Everglades National Park Itinerary

I recently returned from a fantastic trip to the Florida National Parks. I usually have an easy time researching and preparing for trips, but this time I had a hard time finding the Everglades information I was looking for. I had to learn a few things the hard way, while traveling. But you don’t have to! I’m writing this Everglades National Park Itinerary to help plug the information gaps I had while planning my trip. I hope it helps you!

In this article:

• Best way to get to Everglades National Park
• Making sense of all the entrances and visitor centers – and which entrance you need
• Everglades National Park map (you can download this for free)
• Best Things to do Everglades National Park
• My two day Everglades National Park Itinerary (+ what I’d do if I only had 1 day in Everglades)
• When to go + Where to stay

How To Get To Everglades National Park

Let’s start with the basics – how to get there, and a quick lay of the land to get oriented before I dig into all the great things to do on this Everglades National Park itinerary!

This will help to make more sense of where things are located and how best to cluster them together to maximize your time.

Everglades National Park is located along the southern tip of Florida, between Naples and Miami. It’s a truly massive park (the third largest by size in the lower 48) and spans over 1.5 million acres.

This means there are several entrances and areas within Everglades National Park. The most popular areas in Everglades National Park are on the east side of the park.

For this reason I recommend flying into Miami or Fort Lauderdale to visit Everglades National Park.

Naples, Tampa and Orlando are also possible airports for Everglades National Park, but they tend to be more expensive and a little less convenient.

Everglades National Park From Miami

Distance from Miami to Everglades National Park: 1 hour
Distance from Fort Lauderdale to Everglades National Park: 1 hour 15 minutes

Note: Miami has horrendous traffic so add some buffer into your travel time, just in case. I hit a 2 hour delay coming through Miami for no apparent reason – and apparently this is quite common.

Miami usually has the best flight options and prices, but I recommend you compare flights before deciding on an airport.

Additionally, Miami usually has affordable rental car prices, but I suggest you compare rental car prices for nearby airports before booking because this might sway your decision. I usually find Orlando has to highest rental car prices.

Everglades Entrance

There are 3 entrances to Everglades National Park:

• Everglades City (northwest corner, towards Naples)
• Miami (northeast corner)
• Homestead (southeast corner)

This NPS park map does a great job at giving a high level outline of the park entrances, visitors center and primary attractions:

There are really only two primary roads through Everglades National Park, and they do not connect.

Rt 41 runs along the northern border of the park and is also called Tamiami Trail. This route connects Naples and Miami, and is used to access the Gulf Coast and Shark Valley visitor centers.

The second road is Rt 9336, also called Main Park Rd. It’s about 38 miles long and connects the Royal Palm area in the east with Flamingo area in the south.

Everglades is a massive National Park, so be prepared for longer drive times between areas:

Gulf Coast to Shark Valley: 50 minutes
Shark Valley to Royal Palm: 1 hour 15 minutes
Royal Palm to Flamingo: 45 minutes

Everglades National Park Visitor Center

In addition to the 3 primary entrances, there are also 5 visitors centers in Everglades:

• Shark Valley Visitors Center
• Gulf Coast (closed for construction)
• Earnest F Coe Visitor Center – this is the primary visitor center for the park
• Royal Palm Visitor Center
• Guy Bradley Visitor Center (previously Flamingo Visitor Center)

In 2017, Hurricane Irma did extensive damage to the Gulf Coast Visitor Center (still closed for construction) and Guy Bradley Visitor Center (which reopened in 2023).

Earnest F Coe Visitor Center is the largest, and is located just outside of the parks entrance gate near Homestead. This is the gateway into the Royal Palms and Flamingo areas of Everglades.

Everglades National Park Map

Use this map to plan your Everglades National Park itinerary! I’ve labeled items by activity type (noted by color and icon).

Tip: Open this map in your browser by clicking the icon in the top right corner. Then click the star icon on the left-side bar. This will save the map to the Google Maps app on your phone so you can easily reference it during your trip. Locate this map in your Google Maps app by selecting ‘you’ at the bottom of the phone app and then scroll down and click ‘maps’ to find saved trip maps like this one.

Best Things To Do Everglades National Park

The best things to do in Everglades National Park depend on what time of year you’re visiting.

