jz166

Hi,

We are planning to visit Everglades National Park (for 2 or 3 days). This is going to be our first visit this park!
How many days are good for us? also, more important, are there any hotels INSIDE park? If no, what are your recommendations?

thanks a lot!

WhereAreWe

There are no hotels inside the park.

When are you planning to visit? Summers can be pretty brutal, so I wouldn't go for 2-3 days in mid-July.

jz166

thanks a lot!!
We plan to go in mid-end of Nov.

Dukey1

end of November is as good a time as any down here and don't worry about the weather. It might rain and it might not.

starrs

I'm not sure what you'll do for 2-3 days inside the park. There's lots to do around it.

http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/airboat-rides.htm

I really enjoyed this air boat tour, especially getting out and visiting the Indian village on a hammock -
http://www.miccosukee.com/indian_village

bon_voyage

On a trip with my sister-in-law and niece from Miami to Key West in March a few years ago, we stopped on the way to explore the short and easy Anhinga Trail. Felt as though I'd wandered into the bird section of the Garden of Eden. Alligators, too. It was fabulous.

Ackislander

You can stay in Everglades City, which is on the border between Big Cypress National Preserve and the Ten Thousand Islands section of Everglades NP, which you can tour by boat from the park headquarters.

EC isn't far from the Shark Valley section of Everglades NP, and yo cross the Turner River in between. The Turner River is to alligators what the Harvard Yale game is to preppies. Also near Shark Valley are some Miccosuccee Indian attractions.

Everglades City has a fascinating history. You will have to google for lodging. There is a fair amount, particularly for sportsmen. I haven't stayed there but have eaten at several places in EC and the one place in Chokoluskee.

NeoPatrick

Do you have other plans. The Everglades can be visited from the "Miami" side or from the "Naples" side. Some may end up doing both. If you trip includes one of those two areas, that may determine which part of the park you want to visit. Frankly doing a day from each side would more than cover it unless perhaps you are doing some sort of in depth scientific study.

Everglades City is the one place adjacent to the park that has a sense of history and charm (depending upon your idea of charm).

Ackislander

Well, somewhere between "funk" and "charm," Neo!

It also has an amazing history, nicely revealed in the local museum. I won't give a hint here because I think it is something that visitors should find out for themselves. The store museum at the absolute end of the road in Chokoluskee also has a fascinating history and is well worth visiting. Collier County was quite a place in the old days.

Nepheline

Ack: we just discovered the general store/museum on our last trip to the area after many previous areas. You are so right: it is fascinating and well worth visiting. Gives new meaning to "the end of the road."
Neo had suggested the Rod & Gun Club to us a number of years ago, and we have made an annual pilgrimage there to eat (as well as recommending it to others). Fantastic atmosphere and pretty good food, too. Don't know what it would be like to stay there, but might be fun.