Round Up: Things to do in the Everglades

October 25, 2016 by

things to do in the evergladesThe Everglades is a vast wilderness. If you want to plan a trip to this beautiful wetland, there is a lot you can possibly see and do. Even if you’ve been to the Park before, you can always come back and find new places to explore and experiences to partake in. Below, we’ve shared some tips on some things to do in the Everglades Park that are worth visiting.

  • If you’re looking to see some wildlife, the Shark Valley or Homestead entrances of the park is where you should enter.
  • If you have a lot of time, exploring the Ten Thousand Islands off the Gulf Coast, followed by a boat trip to the Everglades City entrance to the park is a great, breathtaking outing.
  • Visit the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center; the Center has a lot of great interactive exhibits and a 15-minute film, “River of Life” in the theater. You can also pick up maps here and have any questions you have answered. If you’d like to schedule a ranger-guided tour, you can do it here; these tours are great for first-time visitors.
  • The Anhinga Trail is a must-go-to place if you want to see alligators and wading birds at close range. This is a 3/4 mile paved, boardwalk trail.
  • The Pahayokee Overlook has an observation tower for people to view the vastness of the Everglades; it’s a great spot to catch the sunset.
  • Flamingo – If you plan to spend a lot of time in the Park or really love the outdoors, this is the area to go. It’s a long drive (38 miles from the Park’s entrance). This area is great for camping and birdwatching.
  • Coot Bay/Mud Lake is a great spot to canoe or kayak through mangrove tunnels and lakes; people can see lots of birds, alligators and crocodiles going this route.

Getting Around the Everglades

Along with all the great activities and places-to-see above, another great way to experience the Everglades up-close-and-personal is a ride on an airboat. Airboats are iconic in the Everglades. With an airboat tour, you can see wildlife and areas of the wetland that are inaccessible by foot. There are so many things to do in the Everglades! To book an airboat tour, contact Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065 or click here.

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Take A Ride on the Shark Valley Bike Trail

August 2, 2016 by

shark valleyThe Everglades is a beautiful, majestic place perfect for you to explore and enjoy in a variety of different ways. If you’re looking for some extra exercise and a peaceful and enjoyable way to experience the park, you should try biking through Shark Valley.

The Shark Valley bike trail is a 15-mile trip that is good for any type of bicycle; this trail is flat and is not a rough terrain. On average, this ride takes bicyclists two to 3 hours to complete. Usually, people don’t bike nonstop on this trail, because they stop to view the beautiful wetland scenery around them.

The bike trail is also used by trams, run by Shark Valley Tram Tours. People ride bikes opposite the flow of tram traffic. The loop starts at the visitor center. People are asked to stop biking when a tram passes, and they can continue once the tram has fully passed them. The speed limit for trams and bicyclists on this trail is 25 mph for safety purposes.

People are allowed to bring their own bicycles, or they can rent them from Shark Valley Tram Tours. Bikes are available to rent on a first-come, first-served basis. The rental bikes are single-gear, coaster brake bikes with adjustable seats. There are also children’s bikes available, as well as bikes with child seats attached. Shark Valley Tram Tours also provides helmets and baskets for people to use with their bike rental. Bikes can be rented and used on this trail from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On this trail, there are no short cuts. For people who do not want to or cannot complete the 15-mile trip, they are advised to turn around on the road to return. The parking lot for this trail closes at 6 p.m. People can find restrooms and a water fountain at an observation tower at the farthest point on the loop road.

If you’re looking to ride with a group larger than 20 people, you need to obtain a special use permit from a park ranger. Also if you want to bike outside the normal biking hours, you will also have to obtain a permit.

Through the ride on Shark Valley trail, people can get a closer look at bayhead and hammock ecosystems in Bobcat Boardwalk and Otter Cave Hammock trail, which are a couple of unpaved walking trails people can explore along the way.

Being in the middle of the Everglades, there is the chance of seeing wildlife. Feeding or harassing the animals in the park is not allowed, and people are asked to keep their distance from any wildlife they see for their own safety.

Visit the Everglades

Biking is a great way to explore the great outdoors of the Everglades Park. Another awesome way to see even more sights throughout this precious ecosystem is a trip on an airboat. Airboats can bring visitors to places beyond where a walking or biking trail can reach. To book an airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065 or click here.

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