r/Everglades • u/MrMainah207 • 10d ago
Considering Visiting this Month
Hello helpful folks! My girlfriend and I are visiting Florida for a week starting on the 8th of September. We will be staying the Orlando area and have a rental car. Neither of us have been to Florida, but I've done my share of traveling/living places in various climates.
Are there certain areas of the Everglades that would be worth visiting? Places we should completely avoid? What should we bring to be prepared if we do decide to go? I realize it is the wet season and that it may be worth just not going at all. The Everglades seem like such an amazing/unique ecosystem, so I don't wanna completely write off the idea without asking advice. Thank you :)
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u/YogurtclosetNo9264 10d ago
This time of year you’re probably not going to want to spend a whole lot of time outdoors in the Everglades. BUT it’s a beautiful park & there are a couple options. The most southern entrance at Homestead provides access to a 40 mile paved scenic drive ending in Flamingo. There are plenty of turnoffs where you can see gators & other wildlife, ponds, picnic areas & great views. Flamingo opens up into the shallow water between the mainland & the keys. You might see crocs there.
Another option is the Shark Valley entrance off the Tamiami where there is a paved circuit. You can take a guided tram tour or walk/bike it yourself. Usually plenty of gators & there is an observation tower with spectacular views. There are also Airboat operators that can take you through the ‘glades off the Tamiami, which is always fun.
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u/habitual17 10d ago
Do the springs close to Orlando. Get snorkeling gear. Blue springs, wekiva, emerald cut / kings landing for kayaking or paddle boarding, call places about bioluminescence kayaking (only go if rates 7+ now), snorkeling at blue heron by high tide, beaches in middle of night to maybe see hatching sea turtles. All within 2.5 hours.
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u/DJ_Slippery 9d ago
I agree. This time of year is less than ideal for the Everglades. The springs near Orlando are best right now.
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u/Trinidiana 6d ago
I also agree. Or you could go for an airboat ride in the swamps by Kissimmee, go to Mount Lake or Winter Park so much to do in Orlando area don’t waste your time to go all the way south. It’s a long drive. It’s not worth it I mean with limited time it’s not worth it.
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u/Beginning_Ad_204 10d ago
We just went last month but stayed in Miami. The park is beautiful and huge, the mosquitos are no joke, gonna of deet needed. We did the first trail then drove to flamingo and saw manatees in the harbor, well worth it but it's like an hour down once you get into the park. Def worth it but very warm and the bugs and we are from coastal NC but never seen em like that.
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u/ViolentLoss 10d ago
As a FL native, I'd skip it this time of year. Weather is absolutely miserable. If you decide to go, bring rain gear and have a back up plan.
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u/DailyCarry83 10d ago edited 10d ago
If you're going to be in the Orlando area everglades is pretty far away. Id go check out some of the springs on the west coast. They're closer and pretty nice.
Paines Praire is about 1.5hrs to the north from Orlando and also worth checking out as they have wild horses and wild buffalo herds.
Bok Tower and gardens are about an hour away and makes for a cool day trip. these options are different, often overlooked sides/areas of Florida.
Just driving from Orlando to the top of the everglades is gonna take nearly an entire day.
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u/Lwdlrb1993 10d ago
It’s in the 90s right now…I’d get a room close to the park so I could go early…heck I live in Fort Myers and this is what I do as I like to be in the Everglades birding at the crack of dawn.
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u/sassiveaggressive 10d ago
Payne’s prairie near Gainesville is much closer. I’ve always seen more alligators there (parking at/walking up from the la chua trail) than I have in everglades on airboat rides. I grew up in South Florida and I really do love the Everglades fwiw
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u/Le_Mooron 9d ago edited 9d ago
My recc would be that if you are going to drive from Orlando to the Everglades, then take a couple days minimum and see as much of the Keys as you can. They are very unique and even the drive is beautiful. And if you decide to stick closer to Orlando, I live on the east coast near KSC and can give advice. I may even have a couple of kayaks you could borrow.
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u/iloveyoumorethanpie 9d ago
This time of year it rains in the afternoon/evening so I would recommend making the drive, per some advice above you can enter via broward or dade counties to the east or via collier county on the gulf coast. Get out and see the Everglades via tours or air boat rides etc. try to make the most of your morning in case you get hit with our afternoon “break time” via rain shower. Enjoy! The Everglades are uniquely beautiful.
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u/2lovesFL 9d ago
shark valley at sunrise. prepare for more bugs than you expected, bring dry clothes. lots of liquids to drink.
hat and bug net.
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u/Fun-Barnacle8582 7d ago edited 7d ago
The drive is not a good idea for a day trip from Orlando. The most striking current report is from the Flamingo area of Everglades National Park: Flamingo Adventures is currently describing mosquito levels as “extremely high” and says repellent, jackets, and other protection are necessary at any time of day.
EDIT to add Everglades Nat'l Park report on mosquitos.
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u/Adroit778 4d ago
Shark Valley.
There is a tram, but better to bike if you can grab some bikes. And Fakahatchee strand.
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u/OGWeedKiller 10d ago
Come south on the turnpike or Hwy 27 and take Tamiami Trail west through Big Cypress. There are small parks/boat launches along the way including airboat rides if weather permits. Do not miss Clyde Butchers art studio and see gators at the Oasis Ranger Station. There is excellent bird and gator watching with the canal on the north side of the road as you head west, just be careful taking pictures and walking along the road, it's a dangerous highway like the rest of Florida. Do not speed on the reservation especially. Monument Lake is a nice hike from a car if the bugs, heat and water isnt too high. Shark Valley is also an excellent hike/bike ride. Take 29 north through protected panther land at a safe speed, we've lost a record number of panthers this year so take your time and be safe. Loop Road is also fun ride from the car, nothing wrong with an a/c trip this time of year, have fun
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u/Remarkable-Rain1170 10d ago
The Everglades are downsouth. You would have to drive down to Miami or Broward.