I highly recommend visiting Everglades between December and March, during the dry season. There are more options for tours and ranger-led programs during the winter, and the weather is far more favorable.

I visited in mid December and was shocked by how many ranger programs are offered for free. Everglades is very unusual in this way, as most National Parks have a very limited number of ranger programs scheduled.

If you’re visiting Everglades during the summer you’ll have limited options for ranger programs, and limited hours for tours and visitors centers and the weather is less than ideal.

1. Ranger Programs At Everglades National Park

I can’t say enough good things about the ranger programs at Everglades National Park. There are so many to choose from! And they’re incredibly interesting. Best of all, they’re free (most of them).

I participated in several programs during my two day trip: a wet walk through the marsh, a night walk along Anhinga Trail, and canoeing 9 Mile Pond. They were all free, fun, and really informative.

The wet walk ranger program was the most interesting, and terrifying. You’re literally walking through the marsh (up to your thighs!) with a small group and a National Park ranger.

Ranger David taught us about the ecosystem and how the difference of a few inches in elevation change can have a huge impact on which plants and animals habitat the area. In fact, the total elevation gain across all of the Everglades is only around 4 feet.

I had walked Anhinga Trail during daylight and saw a few alligators. Later that day, I returned to the same trail for a ranger led night walk and saw so many alligators staring back at me in the dark – I was shocked they’d all been in there a few hours earlier and I had no idea.

There are also several opportunities to participate in a canoe or kayak trip with a ranger. I highly recommend you have previous experience with paddling – we had a German family in our group who seemed to have never held a paddle before in their lives.

It’s not a high bar. You don’t need to be an expect, you simply need to have held a paddle at some point prior in your life.

Aside from that, our canoe tour through the mangrove tunnels was fantastic, but constantly being rammed by a metal canoe was obnoxious and borderline unsafe.

Most ranger programs are available from November to April, during the dry season. There are limited programs available in summer, during the wet season.

You can check out the park calendar to see all events available during your trip, or look up ranger programs by area within the park here – I think the best areas for ranger programs are Flamingo and Royal Palms.

2. Canoe Or Kayak Everglades National Park

There are many opportunities to canoe and kayak in Everglades National Park. The best places for paddling are in the Flamingo and Gulf Coast areas.

You can rent kayaks from a private business near the Gulf Coast Visitor Center. There are many mangrove tunnels and the Ten Thousand Islands that surround the Gulf Coast area.

I took a multi-day kayaking trip through the Ten Thousand Islands on a previous trip to the Everglades and it was incredible. The area is gorgeous and home to so many manatees and alligators.

Unfortunately, the Gulf Coast Visitor Center was destroyed by a hurricane and is currently closed for construction until late 2025. For now, the center and the surrounding areas are closed to the public.

Canoes and kayaks are also available in Flamingo. There are many trails in this area where you can enjoy a peaceful paddle on the water.

Flamingo Adventures is the approved concessionaire in this part of the Everglades for boat rentals. You can make advanced reservations for kayak and canoe rentals for a few hours or a few days.

I canoed on Nine Mile Pond and loved it. It’s a great mix of small lakes and winding mangrove tunnels – there are trail markers which make it easy to find your way.

This trail is estimated to take 4 hours but we completed it in closer to 3 hours.

Renting a kayak or canoe is a great way to go at your own pace, or you could consider joining one of the ranger led programs if you’d like paddle with a group and learn more about the ecosystem from a ranger.

If you’re more interested in a motorized boat, you’re also able to rent those for a half or full day.

3. Hiking Everglades National Park

Hiking Everglades National Park is very different than most national parks I’ve visited. First of all, Everglades is almost completely flat – in fact, it’s so flat that they actually measure elevation change in inches, not feet.

Second, there aren’t many spectacular vistas like you’d find atop a mountain. Instead, Everglades is all about the details.

Hiking Everglades National Park is meant to be done slowly, with high attention to the plant and animal life and the intricate way they all rely on each other to maintain a perfect balance.

I highly recommend joining at least one ranger program so you can learn first-hand about the way the different ecosystems play a part in balancing the Everglades. It’s really fascinating.

