By Patti Roth
Destinations magazine
Sometimes the surf beckons. You want to step away from solid land and let the wind and waves guide your adventure. Perhaps a romantic picnic on a secluded island with shorebirds as the entertainment. If you prefer, pull up to the dock of a trendy waterfront restaurant. Or drift onto a sandbar. No boat? No problem.
Some resort marinas feature vendors on-site offering boats and yachts for rent. Drive them yourself – if you’re eligible, based on state rules and vendor’s policies – or charter watercraft and allow someone else to handle the navigational duties.
Rentals and charters are an ideal way to enjoy boating without the expense and hassles of owning a vessel.
“If you want to get on the water, it’s definitely the way to go,’’ says John Wilkes, manager of Beach Water Sports in Stuart. “You basically show up, get on the boat, and when you’re done get off the boat.”
These are a few resort marinas where boats are offered for rent, charter or both:
Beach Water Sports at Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina, Stuart
Rents 19-foot to 25-foot boats, including deck boats and pontoon boats for excursions on the Intracoastal Waterway. Popular sites include Peck Lake, the Stuart sandbar and Jupiter Island. 555 NE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, 772-225-2000, bwsfl.com
Sailing Florida Charters & Sailing School at Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort
Offers power boats, yachts, fishing boats and sailboats, 29 to 72 feet. Popular excursions include Egmont Key State Park. 501 Fifth Ave. NE, St. Petersburg, 866-894-7245, Sailingflorida.com
Boat Rentals at Naples Bay Resort, Naples
Popular rentals include 24-foot deck boats with touch-screen GPS navigation screen and Bluetooth. Popular excursions include Keewaydin Island and dock-access restaurants in Marco Island. 1490 Fifth Ave. South, Naples, 239-530-5134, nbrboatrental.com
Destinations is an annual travel supplement of the Sun Sentinel, produced by City & Shore Magazine
Related Articles
Share
About Author
(0) Readers Comments
Digital Edition
PREVIOUS ISSUE
Travel
Live Blog
- Boeing 767 cargo plane from Miami crashes near GalvestonA twin-engine Boeing 767 cargo jetliner flown by Atlas Air Inc. crashed into Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas, shortly before 12:45 p.m. Saturday, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. Initial reports indicate that three people were aboard the aircraft, which had left...
- Prosecutors reveal sordid details of sex abuse allegations against R. Kelly as judge sets $1 million bondSuperstar singer R. Kelly was ordered held on $1 million bond Saturday by a Cook County judge who called the allegations of sexual abuse laid out by prosecutors “disturbing.” Prosecutors alleged Kelly sexually abused one woman and three underage girls in separate attacks over a span of a dozen...
The Go Guide
- Boeing 767 cargo plane from Miami crashes near GalvestonA twin-engine Boeing 767 cargo jetliner flown by Atlas Air Inc. crashed into Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas, shortly before 12:45 p.m. Saturday, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. Initial reports indicate that three people were aboard the aircraft, which had left...
- Prosecutors reveal sordid details of sex abuse allegations against R. Kelly as judge sets $1 million bondSuperstar singer R. Kelly was ordered held on $1 million bond Saturday afternoon by a Cook County judge who called the allegations of sexual abuse laid out by prosecutors “disturbing.” Prosecutors alleged Kelly sexually abused one woman and three underage girls in separate attacks over a span of...
Shopping & Beauty
- $10 admission at Butterfly World on Saturday and SundayGet cheap admission to Butterfly World over the next two weekends to celebrate the attraction's 31st anniversary. Everyone gets in for $10 on Feb. 23-24 and March 2-3 at the venerable attraction inside Tradewind's Park at 3600 W. Sample Road in Coconut Creek. Admission normally costs $29.95 and...
- Dear Doreen's Deals: Stop dumping on Publix; after cutting the cord, I only get 2 channelsI’ve received many responses to recent columns on Comcast and DirecTV price increases and my informal price comparison between Aldi and Publix. I love to answer your consumer questions. Keep them coming. Email me at dchristensen@sunsentinel.com or chat me up at Facebook.com/DoreensDeals. Dear Doreen:...
Sun Sentinel Breaking News
- Boeing 767 cargo plane from Miami crashes near Galveston with 3 on boardA twin-engine Boeing 767 cargo jetliner flown by Atlas Air Inc. crashed into Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas, shortly before 12:45 p.m. Saturday, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. Initial reports indicate that three people were aboard the aircraft, which had left...
- Prosecutors reveal sordid details of sex abuse allegations against R. Kelly as judge sets $1 million bondSuperstar singer R. Kelly was ordered held on $1 million bond Saturday by a Cook County judge who called the allegations of sexual abuse laid out by prosecutors “disturbing.” Prosecutors alleged Kelly sexually abused one woman and three underage girls in separate attacks over a span of a dozen...
- Soldiers unleash tear gas amid fatal clashes in Venezuela over humanitarian aid blocked by MaduroVenezuela's National Guard fired tear gas on residents clearing a barricaded border bridge to Colombia on Saturday, as the opposition began making good on its high-risk plan to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela despite objections from President Nicolas Maduro. By midday, opposition leader Juan...
