We have started a tradition in our family of taking a big trip instead of a gift for our children the year they graduate high school. We started really big with my oldest a couple of years ago by taking a seven-week, once-in-a-lifetime cross-country trip as a family.
My daughter knew that her trip this year could not be that long, but she got to choose the location and plan the adventures. She chose Florida and among other things, we fit in visits to three national parks!
(For this series, I will use the term National Park to mean any park site, including historic sites, monuments, etc.)
One of our favorite stops in Florida, was Everglades National Park. We only had a day and a half in the park and I hope to go back one day and spend more time there.
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Our Suggested Itinerary
Before you visit, you should know that the Everglades is the third-largest national park, and it covers over 1.5 million acres. Seeing everything in a day just isn’t possible. There are multiple entrances and visitor centers throughout the park. What you want to see and where you are entering the park will have a huge effect on your experience. This post will focus on the area near Homestead, FL and the Earnest Coe Visitors Center
First Stop: Earnest F. Coe Visitor Center
As with most National Parks, I recommend stopping at the visitor center first. This visitor center is just a short drive from the entrance in Homestead, FL. Here you will find some wonderful exhibits that show more about the area, the animals found in the park, and the different types of eosystems throughout the park. There is also a short film that gives the history of the park.
In addition, this is where you can get your National Park Passport stamped and pick up any Junior Ranger books you need. You can also pick up trail maps and check on the availability of any additional ranger led programming.
There are also restrooms, water fountains, and a gift shop available.
Next Up: A Night Hike
We had the privilege of camping in Everglades National Park on our visit, and I highly recommend this if it is an option for you. They also have a lodge, but it is about 30 miles from the entrance, and we did not visit it.
Since we were there overnight, we were able to participate in a ranger-led night hike (I believe you could have also driven in for the night hike, but camping close by made it very convenient).
I just happened to see this night hike on their events page the day we checked in, and I’m so glad we did. I highly recommend trying one if you have the chance. We did not have our younger children on this hike, but if I did it again, I would be sure to bring them.
The hike was along the Anhinga Trail, which is a mostly boardwalk trail that is about 3/4 of a mile long. It was not a strenuous walk, but it was really amazing to see and hear everything at night. We were able to spot many alligators, birds nesting in trees, and other native wildlife.
We also were able to get a good view of the stars and found it really interesting to see how one side of the sky was lit up from the lights of Miami. You feel like you are so far out in the wild, but it is really fairly close to the city in the scheme of things.
Anyone can hike there at night, so you can do it even if there is no scheduled program, but having the ranger there to point out different animals and answer questions certainly made it more educational.
In the Morning: A Guided Road Trip
The next morning, the whole family gathered together at the visitors center to start a little road trip through that area of the park. I purchased an inexpensive audio tour of the park so that we would better understand what we were seeing as we explored.
One of our first stops was actually back at the Anhinga Trail. We knew that the little boys and my parents would enjoy seeing the alligators, and it was really interesting to see the same trail both in the daytime and the nighttime and compare the two.
As we continued the guided tour, we stopped at several short trails and overlooks to see a few of the different ecosystems in the Everglades, such as pine forests and “rivers of grass”. Most of these areas are well marked, and many are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly.
Of note, there are bathrooms at the Anhinga Trail Head and the Visitors Center. We did not find any other bathrooms along our route, so plan accordingly. (There are more if you reach the Flamingo area, but we did not have time to make it that far.)
The Anhinga Trail Head is also the best place in this part of the park for a picnic if you want tables and shade. There are some benches at a few of the other areas, but they do not have picnic tables.
Finally, A Bit of History in The Everglades
While the Everglades is most known for its diverse and fascinating ecosystems, there is a lot of history in the park as well. You can find out more about the Native Americans that lived there from the visitor center and various programs. You can also learn more about the area and how it helped some slaves escape to freedom.
However, during our visit, we made a stop focused on a bit more “modern” history and the role the area played in the Cuban Missile Crisis. As we were driving on our tour, we had the chance to stop at the HM69 Nike Missile Base.
There were some amazing volunteers on site who told us all about why and how the site had been used. We were able to see a replica missile and the outside of the bunkers. (A fun bonus was several extra passport stamps!)
This would be really interesting to anyone who enjoys history, but was extra neat for us because a couple of years ago we had the opportunity to see the Minuteman Site in South Dakota. We were able to discuss and compare the two. For example, in South Dakota the missiles were underground, but you can’t do that in the Everglades because of the water.
Nearby Stops
There are two nearby stops that I feel like need to be considered if you are planning a trip to the Everglades.
The Everglades Alligator Farm was a really neat stop. They are a wildlife refuge that takes in alligators and other animals and provided several educational interactions where we saw trainers working with alligators and feeding them while teaching us more about these amazing animals.
The entrance fee also included an airboat ride! This short ride was really fun and educational. It was a great way to really get out into the shallows and see the Everglades while also having an adventure. They provided ear protection because it was a bit loud, but even the toddler had a great time.
It was a lot of fun and I highly recommended stopping there if you have a few hours.
The next stop, we found purely by accident as we rode past it on the way to the alligator farm. However, we ended up stopping there a total of three times over several days in the area. Robert Is Here is a large produce stand that also has animals, food trucks, a big picnic play area, and more.
We were impressed by the variety of produce and the knowledge of some of the employees. We had some of the best avocados and mangoes I’ve ever had, and also tried several fruits that we had never seen before.
They even cut some of the fruit for us to try right there in the store, adding lime and salt. It was really more than just a fruit stand, it was an experience.
If you get a chance to visit, let me know how you like it. Don’t forget to take your park passport and get it stamped! We have found that the passport is a great way for the children to collect souvenirs at each park, with no additional expense beyond the initial purchase.
Where:
Information Center: Homestead, FL
Hours of Operation:
The Park is open 24/7 year round, but the visitors center is open 9:00-5:00 or 8:00-5:00 depending on the season.
Costs: $35 for everyone in your vehicle for 7 days (or free if you have a National Park pass).
Homeschool Discount: If you have a fourth grader, you can get a free annual pass for your family to all the National Park sites.
Website: https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
Food: There are a few snacks sold in the gift shop, but the closest restaurant that is in the park is over 30 miles from this visitor center.
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