Hi there!
Everglades National Park is the most popular national park in the state of Florida.
It’s reasonable to do a day trip from Miami to the Everglades.
So, is one day in the Everglades worth it?
Of course, longer can be better, as spending more time in the Everglades will increase your chances of seeing alligators, but plenty of people spend just one day in the Everglades and leave feeling good about it!
Some people do just one activity in the Everglades and leave feeling good about it!
If one day is all you have, you can still do things to have many chances to see alligators in Everglades National Park… and maybe even a chance to see crocodiles in the Everglades too!
📌 Save this post for later! Save on Pinterest! 👈📌
You can totally make it a perfect one day in Everglades National Park!
One day in Everglades National Park can be enough to give you the chance to ride or walk through the Everglades for a chance to see alligators, take a speedy airboat ride through the Everglades as seen on TV, and maybe even walk some more for a chance to see crocodiles!
Alligators and crocodiles are wild!
While there are places in Everglades National Park that you have a better chance to see alligators and crocodiles, there is never any guarantee.
But the single best place in Everglades National Park to see alligators is the area called Shark Valley.
In Shark Valley, you can take a tram, a bike ride, or even possibly walk to see alligators in the Everglades!
The single best place to see crocodiles in Everglades National Park is the area called Flamingo.
It’s common to see crocodiles hanging out at the Flamingo Marina.
1. Anhinga Trail
The Anhinga Trail is considered to be one of the best spots to see alligators in Everglades National Park by foot.
Although, I only got a good look at one. (Better than none!)
When I got started on the trail I asked people who were returning if they saw alligators. I was told to just keep going straight back, so that’s what I did!
I followed the paved trail to the end where there a lookout spot, and sure enough, I saw alligators!
One was just popping its head out.
Another you could see more clearly!
Part of the Anhinga Trail is also a boardwalk. So on the way back I walked the boardwalk.
There was someone who seemed to be looking at something off in the water, and it turns out you could see a alligator’s head (eyes, really!) popping out of the water! You had to look carefully!
Aside from alligators, you also have a chance to see the bird called the anhinga on the Anhinga Trail!
And I did see an anhinga on the way back! It was just standing on the railing with its classic look of wings spread out.
2. Shark Valley
The Shark Valley Tram Trail is a 15 mile paved trail that starts from the Shark Valley Visitor Center of Everglades National Park.
The “destination” can be the Shark Valley Observation Tower.
A Shark Valley tour guide compared the Shark Valley Observation Tower to the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So if you have been there, you may feel the similarity!
But the Shark Valley Trail is really more about the chance to see alligators in Everglades National Park… and more wildlife!
There are a few different ways you can do the Shark Valley Trail.
You can take a Shark Valley tram ride. ($)
You can bike Shark Valley. ($ for Shark Valley bike rental or FREE if you bring your own bike)
You can even walk part of Shark Valley.
And yes, you can have a chance to see alligators by walking Shark Valley… and more wildlife! (I saw tons of turtles swimming!)
The tram will be the most convenient and efficient way to do Shark Valley.
It’s a 2 hour tram ride through Shark Valley, and it will be the least amount of effort!
But the stops you make will be up to your tram driver.
While the tram will make some stops for alligators (and other wildlife), if you see an alligator or other wildlife that you want to get a closer look at, the tram may not always stop.
There was a turtle right along the side of the road sticking its head out and we went right by it! That was a bit disappointing.
And then we also went right by a group of smaller alligators without stopping too, since we had to make it back by a certain time for the end of the tram tour.
If you are biking, you will be able to go at your own pace, stop when you want to stop, and take a closer look when you want to spend longer looking at those baby alligators. Of course, it also requires more effort since you are biking on your own!
And similarly with walking, you can go at your own pace and stop when you want to stop… but you won’t be able to cover as much ground!
But, I did also start walking along the trail and saw some a few alligators too.
