What to do in Everglades National Park with Kids
/
Everglades has so many viewing platforms with great, upclose views of the wetlands.
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
You can see the florida keys from the beach front near flamingo visitor center.
If you’re looking for what to do in Everglades National Park with kids, you’re in the right place. Whether you are visiting the Everglades with kids or without, you’ll find your stride here. Everglades National Park is visited by approximately 1 million people annually and is the 10th largest U.S. National Park coming in at about 1,400,539 acres. This makes Everglades National Park equivalent to the size of the state of Delaware. One of the fun facts about the everglades is that while it is the largest wetland in the world, it used to be much larger!
Every visitor to Everglades should make a stop at one of the park’s 5 visitor centers to get a park map and find an up-to-date weather update or share info about the park’s road conditions and possible closures. Park Rangers are also a wonderful resource for finding out the parks more of the beaten path spots. Since we were staying in Homestead, we visited the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. However, if you’re only visiting the Northern area of the park for an airboat ride, stop in at the Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center nearby. All of the park’s visitor centers are open every single day from 9:00 AM -5:00 PM. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor center offers books, film, postcards, and insect repellents for purchase. Restrooms and water fountains are available. You can find more information about ALL of the visitor centers HERE.
Table of Contents
Click to Skip to:
READ NEXT: What to do in Biscayne National Park (located only 40 minutes from Everglades)
When to Visit Everglades National Park
There are mainly two seasons in South Florida; wet season and dry season.
Wet season runs from May to November. The Everglades (and South Florida in general) are typically hot and humid from May through November. Temperatures average 90°F, with humidity over 90%, and a heat index of over 100°F. Afternoon thunderstorms can be expected daily with heavy rainfalls that typically subside quickly.
Dry season runs from October to April. The weather is mild and pleasant from November through April, with low humidity and clear skies. Temperatures average between 77°F and 53°F. Because of the lower water levels, animals tend to gather in groups around watering holes, the birds are more visible and bugs/pests are fewer. During the dry season, there are many more Ranger Led programs available. There are also many more tourists. Be prepared for crowds at the entrance, in visitor centers and in popular hiking and animal viewing areas.
We visited the Everglades in December, but if you are visiting the Everglades in January or even visiting the Everglades in March, you’ll likely have similar temperatures on your trip. One of the most well-known facts about the Everglades in Florida is that it can get HOT, so these milder months are the best time to visit the Everglades to beat the thick, humid heat.
The average annual weather for reference - Photo Courtesy of Weather-US.com
How to get to Everglades National Park
Everglades Park is absolutely massive and with 3 different entrances located in different cities. To give you an idea of how long it will take to get to the park, here are a few examples. (all times are to the entrance located in Homestead, Florida)
Obligatory national park sign photo! this one is at the royal palm/flamingo entrance in homestead, florida
Orlando to Everglades National Park is 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Jacksonville to Everglades National Park is 4 and a half hours.
Miami to Everglades National Park is 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Tampa to Everglades National Park is 5 hours.
Key West to Everglades National Park is 1 hour 50 minutes.
Tallahassee to Everglades National Park is 7 hours 50 minutes.
This park is easiest accessed from Miami, Naples, or even Key West. It is a very easy drive and doable as a day trip.
READ NEXT: What to do in Congaree National Park with Kids (South Carolina)
Where to Stay in Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park Camp Grounds:
There are only two front country campgrounds in the park: Long Pine Key Campground and Flamingo Campground. Both are accessible from the Homestead entrance and accommodate tents and RV's with a limited number of group sites. You can make reservations with Everglades Guest Services or by calling 1-855-708-2207.
All tent spaces are on a first come first serve and our campsite fees are as follows: $25 for regular campsites, $35 for group sites.
Long Pine Key Campground: Only a few miles from the Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm, adjacent to the Long Pine Key Trail and encompassing a pleasant fishing pond, the Lone Pine Key Campground provides all the essentials required for getting yourself in tune with nature. This campground has cold showers, restrooms, a dump station, and fill station.
Flamingo Campground: This campground has showers, two dump stations, grills, an amphitheater, and picnic tables.
NOW AVAILABLE: Enjoy comfort camping at Flamingo Everglades with safari-style Eco tents! That’s right, you can now GLAMP at Everglades national park! Sleep in a real bed, but get the same amazing outdoor living experience!
NOTE: The sites at the T Loop campground include pull-through parking spaces and a limited number have electrical hookups. T-loop has 30A-20A-50A pedestals that DO NOT have water at the sites. Filling stations are located next to the dump station.
Charletta hiking along the board walk at mahogany hammock
Where to Stay Outside of Everglades National Park
There are no resorts or hotels in Everglades National Park, but there are several places to choose from outside the park.
