Everglades National Park, Florida

Located a short drive off the main drag to the Flamingo Visitor Centre (and only a few hours from Miami) this short boardwalk through a lush Mahogany and Gumbo-Limbo plants is an easy walk for families.Elevated upon a well-serviced boardwalk this trail passes the oldest Mahogany tree (Swietenia m...

If you only do one thing in the Everglades, I highly recommend canoeing through the mangrove and lake meadows of 9 mile pond. I had thought the Everglades would have been swampy, but they are in fact "glades" or open meadows in a forest.We decided to rent canoes from the concessionaire near the ...

Camp along a 3 mile stretch of untouched old Florida. Not only is this the real southernmost point in the continental US (the Keys are islands), but you will most likely have it to yourself. Spot dolphins, bald eagles, ospreys, and a ton of other birds on this awesome over nighter that is great f...

Paddle 7.5 miles across Florida Bay to Clubhouse Beach, a primitive sand-and-marl beach backed by lime-green coastal prairie and mangrove forests in Everglades National Park. This 15-mile roundtrip is the closest backcountry campsite to Flamingo Marina—rangers recommend it for first-time backcoun...

Park at the trailhead and hop onto the boardwalk trail. Its very short--just 0.2 miles, so take your time to enjoy the scenery and wildlife. Partway through the hike there is a lookout tower which is great for getting a high vantage point to enjoy the landscape from. Be aware of wildlife around y...

The Everglades National Park is a superb spot for viewing wading birds and alligators off an easy paved path. There are a number of observation decks along the way, off of the main path. The trail begins at the Visitor Center, following Taylor Slough. The Anhinga Trail is one of the best places ...

One of the Best beaches in Florida keys. 3 parking lots so easy to park if it's not packed. Go when it's low tide and you could walk for miles in shallow warm crystal clear waters. You can put up a hammock or blanket nestled in the mangroves.

The Shark Valley loop allows you to experience a peaceful bike ride and close encounters with wildlife found in the Everglades. This paved trail takes about 2-3 hours to complete and includes an observation tower with quite a view.Fill up or purchase water bottles at the Visitor Center for your a...

I would like to preface this adventure by saying that if you prefer to bike Shark Valley, please reference Rob Witt's adventure "Bike through Shark Valley".  Biking is certainly the best way to see the whole trail, and not spend the entire day doing it.  Hiking (really walking) this trail is a sl...

This 5-mile swamp walk begins off of Loop Road. To get there, take the Tamiami Trail into Big Cypress National Preserve and turn onto Loop Road (a right turn if coming from the west, a left turn from the east) at Monroe Station. About 2.2 miles down the gravel road, you will see signage for the G...

Sombrero Reef is a coral reef 8 miles offshore from Key Colony Beach. Launch your private boat from the free 33rd Street Public Boat Ramp or book a catamaran tour from Marathon. Tie your boat off on one of the 11 mooring buoys on the South side of the 142 foot Sombrero Key Lighthouse. Get your wa...

A few miles after the Big Cypress visitor center you will find the Kirby Storter Boardwalk. This is a short 1 mile trail through a mature cypress strand. It is a pretty neat experience since in the Everglades in order to be in the middle of a habitat like this, you have to get your feet wet, howe...

The Deering Estate is a magnificent and historic property with a home built in 1900.  To see the house and check out its immediate property, you will need to pay to enter the gates.  However, just 50 yards south of the entry to the Estate is a small service road that leads down to the "People's D...

The Wilderness Waterway in the Everglades National Park can be navigated either by kayak or canoe. This is an endurance voyage that typically takes upwards of 10 days if you are solo-canoeing. The voyage can take significantly less time if using a kayak or a multi-person powered canoe. This route...

There are few places as beautiful and serene as Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden! Located right in Coral Gables, near Miami, this garden boasts an extensive amount of well-groomed acres with hundreds of different tropical flowers and species of plants. When exploring the gardens, it is likely th...

Matheson Hammock is a beautiful park in the heart of one of the oldest sections of Miami, just off of Old Culter Road.  This is far off the tourist map which is mostly confined to South Beach. However, it is just 20 minutes from the beach and 10 minutes from Downtown.  The park is enjoyed by many...