everglades guided tours

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The 9 best everglades airboat and swamp tours.

See much more than alligators during one of these exciting trips.

The Top Everglades Airboat & Swamp Tours

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If you're planning a trip to Miami or Fort Lauderdale, Florida , visiting Everglades National Park should be on your to-do list. The South Florida national park is known for its expansive beauty, as well as its varied population of wildlife that includes everything from bobcats to alligators.

To see all the Everglades has to offer, sign up for a guided tour. U.S. News consulted both traveler sentiment and expert opinion to identify the top Everglades tours. Before you go, make sure you read through the National Park Service's Wildlife Viewing Ethics to keep both yourself and the animals safe during your time in the park. When choosing the best Everglades tours, we avoided recommending operators that promote wildlife shows or encourage feeding or holding the animals for photo-ops.

Visitors should plan to pay a fee to enter the park, as it may not be included in the price of the tour ticket. You should also keep in mind that many of these tour operators are located at least 30 miles west of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Tours that run on airboats – open-air vessels with huge fans at the back that propel the boat – can be very loud. Companies will generally offer ear protection, but if you or your companions are sensitive to loud noises, contact the tour provider to discuss options before you book.

The Best Everglades Airboat and Swamp Tours

Everglades swamp tours – one hour group tour.

Price: Adults from $60; kids from $30 Duration: 1 hour

This sightseeing trip takes you out on an airboat to cruise through the Everglades' main waterways in search of alligators, birds and interesting vegetation. Throughout the ride, knowledgeable guides share facts about the area's history and ecology. Many travelers recommend booking this tour, describing it as fun and informative, with plenty of wildlife sightings. Departures generally take place daily at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., but availability may vary by month.

Children 5 and younger can ride for free, but still require a reserved seats. Also check out Everglades Swamp Tours for private airboat tours that last up to two hours.

Check prices & availability on:

Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures – 30-Minute Airboat Tour

Price: Adults from $35; kids from $30 Duration: 30 minutes

Located at the headwaters of the Everglades in Kissimmee, Florida (about 40 miles south of Orlando), Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures earns praise from reviewers for its personable, experienced staff and the family-friendly environment. On the airboat ride, you and up to 16 other passengers will glide through the tall grass in search of eagles, alligators, raccoons and more. In addition to airboat rides, the site houses a replica of a Jororo Tribe village, as well as a gem and fossil mining activity for kids.

Tours depart throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. You can buy your tickets online, but there are no reservations for this tour. For a longer adventure, consider the company's hourlong airboat ride. There are also sunset and night tours, if you're hoping to avoid the midday heat and crowds.

Marsh Landing Adventures – 90-Minute Everglades Airboat Tour

Price: Adults from $65; kids from $60 Duration: 1.5 hours

For wildlife lovers who want more than half an hour to experience the Everglades, this 1.5-hour airboat ride from Marsh Landing Adventures is an excellent experience. Located in Kissimmee on Lake Tohopekaliga, Marsh Landing Adventures promises travelers an in-depth look at the headwaters of the Everglades and the plants and animals that inhabit its waters. What's more, the company says it can reach areas of the Everglades that are inaccessible to larger boats because of its small crafts. Travelers give kudos to the boat captain for their educational and entertaining delivery. Many call the experience the highlight of their Florida vacation.

Tours are offered Monday through Saturday at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations are required, and there is a 1% fuel surcharge added to each ticket. Marsh Landing Adventures also offers hourlong, two-hour and four-hour airboat rides.

Everglades City Airboat Tours

Price: Adults from $47; kids from $31 Duration: 1 hour

Everglades City Airboat Tours sets itself apart from other companies by offering participants two-way headsets, which allow passengers and guides to better engage with one another throughout the hourlong ride. As you navigate through narrow creeks and shallow bays, you may spot alligators, manatees and birds. Tourists enjoy the ride and appreciate the headsets. Reviewers are also complimentary of the boat captains, who they describe as entertaining and knowledgeable.

Tours depart multiple times Monday through Saturday, although timing may be modified based on the season. It's a good idea to reserve your tour in advance. Everglades City Airboat Tours is located approximately 85 miles west of Miami and 35 miles southeast of Naples, Florida.

Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours – 45-Minute Standard Airboat Tour

Price: Adults from $45; kids from $27.50 Duration: 45 minutes

For an excursion that combines cultural immersion and wildlife viewing, consider this outing from Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours. The Miccosukee family-owned company's standard tour focuses on introducing visitors to the homelands of the Miccosukee people: an American Indian tribe that migrated to Florida before it became a state. During the tour, you'll not only see local wildlife, but also will get to see a Miccosukee Indian camp and take a nature walk. Visitors recommend the tour, describing it as an amazing experience thanks to the small, intimate group size.

Tours run daily at multiple times between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The company also offers private outings.

Everglades River of Grass Adventures – Semi-Private River of Grass Airboat Tours Everglades

Price: Adults from $85; kids from $45 Duration: 1.5 hours

One perk of this tour is that it is capped at six to eight travelers per boat. During the excursion, you'll get the chance to see the famous flora and fauna of the Everglades, including herons and alligators. Visitors say this is a family-friendly tour and call the trip "memorable" and "amazing."

These tours run seven days a week; since they're semiprivate, you must call or email to find out the best times to depart. River of Grass Adventures also offers sunset tours of the Everglades.

Other Popular Everglades Tours

Shurr Adventures Everglades – Three Hour Mangrove Tunnel Kayak Tour Small Group Adventure

Price: Adults from $109; kids from $99 Duration: 3 to 4 hours

Enjoy an up-close view of animals and nature, and get some exercise in too, on this kayak tour of the Everglades' mangroves. As you paddle your way through the mangrove tunnels, you may spot orchids, birds and, of course, alligators. Kayakers say this tour is excellent and appreciate the patient, experienced guides who share a wealth of information about the plants and animals that reside in this unique ecosystem. What's more, reviewers appreciate that the tours are limited to just eight participants.

Tours are available Monday through Saturday from August to April; times vary by season. Children must be at least 7 years old to participate. Tourgoers will enjoy three to 3.5 hours out on the water but should plan to spend a total of four hours on-site from start to finish. Shurr Adventures Everglades also offers a full-day tour of the mangrove tunnels, as well as a motorboat tour in the Ten Thousand Islands region of Everglades National Park, among other options.

Shark Valley Tram Tours

Price: Adults from $31; kids from $16 Duration: 2 hours

These naturalist-led excursions not only include a tour around Everglades National Park in an open-air tram, they also give tourgoers the chance to explore on foot. Halfway through the tour, participants can climb a 45-foot-tall observation deck to see sweeping views of the surrounding vegetation. During the two-hour tour, travelers also have the opportunity to observe a variety of wildlife. Tourgoers enjoy learning about the Everglades from the expert guides and say riding the tram is part of the fun. Many also recommended taking a morning tour to avoid the midday heat.

From mid-December through late April, tours depart on the hour daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. From May through mid-December, tours depart at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and 2 and 4 p.m. Shark Valley Tram Tours also offers self-guided bike tours. (Note that you'll have to pay a separate fee to enter Everglades National Park for any tour.)

Everglades Florida Adventures – Ten Thousand Islands Tour

Price: Adults from $59; kids from $29 Duration: 3 hours

If you're hoping to see the Everglades by boat, but want something a little quieter than an airboat ride, consider this cruise. Departing from Port of the Islands Marina in Naples, this 45-foot passenger catamaran glides across the Faka Union Canal while guides share information about the history and ecology of the area. Tourgoers report spotting lots of birds, turtles, dolphins and manatees. They also call out the insightful crew and clean, comfortable boat as highlights.

Cruises are offered Monday to Friday at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Everglades Florida Adventures also offers kayak and canoe rentals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Like any other form of transportation, riding an airboat may come with some risks. To stay safe on your Everglades airboat tour, be sure to choose a company run by experienced, professional boaters (most of which undergo special training and are approved by the U.S. Coast Guard) and adhere to all rules set forth by your guide. Parents should keep a close eye on children and be sure they are properly fitted for their life jackets, and all passengers should protect against the heat by wearing sunscreen and staying hydrated. Commercial airboats typically do not exceed speeds of 30 to 40 mph to ensure a safe, smooth ride, and most operators will reschedule your tour in the event of lightning or other inclement weather. Tour companies will also generally provide riders with proper ear protection, as the boats are quite loud.

Typically, passengers will feel the most comfortable in lightweight, sleeveless clothing and shorts while on an Everglades airboat tour. If you are taking a wintertime tour, keep an eye on the weather – pants and long sleeves may be a better option, but you likely won't need a heavy jacket. Be sure to bring sunglasses, sunscreen and water to protect yourself from the effects of the sun; you may also want a hat to provide further shade and keep hair in place. Passengers with long hair are advised to wear it in a ponytail or bun to keep it from becoming knotted in the wind. Tourgoers may also wish to apply some bug spray prior to embarking on their adventure.

