Tropic Isle sits at the southeast corner of Delray Beach, a grid of streets laid out along deep-water canals that feed straight into the Intracoastal Waterway. Nearly every home backs onto its own dock, and the neighborhood's real map is drawn in water: idle out of your canal, and the Boynton Inlet puts you in the open Atlantic in under half an hour. It is quieter and saltier than downtown - the sound here is rigging and outboard motors, not restaurant chatter - yet Atlantic Avenue is barely ten minutes up Federal Highway when dinner calls.
From MIA the drive is about 53 miles - slightly shorter than downtown Delray drops since Tropic Isle hangs at the south end of town near Linton Boulevard - and takes 55 to 70 minutes on a fixed long-distance fare from $129. The passengers we bring here travel heavy in a specific way: duffels of fishing tackle, rod tubes, dive bags, marine parts that had to be flown in. Sprinter Vans and SUVs in our fleet take fourteen and six bags respectively, and rod tubes ride inside the cabin, not strapped to anything.
Boat schedules and flight schedules rarely cooperate, so we run this route with slack built in. Landing at MIA at nine to make a ten-thirty departure from your own dock is realistic when the driver is tracking the flight and the fare does not change if you are early or late. Guests joining an owner for a weekend cruise get collected the same way and delivered to the seawall, and the return trip - salt-crusted, sunburned, content - is the same fixed price home.
What to expect
- Drop at the front door - or the seawall - anywhere in Tropic Isle
- Rod tubes, dive gear and marine cargo carried inside the vehicle
- 53 miles from MIA, 55-70 minutes, fixed fare from $129
- Pickup timing coordinated around tides, charters and cast-off times
- Guests for a cruise weekend collected from MIA with a name sign