The best things to do in Everglades National Park
While the Everglades may conjure up images of hot, humid weather with mosquitoes and alligators, there is so much more to this unique climate that oozes beauty and mystique. As the third largest national park in the US (about 2,400 square miles!), unless you have access to a boat, most visitors only scratch the surface and visit a fraction of the area.
Even if you only have a day to explore, you can easily drive through a good portion of it, take short hikes, look for manatees and alligators, and even take a kayak or airboat trip. But hopefully you’ll have more time than that to fully appreciate all that this national park has to offer.
The Everglades are a huge wetland fed by water from Lake Okeechobee. But for many hundreds of years, we humans have been encroaching on its wonders. About a hundred years ago, we built canals, diverting lake water to cities and residential areas, which has dramatically changed the delicate ecosystem here. As a result, wildlife populations have declined and some species are now on the verge of extinction.
As you visit the Everglades and explore its many activities, it’s good to have an awareness of the conservation and restoration efforts of this great place in the back of your mind.
Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
As with most national parks, the visitor center should be one of your first stops, as you can get valuable information on what’s on offer and can learn about current events happening within the park.
With educational exhibits and plenty of maps, it’s the perfect place to get an overview of the vast offerings in the Everglades. Be sure to stay to see River of Life, a 15-minute movie that gives a great overview of the park. The Coe Visitor Center also provides information on ranger-led activities (mainly talks and some walks), as well as details on boat tours and canoe rentals.
Books, postcards, and even bug spray can be purchased so you’re well-prepared for the best park experience possible. Many of the popular hiking trails are just a short drive away.
Where hiking is great
Everglade trails allow abundant exploration of diverse habitats. Bring plenty of water and stay on top of changing weather conditions. Florida weather can be temperamental, especially during the rainy season. Mosquitoes and other biting flies can be present year-round, so bug spray is always a good idea when experiencing some of America’s most stunning weather. Sunscreen and hats are a must for the warmer months.
The Anhinga Trail is an easy 0.8 mile, partially paved, partially boarded trail that goes through a small section of wetlands. It’s a great way to safely spot alligators and anhingas, which is the bird that gives the trail its name.
The Gumbo Limbo Trail is paved and winds through a hammock in the jungle-like shade of gumbo trees, royal palms, ferns, and lush plants. It’s an easy 0.4-mile hike and starts at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, about four miles from the park’s main entrance. Pahayokee Overlook is an elevated viewing platform on a short boardwalk loop that offers incredible panoramic views of the “river of grass.” Located 13 miles from the main park entrance.
The Mahogany Hammock Trail is another boardwalk trail that winds through dense jungle-like hammock hardwoods. The lush greenery is highlighted by gumbo-limbo trees, air plants, and the largest living mahogany tree in the US located about 20 miles from the park’s main entrance.
The Flamingo Trails offer a wide variety of different climates and dig a little deeper into areas where species may be threatened, so check with the visitor center for the latest developments on trail availability.
get on a bike
Let the wetland wind whip at you on a bike trail, which is allowed on major park roads, Shark Valley Trolley Road, Old Ingraham Highway, Long Pine Key Nature Trail, Snake Bight and on the Rowdy Bend trails in Flamingo.
Bird watching is divine
Here you will find some of the best bird watching opportunities in the world. More than 300 species reside in the park or pass through a migratory path. Some of the best birding spots are near the Homestead Gate (Royal Palm area) and the Flamingo districts of the park.
Anhinga Trail, Eco Pond, Mrazek Pond, Mahogany Hammock, Snake Bight Trail, and Paurotis Pond should be on your birding list. A variety of exquisite and grand wading birds can be seen in the areas of Shark Valley.
Kayak around ten thousand islands
The Ten Thousand Islands is an archipelago covering more than 35,000 acres off the southern tip of Florida. The national wildlife refuge of the same name is located in the northern part, while the southern part is in Everglades National Park. Numbering in the hundreds, not thousands, the islands are a perfect place to relax in nature. It is also one of the least explored places in the park, due to its remote location. Boat tours operate here through part when available. So if you can get a spot on a tour, look out for frolicking bottlenose dolphins and manatees and, of course, the ever-present crocodiles and alligators.
Scenic drive along the Tamiami Trail
When the Tamiami Trail was built in 1928 through the Everglades, it was considered a feat of engineering and became the only route from Tampa to Miami at the time. Walking the Tamiami Trail, visitors will enjoy the park’s surprisingly varied landscape, from pine forests to sawgrass swamps; you might catch a glimpse of an alligator sunning itself in one of the roadside canals, and waterfowl abound. In addition to the natural scenery, remnants of 1950s and 1960s tourist traps remain, man-made kitsch is abundant, and there are plenty of opportunities to ride an airboat or go alligator spotting. Keep an eye out for the Skunk Ape, the Everglades version of Big Foot.