Wanderyn
Everglades National Park
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
poi · United States

Everglades National Park

naturefamily
Recommended stay: 1 day
Getting around: The park has three separate entrances that don't connect to each other by road — the main one near Homestead/Florida City is closest to Miami (about an hour); a car is necessary, and the Gulf Coast and Shark Valley entrances require separate trips.
Hours: Open year-round, 24 hours; the dry season (roughly December-April) is the most popular for wildlife viewing, as animals concentrate around shrinking water sources.

A vast, slow-moving "river of grass" rather than a swamp in the usual sense — the largest subtropical wilderness in the US, and one of the few places on Earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist. Airboat tours (mostly run from outside the park boundary) are the popular way to see it, but the park's own boardwalk trails (Anhinga Trail, in particular) offer close-up wildlife viewing on foot, often with alligators visible just feet from the path.

Everglades National Park FAQs

Will I definitely see alligators?

Very likely, especially on the Anhinga Trail boardwalk near the main entrance during the dry season (December-April), when they concentrate around remaining water.

Are the airboat tours inside the park?

Most commercial airboat tours operate just outside the park boundary (airboats are restricted within most of the park itself); the park experience itself is more about boardwalks, canoeing, and ranger programs.

How far is the Everglades from Miami?

The main entrance is about an hour's drive from Miami, making it an easy day trip.

When is the best time to visit?

The dry season, roughly December through April — wildlife is easier to spot and mosquitoes are far less brutal than in the wet summer months.

How many days do I need?

A single day is enough to walk the main boardwalk trails and take a tram or boat tour; a second day allows exploring a second entrance area like Shark Valley.

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