Airboat tours last about an hour, though duration will depend on the tour company.

An airboat's top speed is about 30 mph.

Not normally, but you run a small risk of getting misted with water. If you take a tour when it is raining, expect to get wet.

In winter, you'll want to time your visit for midday, when it warms up. In summer, you'll want to visit in the morning or later afternoon when it's coolest. Visiting at these times can increase your chances of seeing wildlife, but you'll likely see all kinds of critters no matter when you visit year-round.

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Everglades Overnight Kayak Camping Tours

Explore the real everglades, escape the winter, easily accessible, small groups, authentic experience, discover the beauty of everglades national park, an unforgettable wilderness adventure.

There is only one Everglades in the entire world! Have you always been curious, but unsure how to approach such a huge wilderness? Are you eager not just to see, but to intimately explore and experience this unique ecosystem? Are you looking for an adventure vacation which offers an escape from winter?

Well, the Everglades are the perfect choice! The “winter” months are actually our tropical dry season with sunny skies, warm days and cool nights providing perfect weather for outdoor adventure. Come immerse yourself in the Everglades backcountry with us and experience the tranquility of the wilderness after the crowds leave for the day.

3-Day Everglades Kayak Tour

5-day everglades kayak tour, 8-day everglades kayak tour, read what our clients are saying, rachel r, 2023.

This is a fantastic trip! I chose the 5 day trip and loved every minute. The guides are incredibly knowledgeable and easy going. I never once worried about my safety with them around. They know how to navigate the tides and the twisting maze of mangroves. They welcome any questions you have about everything from the plants and animals to kayaking to camping. They take care of you completely and make the trip truly worth it!

John M, 2023

We are fairly experienced outdoor “adventurers,” having hiked, kayaked, and white-water rafted uncountable times. But the five-day kayak/camping trip we took, guided by Dave K. and “Bonesy,” was remarkable. A rigorous physical experience for a couple in their 60s and 70s, challenging but rewarding. Nights on the ground, in a tent, surrounded by the sounds of buzzing bugs but also the splashes of leaping mullet, the puffs of manatee breathing, the hooting of owls.

Odyssey, 2023

I had an incredible time with the FOA. Very knowledgeable and passionate about showing others the Everglades! I learned so much about the flora and fauna.

Tamera G, 2023

We fully enjoyed our kayak trip with Dave K. His love and respect for the history of the area and the Everglades environment shows in how he runs his tour. We had quite a windy and rainy trip and Dave was careful to choose routes and camp spots to accommodate the weather when it blew in. The trip requires some physical and mental stamina, but it was well worth it to experience this remote area. I am very glad we were able to find Dave and paddle with him.

Jill Y, 2022

In short, this is a trip very much worth doing. But listen to Dave’s instructions and do some Googling so you know exactly where you are going and boned up a bit on the flora,fauna and local history. It will enhance your experience.

Lynn Nesmith, 2022

Trip was amazingly on every level. Dave is professional and knowledgeable about nature. Food was beyond my wildest expectations. Dave worked around the weather and adjusted our destinations to ensure the best possible camping locations and kayak routes. We saw an array of wildlife, but not a single python

Marcia W, 2022

I am SO grateful for the 5-day kayak tour that Dave led, exactly the way that he led it. All seven of us appreciated Dave’s extensive experience, excellent fresh food, and first-rate equipment. Above an beyond them, Dave gave us an element of discovery such as when we approached coves with dolphins, or walked past the cemetery on Fakahatchee Island. He led us to them without introduction, and quietly let us appreciate them for the first time. Many thanks for sharing the remote islands of southwest Florida with us!

Ryan J, 2022

Dave and Bonesy were great experienced guides. We saw so much wildlife and really enjoyed our three day trip!

Witness The Beauty Of The Everglades For Yourself!

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Everything you need to know about Everglades National Park

Plan your trip to the southern tip of Florida to visit the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States.

Why you should go to Everglades National Park

Sprawling between South Florida’s Lake Okeechobee and the Gulf of Mexico, the Everglades is one of the world’s largest tropical wetlands. About 20 percent of the region is protected within the confines of Everglades National Park , the third largest national park after Death Valley and Yellowstone in the lower 48 states. While the park’s main purpose is preserving wilderness, Everglades also provides plenty of scope for outdoor adventure.

Although technically a wetland , perhaps it’s best to think of the Everglades as the nation’s slowest, widest river—a constant stream of freshwater roughly 60 miles wide, moving at a speed of around 2.5 miles per day as it makes its way south to Florida Bay. The Seminole people called the region Okeechobee (“river of grass”). And while a large part of the Everglades is covered in razor-sharp sawgrass, the region also encompasses mangroves , tropical hardwood hammocks (island forests), pine and cypress forests, freshwater prairie, and various marine and estuarine habitats.

(This ambitious new trail will someday connect South Florida’s two national parks.)

“A visitor with an untrained eye—especially one used to the dramatic vistas of some western national parks—might arrive at Everglades National Park and think ‘What's the big deal?’” says Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades. “It's a park that requires you to really train your eye and be mindful and be present. When you do that, you can experience some really incredible and subtle nature.”

Where to find the best views in the park

With elevation ranging between sea level and eight feet, it’s not easy to snatch a lofty view of the park anywhere other than the 70-foot-high Shark Valley Observation Tower . Opened in 1984, the futuristic spiral renders views of up to 20 miles across the Everglades.

Fourteen miles west of Coe Visitor Center along the Main Park Road, the Pa-Hay-Okee boardwalk and elevated shade shelter provides another wide view across the river of grass.

One of the best coastal views is from the second-floor breezeway of the Guy Bradley Visitor Center in Flamingo.

Where to find the park’s best trails

Located near Coe Visitor Center, the Gumbo Limbo Trail (0.4 mile) and Anhinga Trail (0.8 mile) meander through Royal Palm hammock, while the 22-mile Long Pine Key Trails   penetrate the park’s largest stand of native pines.

Dead flat and paved, the 15-mile Shark Valley Trail varies between sawgrass marsh and tropical hardwood hammocks. Despite the name, there aren’t any sharks, just snoozing gators to step around (at a safe distance, of course).

Where to spot wildlife

Flamingo village is surprisingly good for wildlife. Osprey hatch and raise their young on nesting towers beside the marina, while manatees and American crocodile are sometimes spotted in the bay and nearby mangrove channels.

Alligators   routinely emerge from the swamp and sun themselves on or beside the Shark Valley Trail . It’s also a primo bird habitat for creepy-looking wood storks, gorgeous roseate spoonbills, and anhinga “snakebirds.”

Other places to watch gators and birdlife are the Anhinga Trail and Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk   in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park adjacent to the national park.

(Go on a wildlife odyssey through the Everglades and Key West.)

How to visit the park like a Nat Geo Explorer

National Geographic Young Explorer and conservation biologist Gabriela Tejeda has guided visitors along the park’s Florida Bay coast in boats, kayaks, and on paddleboards.

Her favorite way to explore inland areas is "slough slogging." It entails hiking in knee-to-waist-high water through sawgrass to reach secluded hardwood hammocks   or cypress domes —flora and fauna rich arboreal islands in the sawgrass.

When viewed from above, the domes form a rough circle around a pond. “What I didn’t know the first time I explored a dome,” Tejeda recalls, “is that the water in the middle is an ‘alligator hole’—a place where they hang out in the winter when the rest of the Everglades is drying out.”

“[The cypress domes] are unlike anything I had ever seen,” Tejeda continues. “I like to equate them to a fairy tale—a little fairy dome where you just feel like there’s going to be something magical flying around.” No fairy sightings so far. “But I always see owls and alligators and snakes.”

She highly recommends joining a ranger-led slough slog to Double Dome or other cypress domes along the Main Park Road.

Notable activities and excursions

Driving:   The Main Park Road runs through a variety of Everglades ecosystems—freshwater prairie, cypress forest, mangrove, and coastal marsh — on a 38-mile journey between the Coe Visitor Center and Flamingo . Along the way are sideroads to the Royal Palm trails, Historic Nike Missile Site , the   Mahogany Hammock boardwalk trail, and West Lake Boardwalk .

Tours:   Shark Valley offers two-hour narrated tram tours that stop at the Shark Valley Observation Tower. January through April, rangers lead Full Moon/New Moon Bike Rides and other activities.

Narrated boat tours depart from Flamingo and Everglades City . The latter is also homebase for private outfitters offering airboat tours, including Everglades City Airboat Tours. History buffs should visit the town’s small but interesting Museum of the Everglades .

