Awesome Things to Do in the Everglades, Florida's River of Grass
If you’re heading to south Florida and love exploring the outdoors, there are countless things to do in the Everglades to keep any nature and outdoor lover busy, any time of year!
Many travelers who’ve never been to the Florida Everglades may think there’s little to do in the swamp other than sweat, get eaten alive by bugs, or have a surprise encounter with an alligator. But nothing could be further from the truth.
There are plenty of adventures on land and on the water for eco travelers and unique ways to experience the Florida Everglades. As the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s easy to see why it deserves a top spot on yourFlorida bucket list。
You see, the Everglades aren’t really a swap. Rather, it’s actually a slow-moving river of grass. In fact, the Native Americans who have lived here for centuries called itPa-hay-Okeewhich means "into grassy waters."
The Glades are one of the most misunderstood and fragile ecosystems in the world, and certainly underrated in the United States for enjoying incredible outdoor adventure. Which is exactly why you need to visit.
Whether you’re planning a tropical family vacation or one of those epicFlorida road tripsthrough less-traveled parts of the Sunshine State, a glimpse of the Everglades ecosystem is worth the trip.
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About the Florida Everglades
In 1947, writer Marjory Stoneman Douglas created the now well-known name for the Florida Everglades in her famous bookEverglades: River of Grass。This"river"flows southwest through the Florida peninsula from central to south Florida, a natural filtration system that starts north of the enormous Lake Okeechobee (a lake so big it can be seen from space) and ends at the Ten Thousand Islands off the southwest coast, where the average depth is just 4-5 feet!
The landscape here is primordial — swampy and marshy — but bursting with beautiful native plant species, exotic flowers, hardwood forests, and some of the most incredible and endangered wildlife on the planet. Not only do the American alligator and American crocodile coexist here, there are also snakes, dolphins, bobcats, black bear, manatees, deer, and the elusive Florida panther as well.
Although the Glades have been reduced to less than half of its original size through over-development and agriculture, it's still a big place.
Everglades National Park spans roughly 734 square miles and the adjoining Big Cypress National Preserve adds 1,126 square miles to that area and the overall ecosystem.
When to Visit The Florida Everglades
As the old joke goes, there are two seasons in the Everglades:dry seasonandmosquito season。True that! But keep this in mind: there are always exceptions.
Themost pleasant time of year(and most popular time to visit) isDecember through Aprilduring the winter dry season. That’s when the average highs are in the upper 70s and average lows in the low 50s (F).
Summer season (thegreen season) brings rain and sometimes wicked thunderstorms most afternoons, so hiking is more difficult and the no-see-ums and mosquitos are biting. Fortunately, much of the hiking in the Everglades can be done on elevated boardwalks making it easy and flat to hike across.
The upside to visiting the Florida Everglades in the summer is a big one:that’s when you're more likely to see wildlife。
Map courtesy of theEverglades Foundation
How to Get to the Florida Everglades
Within the Everglades are several hiking trail systems, State preserves, andEverglades National Park。The National Park has several associated fees for private vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.Click for the most current rates。
The Everglades are huge, but accessing them is fairly easy, and if you’re staying on the west coast, visiting them makes a great day trip when you’revisiting NaplesorMarco Island。From Naples and Southwest Florida, follow Tamiami Trail (Route 41) toward Everglades City and Chokoloskee.
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There are several Visitor Centers in or near the Everglades and Everglades National Park:
TheShark Valley Visitor Centeris the entrance closest to the Greater Miami Area, Florida:36000 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33194
TheGulf Coast Visitor Centeris the entrance closest to Naples, Florida:815 Oyster Bar Lane, Everglades City, FL 34139
TheFlamingo Visitor Centeris the southern most visitor center in Everglades National Park. It is at the end of the main park road and is accessible from the Main Park (Homestead) entrance:1 Flamingo Lodge Highway, Flamingo, FL 33034
If you’re spending a few days on the east coast, the Everglades should definitely be part of your Ft. Lauderdale orMiami itinerary。You can easily get to the Glades from here as well. Here are the closest entrances to both:
Things to Do in the Everglades
Hiking
There are tons of excellent nature trails throughout the Everglades frombeginner day hikesto more advanced treks. Some can be wet and muddy depending on the time of year but many have elevated boardwalks or paved paths to enable you to get deeper into the wetlands.
徒步旅行可以我的最好的事情之一n the Everglades, be prepared with the right hiking shoes or boots, and bring plenty of bottled water and insect repellent.
Birding
Although the flora is unique, no doubt the biggest draw to these trails is the birdwatching. Birding in the Everglades doesn’t disappoint and depending on the time of year the number of species is amazing: from anhingas, herons, and the colorful American purple gallinule, to roseate spoonbills and bald eagles.
