At first glance, the Florida Everglades may look like nothing more than endless sawgrass prairies and Cypress swamps, but it is one of the world’s most fascinating ecosystems, containing plant and animal species not found anywhere else on the planet. To truly experience the Everglades you must get off the main roads and into the 1.5 million-acre wilderness.

Egret in Cypress swamp. Photo courtesy of Everglades National Park.

The ten best tours of the Everglades range from free programs conducted by Rangers at Everglades National Park to fee-based tours provided by licensed commercial operators:

1. Full Moon Bike Tours: Join Park Rangers at the Shark Valley district for a three-hour tour by the light of the moon. The 15-mile bike ride stops at an observation tower, where participants listen to the symphony of the Everglades at night. Free*.
2. Canoe Trips: Park Rangers lead four-hour morning canoe trips at the Flamingo Visitor Center. Canoes, paddles, and life vests are provided. Free*.


Alligtors are found throughout the park

3. Nike Missile Site Tour: Did you know that there is an historic Nike Missile Base within Everglades National Park? Every Saturday and Sunday, Rangers at the Ernest Coe Visitor Center conduct 1.5 hour tours to this Cold War era military base where U.S. Army soldiers defended the nation from Soviet and Cuban missile attacks. Free*.
4. Starlight Walks: Experience the Anhinga Trail by starlight with Park Rangers. Night herons, pig frogs, fireflies and gator eyes create a completely different atmosphere on the trail at night. Flashlights recommended. At the Royal Palms Visitors Center. Free*
5. Off the Beaten Path: At the Ernest Coe Visitor Center, venture off trail with park Rangers into the Everglades that few will ever experience. Wear lace-up shoes, socks, and long pants that can get wet or muddy. Free*.


Sawgrass prairies dominate much of the 1.5 million acres in the Everglades

6. Boat Tours: Discover the Ten Thousand Islands of the Gulf Coast on a park-sponsored, 90 minute tours that is narrated by a naturalist. This tour, which is offered every hour from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Fee required.
7. Tram Tours: Guided two-hour narrated tram tours are offered by Shark Valley Tram Tours, a private operator licensed to operate inside the park. Narrated by naturists, the open-air trams follow a fifteen-mile loop into the “River of Grass,” stopping at a 45-foot high observation deck that provides 20-mile vistas from the top. Fee required.
   

   The rarely spotted bobcat is also a native of the Everglades

8. Airboat Rides: Feel the wind rush through your hair as you fly over a river of grass into the heart of the Everglades. Airboat tours are available through private operations along the Tamiami Trail, around Everglades City, and between Homestead and the Ernest Coe Visitor Center. Fee required.
9. Houseboat Rentals: For longer stays rent a houseboat from a private operator. This is a great opportunity to see wildlife in quiet backwaters, while having all the comforts of home at your fingertips. Fee required.
10. Swamp Buggy Rides: The Seminole Indian Tribe offers tours aboard swamp buggies, customized motorized vehicles specially designed to provide visitors with an elevated view of the frontier while comfortably riding through the wetlands and cypress heads. Fee required.

Billie Swamp Buggies keep riders high and dry as they navigate the Everglades

*Free Ranger programs require paid admission into Everglades National Park ($10 per car or $5 per cyclist at the main entrance near Homestead and Florida City; both good for seven consecutive days). Everglades National Park is open seven days a week. West coast visitors to the park find accommodations in Naples, while those entering the park from the east coast choose hotels in Homestead or Florida City.

Photos not otherwise credited courtesy of Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels