The Ultimate Guide to Renting Jet Skis in Key West, Florida

I spent a summer living, working, and playing in Key West Florida taking advantage of every spare moment to explore the island. I ate my way through some of the best food in Key West and even curated the ultimate Key West bucket list with almost 100 things to do in Key West!

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One of my favorite memories of Key West was booking a Key West Jet Ski tour around the island. We chose to rent jet skis in Key West for a 90-minute tour circling the entire island. We rode over the shallow, beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the deeper waters of the Atlantic ocean. We rode under bridges, stopped and hopped off on a sand bar, and had a totally exhilarating time.

Of all of the Key West excursions I booked (and loved) jet skiing in Key West is definitely towards the top of my favorite list!

Jet Ski Rental in Key West: Things to Know

• Renting a jet ski without a guide in Key West is not an option due to the protected Florida marine sanctuaries surrounding the island.
• Some jet ski rentals in Key West include 1-3 riders on the same jet ski for the same price as only one rider. Be sure to check the description to find out if that’s a good way to save some money for your group.
• Guests born after January 1, 1988 need to take a Boaters Safety test. But no worries! You can usually do this for a very small fee one hour before your tour or you can take it ahead of time at www.boat-ed.com. Check with the jet ski tour you book for more information.
• Bring reef-safe sunscreen to help protect the only living-coral barrier reef in the US.

Best Time of Year for Jet Ski Rentals in Key West Florida

One of the beautiful things about taking a trip to Key West is that you can visit pretty much anytime of year and still participate in watersports and play in the water. The water temperature in Key West is almost always above 70˚ F and can reach up to 87˚ F! That’s some warm water.

When I lived and worked in Key West for a summer, the water almost felt TOO warm sometimes!But the good news is that you can visit Key West in the winter, and the water and air temps are usually warm enough to play in the water (unless it’s an extra rainy, chilly day). Check out this site for more Key West water temperatures month-by-month.

Besides my summer living in Key West, I have also returned in November and it was a great time to visit in regards to the weather. It was past the scorching heat of the summer (but still very warm) and after hurricane season was over. Another great time to visit Key West is in April/May at the end of winter but before summer.

How to Rent Jet Skis in Key West

One of my favorite ways to look for Key West Jet Ski tours is by searching Key West Jet Ski Rentals on Viator. Viator is a reputable online marketplace to book tours and activities throughout the world and you can search by destination, type of activity, and other helpful filters.

My favorite aspect about Viator is that you can read honest reviews from past tour participants. I love this feature of Viator because this isn’t something you will necessarily get when researching tours on tour companies’ own websites.

You know how you can read reviews on Airbnb and VRBO? It’s like that- but for tours, excursions and activities.

When you search ‘Key West jet ski’ on Viator you’ll find 10+ jet ski tours of Key West all with something a little unique about each one. You can find tours circling the island, jet skiing as part of a full Key West adventure day on the water, morning jet ski tours, and more!

5 Reasons Why Booking a Jet Ski Rental in Key West is a Great idea

1. It’s one of the few ways to see Key West’s backcountry

One of the best things about jet ski tours in Key West is getting to see parts of Key West that you would never see from land. Key West is surrounded by beautiful blue and green waters, reefs, mangroves, and sandbars just to name. a few. And the only way you can see these is by getting out on the water!

We booked the Ultimate Jet Ski Tour of Key West where we circled the island and got to stop in various spots to take a break and enjoy the views (you could also switch drivers at these stops if you were sharing a jet ski with someone else).

One of my favorite parts was when we rode over the shallow, crystal blue/green waters and got to hop off at a sandbar. The sand in the water was so white, smooth, and fine and it was lovely to reach into the water and let the sand fall through my hands.

We also drove under bridges, over super shallow reefs, and on top of swells in the Atlantic. Definitely all places that we wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise! You could see some of these same hidden spots on other excursions in Key West , but jet skiing is definitely one of the most exhilarating ways to see them!

2. You get guided commentary about Key West while you ride

Another perk about booking tours to ride jet skis in Key West is that you can learn a little about the island while you ride! Many tours include a little bit of commentary from your tour guide while you circle the island and pass Key West landmarks.

