Big Bus Miami Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
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Our take
By Matt Spaulding, Founder and writer
Big Bus runs four different things in Miami under one brand, and sorting them out before you buy matters. The Red Loop is the actual hop-on, hop-off day tour: nine stops, a full circuit of about two hours ten minutes, a bus every 30 minutes, pre-recorded commentary through free headphones in five languages. The Green Loop is a four-hour coach run to Sawgrass Recreation Park with a 45-minute airboat ride. The Blue Loop is a single 8pm night tour with a live guide. The Yellow Loop is the Island Queen Millionaire's Row cruise, bundled into the 48-hour Essential ticket. Here is the catch. That top deck is open, and Big Bus states its tours run in all weather, rain or shine, with no weather refunds unless service is suspended. South Florida's rainy season runs from late May into October, so a downpour on the MacArthur Causeway is a real possibility, and outside of that the midday sun up there is punishing. Bring water, a hat and a rain layer, or accept that you may spend the trip on the lower deck and lose the view you came for. Second catch: the last Red Loop bus leaves Stop 1 at 4:00pm, so a late-afternoon hop-off can strand you, and with buses half an hour apart every hop-off costs you 30 minutes on top of whatever you actually do there.
Quick facts
- How long
- About 2 hours 10 minutes for a full Red Loop circuit with no hop-offs, with buses every 30 minutes. The Night Tour runs 75 to 90 minutes; the Everglades coach trip runs about 4 hours.
- Best for
- A first day in Miami without a rental car, when you want Downtown, South Beach, Wynwood and Little Havana in one pass.
- Getting there
- Stop 1 is at Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Blvd. The Red Loop's nine stops also cover South Beach, Soundscape Park, Mid Beach, North Beach, the Design District, Wynwood Walls, Downtown and Little Havana, and you can join at any of them.
- Parking
- Parking at Bayside Marketplace is all paid, so you can board at the stop nearest your hotel or ride Miami-Dade's free Metromover to College/Bayside.
- Hours
- Red Loop: first bus 9:00am from Stop 1, last bus 4:00pm. Night Tour departs Stop 1 at 8:00pm, one tour per evening. Big Bus says it operates every day of the year.
- Included
- Open-top double-decker seat with pre-recorded commentary in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German through complimentary headphones. The 24-hour Discover ticket covers the day tour only; the 48-hour Essential ticket adds the Millionaire's Row cruise. Everglades and Night Tour are separate.
Where it is
Stop 1, Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
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Check tickets →Big Bus Miami Hop-On Hop-Off Tour FAQ
How long does a full Big Bus loop take in Miami?
Big Bus schedules the Red Loop day tour at about two hours ten minutes for a full circuit if you stay aboard. Buses run every 30 minutes, with the first leaving Stop 1 at Bayside Marketplace at 9:00am and the last at 4:00pm. If you plan to hop off, add at least 30 minutes per stop just for the wait.
What does the Big Bus Miami ticket actually include?
The routes are sold separately. The 24-hour Discover ticket covers the Day Tour (Red Loop) only, the 48-hour Essential ticket adds the Island Queen Millionaire's Row boat cruise, and the Everglades Experience and the 8:00pm Night Tour are their own tickets. Multi-day bus tickets must be used on consecutive days, and you activate a hop-on hop-off ticket in the Big Bus app on the day.
Do you need a car for the hop-on hop-off bus?
No, that is largely the point of it. You can join at any of the nine Red Loop stops, from Bayside Marketplace and Downtown out to Wynwood, the Design District, Little Havana, South Beach and North Beach. You can reach Stop 1 on Miami-Dade's free Metromover (College/Bayside).
What happens if it rains during the tour?
Big Bus says its tours operate in all weather other than conditions that would jeopardize safety, and that refunds for weather are not granted unless it suspends service, which it posts on its service information page. The top deck is open, so a passing storm means moving downstairs. The National Weather Service's Miami office puts the median start of South Florida's rainy season at May 21 and the median end at October 17.
Is the Big Bus wheelchair accessible?
Partly. Big Bus operates wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifts rated up to 650 pounds, but says its entire Miami fleet is not accessible and asks for 48 hours' notice to arrange a suitable vehicle at a given time and place. It also notes that passengers with mobility impairments may not be able to reach the upper deck. Strollers must be folded and stowed on the lower deck.
What is the best time of day to ride?
Start in the morning. The first Red Loop bus leaves Stop 1 at 9:00am, a full loop runs about two hours ten minutes, and the last bus goes at 4:00pm, so an early start is the only way to fit a complete circuit plus a few hop-offs. Mornings are also the gentler half of the day on an open top deck. The 8:00pm Night Tour is a separate ticket if you want the city lit up.