Intro
Everglades National Park is a great place to see some South Florida wildlife. From alligators to egrets to manatees, there is a wide variety of animals who call Everglades National Park home. If you took away the national parks in Alaska, the Everglades would be ranked as the third largest in the lower 48 at 1.2 million acres. With a park that big, you might be thinking you’ve got a chance to see some wildlife, right? Well it certainly depends on what time of year you visit. But even then, seeing wildlife in the Everglades is all up to chance.
However, there are some things you can do within the park that can certainly improve your chances of seeing wildlife. Here are some things I did during my visit to the Everglades that allowed me to see some wildlife and experience the vast beauty of this incredible national park.
Table of contents
Where to See Wildlife in the Everglades
Airboat Tour
Taking an airboat tour is an excellent way to see some wildlife in Everglades National Park. Since the Everglades is very watery (it’s actually one massive river), there aren’t very many trails to take to really immerse yourself and enjoy the beauty of this park. By taking an airboat tour, you get to immerse yourself and see the Everglades in its more natural setting.
In the Everglades, there are only 3 vendors allowed to run tours within the limits of the park. As I was driving on the Tamiami Trail on my way to Key West, I noticed several vendors who were not approved by the National Park Service offering tours. I was hesitant to see them. On one hand, it’s always great to support local businesses. But on the other, we want to be mindful of our impact on the environment that we are visiting. When something isn’t regulated, it could be doing more harm than good. So I’m going to stick with the vendors who are allowed to operate in the park:
I personally chose Coopertown for my airboat tour and it was amazing. However, I’m sure choosing any of the three vendors will give you a very similar experience. Before our tour, we had a staff member talk about alligators in the park and their struggle with coexisting with the dreaded burmese python. While the staff member was explaining how threatening the pythons are to baby alligators and to alligator eggs, we got to actually see a baby alligator being held by the staff! Headphones are also complementary while boarding the boat which I would recommend using (it does get really loud).
While I didn’t actually see any wildlife on the airboat tour, I still think it’s a great way to explore the park which does increase your chances of seeing something. Our tour guide was kind, funny and was really going out of his way to have us see an alligator. Even though we lucked out, the airboat ride was still a lovely experience. And they have a restaurant you can walk to after your tour! If you’re brave enough to try some alligator tail and frog legs, make sure to stop by for lunch after your tour.
Flamingo
Flamingo is the southern portion of Everglades National Park. There is a visitor center as well as camping and lodging options. The visitor center overlooks Florida Bay which is such a treat to look at during sunset. Visiting Flamingo ended up being the best place to see manatees! Upon our arrival to Flamingo, my partner and I went to explore the visitor center and noticed some people along the edge of the bay by the visitor center. When we went there to investigate, we met a scientist who was telling us he was there to watch manatees. Sure enough, I looked down into the water and there they were; three beautiful and incredible manatees. I was in such shock at how adorable they were.
Unfortunately, one of the manatees had an awful gash on its back from being hit by a boat. The scientist explained that it is common to see those kinds of injuries. In and around Florida Bay, there have been challenges with people not following speed limits and driving too fast. And while the scientist explained that they do their best to intervene, it doesn’t always work. So if you’re boating in this area, remember who you are sharing the water with.
From the bay, there is a dock to the left of the visitor center. The scientist said it was great to see some crocodiles, other manatees and there were even bull sharks there. I was a little tense when I heard him mention crocodiles, but we still went off to explore. I did not see any crocodiles, but I saw more manatees along with some small bull sharks popping up out of the water.
This visit became one of my favorite parts of visiting the Everglades because I really wasn’t expecting to see manatees. I thought it would be too difficult to try and look for them, but I am very glad I was wrong. Seeing the bull sharks was a lovely bonus. With that being said, I would absolutely recommend spending a day in Flamingo walking around and looking at Florida Bay to see some aquatic wildlife.
Shark Valley Tram Tour
Located close to the airboat tours in the Everglades, the Shark Valley Visitor Center offers tram tours. These are ecotours which will take you throughout the Shark Valley portion of the Everglades on a 15 mile paved loop trail. This tour taught me so much about the Everglades and how it is such a unique ecosystem. The tram has no doors so you are able to have better views for seeing wildlife (but don’t worry, it’s very safe. No alligators are going to get you).
Halfway through the tour, you’ll stop and get a chance to go up and explore their iconic 45 foot high observation deck. The view of the Everglades is absolutely incredible at the top. Our tour guides also mentioned that this particular area was where the Shark Valley’s crocodiles like to spend their time. While I did not see crocodiles, I did see a turtle swimming in the water below the tower. Throughout the entirety of the tour, I saw egrets, herons, alligators and many other types of bird species that live in the park.
This tour was where I saw the most wildlife. I was very grateful for the experience because it allowed me to see and learn so much about the Everglades. The tour is fairly inexpensive and it’s a really funny and interactive way to learn while also sightseeing. Additionally, you could also rent bicycles and bike on the 15 mile paved trail yourself. Or you can walk it! But if you’re visiting in the middle of summer, it might be more comfortable to take the tour so that you don’t exert so much energy. The humidity really is a different kind of beast down there.
Conclusion
While there is never a guarantee that you will see wildlife when you go to the Everglades, I do believe that doing an interactive tour or exploring, whether that is in Flamingo or on any boardwalk trail, will increase your chances of seeing something. Whether you chose to spend your time in the Everglades hiking, biking or taking tours, I will be channeling some wildlife viewing energy for you.
Additional Information
If you are planning a trip to the Everglades or to any of the other Florida national parks then be sure to check out my other posts to help with your future planning!
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