Everglades National Park
A World Heritage 'River of Grass' where you can ride an airboat through sawgrass marshes and see alligators and wading birds up close on the Shark Valley trail. It's Miami's classic nature day trip.
Everglades National Park covers 6,100 square km and is the largest subtropical wilderness in the continental United States. The 'River of Grass,' about 100 km wide and only a few dozen centimeters deep, flows slowly from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, and it's the only place where American crocodiles and alligators live side by side. There are three entrances from Miami. The first is Shark Valley to the north, about one hour west along US-41 (Tamiami Trail). A 24-km paved loop lets you rent a bicycle (about 25 USD for 2 hours) or take a 2-hour narrated tram (about 30 USD for adults, reservations required). Alligators are visible in the canals along the road, and the 20-meter observation tower at the end overlooks endless grassland. The second is the Ernest Coe Visitor Center to the southeast, about one hour away via Homestead. The 1.2-km Anhinga Trail boardwalk from here is the best place in the park to see alligators, anhingas and herons. The road continues 61 km deep into the park to Flamingo on Florida Bay, where you can rent a kayak to look for manatees. The third is the airboat operators along US-41 just outside the park boundary, such as Everglades Safari Park and Gator Park (about 30–40 USD per person). A 30-minute high-speed airboat ride is a staple of Miami tour packages, but airboats are not allowed inside the park. The park entrance fee is 35 USD per vehicle, valid for 7 days. The America the Beautiful annual pass costs 80 USD and is valid across all national parks. Tips: start early. Do the airboat ride, then cycle Shark Valley, or take the Homestead route. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and insect repellent, and wear long sleeves and long pants. Don't feed or approach alligators. Keep at least 5 meters away.
Opening hours
Open all day; Shark Valley Visitor Center 09:00-17:00; electric shuttle 09:00-16:00
Nearby sights
- Zoo Miami
- Coral Castle
- Biltmore Hotel
- Venetian Pool
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
- Biscayne National Park
- Coconut Grove
- Little Havana