It’s great to learn a little Key West history plus see the landmarks from a perspective that you can’t get from on land.

3. You’ll experience Key West like a local

One thing you’ll notice when visiting Key West is how tan everyone is and how so many people look like they’ve just come back from a day on the water. Their tans from their sunglasses are totally epic and plus they probably still have their boardshorts and swimsuits on.

I loved getting out on the water riding jet skis to finally feel like I fit in and got to experience what the locals do in their spare time! Obviously, there are loads of visitors on these Key West jet ski tours, but getting to talk with the tour guides and learn about the island helped me feel like we fit in.

4. You enjoy jet skiing year round in Key West

It can get toasty in Key West, especially if you are visiting in the summer. So it can feel nice to do activities (like jet skiing) where you can soak up the sun but then take a dip in the water to cool down a bit.

But the crazy thing about Key West water is that it’s pretty darn warm year-round (think water temps of 70˚ F in January and 87˚ F in July). This means that even if you are visiting the island in the winter, you can still participate in a jet ski tour and not be too cold (it could get chilly on a rainy day, but most days you’ll be good!).

So no need to lay out on the beach and get toasted, get a jet ski rental in Key West, get some sun and stay cool!

5. There are jet ski rental options to save money as a group

One great thing about renting a jet ski in Key West is that on most tours, 1-3 people can sit on one jet ski and take turns driving. And what’s awesome about this is that you usually pay ‘per jet ski’ not ‘per person’.

This Key West Jet Ski Free Second Rider Tour definitely lets two people on the same jet ski for the price of one. However, many of the jet ski tours on Viator charge the same price per jet ski no matter how many riders. Just be sure to read the details!

Key West can be a pricey destination, so any way to save money can go a long way! Being able to do a 2 for 1 Jet Ski tour may open up some wiggle room in your budget for other fun things to do in Key West.

And on the other hand, if you are traveling solo, a jet ski tour is also a great option since there are plenty of people riding their own as well! No matter how you travel- this is really an awesome activity in Key West.

Other Water & Jet Ski Tours in Key West to Consider

If you are looking to get out on the water in Key West but don’t necessarily want to book a 90-minute Jet Ski tour, no need to fret! There are other great tours in Key West you can book that include jet skiing as part of the itinerary or experiences similar to jet skiing in Key West if you aren’t totally sold on jet skiing:

• Ultimate Adventure from Key West (includes breakfast, lunch, AND an inflatable water park!)
• Do It All Watersports Adventure (includes 12 different water activities AND lunch!)
• Key West Safari Mini Speedboat & Snorkel Eco Tour (not jet skiing, but similar if you aren’t sure about jet skiing)
• Sand Bar Cruise on a Tiki Bar Boat (okay, not at all jet skiing- but it’s a great, chill option to get out on the water and experience some of the things you’d experience on a Key West jet ski tour… like a beautiful sandbar!).

Personally, I experienced jet skiing twice while living and working in Key West. One was on a jet ski tour around Key West and the other was as part of the Ultimate Adventure tour which included hanging out on a catamaran, food, jet skiing, parasailing, snorkeling, and more!

The Ultimate Adventure experience includes jet skiing in a portioned-off area rather than going around the entire island like on a typical jet ski tour in Key West. So if you want a taste of jet skiing, but don’t want to commit to an entire trip around the island, the Ultimate Adventure is a great option for you!

If you are looking for other Key West excursions in general (like sunset sails, food tours, etc) be sure to check out my article 8 Key West Excursions Definitely Worth the Money.

And those are the top 5 reasons to go jet skiing in Key West Florida! Please comment below if you have any questions about planning a trip to Key West- I’ll be sure to get back to you.

Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:

• 8 Key West Excursions Definitely Worth the Money
• The 7 Most Beautiful Places You Need to Watch the Sunset in Key West
• The Ultimate Itinerary for a Day Trip to Key West
• The Ultimate Key West, Florida Bucket List | 98 Things to Do
• 10 Best Things to do at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park in Key West Florida
• Ultimate Key West Food Guide | 19 Places You Must Try
• 8 Best Places to Try Key Lime Pie in Key West

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