There's also a mangrove wilderness tour through the swampier part of the park. 239/695-2591) area and lasts an hour and a half. If you're on the Gulf Coast side of things, the naturalist-guided Gulf Coast boat tour of the Ten Thousand Islands departs from the Gulf Coast Marina (located in the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, 5 miles south of U.S. Charter-fishing and sightseeing boats can also be booked through the resort's main reservation number (tel. Tours depart throughout the day reservations are recommended. Both cost $27 for adults, $13 for children 5 to 12. Passengers can expect to see birds and a variety of other animals (I once saw a raccoon and some wild pigs). Florida Bay tours cruise nearby estuaries and sandbars, while six-passenger backcountry boats visit smaller sloughs. Motorboat Tours - Both Florida Bay and backcountry tours are offered Thursday to Monday at the Flamingo Marina. 877/567-0679 located within the Ivey House B&B, is there to guide and entertain you, as well as explain such key issues as the differences between alligators and crocodiles, or between swamps and the Everglades. It's a lot more than saw grass and alligators in the backcountry, which is why Everglades Adventures (tel. 877/567-0679 at the Ivey House B&B.Įco-Tours - Although it's fascinating to explore on your own, it would be a shame for you to tour the Everglades without a clue about what you're seeing. Expert guides will lead you in the right direction. Slink through the mangroves, slide across saw-grass prairies, and even walk the sands of the unfettered Ten Thousand Islands. The company is open daily from 8am to 6pm tours leave frequently.Ĭanoe Tours - A fabulous way to explore the Everglades backcountry is via canoe. ![]() Private airboat tours are $50 per hour, per person. Airboat rides cost $22 for adults, $11 for children 7 to 11. There's also a restaurant and a small gator farm on the premises. You never know what you're going to see, but with great guides, you're sure to see something of interest on the 40-minute, 8-mile round-trip tours. 41), in a town that boasts a total population of eight humans! The super friendly staff has helped the company garner the title of "Florida's Best" by the Miami Herald for 40 years in a row. 305/226-6048 located about 11 miles west of the Florida Turnpike on the Tamiami Trail (U.S. Gator Park is open daily from 9am to 5pm.Īnother outfitter I recommend is Coopertown Airboat Tours (tel. Admission for the boat ride and show is $21 for adults, $11 for children 6 to 11 prices are cheaper if you purchase tickets online. Take note of the gorgeous peacocks that live in the trees here. After the boat ride, there's a free interactive wildlife show that features alligator wrestling and several other frightening acts involving scorpions. ![]() Some of the guides deserve a medal for getting into the water and poking around a massive alligator, even though they're not really supposed to. 305/559-2255 which, despite its touristy name, happens to be one of the most informative and entertaining airboat-tour operators around, not to mention the only one to give out free earplugs. One of the best airboat outfitters is Gator Park, 12 miles west of the Florida Turnpike at 24050 SW Eighth St. Sometimes they give you plugs, but bring a pair just in case. Tip: Consider bringing earplugs, as these high-speed boats are loud. ![]() Just outside the boundaries of the Everglades, however, you'll find a number of outfitters offering rides. Even though airboats are the most efficient (not to mention fast and fun!) way to get around, they are not permitted in the park - these shallow-bottom runabouts tend to inflict severe damage on animals and plants. ![]() Airboats cut through the saw grass and are sort of like hydraulic boats at high-enough speeds, a boat actually rises above the saw grass and into the air. Airboat Tours - Shallow-draft, fan-powered airboats were invented in the Everglades by frog hunters who were tired of poling through the brushes.
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