Stretching between Miami, the Florida Keys, and the Gulf of Mexico, the Everglades covers over 1.5 million acres of South Florida. That’s more than 2,000 square miles of scenic marshland and tropical waterways. It is not just a beautiful landscape for exploring, but a vital natural habitat for a diverse collection of flora and fauna. It’s easy to see why more than a million people visit the Everglades each year.
The best way to experience this wonder of nature up close is on guided Everglades National Park tours. Airboat rides, mangrove kayaking, boat tours, and ranger-guided nature walks are just some of the tours available in Florida’s Everglades. Tram trips, bike trails, and scenic drives are also available for those who prefer exploring with more comfort.
Some tours last under an hour and can be enjoyed on a half-day trip from Miami or Naples. Others are longer and more immersive, perfect for overnight camping under the stars.
In this guide, we’ll examine the Everglades ecosystem, its attractions, and the best ways to experience it. We’ll also offer some top tips for making the most of your journey, whoever you travel with, and whatever tours you choose.
Overview of the Everglades
Nicknamed the “River of Grass” for its slow-flowing sawgrass marshes, the Everglades is one of the USA’s most mesmerizing wilderness destinations. A labyrinth of pinelands, hardwood hammocks, freshwater sloughs, mangrove swamps, and coastal lowlands make up the park’s endlessly diverse ecosystem.
Botanical Garden
A natural botanical garden to match any curated collection in the world, the Everglades is home to cypresses, pines, bromeliads, ferns, and much more. You’ll find strangler figs, wild coffee, prickly-pear cactus, and the highest density of wild orchids in mainland USA. Everglades National Park tours are journeys into a spellbinding world of color and beauty that could keep you captivated for weeks, and that’s without the array of exotic wildlife for which it is a home.
Wildlife Park
Florida panthers, black bears, wild hogs, and raccoons play on land while otters move through the water. Eagles and hawks soar overhead as herons, egrets, and ibis search for trout, bass, crappie, and tilapia. Bottlenose dolphins dive in coastal waters and rivers, while West Indian manatees meander through estuaries and canals.
16 kinds of turtles from loggerheads and hawksbill to Florida snapping turtles can be found alongside more than 40 snakes and lizards including boa constrictors, cottonmouths, geckos, and iguanas. Frogs, toads, and newts scuttle between land and water close to pink American flamingos who stand elegantly in the shallows. On top of all this, the Everglades is the only place in the world where crocodiles and alligators swim together.
Vital Ecosystem
Whether you join safari cruises through the mangroves or hold baby alligators at wildlife shows, every tour of the Everglades is a magical experience. You’ll also find opportunities for education with interactive talks on a range of fascinating subjects. Learn the importance of the Everglades in preserving South Florida’s biodiversity. Discover how every creature and plant plays a vital role in maintaining nature’s delicate balance. Find how nurture and nature work together, keeping the area’s unique blend of fresh and saltwater habitats intact for generations to come.
Types of Tours
Everglades National Park tours come in several forms. Some take place in the water; others explore on land. Some are ranger-guided and in the wild, others are shows staged in zoos and visitors centers. It’s up to you which type of Everglades tour you choose or how many you combine. Among some of the most popular tours available on visits to the Everglades are:
Airboat Rides
If you only take one tour of the Everglades, make it a classic. Airboats are iconic in the Everglades and easily the most thrilling way to travel through the waterways. These flat-bottomed boats skim along the shallow swamps, propelled at up to 40 mph by the giant fans mounted at their rear.
Part adrenaline experience and part nature safari, airboat tours allow you to cover vast areas of the national park in under an hour. Watch for alligators, turtles, and riverside birds as you zip among the grasses, enjoying ever-changing panoramic views. Learn about the science, nature, and history of the park from your expert captain as they guide you around diverse locations. Search for breathtaking encounters with the park’s residents, be they furry, feathered, or scaled.
Typical airboat tours last around 40 minutes, and private sessions can be arranged for longer adventures. Coopertown, Everglades City, and Gator Park are among the most popular launch points, while some providers offer transfers from Miami or Naples as part of the price. If you’re looking for an easy and exciting Everglades tour, an airboat ride is an excellent place to start.
Wildlife Shows
Another popular way to experience the wonders of the Everglades is at wildlife shows. These exciting and educational displays are held at Everglades Alligator Farm in the south, Gator Park beside Highway 41, and Everglades Holiday Park in the north. Learn about the marshlands’ most exotic creatures through ranger talks and public feedings. Add personal encounters by holding baby alligators, snakes, and other creatures. While these interactions are perfectly safe, those less brave can still take memories home with close-up photo opportunities.
Wildlife shows are wonderful experiences for kids and a great choice for family days. These short activities take place throughout each day and can be easily combined with airboat rides taken from the same place. You can also enjoy animal displays as part of a holiday outside the Everglades. Call in to Gator Park during a drive along the Tamiami Trail. Visit Everglades Holiday Park from Fort Lauderdale. Or take a diversion to Everglades Alligator Farm on a journey between Miami and the Florida Keys.
