Everglades National Park takes up 1.5 million acres, making it the 3rd largest national park and the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. It’s split into 4 main areas; Royal Palm, Shark Valley, Flamingo, and the Gulf Coast.
The Everglades also has 2 seasons; the wet season from April-November and the dry season from November-March. The dry season is the more popular time for visitors to come, but that also makes it the most crowded. It costs $30 per car to get in, so be sure to hit up an ATM before driving in.
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Visitors’ Centers
The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is one of the best things to do in the Everglades for those who come in through the Homestead entrance. It features educational exhibits, films, and paperwork to let you know what to expect in the rest of the park.
The Flamingo Visitor Center is one of the first places you’ll see in the center area of the park. It’s as pink as the birds it’s named after, even if it’s no longer home to them. You will still see plenty of wildlife, including crocodiles, manatees, hawks, and snakes. You can also enjoy the center’s educational displays, public boat ramp, trails, and camping areas.
The Royal Palm Visitor Center, established in 1916, covers a large area that includes the Long Pinke Key campground, a bookstore, viewing porch, picnic area, gift shop, and several trails. It also has tarps to protect your car, vending machines, and all the safety information you could need for your visit.
Anhinga Trail
This trail begins at the Royal Palm Visitor Center and provides a 0.8-mile round trip on paved walkways and boardwalks.
It’s one of the best places to see wildlife, especially alligators and the waterbird that the trail is named after. You’ll also get a glimpse at plant life such as mangroves and lily pads. This makes it one of the most popular and best things to do in the Everglades.
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge
This archipelago takes up 35,000 acres of mangroves. It’s home to unique wildlife such as dolphins, manatees, alligators, and crocodiles.
Marco Island is one of the best parts because it’s the largest and the only developed island. It has resorts, beaches, parks, picnic areas, trails, entertainment centers, and more.
The entire span of Ten Thousand Islands is one of the least popular spots in the Everglades due to its remote location. It’s still one of the best because of what you can see there. It also offers boat tours and activities such as kayaking, swimming, stargazing, and birdwatching.
Shark Valley
This is one of the smallest sections of the Everglades, but it packs plenty of attractions into its space. It may not have any sharks, but there are several other species of wildlife and plants to see.
Don’t miss the 15-mile road that loops through it. You can walk along it or rent a bike for $9 an hour. The 2-hour tram tour costs $28 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $15 for kids.
The loop road is home to dozens of alligators. Once you’ve gotten halfway through, go to the top of the Shark Valley Observation Tower for breathtaking views. You can also enjoy smaller hiking trails or check out the visitor’s center.
Shark Valley’s parking lot is also small and fills up quickly. Arrive early, and remember that the hours are 8:30 am-6 pm in the winter.
Birdwatching
More than 300 species of birds call the Everglades home, including pelicans, anhinga, cormorants, roseate spoonbills, and more. The entire park offers opportunities to watch them, but certain areas are better for pursuing this hobby.
Try Paurotis Park, Mrazek Pond, Eco Pond, and Nine Mile Pond if you want to see waterbirds. They’re all along the main road between the Ernes F. Coe Visitor Center and the Flamingo district. You can also try Mahogany Hammock and the Snake Bite Trail.
Airboating
Go to one of 3 tour companies, Coopertown, Everglades Safari Park, or Gator Park, for an airboat ride. You’ll fly across the water while also learning about the local ecosystems. It’s a thrilling and memorable way to experience all the park has to offer.
Pa-Hay-Okee Trail and Overlook
This trail is named after a Native American word that means “into grassy waters.” It’s 0.2 miles long and goes along a boardwalk through a grassy river under a canopy of trees.
Your trip along the trail will take you towards an observation platform that will let you look over the Everglades and appreciate their natural beauty.
H69 Nike Missile Base
This base was completed in 1965 during the Cold War. It used to house 140 soldiers but has now been turned into an important historical relic.
The base features 3 missile barns, an assembly building, barracks, 2 actual missiles, a guard dog kennel, and more. It’s open in the winter from 10 am-2 pm. You can talk to the staff and rangers or have them lead you on a tour.