These are the trails I recommend for hiking Everglades National Park:

• Anhinga Trail (Royal Palms) – 0.8 miles
• Gumbo Limbo Trail (Royal Palms) – 0.5 miles
• Mahogany Hammock (Flamingo) – 0.4 miles
• Rowdy Bend Trail (Flamingo) – 5.1 miles
• Shark Valley Tram Trail (Shark Valley) – 15 miles *bike path*
• Bobcat Boardwalk Trail (Shark Valley) – 0.4 miles
• Otter Cave Hammock Trail (Shark Valley) – 0.3 miles

Anhinga Trail starts from the Royal Palms Visitor Center. In my opinion, it’s the best trail for hiking Everglades National Park.

It’s a raised boardwalk across the marsh where you can spot tons of alligators, birds, turtles, fish and frogs. It’s one of the best spots in the Everglades to spot wildlife.

Just next to Anhinga Trail is Gumbo Limbo Trail. It’s just half a mile and it weaves through a shaded path with a few small lakes. There are fewer things to spot here but I found several turtles in the water!

Both Bobcat Boardwalk Trail and Otter Cave Hammock Trail are located at the beginning of Shark Valley Tram Trail.

I recommend renting a bike and biking the full 15 miles, but even if you choose not to do that you can still walk to both of these short hiking trails.

Shark Valley Tram Trail is a fantastic place to spot alligators. I saw at least one alligator sunning itself along the river bank every 200 feet along this path.

You can walk the first section of the Tram Road trail to see wildlife and detour to the two short hiking trails along the road. It’s not necessary to rent a bike in order to see the wildlife here.

4. Ride Or Bike Tram Road In Shark Valley (Best Place For Wildlife)

Speaking of Tram Road… it’s located behind the Shark Valley Visitor Center and is a 15-mile loop road that takes you out to a 70-ft observation tower with 20-mile view across the Everglades.

There are two ways to get to the observation tower – rent a bike or take the tram.

Bike To Shark Valley Observation Tower

I rented a bike and had a blast! A full day bike rental costs $26 and I recommend making reservations in advance if you’re visiting during the busy season (winter).

You can pick up a bike as early as 8:30 AM and as late as 4:00 PM – but you must return the bike before 5:00 PM.

I would plan for 3 hours to bike the entire 15-miles. We were on a time crunch (wanting to get to the airboats before they closed) so we hauled it and completed the trip in just under 2 hours – but I wouldn’t recommend this if you can avoid it.

I biked this in mid-December in late afternoon and it was pretty warm. Definitely wear a wide-brimmed hat and bring plenty of water (you can refill at the observation tower).

If possible, I recommend doing this in the morning instead.

Ride The Shark Valley Tram

The second way to get to the Shark Valley Observation Tower is to take the tram. You definitely want to book this well in advance because it sells out.

The Tram is a 2-hour ride with a naturalist who explains the Everglades ecosystem and points out wildlife. It’s $33 per adult and usually leaves once per hour (schedule varies by season)

5. Tour HM69 Nike Missile Site

The Nike Missile Site was used between 1953 to 1979. There were over 300 of these sites in the US during the Cold War, which were designed to be the last line of defense against Soviet bombers carrying an H-Bomb.

I wasn’t able to make it to this site during my trip, but I’ve heard from multiple people that they expected it to be somewhat boring and were surprised by how interesting it was!

Free tours are provided between early December and late March. The site is usually open from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM with 1.5 hour Ranger guided tours starting at 2:00 PM.

Schedules fluctuate throughout the year so be sure to check the calendar to make sure the open hours work with your Everglades National Park itinerary plan.

6. Ride An Airboat

No trip to Everglades National Park is complete without an airboat ride!

An airboat is a large boat with a flat bottom that is propelled forward using a giant fan. This helps protect the wildlife from propeller blades that could harm them, and the flat bottom allows the boat to glide over the grass lands.

Airboat tours are only available in the Shark Valley area of the park, along RT 41. There are 3 authorized vendors who are allowed to operate in the boundaries of the Everglades – but they’re only to access about 2 miles of the National Park.

All of the authorized vendors are on the south side of RT 41. Additionally, there are several vendors on the north side of the road. The north side of the road is outside of the boundaries of Everglades National Park, even though it’s still the same river of grass.

I recommend using one of the approved vendors – they also tend to have better prices.

Authorized vendors include:

• Coopertown Airboats ($30)
• Everglades Safari Park ($39)
• Gator Park ($30)

Note: $8 National Park entrance fee not included in any of the above prices.

