Everglades National Park

[friendlyfifer]

We are spending one night at a Miami airport hotel before embarcation. Would it be possible to arrange a trip to the Everglades National Park on the morning of embarcation? Would a private tour be best or is it possible to do the trip by public transport? Any guidance would be much appreciated.

[Homosassa]

I am leaving to take my husband to a medical appointment but will return this afternoon to help you.

 

One question: What time do you plan to embark the ship?  From Miami to the eastern entrance to the national park (visitor's center) will b a travel time of about 1 - 1 1/2 hours depending where you are in Miami and the time of day. 

Edited December 30, 2019 by Homosassa

[friendlyfifer]

53 minutes ago, friendlyfifer said:

We are spending one night at a Miami airport hotel before embarcation. Would it be possible to arrange a trip to the Everglades National Park on the morning of embarcation? Would a private tour be best or is it possible to do the trip by public transport? Any guidance would be much appreciated.

 

10 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

I am leaving to take my husband to a medical appointment but will return this afternoon to help you.

 

One question: What time do you plan to embark the ship?  From Miami to the eastern entrance to the national park (visitor's center) will b a travel time of about 1 - 1 1/2 hours depending where you are in Miami and the time of day. 

The ship departs Miami at 5.00p.m. and all passengers have to be onboard by 3.00 p.m. I guess I would want to be back at the ship by 2.00 p.m. at the very latest. I would hate to be stuck in traffic and possibly being left on the quayside. An early start to the Everglades is not a problem.Thanks for your help.

[Homosassa]

What is the departure date of the cruise?  

 

There can be events in Miami that will mess up the traffic.

[friendlyfifer]

57 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

What is the departure date of the cruise?  

 

There can be events in Miami that will mess up the traffic.

6 March 2020

 

[OnTheJourney]

Probably too late for this - but had you considered adding more than one day prior to embarkation to allow for more time at Everglades? This might be helpful.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g143024-i1654-k1782545-How_much_time_to_spend_in_Everglades_Natl_Park_to_appreciate-Everglades_National_Park_Flori.html

Edited December 30, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[friendlyfifer]

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Probably too late for this - but had you considered adding more than one day prior to embarkation to allow for more time at Everglades? This might be helpful.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g143024-i1654-k1782545-How_much_time_to_spend_in_Everglades_Natl_Park_to_appreciate-Everglades_National_Park_Flori.html

 

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Probably too late for this - but had you considered adding more than one day prior to embarkation to allow for more time at Everglades? This might be helpful.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g143024-i1654-k1782545-How_much_time_to_spend_in_Everglades_Natl_Park_to_appreciate-Everglades_National_Park_Flori.html

You’re right, too late to change my flights. Thank you for the information. I’ll look at other options.

[Homosassa]

While you don't have a lot of time to spend in the Everglade National Park, I have two suggestions for a short visit to the Park. I do not know of any public transportation to the Park . You would most likely have to rent a car.

 

You will be visiting in the dry season when the water levels are lower and wildlife are closer to the trails.

 

Your first option is to go to the Shark Valley Visitor Center and take the two hour tram ride.  You will need reservations, and hopefully, there will be one that leaves around 9 AM that will give you time to return to Miami.

 

The second is to go to the Homestead entrance (Ernest F Coe Visitor Center).  Once in the park, go to Royal Palm and take the Anhinga Trail (an anhinga is a bird). The trail is on boardwalks and hard surfaces . You will see alligators and different birds.  We have done that trail and it is a favorite of ours.

 

It is a short trail and you will have time to drive further into the Park before turning around to go back to Miami.

 

The website below is for the Everglades National Park and has information about anything I mentioned.

