Everglades and Biscayne National Parks

In this guide we are sharing our 3-day itinerary that we used when visiting these two parks, as well as helping adventure trips to make your trips as enjoyable as possible. This was our exact itinerary for our long weekend in South Florida – and we feel like we did it right! We took our 3-day trip over Memorial Day Weekend. We were worried about bugs and crowds, but were pleasantly surprised that we seemed to avoid both. We also heard about pesky parking lot vultures that rip out windshield wipers and we luckily did not experience them either.

Day 1: Everglades National Park

Rent bikes at the Shark Valley Visitor’s Center (north Everglades Park). Start by riding counter-clockwise along the paved path. Ride about 6.5 miles along narrow, shallow water canals beaming with life – alligators, soft shell turtles, anhinga, gar, peacock bass, and more. At this halfway-ish point, park your bikes and make your way up to the observation tower. The 15-mile loop took us about 3-3.5 hours, but this includes our 45-minute time at the observation tower. It was our absolute favorite part of the Park. They say the Everglades is the only place in the world to see an alligator and a crocodile in the same place, and we were lucky to see them at the same time from the top of the tower. Side by side 2-photos. You will also have views of a bird rookery (nesting area) in the near distance and bright-colored fish swimming below. When you’re done at the tower, cruise the next 8.5 miles of the trail back to the Shark Valley Visitor’s Center. Along this path be on the lookout for rare birds and wildlife, such as black-necked stilts. There is an option to ride the tram, but if you are able, we highly recommend the bike ride. That way, you have the option to stop when you see wildlife along the trail and you won’t be restricted to a time limit at the tower.

Pro tip:

  1. Bring an umbrella. There is absolutely zero shade on this trail, and even a little bit of shade will give you some relief. It sounds dumb, but I think you’ll thank us later!
  2. Bring binoculars for the observation tower.
  3. Bring plenty of water and an electrolyte drink. We paused our bike every 20 minutes for umbrella shade and hydration.
Take an airboat ride through the mangrove tunnels. We used Captain Jack’s and the pilot was very skilled and knowledgeable about the area’s history. The ecosystem is unlike any we’ve ever seen. Add GoPro Video and Selfie here. It was a little pricey in our opinion, but worth it to try at least once. Check into your hotel or airbnb. We recommend staying in Homestead or Florida City as they are good midway points between the Everglades and Biscayne. We chose the Tru Hotel because it was close to downtown Homestead and we love a free breakfast. As marine biologists, we loved the refillable soap, shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel dispensers on the walls. The room also had creative ways for storage in a smaller space. Head downtown for dinner at Mamma Mia’s 2. This Italian restaurant & pizzeria came highly recommended from some locals and we raved about the place for days. Garlic knots come before your meal – lots of entrees to choose from and great prices. Add photo gallery of restaurant experience (2 photos). Don’t skip Everglades: Don’t skip the Shark Valley Bike Trail and Observation Tower (GoPro Video 10192). Our absolute favorite part of the trip and worth the drive to the north end of the park.

Something fun: Keep a gator count with the people you are traveling with to see how many you can spot! We counted 51 alligators over the course of our 2 days in the Everglades.

Day 2: Everglades National Park

Drive the 39.3-mile stretch of Main Park Road from Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center to the park’s southernmost end. We hiked the Guy Bradley Trail – a 2 mile round trip trail that connects the Flamingo Visitor’s area to the campground. Here, you’ll get great views of the mangroves and crystal clear water. We highly recommend this trail because it’s fascinating to see the changes in ecosystems as you make your way from South to North, from this saltwater environment to the freshwater influence. While we were there, they were working on the new Flamingo Visitor’s Center, which looks like it will be a great education center and gift shop with a porch that overlooks the water and mangroves. Until it opens, check out the small marina shop for some snacks or a cold drink before your series of hikes. This was by far the best souvenir shop we found in the park. Keep your eyes peeled for osprey, red-tailed hawks, and other photogenic birds in the trees along Flamingo’s parking lots.
One of my favorite memories was pulling off the side of the road just as we were leaving Flamingo and watching the swallow tailed kites swoop and sway as they ate their breakfast.

As you make your way north, stop at the Mahogany Hammock Trail (0.5 miles roundtrip) and the Pa-Hay-Okee Lookout Trail (0.2 miles roundtrip), and pull off at Paurotis Pond for a quick lunch or snack break.

 

We hiked the Gumbo Limbo trail at the end of a thunderstorm and the soft residual thundering made the experience so peaceful. Watch your lightning alerts, but if possible, don’t let an afternoon rainfall keep you from the rest of your day. You can also access the infamous Anhinga Trail from the same parking lot. We were worried it would be overrated, but it’s definitely a must-do. It had wide trails with lots of space for a crowded day, and lots of gators and anhingas throughout.

 

We drove to Key Largo for the sunset and dinner, but if we were to change one thing about our trip it would be to continue exploring the restaurants closer to Homestead instead.

Day 3: Biscayne National Park

Get an early start to the day, and meet your snorkel guide at the Dante Fascall Visitor’s Center. The Biscayne National Park Institute leads these excursions and they usually bring guests to 2 of the 3 types of sites: a shipwreck, reef, or mangrove (dependent on weather and marine conditions). We were lucky to visit Anniversary Reef and the shipwreck of the Alicia, a 345-foot steamship that sank on April 20, 1905 while en route to Havana, Cuba from Liverpool, England. When you return from the 3.5-hour trip, enjoy a quick outdoor lunch on one of the many picnic tables outside of the Visitor’s Center. If interested, remember to pack something – there was no food sold on site. Before heading out for the day, walk the 0.25-mile path near the Visitor’s Center

Pro tips:

  1. Invest in your own gear if you will be going to snorkel-worthy places. You will save about $10 per person each trip and your gear will likely be a lot higher quality than what the tours offer.
  2. With any underwater adventure, don’t forget a GoPro so you can capture memories of your trip.

“Species Spotted” while snorkeling:

  • Great Barracuda
  • Atlantic Trumpet fish
  • Spiny lobster
  • Queen conch
  • Hogfish
  • Blue Tang (Heyyy Dory)
  • Sargent major damselfish
Biscayne: Don’t skip the opportunity to get in the water – 95% of the park is underwater and we (as marine biologists) were stoked to see diverse species of fish living among the most vibrant coral reefs we have ever seen, beaming in bright blue and purple. We feel like we missed out on Biscayne: We wish we saw the Boca Chita Lighthouse. But with COVID, we wouldn’t have been able to go inside so we opted to skip a tour that takes you here.