Things to do nearEverglades Safari Park

Everglades Safari Park sits along US-41, the historic Tamiami Trail that was carved through the Everglades in the 1920s to connect Tampa and Miami, opening this remote wilderness to travelers for the first time. The park has operated for decades as one of the most accessible entry points into the River of Grass, the vast slow-moving freshwater system that defines South Florida's ecology.

Visitors come primarily for the airboat tours, which glide across shallow prairies of sawgrass and open water sloughs, covering terrain that no wheeled vehicle could navigate. Guides point out American alligators lounging on muddy banks, great blue herons wading in the shallows, anhingas drying their wings on cypress snags, and the occasional Florida softshell turtle slipping beneath the surface. The live alligator show, a long-standing tradition at Everglades Safari Park, demonstrates the biology and behavior of these ancient reptiles in an educational format that draws families and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

A short nature trail winds through a hammock of hardwood trees draped in Spanish moss, offering a ground-level perspective on the Everglades ecosystem that complements the expansive views from the airboat. The on-site restaurant serves classic Florida fare, including fried alligator, giving visitors a taste of regional food culture after their time on the water.

The overall atmosphere is unhurried and genuinely wild, a rare quality this close to a major metropolitan area. For anyone passing through Miami with even a few hours to spare, Everglades Safari Park offers an honest and memorable encounter with one of North America's most extraordinary landscapes.