Everglades National Park at Shark Valley

See Miami, Florida family vacation

Everglades National Park at Shark Valley

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33100 Tamiami Trl E
Ochopee, FL 34141+1000
239-695-2000 Save to My Wishlist

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Everglades National Park at Shark Valley Description

It's a 50-mile schlep from downtown Miami, but once you get to the heart of the famed River of Grass you'll feel like you're a world away. Take the park's two-hour narrated tram tour, with a pit stop at an observation tower; it's a spectacular way for kids to see the hundreds of wading birds, turtles, rabbits, snakes and alligators that call the Everglades home. More adventurous families with older kids will love renting bicycles to do the 15- mile, 2-3 hour loop on two wheels. If you see an alligator, don't worry: they may look scary, but they try to avoid people.

Park
Bicycling
Hiking
Train

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.