Kid Tips

Toddlers & Pre-K: Seeing alligators from the safety of the tram will delight them.

School-Age Kids: Kids under 10 should stick with the tram. They'll have fun while learning all about this ecosystem (you don't have to tell them it's educational).

Pre-Teens & Teens: Biking so close to gators makes for a lifetime memory; still, relaxing as the tram does the work is also worthwhile.

Planning Notes

• Reserve tours in advance. During peak winter season you should call up to a month before you go. They don’t take reservations for the midday tours so if you haven’t reserved, come early.
• Ideally, go in winter. Summer is Florida’s hot, rainy season.
• Prepare for a long car ride. It takes at least one-and-a-half hours to drive here from downtown Miami.
• Bring lots of bug spray. Even in the cooler winter, these swamps are home to millions of mosquitoes.
• Wear comfortable shoes. You'll need them for walking up the observation tower, or for the short hikes near the visitors’ center.
• Bring rain ponchos. This is especially true in summer, when afternoon downpours occur almost daily.
• Arrive early for bikes. The park only has a handful of kids’ bikes (and required helmets) and they’re first-come, first-served.
• Eat before you arrive. Only basic snacks are sold here, and there are no picnic tables on the grounds.

Just the Facts

Hours: November -- April: 8:45 a.m.-5:15 p.m., daily May-October: 9:15 a.m.-5:15 p.m., daily.

Fees: Under $10

Recommended Time: 2 to 4 hours