The 'River of Grass' — a vast subtropical wetland where alligators rule.
Photo: Everglades NPS from Homestead, Florida, United States · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
The Everglades isn't a swamp so much as a river — a sheet of fresh water sixty miles wide and inches deep, sliding almost imperceptibly south across a sea of sawgrass to Florida Bay. It protects 1.5 million acres of this 'River of Grass,' a subtropical wilderness so significant it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance all at once — and the only place where American alligators and American crocodiles live side by side.
What makes it a great visit is how close the wildlife comes. The Anhinga Trail, an easy paved-and-boardwalk loop near the main entrance, puts you within feet of basking alligators, anhingas drying their wings, herons, and turtles — especially in winter, when the marshes dry down and animals crowd the remaining ponds. Up north, the Shark Valley tram and bike loop runs out to an observation tower 70 feet over the endless grass — the highest point you can reach on foot in the park. At the south end of the main road, Flamingo on Florida Bay is the place for crocodiles, manatees, and roseate spoonbills.
Timing matters more here than almost anywhere. The dry season, November through April, is the season to come: comfortable, low-humidity days, far fewer mosquitoes, and the year's best wildlife concentration. The wet season (mid-May through October) is hot, buggy, storm-soaked, and overlaps hurricane season. And the park's three entrances are far apart with no road connecting them inside — the Park Service's own line is that each is at least an hour's drive from the others — so pick your corner.
Everglades has three entrances and none of them connect. There is no road through the park joining Homestead to Shark Valley to Everglades City — you come back out to the highway and drive around, and the Park Service's own guidance is that all three are at least an hour apart from each other. Which gate you choose is effectively which park you visit.
Thirty-eight miles and about an hour from the Ernest Coe entrance down to Flamingo on Florida Bay, running the length of the park through sawgrass and hammocks with the boardwalks and overlooks strung along it. This is the drive most people mean when they say they drove the Everglades.
The old highway between Miami and Naples, running along the park’s northern edge past Shark Valley. It is the road that connects the two coasts and the only practical link between the northern entrances — Shark Valley to Everglades City is 45 miles and an hour on it.
In from US-41 down to the Gulf Coast visitor center and the Ten Thousand Islands, 36 miles and under an hour from Naples. This is the boat end of the park, and the driving stops when you arrive.
It is an out-and-back — the road ends at Florida Bay and you return the way you came, so the mileage doubles. The pull-offs are the visit: Royal Palm near the top, then Pa-hay-okee, Mahogany Hammock and Nine Mile Pond on the way down.
TipStart early for wildlife and to get ahead of the heat. Mosquitoes in the wet season are not a joke down at Flamingo — check the park’s own mosquito forecast before committing to an evening there.
The loop at Shark Valley is closed to private vehicles — you walk it, cycle it, or take the tram. So the driving stops at the car park, and the thing to know is that it is 49 miles and an hour and a half from the Homestead entrance despite looking close on a map.
TipTreat it as a separate day from Flamingo rather than trying to combine them — getting between the two entrances means going back out to the highway. The Shark Valley lot is small and the gate closes temporarily once it fills, so arrive early in winter.
The best easy wildlife walk in the park — a short paved-and-boardwalk loop where alligators, anhingas, herons, and turtles are visible up close, often just feet away.
Insider tipGo early morning or late afternoon in the dry season for the densest wildlife and best light. It's wheelchair- and stroller-friendly.
Plan a trip to this spot →A spiral tower 70 feet above the sawgrass at the far end of a 15-mile loop — the highest point you can reach on foot in the park, and a rare elevated panorama over the River of Grass. Reached by narrated tram or by bike.
Insider tipThe tram is a two-hour narrated run, about $34 for an adult, booked at sharkvalleytramtours.com — reserve ahead from November through April. Otherwise bike the flat paved loop early to beat the heat; it's lined with gators in winter.
Plan a trip to this spot →The end of the 38-mile main road, on Florida Bay — the prime spot for American crocodiles, manatees, and roseate spoonbills, and the launch for boat and kayak trips.
Insider tipWatch the marina for crocs and manatees. This is the rare place you might see both crocodiles and alligators in one park.
Plan a trip to this spot →A short elevated boardwalk to a sweeping view across the open sawgrass prairie — the classic 'River of Grass' vista.
Insider tipBeautiful at sunrise and sunset, and a good spot for raptors over the marsh.