 

https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm

 

 

Another option is to arrange a private tour. I found the following through Viatour (we have used Viatour while in Europe).  It is a private jeep tour through Big Cypress Preserve (still a part of the Everglades).  According to the information , you arrange the time for pickup in the morning at you hotel. The Port of Miami is listed for drop off (you would have to check about your luggage on the tour).

https://www.viator.com/tours/Miami/Private-Tour-Everglades-Sightseeing-at-Big-Cypress-National-Preserve/d662-6866JEEP

 

While the tourist information will say the wet season is the "buggy" season,  the difference between the "buggy" season and the non buggy season is just a matter of degrees.  No matter when you go, you will need strong insect repellent  for the mosquitoes, noseeums, and flies. A repellent with at least 25% deet is best.

 

The best way to prepare is to wear light colored (mosquitos and other critters are attracted to dark colors) long sleeve shirts, long pants, closed toed shoes and socks and a hat. Tuck the pants legs into the socks. Spray the repellent from your neckline down to your shoes. Spray the hat. Apply the repellant to any bare skin (hands, back of neck, ears, face).

 

The first time you walk into the shade under trees and the black cloud of mosquitoes cover you, you will be glad of these precautions.  

 

You will smell lovely and you will appreciate the free washing machines for your clothes when you board the ship.

 

I hope you have a chance to do a short trip into the Everglades. It is a unique natural wonder.

[Liz Masterson]

Wow @Homosassa! I’m not even planning a trip to Florida any time soon and I enjoyed that write up!  😀

 

[Homosassa]

12 hours ago, Liz Masterson said:

Wow @Homosassa! I’m not even planning a trip to Florida any time soon and I enjoyed that write up!  😀

 

Florida is blessed with an abundance of both national and state parks.

 

While many visitors head straight for Orlando and the theme parks, some do go to see the natural wonders that Disney and others spend millions to artificially create. 

 

My husband and I are lucky enough to volunteer at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park in Homosassa Springs, Fl.  

 

We have many European visitors (especially from Germany).  I asked one couple why they came to the Park.  It seems that a travel magazine in Germany wrote an article on must do things on Florida besides visiting the Orlando parks.  Our Park was on the top of the list.

 

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ellie-schiller-homosassa-springs-wildlife-state-park

 

https://www.savethemanatee.org/manatees/manatee-webcams/

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

FF....in retrospect, I was a bit too discouraging. I like Homosassa's advice a lot, and had not thought about Viator. It really comes down to how many hours you think you actually have available not counting transportation / possible traffic delays. It sounds like you have a full morning available, which really should be enough to see a few sites - such as Royal Palm and Anhinga - which Homosassa mentioned. You didn't mention when you actually get into Miami the day before the cruise. Is there anytime available on your pre-embarkation day?  I agree that anything you can do there is well worth the time spent - if the travel time from and back to Miami is not too much of a deterrent. 

[OnTheJourney]

12 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Florida is blessed with an abundance of both national and state parks.

 

While many visitors head straight for Orlando and the theme parks, some do go to see the natural wonders that Disney and others spend millions to artificially create. 

 

My husband and I are lucky enough to volunteer at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park in Homosassa Springs, Fl.  

 

We have many European visitors (especially from Germany).  I asked one couple why they came to the Park.  It seems that a travel magazine in Germany wrote an article on must do things on Florida besides visiting the Orlando parks.  Our Park was on the top of the list.

 

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ellie-schiller-homosassa-springs-wildlife-state-park

 

https://www.savethemanatee.org/manatees/manatee-webcams/

 

 

Quote

 

Your advice is great!  I agree....Orlando and the parks is surely NOT the be all and end all! One of my favorite driving trips over the past few years has been (after taking our daughter back to Embry Riddle one fall), driving down through FL and then across the Keys (visited the Everglades also) before flying back to PA out of Key West. We loved our visit to Everglades - allowing about 2 days there - though got throughly drenched, head to toe, during our airboat ride (Captain Jack's out of Everglades City) when a storm came up. Most humorous part was walking back into the hotel dripping wet and yet noone at the desk even batted an eyelash - guess they are so used to people going out on various types of excursions with boots, raingear, and so forth, especially since there was a park ranger that led all sorts of trips right from there. Took about 4-5 days crossing the Keys and loved that as well - would like to do the whole trip again sometime in reverse. 

