Everglades National Park is one of three national parks in South Florida, and the only one that can easily be accessed from land. However, with its reputation as a haven for alligators, crocodiles, and invasive reptiles, many parents worry if the Everglades is a good place to bring kids.
Everglades National Park is one of the best parks for kids. The Everglades are exciting, exotic, and full of amazing wildlife. While on the surface the Everglades can seem like an endless swamp, the area offers many exciting things to do, including hiking, kayaking, dolphin boat tours, and airboat rides.
I think that Everglades National Park and the nearby areas are among the most interesting and exciting parks to visit with kids. Read on for more about why my kids love these areas, and what we did to enjoy them.
Why Everglades National Park is the Great for Kids
Out of all our national parks, Everglades National Park is one of the most unassuming. With no stunning vistas or dramatic landscapes, many people might wonder if the Everglades are even worth a visit. However, I have found that the Everglades are one of the best places to take kids.
The Everglades are an exotic and tropical landscape that can appeal to kids’ imaginations. While the Everglades are often called swamps, that name is inaccurate. In fact, the Everglades are one huge slow-moving river that drains southern Florida and Lake Okeechobee. While much of this area was drained and made into farmland, a significant area of the Everglades still exists.
Not only that, but the Everglades are also full of remarkable animals that (for most of us) aren’t a regular part of our lives. From alligators and turtles to wading birds and lizards, the Everglades are full of life in numbers and variety that you won’t encounter anywhere else. Most kids are excited to see turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, and other reptiles, along with exotic-looking birds and some more familiar animals like deer and raccoons. Just don’t expect to see flamingoes in the flamingo area of the park! While they have been spotted there, it’s incredibly unusual to see them.
Everglades Safety
When you are in any wilderness area, there are certain precautions that should be taken. However, in the Everglades, there are some unique safety rules that everyone in your family should understand.
First, realize that alligators and crocodiles are dangerous animals and, while they usually look tranquil and at peace sunning themselves on the banks of rivers or lakes, they can also move quickly and may target small children and pets. You should always remain a respectful distance away from any basking alligator. Most people recommend staying 12-15 feet away. If the animal is agitated, begins hissing, or seems interested in you, it’s time to move even farther away.
Stay vigilant near any body of water and keep a close eye on your children, especially small children. Alligators usually hunt at night, so don’t walk near the edge of lakes and rivers at this time. Finally, do not harass wildlife in any way, and never feed wild animals.
In the Everglades, it is also important to stay cool, be prepared for sudden thunderstorms, and bring extra water with you. If you are hiking or paddling away from main areas, make sure that you understand your bearings, and how to read a map, and consider taking a GPS of some kind. Mangroves and Everglades tend to have few landmarks to help you orient yourself so make sure you are prepared for that.
Finally, make sure that you are prepared to encounter mosquitoes and other biting insects. We have had limited success with DEET-based products, although we do use them. We also use
Best Ways to See Alligators and Other Wildlife
A trip to the Everglades without seeing alligators would be very disappointing! Remember, alligators are wild and while most visitors will see them, nothing is guaranteed. If you want to have the best chances to see alligators up close and personal (just not too close!) here are my best tips.
- Visit on a warm, sunny day. Alligators like to bask in the sun on the banks of their waterways when the weather is warm and the sun is out. If it is cloudy and cool, you might not see any. It doesn’t have to be hot, though. If the air is warmer than the water and there is some sunshine, you will have a good chance.
- Go to the Anhinga Trail. This short trail has boardwalks and a paved path and is one of the best places to see alligators in the whole park. On one visit, we saw a dozen along this trail!
- Visit in the winter. Not only is southern Florida incredibly hot and humid during the summer, but the alligators are often less visible because the high water levels give them plenty of places to hide.
- Book an airboat or tram ride. If you aren’t interested in seeing gators on the trail, you can also see them from the (relative) safety of a tram or airboat ride.
Great Hikes for Kids
There are more hikes in Everglades National Park than you might expect. While the landscape is largely one of water, there is enough dry land for hiking in many different areas. Here are some of our favorite hikes in the park and nearby areas: (Note: we visited the Pine Island and Flamingo areas of the park, so all of the trails we personally tried are located there.)