I chose to use Coopertown Airboats because they’re the oldest operating tour provider and highly rated. The tour costs $30 plus park admission (an extra $8, but I showed my America The Beautiful National Park Pass and had this fee waived.)

Advanced tickets are not necessary – in fact, I do not recommend buying them in advance. Tour operators do not provide refunds. Even if the tour is rained out you will only receive a credit for a future ride.

It’s extremely unlikely the tour will sell out, especially with three authorized vendors all along the same 3-mile stretch of road.

When you arrive you’ll pay for your ticket and be escorted to a waiting area. There aren’t set departure times. Instead, once there are enough riders to send out a boat they’ll help you board. It’s unlikely you’ll have to wait more than 20-minutes (and there is an Everglades video you can watch while you wait.)

The ride is about 40-minutes long and includes commentary about the environment. The pilot will point out wildlife, too.

I got lucky with the last boat of the day – we had almost a nearly empty boat and were able to see several alligators. The guide said he’d only seen a python in this area once (which was promptly removed).

The airboats can be really loud, so ear protection is provided.

I recommend you bring water because there is no shade. It’s really hard to wear a hat because of the wind, and anything not attached to your body will fly off.

7. Driving Through The Everglades

There are a few beautifully scenic drives through Everglades National Park. The 38-mile road (RT 9336) which connects Homestead to Flamingo and Long Loop Scenic Drive.

Technically, Long Loop Scenic Drive is not within Everglades National Park, but just outside of it in Big Cypress National Preserve (no fee). It’s 24-miles long and mostly gravel. The road runs next to to Tamiami Trail, so you could use it as a scenic detour instead of following RT 41.

RT 9336 to the southern tip of Everglades National Park is equally scenic. It’s paved, which makes it a bit easier to drive, but don’t speed! There are so many animals that live along this roadway that you’re likely to see one crossing the road.

I drove along RT 9336 during the early morning and in mid-afternoon. There were far more turtles and snakes crossing the road first thing in the morning.

Another visitor mentioned he had seen a panther along the road in the morning! That’s really, really rare – it’s estimated there are only 6 panthers in the park.

Your best chance of spotting a panther is in the Pineslands (their primary habitat) which are located between Ernest F Coe Visitor Center and Pa-hay-okee Overlook along Main Park Road.

Recommended Everglades National Park Itinerary

Below is my two day Everglades National Park itinerary. I’ve tweaked it slightly based on what I learned during my trip and to better optimize your time in the park.

If you’re really short on time, I’ve also provided a recommendation for what to do if you only have one day in Everglades National Park.

Two Day Everglades National Park Itinerary

Day 1 (Shark Valley & Flamingo)

• Tram Road to Shark Valley Observation Tower (Bike Or Tram Ride)
• Hike Bobcat Boardwalk Trail & Otter Cave Hammock Trail
• Airboat Ride
• Drive to Flamingo (stop for lunch in Homestead)
• Rent canoe, kayak or pontoon boat at Flamingo Marina
• Hike Mahogany Hammock or Rowdy Bend Trail
• Dinner at Flamingo Restaurant
• Evening Ranger Program (I recommend Anhinga Trail Night Walk)
• Accommodations: Stay at Long Pine Key Campground or in Homestead

Day 2 (Royal Palms)

• Join a ranger program (I recommend Nine Mile Pond canoeing)
• Hike Anhinga Trail & Gumbo Limbo Trail
• Join ranger led Wet Walk

Day 1 of 2: Everglades National Park Itinerary

I recommend starting near Shark Valley, which is almost halfway between Naples and Miami (so it won’t matter which direction you’re coming from). The activities in this area mostly close by 5pm so doing this first in the day makes the most sense.

Tram Road can get quite warm and windy in the afternoon. The wind can make it really hard to bike, so do this first. Then, stop by an airboat tour on your way down to the Homestead entrance.

There aren’t many restaurant options in the Everglades (just one restaurant in Flamingo near the marina and some grab and go options in Ernest F Coe Visitor Center). However, there are several lunch options in Homestead that you’ll drive past on your way to the southern part of the park.

After lunch head all the way down to Flamingo, enjoying the scenic drive. I think Flamingo is worth seeing if you have two days in Everglades National Park, but I’d be sure to boogie out of there before dusk when the mosquitos become unbearable.

