Everglades National Park is the third largest national park in the continent behind Death Valley and Yellowstone. Four visitor centers spread out pretty much each side of park borders: Ernest F. Coe at east, Flamingo at south, Shark Valley at north, Gulf Coast at west. Every visit center offers something special of its own. Shark Valley biking tour is my favorite. Anhinga trail at Royal Palm is beautiful. Six manatees habitat at Flamingo. At the time of writing, Flamingo is still in limited park services after Hurricane Irma devastates the area. Mainer stores offers kayak and canoe water activities, and boat tour to inner bay.Gulf Coast visitor center is operating in a temporary station, but thousand island tour has resumes.
Travel Tips
- tram trail at Shark Valley gives you the best opportunity of wild animal. Biking allows you to enjoy better. NPS rents child bike for age 7 and above only.
- book NPS boating service in advance. Tours at Gulf Coast Visitor Center are sold out quickly.
- airboat tour is highly recommend for a first time visitor. Get park pass first before taking airboat tour to waive park entrance fee charging by airboat operators.
- Kayaking enables you to enjoy Everglades more.
Click here to view a picture of 2018 trip– link will open a new tab on picaboo site.
Places We Go
Royal Palm Anhinga Trail
You will spot alligators, turtles, birds and various fishes (native or not). Alligator is much less than what we can spotted 12 years ago.
Looking for Florida gar
Alligator rests at road side
Pa-hay-okee Overlook
Pa-hay-Okee Overlook
Mahogany Hammock
short Mahogany Hammock board walk
Flamingo Visitor Center
Low tide gives better bird watching opportunity along coastal Prairie Trail. Don’t forget manatees at mariner. Currently there are six manatees inhabiting there.
Water way for kayak and boat tour that lead you to Coot Bay
West Lake
Board walk is damage at lake front
Shark Valley
Tram trail is a 15 miles round-trip. I love biking experience I did 12 years ago. So I can stop any time and enjoy view on my pace. This time we take two kids of age 8 and 12 with us and opt for a tram tour. Grass along the trail is still tall, not like my last view around January. Dry season give you better alligator encounter.
Anhinga at Shark Valley is more than what at Anhinga Trail. You can find male and female all the way.
Alligators at Shark Valley
Airboat Tour
We booked Gator Park airboat tour. Besides of airboat, this company includes animal show in the ticket. Show is simple but quite educational. You may experience a long waiting time (about 40 mins in our case). Ask to join show first if show is about to start. This place is a good fit for a family with all ages.
Alligator swims aside the airboat.
left is alligator and right is crocodile
First visit in 2006
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