A couple of weeks ago we hit the road again with Stan the Tan Van. Our destination? The sunny Florida Everglades. We had high hopes of replenishing our vitamin D and diminishing our resemblance to a couple of pasty vampires. Even though on our first night, I came down with my second bought of flu this season (looks like there’s a flu shot in my future from now on), it felt so good to be back on the road again. Back in our tiny home on wheels. Back to rumbling down muddy dirt roads at dusk searching for camp spots. Back to waking with the rhythm of the sun and spending our days outdoors.

Everglades National Park Ecosystem and History

This was our first time in the Everglades and the landscapes and wildlife are more diverse than we ever imagined. Tropical and temperate plants and animals live side-by-side. You can see forests of palm and pine trees, as well as cardinals flitting among bromeliads and cacti. The park is home to numerous rare and endangered species. Plus, it’s the only place in the world where both alligators and crocodiles reside together. I don’t know about you, but when I heard this my mental image was cartoon style reptiles walking around holding hands with big toothy grins on their faces.

The Everglades wetlands are 50% smaller than they used to be. Large portions were drained from the late 1800s through early 1900s for agriculture and urban development. This of course wreaked havoc on the natural ecosystem and the Everglades quickly began to dry-up and become invaded by non-native species.

In 1934 the southernmost area of the wetlands was designated as Everglades National Park but didn’t officially open until 1947. The actual Everglades extend far north of the park boundary, all the way to the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee. Water flows from these northern areas through marshes, prairies, and forests creating this extremely unique ecosystem that allows such a variety of life to exist.

Before I go into all the details, here’s a little guide to the best places we found to see wildlife.

Best Places to see Wildlife in the Everglades

Alligators: Scenic Loop Road off Tamiami Trail (US 41) or Oasis Visitor Center
Crocodiles: Flamingo marina
Manatees: Directly behind the Flamingo Visitor Center
Birds: Shark Valley entrance road (beyond the gate) before 8:30 am, Paurotis Pond (where the Wood Storks are currently nesting), and Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm
Mosquitos: Yeah, I know, no one wants to see these, but the Everglades is notorious for its huge mosquito population so come prepared with bug spray and a good screen tent.
Sidenote: We absolutely LOVE our new screen tent! It’s so easy to put up and totally saved our skins (quite literally😉) on this trip. I think it’s time for us to update our outdoor gear list.

Here are our top recommendations for what to do in Everglades National Park.

Big Cypress National Preserve

We spent the first part of our visit at Midway campground in Big Cypress National Preserve. If you want to see alligators, this is the place to be. At the Oasis Visitor Center there are tons of gators just hanging out in the water below the boardwalk. The park service offers multiple free ranger-guided tours and activities where you can learn about the area and wildlife. If you have a couple hours, our very favorite place to spot gators was along the scenic Loop Road off the Tamiami Trail (US 41). There are turn-outs, so you can pull over and watch the wildlife (from a safe distance of course). Bonus points if you get hissed at by a one-eyed gator, like Tom did.

Shark Valley Area of Everglades National Park

We never found out how it got the name Shark Valley, but we did see a multitude of birds and more alligators here. The first time we tried to visit, the parking lot was full. The next day we arrived early to ensure a spot. We found a closed gate instead. Turns out the gate isn’t open until 8:30 am. This ended up being a happy accident.

We quickly discovered it was prime bird photography time. The channel of water next to the entrance road is filled with feathered friends and a few sneaky reptiles in the morning hours. You’ll also find a dozen photographers strolling around comparing size…of their lenses, of course (get your mind out of the gutter). We may have been seriously out-lensed, but strolling along the water’s edge and listening to the morning birdsong was a peaceful way to start the day.

Once inside the park, you can take a tram, bike, or walk the 15-mile paved trail to an observation tower with panoramic views of the surrounding Everglades. We didn’t make it to the tower because I was still feeling under the weather (damn flu), but we walked part of the main trail and a short side trail. We think the best way to experience this area would be by bike. Anyone have a couple of bikes that you want to sell? For real, we need to get ourselves some bikes!

East Entrance and Flamingo Area of Everglades National Park

Eat: The Robert is Here Fruit Stand is on the way to the other side of the park. It’s a tourist attraction, but still a fun place to pick-up fresh produce. Plus, their refreshing fruit shakes really hit the spot on a steamy day.

By Land

Since the Everglades are all about water, it’s not surprising that it isn’t exactly a hiker’s paradise. That said, there are plenty of opportunities to explore the area by foot and see incredible scenery. There’s one main park road that runs from the east park entrance south to Flamingo. There are at least a dozen boardwalks and hiking trails along the way that take you through many different Everglades habitats.

Our top picks for boardwalks are the Royal Palm area (which has two separate trails) and Mahogany Hammock. We love the lush green forested hammocks at these stops and the plethora of birds and wildlife. Just watch out for black-headed vultures—they just might eat your car. Admittedly we didn’t do a ton of trail hiking because some of the access roads were closed and some of the trails under water, but our favorite was the 2-mile Bayshore Loop Trail with its changing terrain and scenery.

By Sea

Okay so technically, it’s not a sea, but exploring the Everglades by water is a must. As one of the rangers told us, “Our form of hiking here is getting out and paddling around on the water.” You can rent canoes and kayaks at the Flamingo marina. If you prefer not to power your own transport, there are motorized boat tours offered in the Shark Valley area and along the Tamiami Trail. We recommend taking the free canoe tour provided by the park service. You just sign-up ahead of time at the Flamingo visitor center. We didn’t have any trouble booking 2-days out.

The tour covers various watery terrain. It starts on a series of lakes connected by canals, then goes into the dense mangrove forests. Here you navigate (or at least attempt to navigate) some tight corners and duck through lush mangrove tunnels. Eventually the landscape opens to a picturesque pristine river of grass. Even on a group tour, the stillness and subtle sounds of nature make for a calming and tranquil morning.

We didn’t go to Florida with any real expectations or much of a plan. Yet we saw so many stunning plants and animals that we really fell for the Everglades by the time we left. We’re truly sad to say good-bye to the warm, salty, humid Florida air (not so much the mosquitoes). But excited for our next destination—Costa Rica.

Have you been to the Everglades or South Florida? What’s your favorite area? And did you see any wildlife?

Related Posts:

• How to Get Away from Crowds in National Parks
• 7 Ways to be a Good National Park Visitor
• On and Off the Beaten Path at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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