Flamingo is a great area to rent a boat and tool around the bay for an hour or two. There are alligators, crocodiles and manatees in this area (which is mostly salt water).

I suggest getting dinner at Flamingo Restaurant while you’re there, mostly because there aren’t any other options within an hours drive. Then, head back up towards Royal Palms where you can join the ranger led night walk along Anhinga Trail.

I recommend staying at a hotel in Homestead or Florida City (10-minutes outside the park) or at Long Pine Key Campgrounds. I did not enjoy staying at Flamingo Campgrounds. More on this below.

Day 2 of 2: Everglades National Park Itinerary

On your second day, get an early start with a ranger led canoe trip along Nine Mile Pond. These usually start at 8am and take the entire morning. You’ll paddle through the mangrove trees and spot lots of wildlife!

The canoe trip was one of the highlights of my Everglades National Park itinerary. Be prepared for a mix of shaded mangrove tunnels and full sun.

I was glad to have my wide-brimmed hat and UV-protection long sleeve shirt on. I also recommend a dry bag because you’re likely to get splashed.

From Nine Mile Pond it’s about 30-minutes back to Royal Palms Visitor Center where you can hike Anhinga Trail & Gumbo Limbo Trail.

Royal Palms Visitor Center is also the meeting location for the afternoon ranger led Wet Walk (starts around 2pm most days). It was pretty unnerving to walk thigh-deep through a marsh knowing it was home to alligators, pythons and venomous snakes, but I’m glad I did it! What an experience (one I really only need to do once – haha!)

Note: Most ranger programs require advanced reservations (except the night walk, which does not have a capacity limit and requires no reservations). You’re able to register for most of them online, but a handful require you to call one week ahead to reserve.

Everglades National Park In One Day

Highlights:

• Tram Road to Shark Valley Observation Tower
• Airboat Ride
• Afternoon ranger program
• Hike Anhinga Trail & Gumbo Limbo Trail
• Optional: Scenic drive to Flamingo

The best way to see Everglades in one day is to limit the amount of driving, and prioritize the highlights – luckily they’re mostly clustered together.

With just one day in Everglades National Park I would focus on the Shark Valley and Royal Palms areas.

Start your morning in Shark Valley (again, these areas close at 5pm so it’s best to prioritize them in the morning).

Take the tram or rent a bike to explore Tram Road and Shark Valley Observation Tower.

After, start making your way towards the Homestead Everglades National Park entrance. It’s just over an hours drive between these entrances.

On the way, stop for a 40-minute airboat ride at Coopertown Airboats ($30 per person). They’re located about 10-minutes down the road from Shark Valley Visitor Center.

The route to the Homestead entrance will take you through town, where you can pick up something to eat for lunch and then continue into the Royal Palms area of the park.

Check out the Royal Palms area calendar of events to register for an afternoon ranger program (the wet walk is my recommendation, but there are other less “adventurous” options as well).

Anhinga Trail & Gumbo Limbo Trail are less than 1.5 miles combined and located just behind Royal Palms Visitor Center. They’re a great opportunity to spot wild life.

Finally, if time allows, drive down towards Flamingo along the scenic route (Main Park Rd) which takes about an hour, one-way. Stop in Flamingo Restaurant for dinner and stroll along the marina – you might be able to spot manatees or alligators!

Best Time To Visit Everglades National Park

The best time to visit Everglades National Park is during the dry season (November – March).

Not only is the weather more favorable (cooler temperatures with less humidity and next to no rain) during the dry season, but it also means wildlife is easier to spot, and there are fewer bugs (but never none!)

The dry season is the busy season in Florida, and with that comes more open businesses and extended schedules for tours.

However, you’ll also need to book farther in advance to secure accommodations, and they may be slightly more expensive than during the wet season.

The wet season (April – October) is far less crowded, but for good reason.

The rain storms and mosquitos during the summer are enough to drive you insane. Everglades National Park also doesn’t have many ranger programs (the best part of your visit!) during the summer, and some areas of the park are closed.

Visiting Everglades National Park In December

I visited Everglades in mid-December and thought it was perfect. There weren’t many crowds yet, but park programs were operating at full schedules and the weather was very favorable (high’s in the mid-70s).

