As a tourist or traveler, there are numerous ways to experience the Florida Everglades. Every year, one million people visit the Florida Everglades National Park, and the majority of them do not spend enough time in the park to fully appreciate it. So, for those of you who want to brave the wilderness and truly experience this region, we highly recommend signing up for one of these tours:
Airboat Tours
You’ll first notice when exploring Everglades tour options that many companies offer airboat tours. There’s a good reason for this because, after all, they are one of the few types of vehicles that can access the terrain and maintain the safety of passengers.
Anyone who’s experienced one will tell you that airboat rides through the Everglades provide a thrilling experience that’s fun and educational. The expert guides offer commentary during the trip, where you’ll learn fun facts and be shown a wealth of wildlife such as turtles, alligators, birds, fish, and more.
Depending on which company and package you choose, each ride generally lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. Some companies even provide visitors with an alligator meet-and-greet afterward or access to a wildlife park where they can see more animals.
Eco-Tours
If you’re not feeling super adventurous and would rather have a more relaxing and quiet Everglades experience, then check out an eco-tour. These are provided from a guided airboat and help to give visitors a better understanding of the region. These year-round guided tours can take the form of kayaking, pole boating, hiking, and canoeing.
Regardless of which type of eco-tour you decide, the local guides are full of knowledge and will ensure you don’t miss a sight during the trip. They also know the land well, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost or not knowing what to do in case of an emergency.
Since these trips are laid back, it’s a great way to see the different types of wildlife in their own natural environment. And the best part is, there is an eco-tour for everyone.
Hiking
Depending on your skill level, you can either stay on the short trails offered at the park’s visitor centers, or you can head to Old Ingraham Highway. The latter is a 20-mile roundtrip trek that was once paved but has now fallen into decay. You may also try out the Coastal Prairie trail, which is a 15-mile roundtrip hike that offers backcountry camping at Clubhouse Beach.
Fishing
Get your license online at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website, and you'll be ready to go fishing during your visit. In the Everglades, you can catch over 70 different types of fish.
Alligator Tours
Did you know that the Florida Everglades is the world’s only ecosystem where alligators and crocodiles live alongside each other? It’s true that alligators prefer living in freshwater because they can’t digest salt. Still, the Everglades is unique in that Florida Bay’s fresh water meets the Gulf of Mexico’s saltwater, making it the ideal ecosystem for both of these animals to live.
With that being said, there are over 200,000 alligators and up to 2,000 crocodiles that call the Florida Everglades home. So, to say you’ll see these ancient beasts is an understatement; they are everywhere! Of course, this creates the perfect opportunity for companies to offer guided alligator tours, and for those looking to see these reptiles in their natural habitat, this is the easiest and safest way to do it!
Bird Watching
If you’re a birder, this region should be on your bucket list. The Everglades hosts more than 360-winged species, which means you’re guaranteed to see something cool. From the roseate spoonbill and snowy egrets to wood storks and bald eagles, this will be a memorable part of your trip!
While birdwatching tours are available all year, the best time to see the most different types of birds is during the dry season, which lasts from December to March.
Many birds congregate around permanent bodies of water at this time of year. If you're in the Everglades in February, make a point of visiting Nine-Mile Pond and Paurotis Pond. A beautiful collection of bald eagles, short-tailed hawks, herons, ospreys, and roseate spoonbills can be found here. West Lake, Mrazek Pond, Bear Lake Trail, and Flamingo are also excellent options.
Eat and Drink
Some people think the best part of traveling is eating. For all the foodies out there, go out in Everglades City and find a menu that offers smoked mullet. It’ll taste like a moist, jerky delicacy.
You may also find menus offering wild hogs, as Spanish explorers brought domesticated Iberian pigs to Florida centuries ago. Because they roam free in the Everglades and tear up the environment with their snouts, you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying their meat.
Finally, the stone crab season is from October to May. Fishermen will take a single claw from these thick-shelled crustaceans and then throw them back into the water (alive) where they’ll regenerate the missing claw over three years. You’ll see this featured in restaurants as well.
Planning a trip to the Florida Everglades is the perfect way to rediscover fundamental cycles by entering a world that’s not dictated by clocks, but by things like the length of day and temperature. So, when is the best time to take an Everglades tour?
The good news is that Florida’s nature reveals her beauty throughout the year in many astonishing ways. For example, spring is a great time for birding in Everglades National Park, as thousands of ibis, egrets, and herons congregate on the mangrove trees for nesting season. This is a spectacular sight to see because there are so many white bird feathers that the trees are draped in them.
Yet, in the end, it doesn’t matter what time of year you visit the Florida Everglades; there are always tours available that are fun and an excellent way to spend a day seeing the “real” Florida. So don't put it off any longer; book your flight and head south! You will have an unforgettable firsthand experience of nature's splendor.
We provide tours from facilities in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, get in touch with us for further details.