Wildlife in the Everglades
Pole Boat Tours
Not interested in the zip and noise of an airboat or riding high on a big swamp buggy?Everglades Adventure Toursstill practices traditional pole boating through the Glades, as it’s been done in their family for generations. Travel the way the native Seminoles and early travelers did up close and personal with nature. This is a relaxing way to experience the unique diversity of the Everglades.
Go Kayaking in the Everglades
The Everglades are a paddlers dream with some of the best kayaking in Florida. Bring your own or rent one from the many operators in the area. There are guided ecotours likeRising Tide Explorers, or you can explore on your own by arranging for a shuttle to your chosen starting point.
Here is a goodmap of canoe and kayak trailsfrom the National Park Service, and theirresource pagewith canoe and kayak rentals, permitted tour guides, and camping info is the best we've found.
“未来回顾我们的眼睛they are praying for us to see beyond our own time.
They are kneeling with hands clasped that we might act with restraint, that we might leave room for the life that is destined to come.
To protect what is wild is to protect what is gentle.”
Everglades Airboat Tours
Crave a little adrenaline rush? Take an airboat ride from one of the many operators along Tamiami Trail (Rt. 41) and around Everglades City. These experienced captains will take you through mangrove tunnels, spot wildlife, explain the ecosystem, and fill you in on the local history which is usually pretty colorful.
Take a Swamp Buggy Tour
Unique to southern Florida, Swamp Buggies have been used by “Gladesmen” for over 100 years. You’ll ride way up high as you explore the grasslands and cypress swamps on buggies with 4' tires. Operators will explain the fragile ecosystem and tell what is being done to preserve this sub-tropical wilderness through the Everglades Restoration Project.
Go Camping in the Everglades
Most people don’t associate camping with the Everglades because well, it's mostly a swamp, and no one wants to camp in a swamp. But if you love camping, there's no more peaceful place to camp than in theEverglades National Park。
Camp sites range from ground and beach sites to “chickees”, or elevated platforms, and the majority of sites are accessible by canoe or kayak which make for very low impact to the environment.
Permits forbackcountry campingin Everglades National Park are currently free and obtainable no more than a day in advance of the start of a trip from the NPS Flamingo Visitor Center and the Gulf Coast Visitor Contact Station daily, from 8 am to 4:30 pm.
Campers must register in person as reservations are not accepted for any backcountry site.
In the Everglades you go chickee hut camping!
There are several public campgrounds, elevated platforms, and camping areas outside the Park as well. Check outthis mapto see where you might want to pitch your tent. And depending on the time of year, bring plenty of bug repellent!
Fishing in the Everglades
Whether you prefer fresh or saltwater, Everglades fishing is excellent. A variety of inshore species such as redfish, snapper, snook, and sea trout can be found along the coastal areas of the 10,000 Islands and Florida Bay while bass and blue gill are abundant in fresh water. Places for shore fishing are limited but flats fishing is world class.
Be sure tocheck licensing and seasonal requirements。
See Wildlife: Gators, Manatees, and Panthers,oh my!
If there’s one thing to do in the Florida Everglades, it’s look for wildlife. The Everglades ecosystem is teeming with it, and much of it is hidden just below the surface.
The lovablemanateesmay sometimes swim into the Everglades as far as they can, looking for vegetation to eat since they're dedicated herbivores. They'll swim up channels and estuaries, though during the drier winter months it may be too shallow. You're more likely to see alligators, black bear, bobcat, and other critters.
Of course, you’re almost always guaranteed at least one sighting of an alligator any time of year, but if you don’t, there are several spots around the Everglades that offer guaranteed alligator sightings.Turner River Road, 7 miles east of the road to Everglades City on US 41 is a great place to spot gators in the water or sunning themselves along the banks from the safety of an elevated boardwalk.
Depending on how deep in the Glades you go, you may also seenesting sea turtlesduring certain times of year.Gopher tortoisesmay make an appearance in sandy areas, along withblack bear,deer,burmese pythons, and many other species — native and invasive alike.
The elusive and endangered Florida panther
Clyde Butcher’sBig Cypress Gallery
Visitors to Florida will probably first see Clyde Butcher's stunning large format, black and white photography in their hotel without ever realizing he loved the Everglades so much, he called it home until just a few years ago. Located on Tamiami Trail (Rt. 41) in Ochopee, a visit to his original gallery and studio in the swamp is a must.
Clyde is a tribute to Everglades conservation and his magnificent artwork is on display here and available for purchase. If you have the time, schedule a guided swamp walk which starts at the gallery, where you can step through Clyde’s inspiration and experience the primitive beauty of Big Cypress firsthand.
You can even reserve a stay at theSwamp Cottage or Swamp Bungalow(he and wife Nikki's former home) tucked into the forest behind the gallery.
