If you want a straightforward Everglades day out from Miami, this tour covers the two things most visitors come for: a fast airboat ride through the marsh and a close look at alligators. You can turn up at any time during opening hours, and boats leave every 20 to 30 minutes, rain or shine. That makes it easy to fit into a flexible Miami itinerary without booking a fixed slot.
The Everglades is often called the River of Grass, and the name makes sense once you're out there. Sawgrass rises three to ten feet above the water and stretches across endless prairies. It is often so dense that boats can only move through the natural water channels. Between the sawgrass you'll see mangroves, cypress, palms, pines and hardwood hammocks, which are small islands of higher ground. The area provides crucial habitat for many rare and endangered species.
Airboats are built for this kind of terrain. A large aircraft-style propeller pushes the boat, driven by either an aircraft or automotive engine, so it skims across shallow water and marshland that ordinary boats can't enter. Your guide narrates as you go, pointing out alligators, turtles and birds and explaining how the ecosystem works. The Florida panther is a rare sight, so treat it as a bonus rather than something to count on.
Back on land, the 30-minute wildlife and alligator show lets you get up close to these animals. It includes alligator wrestling techniques used by Native Americans, and you can pose for a photo with Jaws, the park's best-known gator. If you're hungry afterwards, the restaurant serves local specialties such as alligator tail and alligator sausage.
Airboat Tour
