West Palm Beach: Sunset Catamaran Cruise & Skyline Views

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.55 (475 reviews) 78% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration2h

GroupUp to 49

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Sunset on the Water, Without the Usual Crowd

You board a catamaran at Downtown West Palm Beach's Clematis Street docks and spend two hours cruising past the skyline's mix of historic and modern architecture, palatial mansions, and mega yachts. Padded seats and bow nets let you choose how you want to sit, and all fees are included in the price. The boat has been running these cruises since 1996, so the crew knows the route and the timing — you're back on land as the light fades.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening cruise along West Palm Beach

Board Hakuna Matata boat
Cruise Downtown West Palm Beach skyline
View palatial mansions and mega yachts
Pass historic coast guard station
Pass President Kennedy's bunker park
Relax on padded seats or bow nets

The Experience

The boat was running ten minutes behind when we showed up at the Downtown West Palm Beach docks, and honestly, that's when I realized this wasn't going to be one of those cattle-call cruise situations. The crew was still doing a final check on the Hakuna Matata — a catamaran that's been running these sunset trips since 1996 — and there was no rush, no herding, just people wandering onto the dock at their own pace. Once we cast off from Clematis Street and Flagler Drive, the whole rhythm of the evening shifted. The boat moves slow enough that you can actually see what's happening on the water, and the padded seats don't feel like an afterthought; you can genuinely settle in for the two hours without your back reminding you that you're on a boat.

What struck me most was how much of the story is written in the buildings. The skyline of Downtown West Palm Beach isn't trying to be Miami — it's got this mix of old and new that actually makes sense when you're floating past it, seeing how the historic structures sit next to the modern ones. The guide pointed out the old coast guard station and mentioned President Kennedy's bunker from the Cuban missile crisis, which is now a public park with snorkeling trails if you want to come back another day. But the real draw is the mansions and mega yachts on the Palm Beach Island side — the kind of waterfront wealth that only reads as real when you're close enough to see the detail. The Atlantic flows underneath the catamaran's bow nets, and if you're okay with dangling your feet over the water, that's where you'll spend half the cruise just watching the light change.

All the fees and taxes are already built in, so there's no surprise at the end, and the boat takes infants and small children without fuss — they can sit on a lap or bring a stroller if they need it. The whole thing is designed for people who want to be on the water without needing to be athletic about it. If you're staying in West Palm Beach and the sunset timing works with your evening, this is the kind of thing that doesn't require planning beyond showing up at the dock.

What’s included

Your two-hour cruise includes padded seating on the catamaran, access to the bow nets, views of Downtown West Palm Beach's skyline and the mansions of Palm Beach Island, and all fees and taxes.
Public transportation is available near the Clematis Street and Flagler Drive docks.
Infants can sit on an adult's lap, and strollers are permitted onboard.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Visit Palm Beach

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want a sunset on the water without the logistics of renting a boat or joining a crowded group tour. The two-hour length means you're out for an evening without it eating your whole night, and the fixed price with all fees included removes the guesswork.