Paddling:   Flamingo and Everglades City bookend the Everglades’ ultimate kayak/canoe experience —the Wilderness Waterway —a 99-mile meander through mangroves and marshes with raised platform “chickee hut” campsites along the way. Everglades City is also the starting point for self-guided paddles along the Turner River Canoe Trails .

Best things to do for families

Bikes & boats:   If keeping kids active is your mission, rent bikes and dodge snoozing alligators along the Shark Valley Tram Trail or explore Florida Bay and the mangroves by boat. Flamingo Adventures   offers canoe and kayak rentals in two-hour increments, as well as full-day pontoon boat rentals.

Tours:   Hop aboard a narrated boat tour of Florida Bay (from Flamingo Marina) or the Ten Thousand Islands (from Port Everglades); or feel the wind in your face during an adrenaline-pumping airboat ride from outfitters around the periphery of the park.

Junior Rangers:   Offered in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, the park’s Junior Ranger Booklet features hands-on and self-guided activities including a scavenger hunt to spot wild animals that call the park home.

The park also participates in the Every Kid Outdoors program that provides vouchers for fourth graders and their families in the U.S. to visit the Everglades (and other national parks) free of charge for an entire year.

Where to stay

Hotels: Destroyed by a hurricane in 2005, Flaming Lodge is open again with new waterview rooms. Outside the park, the closest hotels are in Homestead and Doral (on the eastern edge of the park) and Everglades City, Marco Island, and Naples (beyond the western edge).

Houseboats: Modern, six-person, 42-foot houseboats at Flamingo Marina are equipped with a bathroom (and with shower), an indoor galley, outside grill, air conditioning, bedding, and fish-cutting tables.

Camping: Long Pine Key Campground is open November 1 to April 30. Flamingo Campground is open year-round. Both feature bath houses, dump stations, and potable water. Reservations highly recommended. For camping with the comforts of home, Winter Glamping Tents are available November-April in Flamingo.

Wilderness camping is allowed on certain ground or beach sites or “chickees” (elevated camping platforms). Most sites are accessible only by water and all require wilderness permits. Reservations at Recreation.gov .

Here’s what else you need to know

Access: Although the entire coast is open to exploration via watercraft, land-bound visitors have three options for entering the park: Everglades Homestead in the east, Shark Valley in the north, and Gulf Coast in the northwest.

When to visit:   The dry season (December to March) is when most ranger programs and park concessions are available. This is also the best time to see wading birds and other wildlife. The wet season (April to November) is hot, humid, buggy, and has fewer park services.

“Many people prefer the winter for the terrific weather,” says ranger Allyson Gantt. “But each season offers something special. The shoulder seasons of fall and spring are less busy and may offer more solitude. Summer is especially great for boating and other water activities.”

Closures: A multi-year construction project to raise the level of the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) often features delays. Shark Valley parking is often full by 10 a.m. Check out the latest road, trail, and parking lot conditions, plus weather and prescribed burning alerts at the park’s   conditions page.  

Fishing: Unless you’re under 16 or a Florida resident 65 or older, a state fishing license is required. Anglers casting south of Nine Mile Pond need a saltwater fishing license; from Nine Mile Pond northwards, a freshwater fishing license is mandatory.

Swimming: Swimming and snorkeling are forbidden anywhere inside the park.

Remote control aircraft: Drones, model airplanes, and similar unmanned aircraft are not allowed in the park.

Read before you go:   Originally published in 1947, the definitive Everglades book remains The Everglades: River of Grass ,   by Florida writer and conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Are pets allowed?  

Because of the park’s wildlife-rich environment—and the potential threat that it poses to both pets and wild animals—pets and service animals are only allowed in parking lots, on boats, and in the campgrounds and picnic areas at Flamingo and Long Pine Key.

How accessible is Everglades?

Among the accessible sites and services are seven trails, all four visitors centers, two developed campgrounds and one backcountry campsite, narrated boat tours, and the Shark Valley Tram Tour. Visitor information via TDD is available at (305) 242-7740.

Related Topics

• NATIONAL PARKS
• BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING

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Everglades Experiences: Guided Tours

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Florida Bay Eco Adventure At Flamingo

Explore “off the beaten track” in Florida Bay by powerboat, paddle through the mangrove forests in Lake Ingram and go ashore on Cape Sable’s remote, seldom visited natural beach. This can be a great chance to see American Saltwater Crocodiles, along with some of the many birds Everglades National Park is famous for.  Your Captain and Naturalist will help you learn about the ecosystems and wildlife of the mangrove forests, along with stories of the fascinating history of early settlers on a full-day adventure.

• Hour Glass 3 hours

Paddling in the Park: Guided Canoe Trip Through Nine Mile Pond

Immerse yourself in the Everglades wilderness with this guided, primitive paddle as we study tropical hammock, sawgrass prairie, and mangrove ecology, the influence of water flow on Everglades ecosystems and how humans have impacted the environment in the Park. Meet your experienced Institute Naturalist at Nine Mile Pond.

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Everglades Experience: Guided Tour of Royal Palm, Nike Missile Site, and Pa-hay-okee!

Discover the beauty, history, and ecosystems of the Everglades with a guided program in the Everglades National Park.

• Hour Glass 2 hours

Everglades Immersion: Cypress Dome Wet Walk

Explore the cypress domes of the Florida Everglades with a naturalist from the Everglades Institute. Learn about the plants and animals that call these cypress domes and sloughs home with this informative wet walk!

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Explore the Ten Thousand Islands of Everglades National Park!

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Ten Thousand Islands Boat Tour 

Explore the amazing Ten Thousand Islands in Everglades National Park

Ten Thousand Islands & Buggy Combo

49-seat boat, 120–150 min of tours, 3 attractions, 4–5 hour visit.

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Escape the pavement in a kayak or canoe

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Guests love us.

"Wonderful morning tour! Fabulous natural & cultural history and great conversations with our guide in Turner River area! Marvelous quiet kayak through mangrove tunnels! Gorgeous birds & cool alligators! Would do this again! Great value and nice equipment."

—L. from Colorado

“We kayaked the Turner River with our personal guide for three and a half hours. We learned about orchids, and cypress trees, and sawgrass, and alligators, and egrets, and why we weren't bothered by mosquitoes. We saw the Everglades in their natural state and it was beautiful."

—C.A.

"Fantastic journey through the wilderness. Our guide was so patient and knowledgeable and friendly. We had a great time working our way down the river and among the mangroves. He shared lots of stories about the plants and pointed out many alligators along the way. Highly recommend this activity. Well worth it if visiting the area."

—S. from Indiana

"What a unique experience to kayak near so many gators! They were much more docile than I had expected so there really was no reason to be nervous with them in the water. We saw a lot of alligators, turtles, birds and even a water snake here. I thought 3 hours of paddling might be a lot, but it was actually very relaxing and more like a float for much of it..."

—F. from Michigan

Visiting Everglades City overnight?

Kayak tours depart from the Ivey House Everglades Adventures Hotel, a perfect destination for families or couples looking for a relaxing Everglades vacation.

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• Clock Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
• Info Note: Please call to book a tour with kids under the age of 6 (for all semi-private tours).

Everglades Walking & Hiking Tour

This vastly preserved ecosystem is sure to surprise even the most educated biologist/naturalist visiting it. Everglades Nature Tours’ walking tours are sure to keep you in awe as you venture through the umbrellaed cool water, cross-grass, rock, cypress trees, vegetation, Spanish moss, and fern trails.

What makes our walking tours super special is that your tour guide is a true Gladesman/hunter. He points out more animal life and tracks than just a guy looking for his paycheck; our guide lives, eats and breaths these woods and has trampled through them for over 35 years.

This North American “Amazon” offers breathtaking views of beautiful and exotic wildflowers, trees and animal life found nowhere else in the world. If we challenged you to get dirty on swamp mud, we triple dog dare you to get down and dirty by “Walking on the Wild Side.” So step out of the city, and let’s go for a mucky adventure walk together!

NOT INCLUDED:

• Tips and gratuity for your tour guide/ captain
• Restrooms, buildings and ATM’s
• Transportation
• Chevron down Semi-Private Tour
• Person (age 6) – $33
• Child (ages 7 – 12) – $15
• Toddler – Free
• Chevron down Private Tour
• 1.5-hour tour – $108
• 2-hour tour – $186
• 2-hour sunset tour – $239

Click Here to Download a Butterfly Checklist

100+ butterfly species inhabit the Everglades, use this guide to help you!

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Click Here to Download a Bird Checklist

Download this guide to help you to identify the ones you see on your tour!

Related Tours

• Clock 2 - 4 hours
• User All ages

Everglades Swamp Buggy Mud Tour

This is the perfect high-seat adventure through the landmass of what is known by many as the North American Amazon.