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Mahogany Hammock Trail
A “hammock” is an Everglades term for an area that’s slightly higher than the wetlands around it. The elevation change creates the perfect conditions for unique plant life, such as gumbo limbo trees and the largest mahogany tree in the nation.
The 0.5-mile trail that loops through this area provides plenty of helpful signs along the way. It’s a beautiful and educational natural escape, but be sure to bring along enough bug spray to keep the insects from ruining the experience.
Gumbo Limbo Trail
Take this 04.0-mile trail if you want a closer look at the gumbo limbo trees of the Everglades. Their reddish-brown bark peels and flakes off like skin, giving them the nickname of the tourist tree. Walking along this trail provides a peaceful escape.
Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery
Artist Clyde Butcher dedicated his black and white photography to the Everglades. A large collection of it is found in his original gallery and studio on the Tamiami Trail.
You can view his art, buy a piece to take home, or get a guided swamp tour that begins at the gallery. For the full experience, reserve a stay at the Swamp Cottage or Swamp Bungalow, the homes where he and his wife stayed in while he worked.
Museum of the Everglades
A commercial laundry that opened in Everglades City in 1927 was turned into this museum honoring the 2,000-year history and beauty of the area. It has permanent and rotating exhibits that earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Big Cypress National Preserve
This area was established in 1974 as the first national preserve in the United States. It spans 720,000 acres and contains a massive freshwater swamp ecosystem.
You can wade through the swamps with a ranger, traverse them with a boat, or walk through the trails. There are also 8 campgrounds to spend the night in.
Nine Mile Pond
This 5.5-mile area is one of the best places to canoe or kayak in the Everglades. Bring your own or rent one from Flamingo Adventures. You can even take a free 3.5-hour Canoe the Wilderness tour with a park ranger as long as you reserve far in advance.
Paurotis Pond
Rare bird species such as the white ibis, roseate spoonbill, anhinga, wood stork, and egret love to nest here. It’s a favorite of birdwatchers, but it’s also a great picnic spot.
Flamingo Marina
This spot sits at the bottom of the Florida peninsula where the swamp rivers of the Everglades meet the ocean. It offers activities such as boat tours, canoeing, biking, and camping. It’s also home to wildlife such as crocodiles and manatees.
Smallwood Store
Ted Smallwood created his own trading post in the Everglades in 1906. It’s stayed standing after 6 hurricanes and shows no signs of going away now.
$5 for admission gets you in the doors, and you’ll learn about the history of Florida’s pioneers. Even the Tigertail Gift Shop has historical significance. It’s named after Chief charlie Tigertail, the leader of the local Seminole tribe who befriended Ted.
You can also book a boat tour right from the shop. They take 1 ½-2 hours and may require a reservation in advance.
Smallest Post Office in the USA
This spot may seem too small to be a working office, but it is. It has a single local employee who you’ll meet if you pull the door open. She’ll even take your mail and send it out postmarked from the Everglades.
Gator Grill
This restaurant sits right outside of the park. It’s one of the best things to do in the Everglades if you want a taste of the local cuisine because its menu features favorites such as fish, gator meat, and frog legs.
Triad Seafood
This is another one of the best things to do in the Everglades if you want to experience the food it’s known for. It’s considered the “stone crab capital of the world,” and Triad Seafood has as many of them as you could want. You can go for all-you-can-eat or grouper.
Robert Is Here
This family-owned fruit stand sits between Royal Palm and Shark Valley. It offers both local and exotic produce, gams, and salsas, but the main draw is their milkshakes and smoothies. They have no preservatives and cost $7.25-$10, and most are large enough to share.
The Everglades is a natural wonder with unique, often endangered animal and plant life. One of the best ways to help to keep it alive is to visit and spread the word about how wonderful it is.
Have you ever trudged through the swamps of the Everglades? Let us know in the comments below. Like and subscribe to ViewCation for more tips on how to experience the unique ecosystems of all of the National Parks in the United States.