Our campervan parked at Schnebly redland’s winery!
Homestead, Florida
Schnebly Redland’s Winery: This is where we stayed for 2 nights in our RV. We used Harvests Hosts to snag this spot FOR FREE! That’s right! We parked in the Vineyard’s parking lot for 2 nights for free with the Harvest Hosts. This particular Harvest Host is both a Winery AND a Brewery! You can also stay for free with Harvest Host! It’s an annual membership ($79 per year) and you can choose from over 900 breweries, farms, vineyards, or museums to park at for free in your self-contained camper or RV. You can get $5 off your annual membership HERE
The map below gives different VRBO or hotel options all around both Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. The parks are located on either side of Homestead, Florida. Choose a property that fits your group size and level of comfort.
What to do in Everglades Park with Kids
1) An Airboat Ride
An airboat ride is the best thing to do in the Everglades with kids!! You can not visit Everglades and not take an airboat ride. Coopertown is the Original Air Boat Tour and one of the approved National Park partners operating in Everglades. This is a popular spot, so early morning or late evening is going to be the lowest wait times. We arrived around 3 PM and waited for about 45-minutes to one hour for our tour. However, since we had kids their paired us off with 2 other families and gave us the private tour for no extra cost. The guides were very friendly, the tour itself was educational and we saw 4-5 alligators as well as many different plant and bird species. Each of the guides seemed to know so many facts about the Everglades animals and they were happy to answer our questions about other everglades national park attractions. Our absolute favorite activity in the Everglades with kids was the Airboat.
The view as we moved along in the airboat!
Coopertown provided hearing protection for the entire family!
2) Hike
A popular thing to do in Everglades National Park is hiking its wildlife-rich trails. The park's richness is mind-boggling: 2,000 species of plants, 51 types of reptiles, 17 assorted amphibians, 40 different mammals, and an assortment of 347 avians. If you’re on a budget, this is one of the best free things to do in the everglades and gets you up close to the everglades animals and ecology.
**NOTE: If you do not see a trail on this list it is because it is no longer maintained by the NPS. I did not include any trails they do not maintain for the safety of families.
Best Hikes for Toddlers in Everglades National Park
Jimmy and Charletta walking along the Pa-Hay-Okey Trail Boardwalk.
Bobcat Boardwalk Trail: An easy 0.4-mile boardwalk hike. This starts at the back of the Shark Valley Visitor Center. This trail is accessible for strollers or wheelchairs.
Eco Pond Trail: This is an easy half-mile loop that is absolutely perfect for bird viewing.
Anhinga Trail: This trail starts at the back of the Royal Palm Visitor Center. It’s an easy 0.8-mile loop. Here you have a chance to see the Anhinga bird and many other animals such as alligators, a variety of birds and turtles.
Gumbo Limbo Trail: This 0.4 trail also starts at the Royal Palm Visitor Center. Its a path through dense forest and includes views of the famous Tourist tree.
Mahogany Hammock Trail: This trail is 0.4 miles and is a boardwalk the entire way. It is suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. This trail leads across a freshwater marl prairie to a hardwood hammock where mahogany and other hardwood trees grow. There is one very large mahogany tree that survived the logging done before the National Park was established.
Pinelands Trail: An easy 0.4-mile paved trail suitable for anyone. This is a standard nature trail that leads through a pine forest, one of the many habitats found in Everglades National Park.
Pa-hay-okee Trail: This is a very easy .2-mile boardwalk, but there are stairs mid-way. The exciting part of this trail is a covered overlook at the halfway point where you can view a sawgrass prairie. While that might not be the most scenic of vistas, it is what the Everglades are famous for.
Best Hikes for Kids in Everglades National Park:
Guy Bradly Trail: This trail is .6 miles one way or 1.2 mile round trip. It is a paved path leading from the Flamingo Visitor Center to the Flamingo Campground Center. Unless you’re just looking for exercise, you can drive the road this route. It is perfect for strollers or wheelchairs.
The kids on the Guy Brady Trail
Best Hikes for Teenagers in Everglades National Park:
Old Ingraham Highway Trail: This trail is 10-miles one way. I do not recommend hiking the entire 10 miles. HOWEVER, this entire trail parallels a canal. This means it is a prime alligator territory. If you’re set on seeing gators in Everglades National Park, this may be the hike for you! I recommend allowing however much time you want to hike, then hike half that time out, then turn around and head back.
Get Ready for your Hikes in the Everglades
Hiking the Mahogany Hammock Trail Boardwalk
3) Ranger Led Programs:
Everglades National Park has an amazing Ranger program. They offer guided walks, rides, demonstrations, children’s programs, boat rides, and many more options. You can search by event and date HERE to find what Ranger Program best fits your interests. The Ranger Program is another one of the free things to do in the everglades that will leave you with a greater understanding of the everglades animals and ecology.
