Finding the best place to jet ski in Florida can be hard considering 3 of its 4 sides are surrounded by water. With hundreds of miles of beaches and over 30,000 lakes, there’s always a new place to ride. Although a lot of these locations are good, some are definitely better than others.
Whether you’re a local looking for a place to ride, or someone from out of town wanting to enjoy your vacation, these are the 7 best places to jet ski in Florida.
#1) The Florida Keys
Although many of the Keys offer their own unique benefits, it’s easier to just group them together.
The Keys are possibly the best place to ride a jet ski in Florida because of the beautiful clear blue waters surrounding them.
Other than the water, what makes the Keys such a great destination is the snorkeling. Jet skis allow easy access to many of the snorkelling locations scattered throughout the small islands. Because of their close proximity to one another, people oftentimes ride from one to another.
Without a doubt, the Keys are one of Florida’s most valuable gems, and a jet ski trip through them can be an amazing experience. My personal favorite is Key West.
If you find yourself in Key Largo, you should check out my article on the best jet ski rentals in Key Largo. Another great idea is to rent a jet ski in Marathon, Florida.
#2) Jacksonville Beach
Despite being located on the Northeast corner of the state, Jacksonville beach has all the benefits of other beaches in the state.
Jet skiers can expect to see everything from dolphins to sea turtles, which is why it’s such a fun place to ride.
A lot of jet skiers in Jacksonville beach enjoy riding past the pier and taking in the views as well. The surf is usually pretty moderate, but it definitely gets high enough to do some cool jumps.
Recommended: Don’t miss our Yamaha GP1800 review next.
#3) Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is more than just a spring break destination, it’s one of the best places to jet ski in Florida as well!
PCB has Florida’s well known blue water and miles of coastline. The college crowd may be a deterrent to some, but that’s really only a problem during spring break and the first week of summer.
If you ever find yourself in northwestern Florida, be sure to check PCB out.
#4) Lake Weir
The best place to jet ski in Florida doesn’t have to be on the coast. Located in central Florida is Lake Weir, a boating and jet ski hub.
Lake Weir is a cool location for anyone who wants to get away from crowded beaches and cities. The wide-open space makes it easy to do tricks or open up the throttle. To top things off, there are even a few restaurants that you can pull right up to on the water.
Recommended: Check out the Sea Doo Spark Trixx in our guide.
#5) Miami Beach
This list wouldn’t be complete without Miami Beach.
There’s gorgeous blue water, perfect weather, and beautiful views of the ocean, beach, and Miami skyline. Miami beach is without a doubt one of the best places to jet ski in Florida.
Whether on a spring break trip or simply a family vacation, Miami Beach is a destination worth considering. If you find yourself in Miami, you should check out my list of the best jet ski rentals in Miami.
#6) Tampa Bay
Not only is Tampa Bay a great place to jet ski in Florida, but it’s also a perfect entry point for the Gulf of Mexico. A lot of people enjoy day trips out into the gulf and even go jet ski fishing out there.
If you’d rather stay close to the mainland, there are tons of waterways surrounding Tampa to be explored as well. Plenty of boats and ships go in and out of the bay providing great waves to jump and do tricks on.
No matter which route you go, Tampa Bay is a great choice.
Recommended: Don’t miss our guide to pontoon grills next.
#7) Ten Thousand Islands
Ten Thousand Islands is without a doubt the best place to jet ski in Florida for anyone wanting a unique experience. The wildlife surrounding the islands is guaranteed to surprise anyone who visits.
Alligators, sea birds, and dolphins all regularly frequent the islands. If you really want a cool jet skiing experience, Ten Thousand Islands is the place to go.
Update: Ten Thousand Islands may currently be off limited to pwc, so be sure to check local laws beforehand.
Choosing the best place to jet ski in Florida
Florida is filled with thousands of places to ride a jet ski, so there’s no way to say for sure what the best spot is. Spend some time in each of these waterways, and you’ll soon realize that they all have something special to offer.
As a Florida native, I approve this list.
I’ve done a fair amount of traveling and Florida is honestly my favorite place to visit. Can only imagine jet skiing there will be amazing as well
Destin Florida is an outstanding place to jet ski We just did a 60 mike run from Destin to Pensacola through the sound and the following day 22 miles in the gulf! It’s gorgeous! Also you can camp on a chain of 5-6 islands in the sound between Fort Walton and Navarre!
Hi folks. Does Lake Weir in Central Florida have gators in it, and what do I do about it on a jetski. What is the jetski turns over and I fall off in said water?
Thanks.
If there is a body of water in Florida that is freshwater or brackish you will see gators. They are everywhere. I worked at a lakeside restaurant on lake tarpon, where there are known to be 3000 – 5000 gators. And I have never heard of anyone getting attacked by a gator while, jetskiing, tubing, and even swimming across the lake. They usually stay close to shore, and that’s where they are territorial. In the open water you will be fine, they usually stay at the bottom and away from anything that makes noise.
After working there I had a job as a commercial diver, i worked on boat bottoms at marina and have seen numerous gators while in the water with them. They are just curious and have never had a problem. With them!
Just don’t fall off by the shore and land on top of one, Be safe and have fun!
I thought the 10,000 islands where “off limits” to pwc’s? I know it is possible to ski around the start of the chain of islands around marco island and goodland. But the majority of the islands are in a national park and subject to rules.
Thank you so much for the info! There was miscommunication when creating this list, and it has since been updated accordingly.
Although I love to Jetski in the keys a large part of the upper Keys are state or national parks or bird sanctuary and you cannot JetSki there it’s hard to know where the line is and Will get a ticket.