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• We are currently at our secondary location on HWY 27, please review your confirmation email for more details!
• Clock 1 - 2 hours

Private & Semi-Private Airboat Tours

On this custom tour, you see and hear remarkable stories of the history of the Everglades while experiencing Florida wildlife.

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• Shark Valley Tram Tour
• Shark Valley Alligator
• Visitors On The Shark Valley Observation Tower
• The End of a Beautiful Shark Valley Day
• Sand Hill Cranes with their chicks
• Softshell Turtle

Get Close to Nature

The Shark Valley area is home to a diverse number of animals and plants. The various species change with the seasons and water levels throughout the year. As a result, every journey through the Everglades offers a different experience for visitors. MORE

Experience the Everglades

At the half-way point of the Everglades tour, a 45 foot high observation deck gives visitors an opportunity to experience panoramic views of the Everglades, extending outward 20 miles in all directions. A gradual ramp provides easy access to the observation tower deck. MORE

Ride the Everglades Loop

Bicycling the 15 mile Everglades loop is an excellent way to view the area at your own pace. A great alternative for those who prefer to explore “on their own.” The small elevation changes in South Florida make this an ideal place to bike. MORE

Shark Valley Tram Tours

The captivating and educational way to see the everglades.

The Everglades is a unique and fascinating ecosystem. When you take an Everglades National Park tour at Shark Valley, you’ll travel in a relaxed setting, learning about the ecology and history of The Everglades from our friendly and knowledgeable Park-trained naturalists. They’ll turn your sightseeing visit into a highly educational tour of the Everglades, and at the halfway point on your adventure, you can walk to the highest accessible point in Everglades National Park, the viewing platform of the Shark Valley Observation Tower.

Pay us a visit and experience one of the world’s most unique eco-systems at Everglades National Park. Take advantage of local insight offered on a  guided Everglades tram tour or venture out on your own on a self-guided Everglades bike tour .  Either way, you’ll be creating memories for a lifetime.

Are you ready to join Florida's top hunters for an unforgettable adventure?

Our Tour Experiences

Immerse yourself in the untamed world of the Florida Everglades under the care of our experienced guides

The Ultimate Everglades Python Hunt

Embark on the wildest Florida adventure! Join expert Glades Boys hunters as you track down invasive pythons at night, protecting the Everglades' precious ecosystem. This is your chance for unforgettable thrills and real-world conservation action.

Explore the Wild Heart of the Everglades (Coming Soon!)

Experience the thrill of an airboat adventure through the untouched beauty of the Florida Everglades.

Details and booking coming soon – stay tuned!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do guests ever get bitten by snakes.

Yes, it is very common to get bit by snakes, although we will never put you in a situation that could cause serious injury. We have disinfectant for any bites, and we will never have you get near venomous snakes where you could get seriously injured. The Glades Boys guides are highly experienced and work very hard to provide a hands-on experience that still prioritizes the safety of our guests.

What is included in your tour packages?

Our tours include all gear necessary to catch pythons. We have the lights, snake bags, snake sticks, and much more to allow us to be fully equipped for our hunts. We also bring drinks and a few snacks for our customers, but do suggest that if you have food preferences that you bring food for yourself. Additionally, we have a few pairs of waders that you may use if you have a shoe size that fits, but rarely, if ever, do we need waders; generally a dirty pair of sneakers is more than enough.

Can I customize the duration of my tour?

Tours cannot be booked for a custom duration. The hunt will begin just after sunset, and will last an average of 6 hours.

Can guests keep the pythons captured during the hunt?

Any pythons captured during your guided tour will be kept by the Glades Boys team and turned into high quality leather products. As avid animal lovers, we hate killing these beautiful animals, but state laws prohibit the transportation of live Burmese pythons. Each leather product sold will help fund our quest to save the Florida Everglades from the python invasion. These leather products can be purchased from us during your Everglades tour, or they can be found on our website

What is the group size for your tours?

Our tours accommodate 3 guests. It is possible to bring a fourth person, but there will be an upcharge.

How do I make a reservation?

A reservation can be booked on our website by clicking the "Book a Python Tour" button at the top of our website page. From there, simply select the available date that you'd like to reserve and follow the prompted steps thereafter.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

A down payment of $150 is required to book a tour with the Glades Boys. Tours are weather dependent, but only get cancelled from extreme weather events like hurricanes and other large tropical systems storms. In an event of a cancellation on our part, down payments will be refunded. However, if the booking party submits a cancellation request more than 72 hours in advance, the $150 down payment will be refunded. In the case of any tours booked within 72 hours of the hunt date, the down payment will not be refunded.

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What to do before or after your cruise from fort lauderdale’s port everglades.

By Janet K. Keeler

Nearly 4 million cruisers come to Port Everglades cruise port in Fort Lauderdale every year to see the world. There’s not a continent untouched by at least one of the 40 ships that homeport in Port Everglades.

Cruise itineraries range from three-day Bahamas jaunts to 100-plus-night cruises around the world. In between there is a multitude of Caribbean, European and South American itineraries plus ships that traverse the Panama Canal bound for Seattle, sojourns to Africa and expeditions to the Antarctic.

Besides the broad range of cruise itineraries out of Port Everglades, South Florida is busting with things to do for travelers who arrive a few days early or want to stay a bit after the cruise ends. Extending a cruise vacation is never a bad idea.

And what a place to do that. The 22 miles of Broward County beaches are beautiful, there are plenty of accommodations and the weather is cooperative year-round. There’s a two-mile paved promenade adjacent to the sand in Hollywood Beach for walkers, bicyclists and runners. Deerfield Beach is the spot to build sand castles and the iconic fishing pier that juts 975 feet into the Atlantic lures visitors for fishing, views and people watching. Pompano Beach is a prime snorkeling and scuba site.

If you’ve arrived at Port Everglades by car, then you can easily get to all the things-to-do places on your list. If not, car rentals (at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport just four miles from Port Everglades), taxis and rideshare transportation are available.

The Fort Lauderdale Water Tax i makes 10 stops through the city along the Intracoastal Waterway. Riders can hop-on-and-off to explore, get food and drink or stay on board for the ride. It’s a convenient way to see some of the glittering hotels and high-rises. Port Everglades has eight terminals and Nos. 2 and 4 are walkable to the Convention Center Water Taxi stop (No. 4) but a taxi ride is probably in order for most cruisers. The cruise port is that big. The free Fort Lauderdale Community Shuttle is another way to get around though there is no stop at the cruise port.

Here are five more things to do before or after a cruise from Port Everglades.

Make a Bet on a Good Time

Sometimes you’ve just got to roll the dice and you can actually do that at Harrah’s Pompano Beach and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. Harrah’s, which is north of Everglades cruise port, has 1,200 slot machines and other digital games plus more than 40 tables for poker. Try your luck with other hopefuls playing three-card stud and Texas hold ’em, among other poker games. Need a break from the tables? Check out the fine dining at Farraddays Steakhouse or grab something more casual at Myron’s Delicatessen . Myron’s specializes in New York deli fare such as mile-high pastrami and corned beef sandwiches. Seminole Hard Rock has slots and poker tables but also offers live blackjack, craps, roulette and “ mini-baccarat .” Because it’s part of the global Hard Rock family, the Hollywood facility has a robust entertainment schedule . There is live music in bars, lounges, nightclubs plus a concert venue, which books top-name acts such as Heart, Diana Ross, Blake Shelton and Ed Sheeran. There are plenty of bars and restaurants offering sports bar fare to fine dining. Consider booking a couple of nights at the Hard Rock before or after your cruise, especially if a favorite act is on the schedule.

Enjoy Nature in the Big City

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is a natural oasis amid the high-rises and busy streets of Fort Lauderdale and for that reason it gets the nickname “Central Park.” It’s nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway and a paddle along the mangrove canal will kick off your relaxation journey. Or maybe be a respite after a busy cruise itinerary. Kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards can be rented from the park concessionaire , The Grove is adjacent to the A1A highway, the state’s main East Coast thoroughfare—you can often see the waves as you cruise AIA. A paddle through the canal is a good way to spy some of Florida’s showy birds and even 4-foot iguanas! The Grove also offers guided full-moon and sunset tours. Other activities include biking, fishing, camping and hiking. Want a less active visit? Pack a lunch and have a picnic, the perfect activity if you just have a few hours to spare.