Edited December 31, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

FF - here are a few pictures from our '13 trip - hopefully will get you encouraged to pursue the idea of going! 

 

 

[Frenchberet]

18 hours ago, Homosassa said:

While you don't have a lot of time to spend in the Everglade National Park, I have two suggestions for a short visit to the Park. I do not know of any public transportation to the Park . You would most likely have to rent a car.

 

You will be visiting in the dry season when the water levels are lower and wildlife are closer to the trails.

 

Your first option is to go to the Shark Valley Visitor Center and take the two hour tram ride.  You will need reservations, and hopefully, there will be one that leaves around 9 AM that will give you time to return to Miami.

 

The second is to go to the Homestead entrance (Ernest F Coe Visitor Center).  Once in the park, go to Royal Palm and take the Anhinga Trail (an anhinga is a bird). The trail is on boardwalks and hard surfaces . You will see alligators and different birds.  We have done that trail and it is a favorite of ours.

 

It is a short trail and you will have time to drive further into the Park before turning around to go back to Miami.

 

The website below is for the Everglades National Park and has information about anything I mentioned.

 

https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm

 

 

Another option is to arrange a private tour. I found the following through Viatour (we have used Viatour while in Europe).  It is a private jeep tour through Big Cypress Preserve (still a part of the Everglades).  According to the information , you arrange the time for pickup in the morning at you hotel. The Port of Miami is listed for drop off (you would have to check about your luggage on the tour).

https://www.viator.com/tours/Miami/Private-Tour-Everglades-Sightseeing-at-Big-Cypress-National-Preserve/d662-6866JEEP

 

While the tourist information will say the wet season is the "buggy" season,  the difference between the "buggy" season and the non buggy season is just a matter of degrees.  No matter when you go, you will need strong insect repellent  for the mosquitoes, noseeums, and flies. A repellent with at least 25% deet is best.

 

The best way to prepare is to wear light colored (mosquitos and other critters are attracted to dark colors) long sleeve shirts, long pants, closed toed shoes and socks and a hat. Tuck the pants legs into the socks. Spray the repellent from your neckline down to your shoes. Spray the hat. Apply the repellant to any bare skin (hands, back of neck, ears, face).

 

The first time you walk into the shade under trees and the black cloud of mosquitoes cover you, you will be glad of these precautions.  

 

You will smell lovely and you will appreciate the free washing machines for your clothes when you board the ship.

 

I hope you have a chance to do a short trip into the Everglades. It is a unique natural wonder.

I’m very impressed with the helpful people and valuable information on this forum.  Thank you for taking the time to provide this terrific response.  Hope you have a great New Year!

[friendlyfifer]

Many thanks to everyone who has responded to my initial call for help. I really do want to go to the Everglades but, with limited time on the day of embarkation, I think I will try to find a private tour operator who can collect us from the hotel and, afterwards, deposit us at the ship. A Happy New Year from me in Scotland and here’s to many happy cruising days in 2020.

[cncservo]

We have been to the Ernest F Coe Visitor Center several times and also the tour at Shark Valley. Past the visitors center a few miles is the actual place to see the wildlife.

We much prefer the  Anhinga Trail where you can walk at your own pace on the board walks and watch the alligators, birds, fish and turtles. The less rain south Florida has the more wildlife you will see. Last year there was a lack of wildlife due to a rainy season. They migrate to the canals and shallow water areas around the board walks hunting for their next meal. You will see the same wildlife on the Shark Tour but no sharks anywhere, no pythons either. At the visitors center you can sign up for a tour of the Nike Missile site that was installed during the Cuban Missile crisis., very interesting guided tour just a short trip from the center.

[OnTheJourney]

Gosh...this whole thread is making me want to go back to the Everglades and Keys!!  Happy New Year to all......and safe travels....