Weather: No rain, lows in the 60’s, highs in the upper 70’s
Bugs: Mostly none (except Flamingo which is mobbed with mosquitos year-round)
Crowds: Minimal – no lines, parking was always available and I was able to register for everything I wanted

I recommend the best time to visit Everglades National Park is mid December through the end of March – avoiding holiday weeks which tend to be much busier.

Hotels In The Everglades National Park

There are limited options for hotels in the Everglades National Park. In fact, there’s just one lodge – Flamingo Lodge.

Additionally, there are houseboats, glamping tents and two campgrounds in Everglades (more on camping below).

All of these accommodations are located in Flamingo (and one campground near Royal Palms).

For this reason, I don’t recommend staying at a hotel in Everglades National Park – the mosquitos in Flamingo are insane (I’m not exaggerating). It’s also an hour or more from the other areas of the park and very inconveniently located.

I stayed in Flamingo for one night and was eaten alive! That was during the “low” mosquito season – I literally don’t want to imagine what it’s like there during the summer when mosquitos are supposed to be even worse.

The resorts know the mosquitos are a big problem. They go so far as to specifically tell you when you book your reservation that they will not refund any portion of your stay due to the bug problem. When I booked I thought they were exaggerating… they were not. Do not stay in Flamingo.

Instead, I recommend you stay in Homestead or Florida City – both are about a 10-15 minute drive from Ernest F Coe Visitor Center, and under an hour to Shark Valley. It’s the perfect location to access the various entrances to Everglades.

Homestead and Florida City are also a convenient location if you’re planning to visit Biscayne National Park during your trip, too.

I’m a bigMarriott fan and the Courtyard by Marriott is one of the highest rated hotels near Everglades National Park.

Also highly rated and a smidge more affordable are Home2 Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites.

Additionally, Best Western and Hoosville Hostel offer budget friendly room prices.

Camping In Everglades National Park

• Lone Pine Key (In Park Near Royal Palms)
• Flamingo (In Park Near Flamingo)
• Midway Lake (Outside Park Near Shark Valley)
• Monument Lake (Outside Park Near Shark Valley)

There are two campgrounds in Everglades National Park: Lone Pine Key Campground and Flamingo Campground.

I recommend Lone Pine Key (open in the dry season only), and definitely do not recommend Flamingo.

I stayed at both on my recent trip. Flamingo was my first night, and after being accosted by mosquitos (while being outside for approximately 10 seconds total) I was happy to move to Lone Pine Key the second night.

Lone Pine Key has nicer showers, too! And the grounds have more privacy and landscaping, whereas Flamingo is a wide open space so you can see and hear all of your neighbors.

Booking campgrounds at Everglades National Park is different than most other National Parks. The campgrounds are managed through a vendor, Flamingo Adventures, and not through the normal recreation.gov website.

Flamingo Adventures is the only way to book a camping in Everglades National Park. They both cost $33+ per night, and aside from selecting the type of site (RV or tent) you do not get to select the specific campsite. Instead, you’ll be told upon arrival which site you’ve been assigned.

There are two other great campgrounds located near Shark Valley – Midway Lake and Monument Lake.

I spent one night at Midway Lake Campground ($30) and liked it. It’s a smaller campground with nice bathrooms and well maintained grounds.

However, Midway Lake does not have showers. You’ll have to drive down to Monument Lake Campground about 10-minutes away and use their showers (which were the nicest out of all the campgrounds on this list).

We went late at night and the shower (one in each bathroom) was unoccupied – I’m not entirely sure what the “official” rules are for this, but the camp hosts from Midway Lake seemed like it was typical for guests to pop over to Monument and use the showers. Regardless, we made sure to hurry through and leave it clean.

Midway Lake has two types of sites: RV or tent. I can typically get away with a less expensive tent site (because I just need a place to park my campervan or SUV and do not need RV hookups), but this campgrounds tent sites are just an open field, with no adjacent parking.

For a few dollars more I was able to book an RV site so I had an assigned space to park overnight.

I didn’t spend a night at Monument Lake (just drove through for the shower), but I would definitely stay here on my next trip. The camp sites are spread out around the lake and it’s a fairly convenient location. There’s also no light pollution here so the stars are spectacular.

Everglades National Park Itinerary Tips

I learned a few things the hard way on my trip to Everglades National Park, so I’m going to share those details with you so you don’t have to! Let’s start with my most painful lesson… bugs.