So if you absolutely don’t want to pay for the tram ride or a bike rental, or you don’t want to put it all the physical effort, or you just don’t have that much time, then it is worth walking some for a chance to see some alligators, turtles, and birds.
The more you walk, the more you’ll increase your chances!
I didn’t walk that much, but walking maybe 5-10 minutes one way, I saw several alligators and countless turtles swimming. Start off walking on the West Tram Trail!
There is also the East Tram Trail.
Both trails lead to the Shark Valley Observation Tower.
You can make it a loop if you’re doing a bike ride.
Tickets for Shark Valley tram rides to sell out, especially on weekends, so it’s best to book in advance, which you can do through Shark Valley Tram Tours. That is how you can book a bike rental too.
🐊
3. Everglades airboat tour
Doing an Everglades airboat tour is riding through the Everglades through tall grasses as seen on TV!
If you ever watched CSI Miami and remember those scenes of an aerial view of a boat ride through the Everglades, that’s an airboat ride!
There are 3 airboat tour companies that are conveniently located along US-41 Tamiami Trail that are also partners of Everglades National Park.
Here is where to go for Everglades airboat tours along Tamiami Trail:
These are the “authorized airboat businesses,” as authorized by the National Park Service to do business in Everglades National Park.
Out of the 3 Everglades airboat companies, I ended up doing a Coopertown airboat tour, more or less because the name sounded less commercialized and more “natural” and “wild” compared to “safari park” or “gator park.” 😜
But well, it turns out Coopertown one also had a “gator show.” (And you might as well go see it because it’s included in your ticket cost!)
The gator show lasts about 10 minutes and they will tell you about the alligators they have in captivity. It’s even said that one of the alligators has a claim to fame with an appearance on CSI Miami! (And other movies and TV shows.)
Aside from that, I asked one group on the tour why they chose Coopertown and one of the reasons they said was because it had the best reviews.
You also do have a chance to see alligators if you do an Everglades airboat tour.
I did see some alligators on the Everglades airboat tour, but the main reason to do this is for the airboat ride, not necessarily for alligator sightings.
According to a park ranger at an Everglades National Park visitor center, the airboat tour seems to be more about the ride than it is about seeing alligators.
See more for your trip to the Everglades: Where are the alligators on Tamiami Trail?
4. Flamingo Marina
Flamingo is where you want to go if you want a chance to see crocodiles in Everglades National Park.
It’s said that Florida is the only place in the world that alligators and crocodiles co-exist!
The main difference between alligators and crocodiles is that alligators are generally seen as living in fresh water and crocodiles are generally seen as living in salt water. Although it’s also said that both can adapt to either, so they are not exclusively in one or the other.
It is common to see both crocodiles and manatees at the Flamingo Marina.
Once you have arrived in Flamingo, head to the Flamingo Visitor Center to talk to a park ranger to ask specifically about where crocodiles like to hang out. Ask about manatees too!
The Flamingo Visitor Center was closed when I arrived. I happened to be in the Marina Store so I asked the employee there, and she was well-informed!
She told me about the bridge near the Marina Store for manatees. (Although I didn’t see any manatees there… or anywhere.)
And she also told me about the boat ramp that was on the far left end when you’re facing the water.
I did see 2 crocodiles there!
It was so interesting because the crocodiles were just chilling there right next to the boat as a guy was getting his boat ready to drive off!
👆 Spot the crocodile in Everglades National Park!
And then otherwise aside from those spots, you can walk along the marina to see if you see crocodiles or manatees around in other spots for a nice leisurely stroll around the marina!
Then you can also head over for views of the Florida Bay.
Is Flamingo worth it?!
It’s important to know that Flamingo is located at the far southern end of Everglades National Park.
This means that it’s a bit of a drive.
It’s something you can do for a chance to see crocodiles and manatees.
Emphasis on CHANCE!
If you go to Flamingo at the end of the day, it can be a low-key way to end your day at Florida Bay!