Plan a trip to this spot →A short boardwalk loop into a jungle-like tree island — a tropical hardwood 'oasis' with the largest living mahogany tree in the country.
Insider tipBring bug spray even in the dry season; the shaded hammock holds mosquitoes.
Plan a trip to this spot →The park's northwest corner — a maze of mangrove islands along the Gulf, explored by boat tour or kayak from the Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
Insider tipThis is a different entrance, far from the others — base in Everglades City to explore it by water.
Plan a trip to this spot →Subtropical, with two seasons that define a visit. The dry season (November–April) is warm and comfortable — highs in the upper 70s to mid-80s, low humidity, few mosquitoes — and only about a quarter of the year's rain falls then. The wet season (mid-May–October) is hot and humid with highs near 90°F, daily afternoon thunderstorms, intense mosquitoes, and most of the ~55 inches of annual rain. Hurricane season runs June through November.
Three entrances, in three different towns, with no road joining them inside the park. Driving from one to another means going back out to the highway, so pick your corner before you book a bed.
The classic first visit, near Miami/Homestead — the gateway to the Anhinga Trail, Pa-hay-okee, Mahogany Hammock, and the 38-mile road to Flamingo.
On the Tamiami Trail in the north — home of the tram-and-bike loop out to the observation tower. Open 8:30 am to 6 pm, and the parking lot is small: in peak season the gate shuts temporarily whenever it fills, so come early.
The base for boating and kayaking the Ten Thousand Islands along the Gulf — far from the other two entrances.
There's lodging and camping at Flamingo inside the park, plus towns near each entrance.
The rebuilt Flamingo Lodge (reopened in late 2023, elevated and hurricane-hardened), glamping eco-tents, and the Flamingo and Long Pine Key campgrounds — all on the south end, and all booked through the park concessioner Flamingo Adventures rather than Recreation.gov.
Booking tipFlamingo is the only roof inside the park and it books up through the dry season — reserve early and confirm rates with the concessioner. Recreation.gov handles only the backcountry wilderness sites here.
Homestead and Florida City sit about 10–15 minutes from the main entrance with the full range of chain hotels; Miami (about an hour) adds far more.
Booking tipBase in Homestead for an easy run to the Anhinga Trail and the road to Flamingo.
The small gateway town for the Gulf Coast entrance and the Ten Thousand Islands.
Booking tipStay here only if the Gulf Coast / boating is your focus — it's far from the other entrances.
What does it cost?
$35 per vehicle, good for 7 consecutive days at all three entrances; $30 for a motorcycle, $20 per person on foot or bike. An Everglades annual pass is $70 and the $80 America the Beautiful pass works. There's no timed entry. Non-U.S. residents aged 16 and over also pay a $100 nonresident fee on top of the entrance fee — the $250 America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass covers it, and covers up to three more adults travelling with the holder.
When should I go?
The dry season, November through April — comfortable temperatures, low humidity, far fewer mosquitoes, and the best wildlife viewing as animals concentrate at drying gator holes. The summer wet season is hot, buggy, and stormy.
How bad are the mosquitoes?
In the wet season (mid-May–October), genuinely miserable — they can make outdoor walks unbearable. Bring strong repellent year-round (the shaded hammocks hold bugs even in winter), and expect some reduced services in summer.
Three entrances — which do I choose, and can I drive between them?
They're in three different towns and not connected inside the park — the Park Service says each is at least an hour's drive from the others, and Homestead to Everglades City runs closer to two. Choose Homestead/Royal Palm for a classic first visit, Shark Valley for the tram-and-tower loop, and Gulf Coast/Everglades City for boating the Ten Thousand Islands.
Can I take an airboat ride in the park?
Yes, but only with one of three operators the Park Service has authorized inside the boundary — Coopertown, Everglades Safari Park and Gator Park, all strung along US-41 (the Tamiami Trail) west of Miami, near the Shark Valley end. You can't run your own airboat in the park, and the many other airboat outfits along that road are outside the park on private or preserve land.
How do I stay safe around the wildlife?
Never feed alligators (it's illegal and dangerous) and keep your distance — stay back at least 15 feet and on the boardwalks. Be aware of hurricane season (June–November) and heed any closure or evacuation advisories.
Pick your vehicle, line up the stops on the way in and out, and carry the whole route in your pocket.