Bugs Rule The Everglades

There is no such thing as a season without swarms of bugs. Yes, there is “mosquito season”, but don’t let this fool you like it did me.

Just because it isn’t currently mosquito season does not mean that there are no mosquitos. In fact, there are still billions. Year round mosquitos are a massive pain. They are far worse in the Flamingo area than anywhere else in the park, though.

You will absolutely want to pack two types of bug repellant. Yes, two – each one has a different purpose!

1. Something with deet (the heavy duty stuff I avoid unless absolutely necessary – Everglades is absolutely necessary). This repels mosquitos really well. My favorite is Ultrathon (I buy it from REI or Amazon) which is 34% deet. The next best option is Sawyer (on Amazon) which is 20% deet.
2. Skin so soft. This is a ridiculous recommendation, but it came from some Boy Scouts and I figured it was worth a shot. Skin so soft repels no-see-ums better than anything else I’ve used. While no-see-ums don’t immediately itch like mosquito bites do, they kick in about 24 hours later and torture you for a week. In my opinion, no-see-ums should be feared more than mosquitos.

I’ve also covered this extensively, but I’m repeating again – please heed my advice!

Do not camp in Flamingo during any time of the year.

The second you step outside you will be instantly swarmed by hundreds of mosquitos. At any moment there will be at least 10 mosquitos biting you.

I’m really not exaggerating at all. Flamingo should really be called Mosquito.

Everglades National Park Entrance Fee

The entrance fee to Everglades National Park is $35 per vehicle, good for 7 consecutive days. It covers everyone in your vehicle! (It used to be $30 before 2024, and I still see many other articles that haven’t been updated so don’t get confused by those!)

There are two entrance gates (pay stations) to access Everglades National Park. One is just before Shark Valley Visitor Center and one is just after Ernest F Coe Visitor Center. There is no gate / pay station for the Everglade City (Gulf Coast) entrance.

Typically, the pay stations are only operated during business hours. If you come before or after normal business hours the gates are open and you are expected to purchase your ticket online, or at one of the visitor centers.

If you’re planning to visit 2 or more National Parks in a 12-month period, then I recommend buying the America The Beautiful National Park Pass. It’s $80, good for a rolling 12-months from purchase, and gets you free access to all 63 National Parks (plus over 400 other national recreation areas).

I’ve held an annual parks pass for several years and it has easily saved me hundreds of dollars. You only need one pass for everyone in your vehicle!

Admission for all 3 Florida National Parks is $50 – Biscayne is free and Dry Tortugas is only $15. The annual pass will save you money with your next National Park visit this year.

Restaurants & Gas Are Limited

There are very few options for food inside Everglades National Park. There is one restaurant, alllllll the way at the south end of the park – Flamingo Restaurant.

I was also able to buy some decently priced sandwiches and snacks from Ernest F Coe Visitor Center, but the options are very limited and, honestly, not that great.

I highly recommend you pack plenty of non-perishable food you can keep in your car. I have a complete list of my favorite hiking snacks here.

There are many restaurant options just outside of the Homestead entrance, but expect small-town restaurant quality – this isn’t Miami.

Gator Grill is really close to Everglades. They serve a lot of adventurous food (mostly fried). I wasn’t feeling quite that adventurous so opted for Tacazo instead.

Tacazo has counter-service takeaway, or table service. Our server was great, and the food was quick, delicious, and very affordable. I definitely recommend the Al Pastor tacos!

Robert Is Here Fruit Stand is another great option. They have exotic fruit, snacks, and milkshakes for sale. It’s quite an experience just to walk around (and it’s right on the route to Everglades National Park so you can’t miss it!)

Everglades National Park Itinerary – Next Steps

Everglades National Park isn’t exactly the easiest park to get to. Chances are you’re already flying into south Florida, renting a car, and taking a few days of PTO.

So why not make the most of it by hitting all 3 Florida National Parks on your trip! That’s what I did!

I recommend extending your road trip to Dry Tortugas National Park as well as Biscayne National Park since they’re both fairly close to Everglades National Park!

I completed this Florida National Parks itinerary in 4 days – it was a whirlwind trip, but so fun. I definitely recommend at least 5 days if you value sleep, but ideally a 7 day Florida Road Trip is perfect.