Everglades Alligator Tour Review: Miami's Fun Family Experience

Are you planning an Everglades trip? The great news is that you can visit on a day trip from Miami and take a fun airboat tour to see the incredible wildlife unique to this swampy ecosystem, including alligators, turtles, frogs and an abundance of birdlife.

The Everglades National Park covers an area of over 1.5 million acres of wetlands. It is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Wetland of International Importance, and an International Biosphere Reserve. It is the third-largest national park in the USA, making it a must-visit destination in South Florida.

In this post, I share my experience on an Everglades Airboat Tour and some useful information to help you plan this adventure.

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Helpful information about the Everglades National Park

Getting to the Everglades from Miami

The drive will take approximately one hour from Miami, leaving the city on Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail).  

Booking an Everglades Gator Park airboat tour

I used Everglades Safari Park for my airboat tour; however, several airboat companies offer similar packages.

Pre-booking Everglades tour tickets is advisable, but be aware that there are no refunds if they are cancelled. If you have a US National Parks pass, you will receive a discount on the ticket price.

On average, the airboat tour will last around 40 minutes, followed by an educational wildlife show to learn about the alligators. There is also a jungle trail, an observation platform, and an on-site restaurant, the only one in the Everglades National Park.

Two to three hours is enough time to experience these activities and will leave you the remainder of the day to explore other areas in the Everglades before returning to the city attractions in Miami.

If you prefer to join an organised tour, here are some options:

Best time of year to visit the Everglades

The Everglades have a tropical climate with two distinct seasons: dry and wet. The dry season lasts from December to April, with lower humidity and temperatures ranging from 53°F to 77°F.

I visited in April, and the weather was warm but not overbearing. As the season was turning from spring to summer, we were still advised to wear sunscreen and mozzie repellant, so there was a good chance that the biting critters had arrived. Thankfully, we didn't experience any.

The rainy season arrives from May to November, with temperatures often reaching 90°F. The humidity is high, and it rains most of the day, attracting many mosquitos, so it is not the best time to take a tour.

Best time of day to see the Everglades' alligators

As the daytime temperatures can get unbearably hot, visiting the Everglades in the early morning or late afternoon is best. The gators will be more active, so you will have a better chance of spotting them swimming in the river or walking around.

What to expect during an Everglades airboat tour

Firstly, an Everglades airboat ride is noisy. The boat's fan, which propels it through the water, is powerful and makes a lot of noise. Because of this, you will be given earplugs during your tour to cushion the sound.

There will be around 20 people on the airboat with you.

Airboat rides last around 40 minutes. You will be taken at different speeds through the wetlands to experience the ecosystem and observe the wildlife.

When the airboat goes fast, it feels a bit like a ride at Universal Studios as it zips through the marshes.

The difference between alligators and crocodiles

Alligators are dark, blackish-grey, with a broader, U-shaped snout. They are native to the Southern United States (like the Florida Everglades!) and China. Alligators prefer fresh water as they do not have the glands in their mouth that crocodiles do that expel saltwater.

When an alligator's mouth is shut, you won't see any teeth, but when a crocodile's mouth is closed, you will see a fourth tooth protruding from the side.

Crocodiles are olive green or light brown and have a pointed, V-shaped snout. They prefer to live in saltwater, brackish water, or a combination of saltwater and freshwater. Crocodiles' natural habitats are Africa, Australia, India, Central America, and the Pacific.

Both species can be dangerous; however, alligators are usually much less aggressive than crocodiles, who almost always react aggressively.

Alligators can grow between 11 to 15 feet for males and 8 to 10 feet for females and live on a diet of fish, birds, reptiles, small mammals, and even small alligators. Male crocodiles can reach more than 7m long and weigh 1,000kg.

Alligator spotting

When you see your first alligator, you get a real adrenaline rush, especially if you haven't seen one before in its natural environment.

They aren't easy to spot because they partially submerge themselves, with just a pair of eyes peeking out of the water. Therefore, they often look like tree branches or rocks.

The airboat captain's expertise is critical in spotting alligators. Once they have been located, the airboat is pulled in close, allowing visitors to spend time at each sighting and take photographs. 

Can you see the alligator in this photograph, camouflaged by grass and lily pads?

It took my eyes a minute to see his blackish-grey body poking out of the water after the airboat captain pointed it out.

And it's not only alligators that you'll see on this thrilling airboat ride.

Many other reptiles cohabit the Everglades, including snakes, lizards and turtles. This turtle was enjoying the sunshine on an overturned tree branch.

The tour will take you along the Everglades River, known by locals as the "river of grass," to the grasslands, where your captain will give you information about the environment and wildlife in the Everglades.

Back on dry land

Back on terra firma, don't be surprised to see alligators lying on the grass around the park. Seeing one so close to the general public is quite unnerving, but it seems it is a regular occurrence.

This huge male alligator seemed oblivious to the visitors taking photographs around him. Then he started to move, which certainly made everyone back away quickly.

He sauntered to the water's edge and slid underneath before resurfacing and gliding along, maybe to find a quieter spot away from the paparazzi!

I kept my distance and caught these images with a zoom lens. Remember, they are wild animals, not petting zoo attractions, as some visitors seemed to think!

Wildlife show

A live alligator show is part of the airboat tour and teaches visitors about their behaviour, feeding patterns, breeding, etc.

It only lasts around 25 minutes but is interesting and worth seeing. There was also an option to hold a baby alligator and have a photo taken. However, given opinions surrounding animal handling and conservation, this doesn't seem to be the best way to treat a juvenile.

A bird lovers paradise

Whether or not you are a twitcher, you will also enjoy seeing the birds in the Everglades. On my trip, we saw many different species, including an eagle.

Watch for birds in the trees above the boardwalk during the jungle trail.

Final Thoughts on an Airboat Tour in the Everglades

If you want to experience a different side of Florida away from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks and cities, I highly recommend an Everglades National Park nature trip.

This is one of the best day trips from Miami and will allow you to immerse yourself in North America's largest subtropical wilderness.

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