Raccoon Island Miami

Raccoon Island, officially Sandspur Island and once nicknamed Beer Can Island, is a small mangrove-fringed island in the Intracoastal Waterway near the Haulover Sandbar, close to North Miami. The only way to reach it is by water, and guests arrive by rented kayak or paddleboard from Oleta River State Park, by jet ski, on a private charter, or on a guided boat tour.

The headline attraction is the raccoons, which come down to the shoreline as soon as they hear a boat and are used to people arriving with snacks. Guests regularly write that the animals drink straight from water bottles, and since the island has no natural fresh water source, bringing bottled water is the most common tip.

Many visitors also pair the stop with a swim at the nearby sandbar, a mangrove paddle, or a dolphin and manatee watch on a longer tour. Guided options run from about two to four hours, with tours listed from roughly $89 per person.

There are no amenities on the island, no restrooms and no shade structures, so plan accordingly and carry your trash back out.