Anhinga Trail
The Anhinga Trail is always my first recommendation for anyone visiting Everglades National Park. While this trail is well-loved and there might be more people here than you might prefer, it’s the best trail to get a feel for the Everglades and your best bet for seeing a lot of different kinds of animals including gators, turtles, fish, and a lot of birds. On one visit we saw over a dozen alligators and nearly as many turtles, along with countless wading birds. No visit to the park is complete without a stroll on this trail, which is paved or boardwalk and perfectly suitable for wheelchairs and strollers.
Gumbo Limbo Trail
The Gumbo Limbo Trail is a short loop located at the same trailhead as the Anhinga Trail. The Gumbo Limbo Trail is a .4-mile path through the forest, and unlike the Anhinga Trial, you won’t see any gators here. But you will probably spot lizards, butterflies, and wildflowers.
Pa-Hay-Okee Overlook
This short trail leads to an overlook that will allow you to view the Everglades grasslands from a higher perspective. This is also a popular spot to watch the sunset. On our visit, the sunset wasn’t spectacular but the view from the overlook was great and the kids enjoyed the stop to stretch their legs on the long drive back out of the park.
Eco Pond Trail
A short loop around a pond in the Flamingo area of the park. This trail is less dramatic than many of the others but can be a good place to spot birds and turtles or stretch little legs after a long drive. On our visit, we didn’t spot any alligators but we did watch a lot of interesting birds and see a lot of butterflies.
Paddling in the Everglades
Paddling in the Everglades can be a great experience. Not only is the exotic experience of being in a boat or on the water new for many kids, the mangroves and Everglades usually offer a very unique environment to paddle in.
The mangroves are amazing plants and the ecosystem here is vital for the oceans and life on land in many ways. One of the most notable things about the mangrove swamps is that they work as an ocean nursery. These forests are full of brackish (semi-salty) water and are tidal, so they provide a great environment for the young of many species, including sharks, rays, and many different kinds of fish.
Not only do the young of many species find shelter among the mangrove roots but you can also spot larger animals in the mangroves as well, especially mangroves that are right on the edge of the ocean. We have personally seen rays, dolphins, alligators, and manatees while kayaking in mangroves along the edges of the keys, not to mention scores of fish including brightly-colored parrot fish.
One caution: Mangrove forests can look remarkably similar no matter where you are, so be careful about navigation and make sure that you know where you are going and how to get back. It is very easy to get lost in these areas.
Shark Valley
Many people recommend taking the Shark Valley Tram from the Shark Valley entrance. This guided tram follows a 15-mile loop which you can also travel on a bike. However, it is often hot and there is no shade along the way. At the end of the loop, an observation tower allows you to see the River of Grass From a better vantage point. There are a few short trails in the Shark Valley area, as well.
Camping in the Everglades
Camping in southern Florida has a few differences from other camping experiences I have had. That said, I love Florida camping and it’s one of my favorite things to do! When you camp in the Everglades, you have to be prepared for insects. Whether that means you head to bed early, keep DEET spray nearby, or dress everyone in netting, make sure that you are ready for the swarms.
Try to avoid camping during the summer. The weather is simply too hot during the summer for comfortable tent camping. If you have an RV and can find a full hook-up site, summer may be tolerable but you will be spending most of your time inside, and what’s the fun in that? It’s better to save your summer trips for a cooler destination and visit the Everglades in the winter.
If you camp in the park itself, you will have two campgrounds to choose from. The Flamingo campground has some RV hookups as well as several hundred tent sites. The Long Pine Key campground is located near the Fort Lauderdale entrance and has both tent and RV sites, but no hookups are available. Both campgrounds also offer amenities like hot showers, grills, picnic tables, and toilets.
Airboat Rides
Taking an airboat ride through the Everglades is one of the quintessential ways to enjoy this part of the world. While you won’t find any airboat rides in the park or preserves themselves, you can find commercial operations all over the area outside of the park. Many airboat operators have guided tours that allow you to learn more about the nature and history of the area. Some operators also have exhibits or animal shows.
Big Cypress Preserve
Nearby Big Cypress Preserve is a National Park System-managed preserve that helps to protect much of the Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp. This park is located west of Everglades National Park and if you travel along Highway 41 you will spend most of your time driving through the park. This park has fewer amenities than the national park nearby, but it has several nice campgrounds, two visitor centers, and several trails that are accessed right off the highway. If you can come through this area, it’s well worth a visit. Some people prefer Big Cypress as there are usually fewer people in this area.