Especially if you stay at an eco-tent in Flamingo!
5. Everglades eco-tent
End your one day in Everglades National Park by glamping in the Everglades in an eco-tent!
You can go glamping in the Everglades along Florida Bay in the Flamingo area of Everglades National Park.
You can also go regular camping in Flamingo too.
There’s tent camping and RV camping in Everglades National Park.
Aside from the Flamingo Campground, there’s the Long Pine Key Campground which is the more convenient Everglades National Park campground since it’s closer to the popular things to do in the Everglades.
Otherwise, if you won’t be staying in Everglades National Park, but you will be ending your Everglades day trip in Flamingo, then Homestead FL can be the most convenient place to stay.
Flamingo to Homestead FL is around a 1 hour drive. (map)
Flamingo to Key Largo FL is around a 1.5 hour drive. (map)
You can go camping in Key Largo at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park if you want to go camping in the Florida Keys!
Flamingo to Miami FL is around a 2 hour drive. (map)
How much time do you need for the Everglades tours?
The order you will want to do your activities in the Everglades will more or less be dependent on what specific activities you want to do (walking, biking, tram) and when you can get a tour.
If you only have one day with minimal flexibility, then it’s best to book ahead as these things do sell out.
I didn’t book ahead for the Shark Valley tram tour or the Everglades airboat tour, but that was on a Monday. (aka more availability compared to weekends.)
The Shark Valley tram tour is a 2 hour Everglades tour.
The Everglades airboat tour is a 40 minute Everglades tour.
For the Everglades National Park activities that require tickets, here is a sample of how the timing can work out for one day in Everglades National Park:
- 1pm: Shark Valley tram tour
- 4pm: Everglades airboat tour
So if you are planning to do both Shark Valley and the Everglade airboat, you might want to space it out to have over 3 hours between them, or more.
This is how the timing worked out for me when I didn’t have any time constraints.
I was going at a leisurely pace after I finished up the Shark Valley tram tour, and then I ended up on the 4pm Everglades airboat tour.
It’s a 20 minute drive from Shark Valley to the Everglades airboat tour I did.
You’ll also want to keep in mind sunset time.
Once again, my trip to the Everglades was in April. So I had more daylight than if you were to go to the Everglades in the winter for example!
This could turn out to be important if you’re interested in going to Flamingo at the end of your day.
PLUS…
Gulf Coast of Everglades National Park
The Gulf Coast of Everglades National Park is something you may want to do on another day.
There is the Miami side of Everglades National Park (all of the above), and there is the Gulf Coast side of Everglades National Park.
Shark Valley Visitor Center to Gulf Coast Visitor Center is about a 1 hour drive. You will drive across the Tamiami Trail to get there, where you can make a couple of stops where you have a chance to see alligators along the Tamiami Trail.
The only real reason to go to the Gulf Coast of Everglades National Park is to do a Ten Thousand Islands boat tour. Unless you are a kayaker. Then you can kayak from there too.
Once again, there’s never any guarantee of seeing wildlife or marine life, but I had a fun dolphin watching boat tour when I did a Ten Thousand Islands boat tour from Everglades National Park in April!
You will want to book ahead for your Everglades National Park boat tour as Everglades boat tours can sell out.
It can make sense to stop by the Gulf Coast Visitor Center (with reservations already made!) to do the Everglades National Park boat tour if you are driving to Miami from the Gulf Coast… or in the opposite direction!
- Marco Island to Miami
- Naples to Miami
- Fort Myers to Miami
- Sanibel Island to Miami
- Siesta Key to Miami
- Tampa to Miami
And those are some ideas on how to spend your short time in Everglades National Park!
If you want to be sure to see as many alligators as you can when you’re in South Florida, then you may also want to consider heading just a little west along the Tamiami Trail to Big Cypress National Preserve and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park!
HAPPY ONE DAY IN EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK!
There are partner websites included in this post. I may earn a commission.