52388 Tamiami Trail, Ochopee, FL
“Perhaps the wilderness we fear is the pause between our own heartbeats, the silent space that says we live only by grace. Wilderness lives by this same grace. Wild mercy is in our hands.”
Visit theMuseum of the Everglades
Located in Everglades City, this museum first opened as a commercial laundry in 1927 and features some permanent exhibits as well as rotating exhibits which document the 2,000 year old history of the area. The Museum itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and provides one of the most interesting glimpses into the local history. Definitely recommend a visit!
105 West Broadway, Everglades City, FL
Shark Valley Overlook
Shark Valley Visitor Centeroffers a great Everglades experience, where visitors can walk, bike, or ride a tram along a 15 mile tram trail. The 2 hour tram tour is excellent (and shaded). Book in advance if possible. US National Park entrance fee applies.
36000 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL
Alligators along the Shark Valley hiking trail
Explorethe Smallwood Store
Dating to 1906 and located on Chokoloskee Island, the Ted Smallwood Store is truly a step-back in time kind of place. It’s had it’s ups and downs with hurricanes and family differences but the ambience of that long gone era remains inside. It has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This was at one time the hub of local activity and local residents maintain that there are spirits that frequent the store at night. So you may want to visit when it’s open.
360 Mamie St., Chokoloskee, FL
The Smallest Post Office in the USA
If you're driving into the Everglades on Tamiami Trail (Rte. 41), you have to stop in to theSmallest Post Office in the USA。这是一个真正的工作和美国官员Post Office serviced by a friendly local postal employee but you'll have to pull the door open to meet her (trust me, she's in there).
And while you're there, buy a postcard and she'll send it anywhere in the world for you, postmarked right from here.
Where to Stay in the Florida Everglades
You can explore the Everglades fromNaples and Marco Islandon the state's west coast, or stay atone of the excellent hotelsin Miami on the east coast. But if you want to base yourselfin or near国家公园和大柏树保护区,在那里are several nice hotels, motels, and B&B's to choose from.
If you’d like a bit of glitz and glamour then plan a trip to the east coast and visit Miami and South Beach. The drive is the same as going to Fort Lauderdale, just be sure to follow the signs to Miami.
We recommend an overnight or two in Miami at close to what you’d like to see and do.
Port of the Islands Everglades Adventure Resort
25000 Tamiami Trail E, Naples, FL
ThePort of the Islands Everglades Adventure Resortis a perfect base for families and outdoor enthusiasts to explore the 'Glades with beautiful rooms, an awesome pool, restaurant and marina with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Port of the Islands Everglades Adventure Resortis a perfect Everglades base for families
Ivey House Bed & Breakfast
107 Camellia St E, Everglades City, FL
TheIvey House Bed & Breakfastis a quaint B&B in a great location, with cozy rooms in a modern inn or rustic lodge. Plus there's a heated pool.
River Wilderness Waterfront Villas
210 Collier Ave, Everglades City, FL
River Wilderness Waterfront Villasoffer apartment style accommodations with fully equipped kitchens, pool, free wifi, and complimentary canoes — perfect for families.
Everglades City Motel
310 Collier Ave, Everglades City, FL
The retroEverglades City Motelhas comfortable rooms, plus complimentary Wi-Fi, plenty of parking & loaner bikes to explore the town.
Where to Eat in the Everglades
You may not think of the Everglades as a great destination for foodies, but think of all the fresh seafood and Cuban goodness you’d be missing!Food in Floridais fresh and so delicious, and — in fact I’d say it’s one of thetop destinations in the US for foodies! Be sure and check out:
Havana Cafe
It's hard to beat the Havana Cafe for it's laid-backKey Westambiance and incredible food. The Cuban specialties, seafood, and homemade Sangria are fantastic, as is theKey Lime pie。
191 Smallwood Dr, Chokoloskee, FL
Triad Seafood Market & Cafe
For the freshest seafood and (when available) all-you-can-eat Florida stone crabs.
401 School Drive, Everglades City, FL
Miccosukee Restaurant
Located right on Rte. 41 in the heart of the Miccosukee reservation is this roadside diner, the only stop on Tamiami Trail for miles. While the food is decent, you have to try the Pumpkin Indian Fry Bread (with butter)!
500 SW 177th Ave, Miami, FL
IF YOU GO
Like this Post? Check out more on Naples, Florida:
Tarpon Lodge: A Taste of Old Florida and Life Along Pine Island Sound
Religious cult or Utopian commune? See For Yourself at Koreshan Unity in Estero, Florida
Recommended Reading:
The Everglades: River of Grassby Marjory Stoneham Douglas
The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradiseby Michael Grunwald