resort day into an island day.
What visitors find difficult
- Rough crossings. The Gulf Stream can be lively, so take something for seasickness before you sail.
- Cancellations. Weather stops sailings with little notice.
- Limited time ashore. A few hours does not stretch far once you have eaten.
- Cost. A day-trip fare of about $225 makes this an expensive beach day, and food and drink ashore are pricier again.
Drawn from the recurring themes in public visitor reviews of the activity and the tours that reach it. We do not reproduce individual reviews or aggregate scores; for current ratings, check Viator or another booking platform directly.
Getting there
The ferry leaves from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, with paid parking at the terminal. Check-in is well before departure because immigration formalities are handled on land.
Carry your passport, not a copy. Passengers are turned away at check-in without one.
How to make the most of the day
- 1Check the marine forecast before booking. The crossing quality depends entirely on it.
- 2Take motion-sickness medication in advance. Take it before boarding, not once at sea.
- 3Hire a golf cart on arrival. It is the difference between a resort pool and the island.
- 4Consider staying overnight. A single night ashore transforms the value of the crossing.
- 5Check in early. Check-in opens three hours before departure and closes a full hour before sailing.
- 6Bring cash. Smaller businesses on the island prefer it.
A little more background
Bimini is the closest point of the Bahamas to the United States and was a rum-running hub during Prohibition. It is best known today for big-game fishing, a tradition associated with Ernest Hemingway, who spent several seasons on the island in the 1930s.
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