-: A vast subtropical wetland teeming with alligators, wading birds, and manatees — the largest designated wilderness east of the Mississippi.

Park Pass

Join the National Parks Club

1 to 2 days covers the main trails and overlooks, while 3 to 4 lets you add a boat tour or paddling trip further into the wilderness.

No special permit is required for general park entry.

Homestead and Florida City are the closest towns, both near the park's main entrance.

The entrance fee is $35/vehicle (7-day) — a $100/person nonresident surcharge applies (2026) — or purchase a National Parks Yearly Pass.

Why Visit?:

Everglades protects the largest designated wilderness east of the Mississippi — a vast, slow-moving subtropical wetland teeming with alligators, wading birds, and manatees, unlike anywhere else in the national park system. It's less about dramatic mountain views and more about the sheer density and accessibility of wildlife.

The dry season (winter into spring) is genuinely the right time to visit — not just for comfort, but because receding water concentrates wildlife near the remaining pools and canals, making sightings far more likely than in the wetter, buggier summer months.

Things to Do:

The Anhinga Trail is the essential, easy stop — a short boardwalk loop practically guaranteed to deliver close-up alligator and bird sightings. Shark Valley offers a longer paved loop, ideal by bike or tram, ending at a 65-foot observation tower over the sawgrass prairie.

For a deeper experience, a guided boat or airboat tour (through a park concessioner) gets you into backcountry water routes you can't reach on foot, and is genuinely the best way to see manatees if they're a priority.

Get the Full Itinerary

Closest airports: Miami International Airport (MIA) is closest, about an hour from the main park entrance, with by far the most flight options in the region.

Nearby Attractions:

Biscayne National Park is about an hour away and pairs naturally with an Everglades visit, and the Florida Keys stretch south from Homestead for anyone extending the trip further.