ronda

Planning a trip to southern Florida would like to see the Everglades. What about these boat tours? Airboat? Pontoon Boat? Would appreciate any info on the Everglades.

Melissa

As far as I know, airboats and pontoons are not allowed in Everglades National Park. You are allowed to take airboat rides and pontoons in the surrounding swamps where the ecology may mimic the Park, but because of the protected swamp area you can't take an airboat through the "true" everglades.

kathy

Don't take the National Park Boat tours out of Everglades City. On 12/30/02 my family and 30 other people where on a tour and the 31ft flat bottom boat we where on sank in 14 feet of water. Everyone was rescued by a passing fishing boat and there where no serious injuries. There should have been 2 crew members on board instead of the one that was there. The boat was due for dry dock inspection the next day and had a deteiorated hull. It was a very scary experince. I am sure there are safe tours down there but I would check it out before I go touring the Everglades.

Larry

So, let me get this straight. If I am on a boat floating through sawgrass in the Everglades National Park, and then paddle three feet over the offical park boundry, I am no longer in the "true" Everglades, but only in an area that merely "mimics" the Everglades ecology? Thats the biggest load of rubbish I have ever heard. Yes the Everglades "National Park" has offical boundries with special rules but the Everglades ecosystem extends far beyond the official park boundries (remember the Everglades existed for thousands of years, long before someone decided to put a line on a map and declare "This is the everglades!")

ski-mmie

we went on an airboat a few years ago...I'm sorry I don't remember the name of the place, but all I can tell you is if you do go, cover yourself in bug repellent. We got attacked by no-see-ums and were covered w/itchy bumps for the next few days! It is fun though..

Eco-Traveler

YES!!!!!!!!!!!

I would say the "true" Everglades now does stop at the park boundries, because the "mimic" area has been destroyed by airboats!

Big Red

Totally agree with above poster. Airboats destroy the Everglades and disrupt the wildlife. One of my favorite spots to get out into the Glades and it be quiet is the Bike/Tram/Walk Trail at Shark Valley north of the Park.

ALF

Of course, the Everglades, by definition, stretch from Lake Okeechobee southwestward to the Gulf of Mexico (http://www.nps.gov/ever/ppmaps/evermap1%2Epdf). The southern part is preserved in Everglades National Park, and the northern part is a mishmash of canals, farms, drainage projects, quarries, levees, and roads. You can take an airboat tour outside the park, but it is noisy, destructive, and not that interesting. Just drive into the park via Homestead and stop at some nice places along the way.

Check out the Anhinga Trail boardwalk just beyond the main Visitor Center, at Royal Palm. Mahogany Hammock and Long Pine Key are two other good stops. The road ends at the ocean, in Flamingo, where there is a marina. You can take a boat tour out into Florida Bay from there. You can also rent a boat or canoe to go inland from Flamingo, up one of the old canals. We really enjoyed that.

Simple John

Discussions of what is the Everglades and what is not the Everglades being put aside, Alf is correct. A loud smelly boat is not the best way to experience the Everglades. I live in Miami and visit regularly. I especially like the boardwalk located just west of the main entrance / visitir station.

Debi

A few months ago, my husband and I went to Marco Island for a long weekend. During that weekend, we took our first trip to the Everglades. It turns out that since the Everglades covers a large part of the lower part of Florida - there are several major points of entry. We obviously went to the western point. We did two activities that we thought were alot of fun. First, we went on a boat tour (within the Everglades) that was hosted by a ranger. There were about 8 people on the tour - not an airboat or anything. This was great. We saw eagles, dolphins swam with the boat - lots of osprey - very neat tour with alot of information about the Everglades and ecology. Then we went on down the road and stopped at one of those airboat places. Bubba was our driver (I'm not making that up). I didn't expect to enjoy it at all (Bubba was a bit frightening) - but I really did. We saw LOTS of alligators, kingfishers, heron, etc. Also, flying through that sawgrass is really kind of neat. If you do the airboat ride - be sure to get as far in the front as possible (our airboat held about 5 people - we were right in front of Bubba -driver is in the back); and be sure to buy the earplugs they sell there. You need them.

Larry

Debi, don't you know you must be mistaken? The experts above say you couldn't possibly have seen wildlife or enjoyed yourself on an airboat ride!

Interesting that these people blame airboats for the destruction of the 'glades. The destruction of the 'glades is being caused by urban sprawl (and all the associated issues such as flood control, pollution, etc) and some forms of industrial agriculture. Therefore, if you REALLY want to help the Everglades, instead of not taking an airboat ride a better idea would be to not visit South Florida at all, and convince folks like Simple John and Big Red to move to a less environmentally sensitive portion of the US. But no, they'd rather stay in South Florida and blame airboats for a problem THEY have helped create.

Big Red

I don't live in South Florida. I only visit.

Totally agree that urban sprawl is the biggest problem (and Threat) to the Glades.