Guided Tours
Airboat rides and wildlife shows are two of the most popular tours in the Everglades, but the options don’t end there. Ranger-guided nature walks let you get totally immersed in the landscape as you explore every corner of the park’s trails. One of the most relaxed ways to move through the wilderness, tram tours from Shark Valley Visitor Center carry you in comfort on a 15-mile route through the habitat.
Along the Gulf Coast, boat tours sail gently through calm waters as they search for bigger marine creatures like dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, and even sharks. Or, if you prefer to control your own pace in the water, guided kayak and canoe tours put you on the surface of the River of Grass itself. However you prefer to explore, there’s an Everglades National Park tour to help you.
Tour Durations
The beauty of tours in the Everglades is that you can fit them into any itinerary. Wildlife shows last as little as 20 minutes or can make up part of a longer park visit. Airboat tours usually take between 40 minutes and an hour. Tram tours in Shark Valley last two hours, as do most kayak and canoe tours. Boat tours in Ten Thousand Islands and along the Gulf Coast take from one to three hours. Ranger-guided nature walks vary in length, some lasting less than an hour and some stretching out for half a day.
Families with younger children may enjoy the convenience of a combined Everglades airboat ride and wildlife show that can be completed in a little over an hour. Older children and active adults might get the most of their time in the Everglades from an immersive kayak or canoe tour or a longer nature walk. Those who need to take things easier can let a tram carry the strain or drift steadily on a larger boat along the coast. For romance, how about a self-guided cycle tour for exploring in private as long as you like?
Tips for Visitors
The Everglades National Park is a major tourist attraction and everything is in place to make sure you’re catered for, cared for, and safe. Visiting this stunning wilderness should take no more preparation than any holiday in Florida. Still, there are a few things we recommend to make the most of your time in Everglades.
What to Bring
There are some key essentials for any baggage case or day bag in the Everglades. These include:
- Sun protection
Florida is hot all year, so take sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
- Water and snacks
Make sure you enjoy every moment by staying hydrated and having what you need for a quick energy boost.
- Bug repellent
The Everglades is a marshland that supports all sorts of life, big and small. Bug spray will help stop little biters from getting too close. - Comfortable clothes
From your sealed-toe shoes to your jacket, choose lightweight and breathable clothing. Quick-drying waterproof will also help you stay prepared for any eventuality.
Best Time to Visit
You can visit the Everglades all year, but the best time for tours and activities is during the dry season, between December and April. You’ll enjoy milder temperatures, fewer mosquitos, and – crucially – almost no rain. The most likely time for extreme weather is the hot and humid hurricane season between June and October.
Understand Accessibility
Just because the Everglades National Park is a wilderness, doesn’t mean its tours aren’t accessible. Almost all tours are family friendly with highly trained guides, support staff, and safety equipment including life jackets in all sizes. Whether you’re traveling with children, seniors, or anyone with additional needs, the Everglades is well-prepared to make your visit as comfortable and complete as possible.
Royal Palm Visitor Center, Guy Bradley Visitor Center, Shark Valley Visitor Center, and Gulf Coast Visitor Center, all all accessible by ramp or elevator, with loan wheelchairs also available. Many trails, including the Anhinga Trail, Mahogany Hammock, and Pa-hay-okee Overlook have boardwalks for easy walking, wheelchairs, and strollers. Many boat tours and the Shark Valley tram tour are also accessible to wheelchair users.
For visitors with other needs, service dogs are welcome to go wherever human visitors do. Assistive Listening Devices (ALD) can be requested for use during ranger-led tours, on the Shark Valley Tram Tour, and on Flamingo boat tours. It is also possible to contact the park and make special arrangements for concession tours or other requirements in most circumstances. This also applies to specialized groups like photographers, birders, or those seeking a private experience for any reason.
Conclusion
The Everglades National Park is a vast and extraordinary ecosystem filled with adventures. For some, simply driving through on the Tamiami Trail – or Highway 41, as it’s also called – is enough to appreciate its spellbinding beauty. For others, the only way to really enjoy the Everglades is to become fully immersed in its habitats and waterways. You can explore independently, but the best way to discover more in the Everglades is through tours.
Choose between thrilling Everglades airboat rides or gentle cruises. Drift through the mangroves in a canoe or kayak as a guide narrates the nature and wildlife all around. Travel gently on the swamp trails in the comfort of a tram. Get up close on a ranger-led nature walk. Or see the magnificent abilities of crocodiles and alligators at a wildlife show. Whichever Everglades National Park tours you choose, you’ll be educated, entertained, and utterly enthralled. Many tours can be joined without reservation, but if you’re traveling to Florida and planning to take in the wonder of the Everglades, we recommend taking control of your trip and booking in advance. Visiting the River of Grass is an unforgettable experience, and with so many amazing tours on offer, why waste an opportunity to experience it up close and in the hands of an expert?