A few of the Ranger Programs include:
Leafy, Barky, Toxic? (Flamingo)
Bike Hike (Long Key)
Marvelous Manatees (Flamingo)
Soar, Swim, and Stroll (Shark Valley)
Incredible Osprey (Flamingo)
Crocs Alive (Flamingo)
Flora, Fauna, Fun (Shark Valley)
The animal Ranger programs are one of the best family things to do in the everglades as everyone is engaged and learning from the most knowledgeable people in the park!
READ NEXT: How to Pack the Perfect Beach Bag with Kids
We Stopped for a small picnic at Coot Bay Pond
4) Become a Junior Ranger:
The Junior ranger program is obviously one of the best things to do in the Everglades with kids! Everglades National Park has their own Junior Ranger Program. Kids can have a great time exploring the Everglades with their families and friends. Take some time to look over some of the exhibits and films to be found at the different Visitor Centers. Another bonus about the Junior Ranger Program is that it’s one of the many free things to do in the everglades!
5) Take an Outdoor Photography Class:
The Everglades provides an amazing opportunity for visitors to practice wildlife photography. Whether you’re a novice photographer or an expert, your guide will help you find the best spots to practice. You bring your own camera and these guides will make sure you get the shot you’ve been dreaming of.
I practiced my own nature photography along the board walks in the Everglades
6) Bird Watching
We saw many many birds throughout the Everglades!
Bird watching in Everglades National Park is amazing. With over 347 avians, there is no shortage of birds.
By far bird watching is best during the dry season. During this time birdlife concentrates mostly around the permanent bodies of water, which makes them quite easy to observe. Another perk of this season is the few mosquitoes and bugs.
The Anhinga trail (mentioned above) is the most popular spot to view birds in Everglades National Park. This spot is home to the Anhinga, which is a water turkey. The Anhinga is one of Florida’s most distinctive birds. This bird swims with only it’s head above water and because it lacks the oil glands needed to keep its plumage dry, it’s often seen perched in a tree with its wings spread to dry.
Other birds to look for in the Everglades; Sora, Smooth-Billed Ani, Least Bittern, Great White Heron, Osprey, Herons, Bald Eagles, and the bird the Everglades is known for - the roseate spoonbill.
Don't miss your chance to truly see and capture the Everglades.
7) Kayaking
Everglades National Park offers many paddling opportunities. Take a journey through a freshwater marsh, mangrove forests, and the open waters of Florida Bay. Bring your own kayak or rent one inside the park from FlamingoEverglades.
The National Park Service has a complete guide to Kayaking in Everglades National Park safely.
If you’re not quite ready to head off in a kayak by yourself, consider the guided Everglades National Park Mangrove Tunnel Kayak Eco-Tour takes you inside the unique mangrove ecosystem in a stable "sit-on-top" kayak (no previous experience required). Weave through the interconnecting, narrow lakes and flowing tidal creeks. Float through tunnels in the mangrove forest, created by the dense mangrove growth up the edges and even over the tops of the interlocking creeks and narrow lakes.
If you love Kayaking, you need to head over to Biscayne National Park after you finish at Everglades. These parks are a mere 45 minutes apart, yet offer vastly different kayaking experiences!
.
BACK TO TOP
We saw 3 Kayakers unloading their kayaks and entering the water here at Coot Bay!
8) Take a Guided Tour
There are a few amazing tours you can take in Everglades National Park from Miami. If you’re short on time or don’t have the time to plan a detailed trip, let the experts do it for you. You can escape fast-paced city life for a half-day in the Everglades. Your guide will teach you all about the Everglades wildlife, take you the best photo spots, you’ll ride an airboat and even see alligators up close.
The kids and I on the Pa--Hay-Okee trail board walk
READ NEXT: Biscayne National Park with Kids
Everglades National Park is a unique destination for families. When deciding what to do in the everglades with kids, there are so many choices! The Everglades is packed with so much wildlife, marshland, over 300 species of bird, and perfect family-friendly hikes. No matter whether you camp out, stay nearby in Homestead or in Miami, Everglades is an easy trip for an unforgettable adventure. With un-matched wildlife encounters, the warm breeze, and the laid-back beach vibe, this National park is a must on your next family adventure.
If you’re continuing to explore more of Florida, check out these Exciting Things to do in Orlando for Families!
PIN ME:
AMAZON AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE:
There are links on this site that can be defined as “affiliate links”. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you subscribe or purchase something through the links provided.
Big Brave Nomad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.
