This post contains all details about the Everglades National Park, When to go, where to go, and what are must-see and must-dos! Pack your bags and let's hang out with the gators!
First thing first, This park is definitely not a place where you can enjoy the natural beauty! It is 1.5 million acres of subtropical wilderness, containing miles of wetlands, grassy marshes, and mangrove forests that make this place a paradise for alligators and many other exotic and rare animals.
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So if you want to experience something different, something pristine and wild this is your place!
How to Get the Most Out of Your Trip to Everglades?
1. Must Take an Airboat Ride
As a huge portion of this national park is wetlands, the best way to explore is to take an airboat ride.
When you are taking US HWY 41 towards Everglades National Park Shark Valley Visitor Center, you will come across about 10 to 12 airboat ride companies.
Everglades Airboat Expeditions, Everglades River of Grass Adventures - Airboat Rides Miami, Everglades Nature Tours, and Everglades Airboat Expeditions are a few top-rated ones.
I went there with my friend Mymuna and we chose Gator Park Airboat Ride and the experience was good. 🚣♂️💚
On this trip, an airboat will fly you (!) through the grassy wetlands and will stop from time to time to show you wildlife (mostly gators!) in the natural setup. It was so much fun!
Some of my models!
Zooming through the Everglades on the airboat was so thrilling, but sometimes the wind was so strong that keeping my eyes open was a challenge! 😄💨 #EvergladesAdventure
The airboat drivers are very knowledgeable about this area and its surroundings. The cover photo of this post was taken on this trip where we were hauling over an alligator and it was literally listening to the commands of the boat driver! 😲🐊🌅
Another Everglades resident along the way!
2. Do NOT Miss the Free Alligator Wrestling
While you buy the airboat ride tickets at Gator Park (This is where I went), you get a free show pass to watch these magnificent animals up and close. Nobody wants to miss the free things, right?! 😁👀
Fun Time: During our show, the trainer came up and his hand was covered in a black cloth. He was narrating stories of the "Frog and the Princess" and came toward a lady and when he uncovered his hand it was a venomous frog! The funny thing is he actually made the woman kiss the frog without doing any harm! The whole time he made continuous interaction with the audience and we were never bored!🐊✨
Let me tell you one thing, the show was unexpectedly good!
Also, there is a small gift shop from where you can get some snacks and souvenirs. But most of them are overpriced of course! The same magnet I bought from here was three times more than the price outside. 👀
3. Must Visit Shark Valley Visitor Center
There are four visitor centers in this huge National Park. But if you have a one-day trip plan then must choose Shark Valley Visitor Center.
Source: An NPS story map
Shark Valley visitor center is the closest one to the airboat ride and it has a few other activities to check out.
You can find information on a lot of activities to do in the Everglades like tram tours, ranger programs, biking, etc. in the visitor center.
If you are up for some walking, they offer an informative session with the rangers, and the program is called "Ranger Walk". Register for this at the front desk.
They had details information on Alligators, Birds, and other species that belong to this area.
🐊 Alligators adore the Everglades! 🌿 With its freshwater, abundant wetlands, warm weather, and yummy food, the Everglades is like an alligator paradise. It's their happy home! 🏞️
Alligator or Crocodile? There are some quick facts, FYI!
Alligators:
- U-shaped snout.
- Teeth hidden when mouth is closed.
- Prefer freshwater.
- Generally less aggressive.
Crocodiles:
- V-shaped snout.
- Teeth visible when the mouth is closed.
- Adapt to various waters.
- Can be more aggressive.
4. Must Take Shark Valley Tram Tour
The most popular thing to do here is to take the Tram Ride to the watch tower.
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Tram Ride Tickets sell out quickly. So make a plan for that. You can buy from the website ahead of time. The cost is 28$ per adult.
We got the timed tram ticket from the visitor center and waited there for about an hour to get the last two tickets, it was almost sold out! So plan ahead!
The tram starts from the visitor center and takes you to the watch tower. The guide will narrate the history and fun facts about this area.
The ride becomes more interesting when you see sun-basking alligators or their hatchlings right beside you along the way!
Baby Gators are sunbathing!
What are you up to?!
Along with the gators, you can find more than 4 to 5 species of native birds and turtles commonly, which belong only to this area.
At the watchtower, there is a spiral walkway to the top of the watchtower, it is about a 10-minute walk.
🌿✨ The Everglades watchtower boasts stunning views of vast wetlands, wildlife, and mangrove forests.
Find me here!
Capture the magic of sunrise or sunset from above, where endless horizons unfold. 🌅📸 Explore with ease and discover the park's wonders with helpful educational signs everywhere! 🦎 #EvergladesAdventure
Unique Things that Everglades Do!
#EvergladesNationalPark receives an average of 65 inches of rain during summer, which is one of the highest in the USA (during summer only though)! As for its wildlife preservation, it needs a vast amount of wetland, they preserve these rain waters in barrels for the long and dry winter! Innovative right?
Haque's EYE:
The best time to go is after summer before winter, because the heat is excruciating in the summer and during winter the gators would be very inactive. I would say September or February-March are the best options to choose from.
Choose between natural beauty and wildlife. Are you up for wildlife? - the Everglades is the place for you!
Flamingo Visitor Center is popular for sunset viewing.
Have a great time exploring the Everglades with Haque's EYE! Remember to enjoy every moment and be kind to nature.
👀 See you in some other corner of the World... till then keep Exploring with Haque's EYE!
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