Retail Therapy on the Boulevard

Las Olas Boulevard is the main east-east drag through Fort Lauderdale. It’s a 2.3-mile stretch that runs from high-rise condos and businesses through a pedestrian-friendly shopping-dining-entertainment district to the white sand of Fort Lauderdale Beach. If you’ve got an afternoon available and shopping is on your mind, walk the shopping district and stop in one of the many boutiques, including Lily Pulitzer, and eat at one of the many restaurants serving breakfast through dinner, many of them with pet-friendly sidewalk dining. In addition, there are art galleries and lots of clubs with tropical drinks and live entertainment. If outlet malls are your thing, the sprawling Sawgrass Mills on the edge of the actual Everglades boasts 350 stores and 16 full-service restaurants. Arrived for your cruise still in search of trendy cruise wear? You’ll find it at Sawgrass. Do some in your party want to shop and some don’t? The non-shoppers can check out the latest movies at the Regal Sawgrass IMAX 3D theater.

Have an Inclusive Experience

Wilton Manors is one of the most progressive cities in Florida and has welcomed and celebrated the LGBTQ community for decades. It’s often called Florida’s gay capital and there are many reasons to make the 10-mile trek north of Port Everglades. There are Pride events throughout the year and the Stonewall National Museum & Archives and the World AIDS Museum are here. Wilton Manors likes to have a good time and there are plenty of shops, restaurants and clubs along Wilton Drive to do just that. It’s just a mile long but it will feel like so much more as you browse art galleries and clothing shops. There’s tongue-in-cheek fun with some of the business names including Thai Me Up and What the Pho . Order a watermelon basil martini before tucking into the very popular Sunday brunch at Rosie’s Bar and Grill . Humming nightlife, dancing included, along Wilton Drive, too.

Browse a Bookstore for the Ages

Just three miles south of Port Everglades is a place booklovers get giddy over. William Chrisant & Sons’ Old Florida Book Shop in Dania Beach has more than 50,000 antiquarian books on shelves from floor to vaulted ceiling. The shop sells old and rare maps, plus vintage magazines. It’s one of those book shops that makes it to bibliophiles’ must-see lists. Southern Living magazine put it on its list of best Florida indie bookstores . It’s in a typical Florida shopping strip mall but feels more like something you’d find on a hidden lane in London or maybe in the pages of a Harry Potter tome. After you work up an appetite scouring the stacks and other ephemera, like vintage photographs from the Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club ($600), grab a bite to eat at the kosher Ariel’s Delicious Pizza or sample authentic Cuban fare at Juana La Cubana Cafe , both in the same strip mall.

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Florida Everglades Airboat Tour From Fort Lauderdale

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A local’s guide to the Everglades

The first time you visit the Everglades, you begin to comprehend just how much of it is vast nothingness. Pristine and largely inaccessible, it’s a flat, wet terrain not really meant for humans. Because Everglades National Park is often called the country’s most threatened park , that’s fortunate for the plants and animals that call it home. For visitors, that means views here are spread out and typically low to the ground: alligators and mangroves spotted on foot, by bicycle, kayak or from the back of a whizzing airboat.

Sadly, the Everglades are ravaged by human influences, including the decimation of Seminole , Calusa and other Native American tribes by disease and forcible removal, the disruption of water flow with the building of a 20th-century canal system and the modern-era crisis of invasive species . A trip to the park is an opportunity to appreciate the survival of the Everglades’s natural beauty despite all that.

The rural communities surrounding the park are another exciting reason to visit, offering a glimpse of a Florida that’s more Carl Hiaasen than Jimmy Buffett, more johnboat than Caribbean-bound cruise. Things move slower here. You might as well do the same.

How to get there

A car is essential to see the sprawling (and sometimes remote) attractions of Everglades National Park. If you’re flying into Southwest Florida International Airport to stay on Florida’s west coast, you’ll most likely enter the park through the Shark Valley Visitor Center on U.S. Highway 41. If you’re flying into Fort Lauderdale or Miami airports on the east coast, you can choose to visit the park via Shark Valley or venture farther south at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center in Homestead. There is no public transportation to the park, and the National Park Service does not recommend arriving via ride-hailing apps because return transportation is often unavailable.

The best time to visit

For much of the year, South Florida is muggy and hot, making a summertime trip to the Everglades less than ideal. Hurricane season , from June to November, brings its own sense of unpredictability. The winter season, from December to March, is typically the busiest time of the year for good reason — the weather is more likely to be pleasant, the mosquitoes are dormant and human visitors are generally less cranky.

Where to stay

Coral Gables

A quick drive from Miami International Airport, this picturesque city has easy access to the park’s two main entrances. The historic Biltmore Hotel — and its on-site golf course and spa — offer old-school luxury in the heart of the Gables, while the boutique Hotel St. Michel has more affordable accommodations in a walkable area close to the action. There’s also no shortage of Airbnb options for groups, families or those who crave more privacy. If you want to check off two national parks on your trip, you can also book a boat tour of the nearby Biscayne National Park, which is 95 percent water .

Everglades City

If you’re looking for a laid-back vibe in the heart of the Everglades, this fishing village is where you want to be. The Everglades Adventures Hotel Suites by Ivey House is a no-frills option that’s walkable to everything in town. If you’re looking to camp, try the adults-only Everglades Isle RV Resort , also in town, or the Trail Lakes Campground in nearby Ochopee for tent campsites or cabin rentals. You can also book a stay in a chickee hut , traditionally an open structure built with a thatched roof in Seminole and Miccosukee communities. Clyde Butcher’s swamp cottages has a secluded two-bed, two-bath cottage and a one-bed, one-bath bungalow available for rent in Ochopee.

More sleepy than Miami but more lively than Everglades City, Naples is another base camp option within a reasonable distance of the park. The centrally located Inn on Fifth is a pricey hotel on Naples’s bustling Fifth Avenue South, while the Naples Garden Inn is a budget option that is a quick drive to the beach and restaurants. And, of course, there are plenty of Airbnbs.

Things to do

Take an airboat ride

Pick a company, any company. But don’t miss out on an airboat ride when you’re visiting the Everglades. It’s one of the best ways to see local flora and fauna, and your captain will be able to take you places you’d never find on your own. There are plenty of operators located along the perimeter of the park, regardless of whether you’re coming from the east or west coast. Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours , pictured above, is a Miccosukee-run company that offers sunset tours with 24 hours notice.

BTW: Bring bug spray , the good stuff (anything with picaridin or DEET). Otherwise, prepare to slap and scratch until you reach a zen-like state of acceptance and become one with the mosquitoes.

Browse Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery, then go on a nature tour

Clyde Butcher may as well be the official landscape photographer of the Everglades. For decades, the honorary gladesman has been capturing the essence of Florida’s wilderness, inspiring both ecotourism and preservation efforts. Much of that work is on display at his Big Cypress Gallery, located in the middle of the Everglades on scenic U.S. Highway 41. The gallery also offers swamp tours where adventurous visitors can trudge through the wetlands or take a photo safari to get their own evocative shots.

BTW: The gallery has plenty of souvenirs available for purchase in what you might otherwise call a gift shop desert.

52388 Tamiami Trail E., Ochopee, Fla., 34141 | 239-695-2428 | Website

Visit the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters

The Skunk Ape is basically South Florida’s version of Bigfoot. Dave Shealy, the proprietor of the headquarters, is considered the preeminent expert of the upright cryptid, which is said to scale trees and crave lima beans. Shealy claims to have seen the Skunk Ape near his property three times, and his shaky video of one of those encounters has hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube . The research center sadly doesn’t have much information about the sasquatch, but you can pick up some Skunk Ape merch and take a selfie with a statue of the creature outside the shop.

BTW: The on-site Everglades Adventure Tours offers canoe and kayak rentals, as well as birding safaris and other excursions. Or, for a few bucks, you can check out the HQ’s reptile exhibit, which boasts a 24-foot python named Goldie.

40904 Tamiami Trail E., Ochopee, Fla., 34141 | 239-695-2275 | Website

Send a postcard from the smallest post office in the U.S.

The smallest post office in the country can be found in the tiny, unincorporated community of Ochopee (pronounced oh-CHOP-ee, from the Seminole word for farm). The building, which fits exactly one postal worker, measures less than 62 square feet and was originally used as a shed for a nearby tomato farm. The post office makes for a nice photo op and is a great excuse to mail a postcard from your trip.

BTW: You can purchase a postcard there if you forget to bring one from another part of your travels.

38000 Tamiami Trail E., Ochopee, Fla., 34141 | 800-275-8777 | Website

Explore the Seminole Tribe’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

After U.S. troops invaded Spanish Florida in the 1800s, starting the Seminole Wars , a few hundred tribal members were able to disappear into the Everglades for safety. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation pays homage to the tribe’s special relationship to that environment. Inside, you’ll find exhibits highlighting Seminole traditions on the reservation, as well as rotating exhibits showing a more contemporary way of life. Outside, you’ll find a winding boardwalk through a sprawling cypress swamp where up to 70 species of plants and wildlife can be seen.

BTW: The museum is in a fairly remote area north of Everglades National Park, so download a nice long podcast or audiobook for the drive. You might also plan on taking an airboat ride up in that area to make a day of it.

