Everglades National Park

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

Looking for Florida gar


You will spot alligator along the way

Alligator rests at road side

Pa-hay-okee Overlook

Pa-hay-Okee Overlook

Pa-hay-Okee Overlook

Mahogany Hammock

short Mahogany Hammock board walk

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

Water way for kayak and boat tour that lead you to Coot Bay

West Lake

Board walk is damage at lake front

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.

Anhinga at Shark Valley is more than what at Anhinga Trail. You can find male and female all the way.


Alligators at Shark Valley

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.

Alligator swims aside the airboat.


left is alligator and right is crocodile

left is alligator and right is crocodile

First visit in 2006

There were more alligators in 2006. The invasion of Python is really taking toll on alligators.
No manatees at Flamingo visitor center then. We only saw a wild dolphin.

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