Naples Florida day trip! Fakahatchee Strand State Park alligators YES! 🌴🐊 Florida vacation travel tips

Hi there!

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park is located along the Tamiami Trail in Southwest Florida.

The Tamiami Trail is one of the best places to see alligators in Florida.

And yes, there are alligators in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park!

This is one of the many Florida state parks with alligators. You can make it a day trip from Marco Island or Naples.

At 2 waterways in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, I did actually see alligators!

They were just resting there.

 

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👆 Hike to the alligator pond in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park: Spot the alligators!

 

When you arrive at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, then you will see a warning sign for alligators.

 

 

According to Florida State Parks:

Alligators are present along the trails and waterways of Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.

They usually eat fish, turtles, and other small animals, but may attack larger animals such as deer.

Alligators have been known to attack humans.

Alligators are dangerous.

Do not approach, frighten, or feed alligators.

 

 

It can be perfect to drive along the Tamiami Trail to Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park if you are driving from Marco Island to Miami or Naples to Miami.

Or, you can make it a day trip to Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park alongside other activities that you can have a chance to see alligators including the Big Cypress National Preserve visitor center and Shark Valley in Everglades National Park.

 

More alligators in Florida

• Tamiami Trail alligators
• Everglades National Park alligators
• Myakka River State Park alligators
• Wakulla Springs State Park alligators
• Lake Louisa State Park alligators
• Lake Kissimmee alligators
• PLUS: Everglades National Park crocodiles

 

More below about where I saw alligators when I went to Fakahatchee Strand State Park!

 

 

🌴🐊

 

 

 

Watch the videos below of Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park alligators!

Alligators are wild, so there’s no guarantee that you will see them!

The hotter the weather, the less of a chance you might have for the alligators to be out.

I did see alligators in 2 spots when I went to Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park in April.

Any time you see a waterway, have a look around to see if you can spot some alligators!

In addition to the 2 spots below, you’ll start off the Fakahatchee Strand State Park hike mentioned below by walking along a waterway. I didn’t see alligators there, but you can have a look!

 

So one of the spots I saw alligators was in the parking area.

There might be alligators in the waterway that’s almost directly along the Tamiami Trail.

Once you park, look in the waterway that you can see from the road.

I saw alligators there!

 

 

👇 Alligators along the road near the parking area of Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park: Spot the alligator!

 

If you can’t see the Fakahatchee Strand State Park alligator video above, you can watch it on youtube.

 

 

So you can make this a quick stop along the Tamiami Trail as you’re driving from Naples to Miami or Marco Island to Miami just to check if there are alligators at the Fakahatchee Strand parking area.

Or, if you can spend more time in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park by going for a leisurely walk!

Hiking in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park along the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk Trail will take you through lush green nature where you have a chance to see different types of birds and maybe even a snake. 😱

Look up, and you can see massive trees and other sights of wild Florida!

 

 

At the end of the boardwalk, there’s a pond where you have another chance to see alligators. The Florida Park Service calls it an alligator pond.

It might take you 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the end of the boardwalk one way… if you don’t stop to take in the sights and sounds (birds!) along the way!

 

 

If you can’t see the Fakahatchee Strand State Park alligator video above, you can watch it on youtube.

 

 

 

And that’s a bit about alligators in Fakahatchee Strand State Park!

 

Also see:

• More spots to see alligators along the Tamiami Trail (maybe!)
• Where to see alligators in Everglades National Park (maybe!)
• Where to see crocodiles in Everglades National Park (maybe!)
• Best things to do in Everglades National Park

 

STAY SAFE AROUND ALLIGATORS IN FAKAHATCHEE STRAND STATE PARK!