The Shark Valley Visitor Center in the Everglades will be receiving a bit of a facelift with new solar panels through a $25,000 donation thanks to a grant and solar panels donated by Florida Power & Light Company (FPL). The solar power will power up the visitor center. The visitor center is a educational space that offers education displays, videos, brochures about solar energy, the Everglades, and animals in the Park. There is also a gift shop. It is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

FPL is working with the South Florida National Parks Trust and the Park to install the solar panels, which is a 12-kilowatt solar system. This solar system will provide the center with about 40 percent of the energy it needs to run.

According to the South Florida National Parks Trust’s Chairman Wayne Rassner. “The Shark Valley Visitor Center is an ideal location to showcase renewable energy projects, and FPL’s solar panels will help visitors better understand this connection through interpretive exhibits and displays.”

FPL is currently installing 1 million solar panels in Miami-Dade County.

In Shark Valley, visitors can walk, bike, or take a tram on a 15-mile loop trail. The tram tours are guided. You can rent bikes at the visitor center. There are snacks and drinks available, as well. People often spot alligators, turtles, fish, birds, and other animals in this area.

The Shark Valley Visitor center is located at 36000 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33194.

Explore the Everglades on An Airboat

Come on down and explore Shark Valley and its visitor center. You’ll learn a lot and get to see so much wildlife and plant life! When you’re done walking, biking or riding the tram, hop on an airboat tour to take exploring the Everglades to another level!

An airboat ride is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To book an airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065 or click our Private Everglades Airboat Tours page.

The Everglades is huge – more than 800 square miles in fact. Because of its size, the Park has multiple entrances and visitor centers. For this article, we wanted to focus on the Gulf Coast Visitor Center.

The visitor center is located at 815 Oyster Bar Lane in Everglades City, which is five miles south of Highway 41.

The visitor center is open mid-November through mid-April from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. mid-April to mid-November.

Unfortunately, in 2017, the visitor center was destroyed by Hurricane Irma and is undergoing repairs. In the meantime, there is a temporary visitor contact station. At this station, you are provided with information about the Ten Thousand Islands, which stretch from Flamingo and Florida Bay. The center has education displays for viewing and has backcountry permits available.

From the visitor center, you can leave on boat tours that explore the Ten Thousand Islands. The tours are daily, year-round. You can purchase boat tour tickets at 905 S. Copeland Ave., Everglades City. The tours leave from the Gulf Coat Marina, across from where you bought the tickets.

You can also rent kayaks and canoes. There are porta-potties available as restrooms.

When visiting this area, it is advised you bring your own water and snacks.

Explore the Everglades on An Airboat

About 10 minutes away from the Gulf Coast Visitor Center is Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours! After you are done exploring the visitor center and Ten Thousand Islands, drive up to catch an airboat ride. You won’t be disappointed! An airboat ride is a thrilling adventure where you get to see lots of wildlife, plants, and learn about the Park.

Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours is located at 30999 Tamiami Trail E, Naples, FL 34114. Captain Mitch is open daily from  8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To book an airboat tour or learn more, call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065 or click our Private Everglades Airboat Tours page.

Do you enjoy helping others? Do you enjoy giving back? Do you like the outdoors? Do you like plants and wildlife? If so, we think you’d enjoy volunteering in the Everglades National Park. There’s a pretty big and active volunteer program in the Everglades. In fact, there is limited housing for many volunteers from November through April.

There are many volunteer options within the Park. Some positions deal with the public while others are more “behind the scenes.” Some volunteer opportunities are a one-time gig while others are longer-term positions. You can volunteer alone, with a group, for service hours. Adults and children can volunteer. Non-U.S. citizens who have a legal permanent resident status can volunteer, as well.

As a volunteer, no matter your job position, you will receive on-site training. All volunteers are protected under the Park’s workers’ compensation.

When you work for the Park, you’re giving back to the Everglades and community. You’re helping the Park with its mission and goals. As a volunteer, you will be invited to an annual appreciation event and may even win an award based on your efforts.

In 2012, the Park’s volunteer program won the George B. Hartzog Volunteers-in-Parks Program Award, which means the service in the Park provided above-and-beyond service.

Sound interesting to you? If you’re looking for a volunteering position in the Park, visitwww.nps.gov/volunteer or www.volunteer.gov.

Explore the Everglades on An Airboat

Looking to spend some time in the Everglades? Check it out on an airboat tour! An airboat tour will get you close to plants and animals while seeing areas of the wetland you’d never get to see by foot.

An airboat ride is a thrilling adventure, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will surely leave you will great memories. To book an airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065 or click our Private Everglades Airboat Tours page.

There are seemingly endless activities to do in the Everglades – much more than just a walk on the trails! The Everglades is a National Park filled with things for you to do. Whether you go alone, with a group, with a loved one, or with children, there’s activity to suit your needs and wants!

As an airboat tour company, we highly recommend you experience an airboat tour through the waterways of the Everglades. You will see sights that you will never get to see any other way! Gliding through the water past plants and animals is a fun experience like no other!

Once you’re done with an airboat tour, you may be looking for other activities to do during a trip to the Park. For this article, we wanted to share some activities offered in the Park that are definitely worth checking out!

Biking – You can ride your bike in Shark Valley, Snake Bight Trail, and Long Pine Key Nature Trail.

Bird Watching – There are many spots across the Park to watch birds, but be aware that during nesting seasons bird watching may be prohibited in certain areas of the Park.

Boating – If you own or rent a boat, you can explore the Park on your own. There are also boat tours that leave from Flamingo and the Gulf Coast around the Park.

Camping – You can participate in front-country camping and backcountry camping in the Park. The Long Pine Key and Flamingo campgrounds have restrooms, grills, picnic tables, and sites for tents and trailers.

Fishing – You can fish for salt and freshwater fish in the Park. However, you must follow the Park’s and state fishing regulations to avoid being ticketed.

Geocaching – You can participate in a “treasure hunt” outdoors by finding hidden geocaches (containers) using GPS devices.

Kayaking/Canoeing – You can explore the Everglades on your own through the waterways. The Wilderness Waterway is 99 miles, but there are many other shorter waterways to paddle.

Slough-Slogging – Slough-Slogging is off-trail hiking where you can get closer to species in the Park.

Tours/Programs – Led by guides or rangers, you can take guided tours to learn about the Park.

These are just some of the activities for you to experience while visiting the Everglades!

Explore the Everglades on An Airboat

All these activities are fun, and we highly recommend them, but an airboat tour is hard to beat!  An airboat ride is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You’ll get to glide by so many different animals, birds, and plants. To book an airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065 or click our Private Everglades Airboat Tours page.