Everglades National Park

Located about 30 to 60 minutes by car from Miami, Everglades National Park stretches across nearly 1.5 million acres. It’s often described as a “river of grass”—a shallow, slow-moving ecosystem where water travels over marshland rather than through it.

The Everglades occupies two main zones:

1. Shark Valley & The Glades Road Corridor (Mainland)

• Shark Valley features a raised observation tower and a 15-mile loop trail, often traveled by leisure bike or tram. From the top, you’ll see endless sawgrass and alligators sliding through the water below.
• The Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) cuts through the interior marsh and serves as a convenient entry point, with short walkways and lookout spots tucked near trailheads.

2. Flamingo Area (Outpost at the Southern Edge)

• A longer drive takes you to the remote Flamingo area, where paths curl through mangroves and open into views across Florida Bay.
• You’ll find a visitor center, canoe rentals, and a small café. Here, multigenerational families, kayakers, and birdwatchers share space with silent stone benches and wide bay views.

This isn’t a safari with guided trails- Along the way you may spot:

• Gators, slipping through grass or lying flat and still in water.
• Wading birds, from great egrets to roseate spoonbills, often stalking the shallows.
• Migrant birds, especially in winter—among them warblers, ospreys, and even the occasional hawk circling overhead.
• Manatees and river otters, most common near mangrove tidal paths and deeper bay waters.

The park is open 24 hours a day, every day.

The fee to enter is $35, or you can buy the yearly park pass that costs $70 and the one that includes all of the National Parks is $80.