34725 West Boundary Rd., Clewiston, Fla., 33440 | 877-902-1113 | Website

Ride the Shark Valley bike trail

Stretch your legs and get a lay of the land on two wheels at Shark Valley. The National Park Service rents bikes to visitors for a very reasonable $23 per day, and the 15-mile bike loop takes about two to three hours to complete. Don’t miss the observation tower, which offers sweeping views of the landscape. The visitors center also offers a two-hour narrated tram ride, which costs $29 for adults, $23 for seniors (62 and older) and $15 for children 3 to 12.

BTW: Rent your bike online in advance; rental inventory goes quickly during peak winter months. And if you’re visiting during a warm season, you might want to stick with the tram, because there isn’t a whole lot of shade coverage to escape from the sun.

36000 SW Eighth St., Miami, 33194 | 305-221-8455 | Website

Grab a smoothie at Robert Is Here

Nothing says “refreshing” after a long day in the sun like a smoothie from Robert Is Here. The beloved local fruit stand has been run by founder Robert Moehling since he was 6, when he was made to sell extra cucumbers from his family’s farm on the side of the road. His “Robert Is Here” sign went up the next day, and locals have been coming ever since. While you can find a variety of tropical fruits and produce, the highlight is the $10 smoothies made of fresh fruit blended with ice — no funny ingredients or additives in sight. There are picnic tables for seating, and kids will enjoy the animal farm, which has goats, cows and pigs.

BTW: Robert Is Here is further south in the Homestead area, so it’s a good place to swing by if you’re accessing the park through the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center entrance.

19200 SW 344th St., Homestead, Fla., 33034 | 305-246-1592 | Website

Where to eat

Breakfast: Sunburst Cafe

This colorful Naples cafe in a nondescript shopping plaza is well-known for its homemade muffins, but Sunburst also serves a full breakfast and some of the best coffee in town. The restaurant can get busy in the mornings, but the staff keeps things moving and gets food out quickly. You’ll find indulgences like omelets, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy alongside lighter items like oatmeal, avocado toast and a vegan breakfast bowl. Sunburst is also a great option for lunch.

BTW: Disco diva Donna Summer became a regular at Sunburst after relocating to Naples, where she lived out her final years until her death in 2012.

2340 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples, Fla., 34109 | 239-263-3123 | Website

Breakfast: Island Cafe

A local favorite in Everglades City, Island Cafe is a casual restaurant with a diner-style menu serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast starts at 6 a.m., making it an ideal spot if you plan to hit the road early (or if you just want to see how the city’s fishermen and airboat captains start their day). You’ll find all the typical fare — eggs, pancakes, biscuits and gravy — at a reasonable price: Almost everything on the breakfast menu is less than $10.

BTW: Island Cafe also offers boxed lunches, so you can grab a sandwich for the road after breakfast.

305 Collier Ave., Everglades City, Fla., 34139 | 239-695-0003 | Website

Lunch: La Sandwicherie

In 1988, La Sandwicherie opened its first sandwich counter in Miami Beach , just a few hundred feet from the ocean, and in recent years has been adding locations around South Florida. The branch in Coral Gables sits along the scenic, pedestrian-only Giralda Plaza, where there are plenty of shops to check out after lunch. Sandwiches and salads are made to order, as are smoothies and juices. A personal favorite is the Sobe Club, which comes with turkey, avocado and brie.

BTW: If there’s room in your suitcase, it’s worth purchasing a bottle of La Sandwicherie’s famous vinaigrette, which is great on sandwiches and salads.

142 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables, Fla., 33134 | 786-615-2724 | Website

Lunch: The Rod & Gun Club

The Rod & Gun Club is an Everglades City institution, opening in the 1920s with a chef from Bavaria and over the years hosting a guest list that’s said to include Ernest Hemingway, Mick Jagger and five U.S. presidents. Walking in the door is like stepping back in time — the decor and furnishings have been preserved from a former era. Grab a seat on the covered, screened-in porch so you can enjoy lunch and a beer with a waterfront view of the Barron River. You’ll find fried seafood and gator bites, a few simple salads and some basic sandwich options.

BTW: The restaurant only takes cash, so make sure you’ve got some.

200 W. Broadway, Everglades City, Fla., 34139 | 239-695-2101 | Website

Lunch: Joanie’s Blue Crab Cafe

Conveniently located in the middle of U.S. Highway 41, Joanie’s is a great spot to snag a bite between distant attractions. Fried seafood, including grouper, shrimp and gator, is the highlight of the menu. Grab a drink from the beverage cooler inside and settle into a spot outside on the screened-in porch, where you might just catch a glimpse of an alligator along the canal out back.

BTW: Joanie’s is a stone’s-throw away from the Ochopee post office and the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters in case you plan to check out either.

39395 Tamiami Trail E., Ochopee, Fla., 34141 | 239-695-2682

Dinner: The Dock at Crayton Cove

Did you really visit Naples if you didn’t have a meal at the Dock? The beloved waterfront restaurant has been serving fresh seafood and other specialties since 1976. Casual yet elegant, this is the kind of place where you could show up in a sundress or in shorts and flip-flops, and you’d fit in either way. Favorite dishes include the key lime grouper and the lobster potato gratin. Wash it down with a rum-forward Island Negroni or a “Docksicle,” a glass of bubbly with your choice of popsicle placed into the glass upside-down.

BTW: The Dock doesn’t take reservations, so prepare to wait if you’re arriving during peak season (late December to early May).

845 12th Ave. S., Naples, Fla., 34102 | 239-263-9940 | Website

Dinner: Caffe Abbracci

When you’ve washed off your bug spray and thrown a clean shirt over your sunburn at the end of the day, head to Caffe Abbracci for an upscale, old-school Italian dinner. In business since 1989, the restaurant is a mainstay in Coral Gables known for its customer service and classic menu. From pan-seared branzino to a traditional Bolognese, there’s no bad choice. For dessert, don’t miss the profiteroles, an expertly made, gelato-filled puff pastry dish crowned with Grand Marnier chocolate sauce.

BTW: Arrive early, or stay for a nightcap, so you can grab a drink at the bar and admire the stunning stained-glass ceiling.

318 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, Fla., 33134 | 305-441-0700 | Website

Dinner: Captain Morgan’s Seafood Grill

A newcomer in the area, Captain Morgan’s brings a contemporary Cuban style to Everglades City’s dining scene. The family-owned restaurant serves up a variety of dishes, including shrimp tostones, roast pork and the chef’s signature seafood enchilado, a dish with stone crab, lobster, fish and clams covered in a slightly spicy sauce and served with white rice and sweet plantains. There are a handful of beers on tap, including local brews, and wines by the glass. The atmosphere is clean, modern and family friendly.

BTW: If you’re just passing through town without time for a full meal, Captain Morgan’s also has an adjacent ice cream parlor and serves Cuban coffee to fuel you up for the ride home.

102 S. Copeland Ave., Everglades City, Fla., 34139 | 239-232-0041 | Website

About this guide

Editing by Gabe Hiatt. Photo editing by Lauren Bulbin. Design by Stephanie Hays. Copy editing by Jordan Melendrez and Jamie Zega. Design editing by Christine Ashack and Matt Callahan.

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30 Years Guided by Mindset, Preparation, and Opportunity

Dan Nehler started his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a fisheries biologist in 1994. But working for the Service was not his original plan – Nehler had originally envisioned working in forestry. So how did he get from forests to fish?

Nehler credits his father with exposing him to formative experiences with the natural world. An avid recreationist and a civil engineer for the Federal Highway Administration, Nehler’s father designed roads in sensitive areas of National Parks, such as the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, to enhance visitor experiences and minimize environmental impacts. Back in the day, much of the enjoyment of our National Parks was done from the inside of cars, and sometimes Nehler would join his dad for rides along these roads to project sites. These drives exposed Nehler to the great expanses of National Parks in the American West and sparked his interest. With this appreciation, he thought perhaps he would someday pursue a career in the outdoors.

Before college and pondering career options, Nehler went to his father’s office one day at the Federal Highway office in Vancouver, Wash., wondering how people decide what to study in college. 

He wondered how aspiring career professionals know what they want to become and where they will work. So, he decided to walk down the halls at his dad’s office, and one by one would poke his head into an office and say, “Hi I’m Bob’s son, can I ask you a few questions?”

“Did you go to college? … What did you major in? … Did you plan to work here after you got your college degree?”

Universally, the answers to those three questions were, “Yes,” “Engineering,” and “No.”

Nehler realized that not one person he talked to that day had actually planned to work for the Federal Highway Administration in Vancouver before they went to college. He stumbled upon the conclusion that though you may not always fulfill your plan as you first envision it, the most important thing is to start your plan , explore what interests you, and go for the opportunities that may arise along the way.