I didn't say that you couldn't see wildlife on these airboat rides, but that i wasn't good for the eco-system.

Actually Debi makes the best point of all. The quiet ranger-led tour was much more informative and she saw wildlife. She just whizzed past an Aligator on the airboat.

The last time I was in the Glades (last Sept/Oct), we did the Anahinga Trail near the Main Entrance. We sat and watched several birds and animals for significant lengths of time and it was very cool. You actually get to see what the creatures do in their natural habitat.

Too many people go to our National Parks in a Crazed Tourist state with cameras dangling and dragging kids saying that they have to "do" this activity or another. Sadly, profit-mongers at the edges of the parks try to grab them before they get to the pristine areas and sell them some loud distorted image of the park. Our National Parks are meant to be enjoyed and protected. I don't see how anyone can enjoy the quietness and wildlife of the Everglades whizzing past it at 60 mph in a loud airboat.

Same goes for snowmobiles in Yellowstone, swamp-buggies in the Big Cypress, and all of the smucks in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg who go to the Smokies and never see a tree...


Sorry to rail....just got carried away.

Debi

Just to clarify one point - for the airboat ride - I don't know exactly where the "Everglades National Park" ends or begins - I just know what the landscape looks like. Bubba was probably not on "Park property" - but as Big Red said - our favorite tour was the ranger led one. No offense to Bubba, of course................ I think he was packin' and you wouldn't find too many bodies out there with all them gators...............

q

Wanted to reinforce the idea that you can rent a canoe or boat and have a great time. A tour is not necessary. On our only trip to the Everglades we rented a canoe at Flamingo and went into the bay (going on a canal is also possible). You can do this for a few hours or go camping for days. If your schedule only allows a few hours on the water, this is still a great way to experience what the Everglades offers. Others have mentioned short walks. There are several extremely interesting walks near the road to Flamingo. No guide necessary, although the Park Service provides a lot of information at the visitors' center at the Park entrance. One thing I would mention, is that I highly recommend going to the Park just before dawn and try to be outside as the sun rises. The sights and sounds are incredible and you will have an entirely different appreciation of the place, I would bet. (Yes, insects can be a factor, although we were there in the winter (January) and there weren't so many flying annoyances at that time of the year.)

www.www.com

Quiet appreciation is always best

freespirit61

ronda, Shark Valley at the north end of Everglade Nat'l Park is a great way to see the glades. Big Red's post is also my recommendation. I biked the 15 mile loop two weeks ago and am going tomorrow afternoon with camera in tow(I live in Miami). If you don't want to bike it , a ranger led tram ride is available or you can walk the trails close to the bookstore.THis is truly the Everglades.

Larry1

Free Spirit-you do realize that the original poster, Ronda, asked this question over two years ago (1/21/2003)? I would guess her trip is over by now. Not that your information isn't helpful to others, just probably not Ronda anymore....

Nannymer

Ok, I am going to revive this thread!

We are headed to the Keys for a few days in October, based out of the Marriot in Key Largo (staying there because we have points) so we aren't overnighting anywhere else. Can we see the Everglades in one day? Also, I don't mean to be a big silly baby, but even with bug spray, are we going to be eaten alive by big scary bugs? Just hubby and me, so no kiddies to worry about...

We are also spending a day at Key West and a day at the snorkeling park in Key Largo..John something...any other suggestions for our trip...

Thanks for any responses...NannyJan

Larry1

Hi NannyJan- Yes you can see the Everglades in one day from Key Largo. It will be about a 35-40 minute drive to the main park entrance. Actually, from the back of the Marriot in Key Largo, as you look across Blackwater Sound, about halfway across that body of water is the boundry of Everglades National Park; as your drive north up Rt 1 on your way to the main park entrance to your left you will see a large expanse of sawgrass marsh- this is also the Everglades. So you can "see" the Everglades without paying the $$ to go into the Park! Go in, though, stop at the visitor's centers (great exhibits/information), Anhinga Trail, and perhaps several other trails on your way down to Flamingo. It is a perfect day trip. As far as bugs, there will be some, but not too bad unless you are there very early in the morning or evening. I would bring some bug spray to be safe but I wouldn't let bugs stop you from this trip. On the way out of the park you can stop at the Everglades Alligator Farm (you'll see the signs) where you could take an airboat ride (opposing points of view on that are above, you can make your own decision) but they also have some very interesting up close and personal shows with wildlife (assuming you didn't get enough of that in the Park itself). Also worth a stop on the way out is the "Robert is Here" fruit stand- it is a large stand that sells all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables, many exotic that you have never seen before, and makes fresh smoothies. Have fun.

Nannymer

Thanks for the post Larry...we are really looking forward to seeing the Keys and the Everglades. Look forward to riding the airboat, too.

Any pointers on Key West in a day? We stopped there once years ago on a cruise ship, but only saw the bustling downtown and went to Margaritaville... do plan to catch the Sunset Celebration.

NannyJan