Key West Jet Ski Tour with Fury

A Key West jet ski tour is one of the island’s most popular tourist activities, and with good reason. The waters surrounding Key West are absolutely beautiful and you have the opportunity to see a lot more of the island than you likely would on land.

Fury is one of Key West’s biggest and most popular tour companies. They offer snorkeling, sunset cruises, dolphin watching, parasailing, and, of course, jet ski tours.

We didn’t have anything planned when my husband, John, and I left our downtown hotel our first morning in Key West. After grabbing my requisite morning Starbucks (our hotel had one attached to the lobby!) and popping in and out of boutique shops along Duval Street, we came upon Fury’s kiosk where they were advertising their various tour options.

As soon as John saw the jet ski tour, he was sold. He loves to be on the water and is a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so naturally jet skis are right up his alley. I was down as long I didn’t have to drive the jet ski and could just sit back and have fun. We signed up on the spot for a tour running later that same day.

What You Need for Your Key West Jet Ski Tour

Wear your swimsuit! If you don’t, you will regret it. I thought I would be fine wearing shorts and a tank top, but luckily John said I needed a swimsuit and he was totally right. Spoiler alert: I fell into the water at one point. 

Sunglasses are a must. If you have a pair of “cheapies”, I recommend wearing those, as there is always a chance they could fly off and not be found. If you have a strap for your sunglasses, even better! The saltwater will be flying into your face and sunglasses will protect your eyes from the stinging.

Don’t forget waterproof, reef-safe sunscreen! Fury’s team will provide you with a life jacket and a place to store your flip flops and other belongings while you are on the tour.

The last and maybe most important thing you need for your jet ski tour is experience on jet skis. I had an amazing time on this tour and it was one of the best parts of our Key West trip, but I wouldn’t recommend this tour for children or anyone who doesn’t have a good amount of jet ski experience.

Jet skiing in the ocean is a lot different from in a lake. The waves were strong and constant and when skiing at 40mph, the water was rough. You need a fair amount of strength and stamina to hold on to the jet ski (even as a passenger). By the end of the tour, my legs were absolute jello! We actually had to call an Uber because I couldn’t walk back to the hotel, haha.

Boater’s Safety Requirements

If you (or the main person who will be driving the jet ski) were born after 1988, you will have to obtain a Florida Boater’s License before starting the tour. It costs $3 to take the test on-site and Fury will give you the study materials you need to pass the quick test.

You can also take the test online ahead of time and present your certificate to Fury. John took the test right before our tour and had no problem passing the 25 question quiz. The questions were basic and if you have read the information pamphlet, you will do fine. Don’t let this keep you from taking the tour!

What to Expect on the Jet Ski Tour in Key West

Despite the rough ocean waters, the Fury jet ski tour was so much fun. Our group was comprised of our guide, one other jet ski, and us. Fury offers 60- or 90-minute tour options. We chose the longer one in order to see more of the Florida coastline — we traveled 28 miles!

Along the way, we were lucky enough to come across a small pod of dolphins. We stopped to observe them from a safe distance until they swam away. It was the closest I’ve ever been to dolphins and I felt so lucky to see a few that day.

Our guide then brought us to a shallow sandbar in the middle of the ocean and we were able to hop off the jet skis and relax in the water for about 10 minutes. There were several fish swimming around our feet and it was so nice to float and enjoy the warm Florida water.

We also drove by an exclusive area of Key West where several celebrity homes are located. From the water, our guide pointed out homes belonging to Hulk Hogan, Pablo Escobar (well, not anymore haha), and Taylor Swift! I may have freaked out a little bit about that last one. Supposedly, she was building a recording studio in the huge house at the time. If she releases a beach-inspired album next, I’ll know it was true!

I was pretty proud of myself for doing well on the back of the jet ski for the whole tour — I held on, didn’t lose my sunglasses, and only got a little sunburned.

As we slowly cruised back up to the dock at the end of our tour, a bigger wave came towards us thanks to a giant yacht cruising nearby….and I flew off the jet ski and into the ocean! It was no big deal as I just swam over and climbed back on, but I couldn’t believe I made it through the roughest parts of the tour just to fall off at the very end, in full view of the Fury employees on the dock and the guests at the hotel next door. It was pretty funny!

The water along the Key West coastline was crystal clear and a beautiful turquoise color. Spending a day out in the ocean was a fantastic choice for our Key West trip! I highly recommend experiencing Florida this way.

Currently, Fury offers jet ski tours ranging from $99-129 per person, depending on tour length. You can book in person at their kiosk located at the intersection of Front Street and Duval Street or book online in advance.