Nehler went on to attend Oregon State University to initially study forestry. But he eventually majored in fisheries science and business administration, and he was hired by the Service before he even graduated from college.

“Luckily for me, the opportunities that arose while I was preparing in college led me to the Fish and Wildlife Service.”

Nehler’s experiences reinforced for him that pursuing his interests, even when he wasn’t sure where they would lead, helped prepare him to take those opportunities when they came. Hence, trading forests for fish.

Much of Nehler’s mindset about his journey centers around a quote by Oprah Winfrey, “ I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn't been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn't have been 'lucky.' "

With almost 30 years with the Service, Nehler’s career has spanned the U.S. and crossed over numerous programs and disciplines. From fisheries in Arcata, Calif., to ecological services in Vero Beach, Fla., and places in-between, including the Service’s national training center in West Virginia (twice), his journey has not surprisingly included some challenges.

Nehler shares details about a difficult period in his career while in Florida working on Everglades restoration. It was fast-paced, high-stress, and led him to genuine burnout. He realized at the time that something needed to change. He tried applying for different jobs, but they did not materialize.

After a couple years of trying to find something different, he realized he had to change his mindset – that in order to sustain himself in his current position, he would need to treat it like a marathon rather than a sprint. He quit looking for new jobs and accepted that he would stick with it and slowed down to a more sustainable pace.

Shortly after this mindset shift, the phone rang and on the other end was his next potential new opportunity. The phone call came from a project leader who encouraged Nehler to apply for a vacant position at a new office. He reluctantly decided to apply, interviewed, and was selected for the position. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or luck, in that preparation met opportunity again for Nehler at just the right time.

“I believe a different mindset saved me,” he says.

“When I look back on it, it was very odd in the sense that I finally had accepted where I was and that I was just going to work there until I retired. Even though I had gotten burned out, I had tried to get out, couldn’t get out, then had to figure out how I was going to stay there; and when I was finally willing to stay there, even after running from a few hurricanes, I get this call.”

This was a life lesson for Nehler. He continues, “Sometimes you have to change your mindset before things will change in your life.”

Applying this shift to a positive mindset is how Nehler approached adversity in both life and his career.

He remembers growing up as a kid snow skiing in the Pacific Northwest, that he was often the only person of color on the slopes. Over the years, he has been pleasantly surprised to see a shift toward greater diversity in the skiing community. Likewise, in the Service, he acknowledges that earlier in his career, people of color were relatively uncommon in his line of work. But, he has been pleasantly surprised to see a shift towards greater diversity in the Service as well.

To his younger self, Nehler would give this advice: “Hang with it. There aren’t lot of people of color in a lot of the work that we do, but that doesn’t matter; the work is enjoyable, fulfilling, and there are good people to work with.”

Nehler has found mentors and friends who have been role models for him along the way. He talks about Judy Gordon , who leads the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program of the Pacific Region with nearly 40 years of federal service under her belt.

“Judy Gordon has shown me what a woman of color can accomplish in our agency. She’s a very good communicator. She’s taught me a lot as a boss, as a friend, and as a mentor even if she doesn’t realize she’s my mentor. She’s been a very good role model for me in the short time that I’ve known her.”

Looking forward, Nehler sees his near-term and long-term goals as being close to the same; he focuses on his day-to-day job while knowing retirement is not too far into his future. For Nehler, the Service has been a great place to work with great people. And for the next generation, he offers this sound advice: Respect people and relationships. Treat people like you want to be treated. Treat the natural world like you want to be treated. Prepare yourself for future opportunities – keep your mind open and pursue your interests.

This is one of five employee stories as a part of the Living the Wild Dream project. This multimedia project was created to share the unique life and career journeys of five Service employees from early career to near retirement, and to elevate the visibility of people of color in conservation, science, and outreach now and for the next generation. 

Featured in the story, latest stories.

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Environment | Bright Lit Place: The people who fight for —…

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Environment | bright lit place: the people who fight for — and depend on — everglades restoration.

Deep in the Everglades, in remote sawgrass marshes few people ever see, Michael Frank points to a faded white, red, black and gold Miccosukee flag that flies above the dock at his family’s tree island.

“We were told to never, ever leave the Everglades. You leave the Everglades, you lose your culture, you lose your language, you lose your identity,” Frank said. “You become just like the outside people.”

Today, unnaturally high water flows under the boardwalks that connect the island’s thatch-roofed chickees. Native plants fight for space with weedy elephant grass, Brazilian pepper and other invasive species.

The flag stays up, Frank said, because it represents the Miccosukee Tribe’s willingness to talk with those outside people to help save the marshes that hold his ancestral tree islands.

The new WLRN podcast  Bright Lit Place , part of the Pulitzer Center’s Connected Coastlines  reporting initiative, examines what happened to Florida’s promise to undo the damage killing the islands and restore the Everglades with a  massive plan  approved in 2000. Work was originally expected to cost just under $8 billion and take about 20 years. The price has now soared to $23 billion and fallen decades behind schedule. Meanwhile, the swamp keeps dying.

Half of the  Everglades tree islands  in Frank’s homeland are  now gone , washed away by high water stored in the marshes after the Everglades was dredged and drained to make way for development. Pig Jaw, Smallpox Tommy, Stinking Hammock and other islands where Frank lived and played as a child remain, but they’re chronically threatened by water.

Without freshwater from the Everglades, mangrove forests that protect the shoreline struggle to keep up with sea rise. Spongy peat soils and sawgrass marshes that help clean and recharge South Florida’s drinking water  continue to collapse . And a menagerie of wildlife, from scarlet-colored roseate spoonbills to marsh rabbits, disappear.

These are some of the people appearing in Bright Lit Place who’ve spent decades waiting for progress. Those hit hardest measure losses in their checkbooks and family businesses, or even their homelands. Others have devoted their careers to the science needed to get restoration done right, working long hours, often in inhospitable conditions, and sometimes, facing fierce opposition.

Fishing Guide Tim Klein

On a postcard perfect day in Florida Bay, fishing guide Tim Klein and his son, James, steer their boats around a small, horseshoe-shaped key crowded with squawking sea birds.

The water ripples with nervous mullet as a small pod of bottlenose dolphins swim nearby. Suddenly, a dolphin breaks the surface, belly up, with a mullet in its mouth.

“That was epic! Did you see that?” an astonished Klein shouted. “See, I give good eco tour.”

Klein, 62, is a champion flats guide with a long list of tournament victories. Years of poling clients to victory in his skiff kept his schedule booked nearly every day with anglers wanting to catch one of the Keys’ cherished sportfish — bonefish, permit or tarpon.

Fewer days get booked now. When they are, Klein usually suggests a day looking for sawfish or sightseeing around the emerald mangrove islands.

“I got all new clientele,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for 38 years now, and the people I’ve fished in the past are just not here anymore.”

That’s because it’s getting harder to find those champion sportfish in Florida Bay, where flood control has cut off freshwater and left water chronically salty. High salinity can damage seagrass meadows that harbor shrimp, crab and other prey for the fish.

The bay now gets about half of the freshwater it received a century ago.

“It’s never going to be like it used to be back in the days when my dad was guiding, especially with all the big bonefish and scores of red fish,” said James Klein, 23, the third generation of Kleins to captain a boat.

He does most of his guiding offshore, not the flats that brought his dad so much success. “We used to drive around on my little Hell’s Bay (skiff) and just find schools of hundreds of them.”

That rarely happens now, he said. And Tim Klein is getting tired of waiting.

“We need to change,” he said. “We keep doing the same thing, year after year after year. It’s always waiting for this project and that project — and nothing happens. We just need water some way or another. We need water in our bay before it dies again.”

To hear more from Klein, listen to  episode 1  of  Bright Lit Place .

The Gardeners: Eric Crawford and Tadese Adeagbo

Eric Crawford and Tadese Adeagbo work for the South Florida Water Management District tending to bulrush, lacy hydrilla and other plants that fill 57,000 acres of man-made wetlands where polluted water is cleaned before it flows into the Everglades.

“You didn’t think you’d enjoy sitting in the middle of an industrial wastewater treatment facility. But that’s where we are,” Crawford said as he throttled down on his airboat.

Under an early morning sun, the treatment marshes fill with birds as the brightening air wakes up bugs and ripples with a soft breeze. Alligators slink through the coffee-colored water.

“We are a farm, but we don’t have a crop. We’re the reverse of normal farming,” he said.

Instead of adding nutrients to help grow plants, they use plants to suck up and trap nutrient pollution in the water.

Crawford, 56, and Adeagbo, 34, spend their days on airboats skirting around the marshes. That often means wading into the water where crews hand plant the bulrush to inspect the work.

While the workers toil in water that can be waist-deep, crew chief Ismael Gerena keeps watch for gators from the controls of his airboat.

“You don’t know where they’re at because they stay underwater. So you got to constantly watch out for them,” he said.

There are also snakes, said Juan Hernandez, 60, who started working in the treatment marshes more than a decade ago.

“Some people quit,” he said. “They try it and [don’t] like it because [there are] snakes, alligators. And it’s hard to walk in here.”

Over the years, the hardworking stormwater treatment marshes have removed millions of tons of phosphorus, dramatically reducing what flows south. But they still consistently fail to reach the limit required under a court-ordered clean-up plan.

And managing them has been no easy task. During storms, they switch to flood control to store high water. That means the careful work Crawford and Adeagbo do on clean-up can get wiped out by a tropical storm.

“You don’t get two different teams,” Crawford said. “You get one piece of land to do both.”

To hear more from Crawford and Adeagbo, listen to  episode 3  of  Bright Lit Place .

Hydrologist Tom Van Lent

After more than four decades working on Everglades restoration, hydrologist Tom Van Lent is considered among the leading experts on how the swamp works.

“He’s absolutely one of the top hydrologists that’s ever studied the Everglades from a technical perspective,” said Robert Johnson, who retired as the director of the National Park Services’ science center where he helped steer restoration for 40 years. “People go to Tom to learn about the Everglades.”

A lawsuit filed by Van Lent’s former bosses at the Everglades Foundation in 2022 now threatens to undo that legacy and  send him to jail .

Van Lent began his Everglades career out of graduate school at the South Florida Water Management District, the state partner in restoration, then moved to the National Park Service’s science center, where he helped create the models that set the course for restoration work.

“My father and grandfather were very good carpenters and they said it’s not the tools that make a good carpenter. And it’s the same with models,” said Van Lent. “You have to kind of know how to use them.”

Van Lent’s models helped redefine restoration before the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration plan passed in 2000, when he argued that benefits to the park would not arrive for three decades. In 2005, the Everglades Foundation convinced him to join the nonprofit to build its science team.

“I was just known for just speaking what I thought and would speak truth to power. And they, at the time, admired that,” he said.

But in 2016, that doggedness got him into trouble when he objected to a controversial Everglades reservoir. After lawmakers dramatically scaled back the original plan from 60,000 acres to 17,000 acres, Van Lent worried treatment marshes were too small to clean water from the much deeper reservoir. The Army Corps and U.S. Department of Interior also raised objections. The Everglades Coalition, an umbrella group for more than six dozen environmental groups across the state, also objected.

Van Lent stepped aside as chief scientist, he said, as tension worsened.

He finally quit in 2022 and on his last day tweeted that he was going to work for another conservation group, Friends of the Everglades, that put “science over politics.” Two weeks later the Foundation sued, filing a sealed complaint that accused him of stealing trade secrets. A judge ordered him to stop downloading information from any computer and in May found Van Lent violated the injunction. The judge also ordered Van Lent to pay the Foundation’s legal bills, totaling $178,000.

In December, Van Lent filed for bankruptcy. At his December sentencing hearing, his wife Lois, 66, said she’s going back to work.

More than two decades ago when he pointed out that flaw in the original restoration plan, Van Lent took a huge risk to ensure restoration was done right, Stuart Pimm, a leading expert in extinction biology, said at the hearing.

“That was a very courageous thing to do academically,” Pimm testified. “It was … even a more courageous thing to do politically and it represented to me the extraordinary commitment to getting the story right and doing the science properly that has characterized everything I’ve seen Tom do.”

To hear more from Van Lent, listen to  episode 4  of  Bright Lit Place .

Beekeeper Rene Curtis Pratt

Keg-sized bees hover over windows and honey oozes from a comb on a two-story mural outside the Harold P. Curtis Honey Co., a block from the Caloosahatchee River in tiny LaBelle.

Inside, honey is everywhere: in plastic bears and jars, in soaps and candles that line shelves against golden yellow walls.

Rene Curtis Pratt, 65, runs the store her grandfather started nearly 70 years ago. She added the mural a few years ago to highlight the plight of honeybees and the fading honey industry that once flourished around LaBelle.

Before sugarcane dominated the landscape, cattle and citrus groves filled its saw palmetto prairies. This was the land of juice and honey. Now, it’s a landscape increasingly crowded with planned communities like Timber Creek, Savanna Lakes and Liberty Shores.

Since Hurricane Irma came through in 2017, “This place has exploded,” Pratt said. And that’s bad news for beekeepers.

“People want bees on their property, but yet they don’t want them to sting them or their kids or their horses or their cows,” she said.

It’s another trend getting in the way of restoration. As Florida’s population swelled, housing spread further inland, backing up to the Everglades’ borders. Where farm fields once replaced prairies and wetlands, gated communities now fill fallow fields.

All that growth has helped worsen the state’s water problems, with more stormwater and leaking septic tanks fouling Lake Okeechobee and the coastal estuaries connected to it.

Pratt grew up running between her house next to the store and her grandfather’s riverfront house a short walk away.

“We would jump down there and we’d swim in there and there’s gators everywhere. They wouldn’t bother us,” she said. “Now, I wouldn’t get in that river to save my life.”

Last year, Pratt stopped selling her own hive-raised honey in the store and instead buys it from beekeepers located farther away. She also sold the last of her hives.

“I didn’t tell my husband. I didn’t tell my children. Nobody for about six months,” she said, breaking into tears. “And it hurt my heart and my soul.”

To hear more from Pratt, listen to  episode 6  of  Bright Lit Place .

Wetlands Ecologist Evelyn Gaiser

Evelyn Gaiser grew up exploring frigid wetlands in Ohio, camping along the shores of Lake Huron. South Florida lured her to its buggy marshes in the late 1990s with a chance to work in one of the world’s largest wetlands. At the time, some of the most exciting new science was unfolding in the Everglades.

“I came in at the time when we were writing the Yellow Book, the plan for fixing everything,” she said. “All these different contingencies were planned, all these complicated trade-offs were understood. People were really careful in trying to get that plan right.”

Gaiser, 56, was part of the team working with biologist Ron Jones to establish limits for phosphorus, the nutrient from fertilizer choking the marshes by fueling thick stands of cattails and killing the floating mats of periphyton that feed wildlife.

“You could fly into Miami on a plane and notice from the air these expansive areas of cattail,” Gaiser said. “Just as far as you can look, you see cattails.”

But Jones had a plan: build vast treatment marshes south of sprawling sugarcane fields where plants could soak up the nutrient pollution.

Gaiser spent the next five years studying the effects of phosphorus in a remote part of the park untouched by pollution in experimental plots as long as a football field.

“What we discovered was that that very, very low, barely measurable level of enrichment above that extremely low background level was enough to catalyze a full cascade of changes resulting ultimately in a cattail invasion into this very pristine part of the Everglades,” she said.

Evidence that even small increases in phosphorus triggered catastrophic changes confirmed the need for Jones’ costly clean-up plan. That drew fire from both the state and sugar growers.

“It was very controversial because we were going up against the interests of the agricultural industry that drives a lot of the economy in Florida,” she said.

The scientists prevailed and the limit remains in place. A court-ordered deadline for the state to begin showing it will meet the limit for phosphorus pollution is set for 2025. All these years later, Gaiser is dismayed that work to reconnect the river of grass and repair the Everglades has gone so slowly.

“It’s happening in small areas, but it needs to be that on a massive scale, on the scale that created the problem in the first place,” she said.

You can hear more from Gaiser in  episode 5  of  Bright Lit Place .

Tribal Elder Michael Frank

Growing up, Frank lived on tree islands, moving within the swampy patches of high ground shared by the tribe.

Even before he was born, the islands were starting to disappear, as the Central and South Florida flood system took shape in the 1940s. The tribe often gathered for celebrations and meetings on a large island called New Town. When the Army Corps dredged a canal to drain farm fields to the north, it split the island in in two.

As flood control pushed more water into the vast conservation area west of Miami, Frank was forced to move more frequently. His family finally fled the islands, he said, when the Army Corps dredged a levee near the Tamiami Trail.

“Back in 1949 or ’48, when my grandpa and grandma moved in, that’s when they started working on the levees,” he said.

“And when they were working on that, they told my grandfather and grandmother, ‘If that day ever comes when your island goes underwater, we’ll come and build up your camp,’ which they never did. It went three, four feet under water, but they never came and built the camps up.”

Today, Frank and his uncle still camp on Rice Island, about seven miles north of the Tamiami Trail. He gets around the boardwalks with a walking stick now. Age has left his hands crimped and knotted. He’s had to rebuild his dock as water rises. But he keeps his flags flying.

To hear more from Frank, listen to  episode 1  of  Bright Lit Place .

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