A guide to Florida's three National Parks
Everything you need to know for a fun, budget-friendly road trip through southern Florida.
Total trip time: 7-10 days
Nearest major cities to start from: Orlando, Fort Meyers, Fort Lauderdale, Miami
The Everglades is the 10th largest National Park in the US, with over 1.5 million acres of land, so it is easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer size of this park.
With five visitor centers spread across southern Florida, I tried to balance getting a comprehensive view and experience of the Everglades, without driving for hours and hours every day to traverse the park.
Rent bikes at the visitor center and cruise around a 15-mile paved path, observing the wildlife (so many gators!) and foliage around you.
This self-guided tour culminates at the Shark Valley Observation Tower, which offers a 360-degree view of the park.
Kirby Storter Roadside Park Boardwalk is a 0.8 mile moderately trafficked boardwalk trail, which features a lake and tons of gators. The trail is great for people of all skill levels and is very family friendly.
This two-hour, slow-paced scenic drive has a few pullouts to short trails. If you have not seen enough gators yet, you are likely to get a few more along this drive.
This is a great way to catch another glimpse of the beautiful scenery, without needing to leave your car (and face the Florida heat!)
While there are several visitor centers to choose from, Ernest F. Coe visitor center offers information about the park, as well as a hub for a few walking trails in the area.
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Trails
Anhinga Trail: 0.8 miles
Gumbo Limbo Trail: 0.5 miles
Both of these trails offered a mix of boardwalks, paved trail, and soft earth that were easily walkable. They give visitors a sense of what the Everglades have to offer. The trailheads are near Ernest F. Coe visitor center.
Places to Stay
Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress offers traditional campgrounds and backcountry camping, both are reservable on recreation.gov.
We were able to walk-in and camp at Monument Lake without a prior reservation. This campground had beautiful views, friendly people, and great amenities, including good cell service, clean bathrooms, potable water, and a fire pit.
The only thing better was the stars at night. It was the kind of expansive night sky that leaves you feeling like a tiny speck in the world (in the most comforting way possible).
Nature enthusiasts can enjoy Native American-built chickees (Seminole word for house) at the Everglades Chickee Cottage and Bungalow Ochopee. The bungalows have air conditioning, and a shared bathroom is provided at the campground.
Free Wi-Fi is provided.
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Key Biscayne
Key Biscayne boasts being the first true key of the Florida Keys (sorry Key Largo). With 95% of the park being underwater, to truly experience the park, you need to get out on the water. Whether you enjoy kayaking, boating, paddleboarding, snorkeling, or scuba diving, this park is for water sport enthusiasts.
Dante Fascell Visitor Center is the only visitor center in the park, so head here to get your bearings and check into any tour reservations you have.
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Joe Lagoon Eco Adventures
There are many options for guided excursions based what you are looking to do, as well as your budget.
We opted for a 3.25-hour boating and kayaking tour. This included a 40-minute boat ride, where we learned about the history of the National Park and the families that pioneered the area. When we reached our destination, we had 1.5 hours to kayak through the mangroves, where we learned about their importance to the ecosystem. We were also treated to a wide variety of wild life, including sharks, stingrays, several kinds of fish, and jellyfish.
This trail is a nice walk when you are waiting for your tour group or watery adventure to begin. We had about two hours until our kayaking trip, so we took the opportunity to clean up the trail, which is an excellent time for a reminder to Leave No Trace. After the trash was picked up and properly disposed of, we saw a manatee as we looked out into the marina.
Places to Stay
Not so fun fact: it is illegal to sleep in your car in the Keys (for more than 3 hours), so plan ahead for where to stay
Huge campground with spacious campsites for all types of campers (tent sites, RVs, etc.).
Tent sites are gravel, so keep that in mind for your sleep set-up.
Great amenities, including showers!
Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection is set on 14.5 private bayfront acres in Key Largo, Florida. The resort features a year-round outdoor pool, private cabanas, a hot tub, fire pits, and water sport facilities.
Each room features an interactive iPad and smart TV with cinema-effects for streaming movies and music. A dining table and seating area are included in each accommodations.
The resort's La Marea restaurant has a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs grown in the property's seaside garden. The waterfront restaurant, Sol by the Sea, offers fresh seafood and a rum bar.
The full-service Ocean Spa has skin and nail treatments, a salon, and fitness counseling and classes. Guests can even schedule an en suite massage.
Views of the Florida Bay, a private marina, and a boat launch ramp are featured at the Playa Largo Resort. Paddle boards, kayaks, snorkeling, diving, boating, and ocean excursions are available on site.
Each spacious unit is divided in 2 levels: there is a master bedroom with a full bathroom upstairs and a living room with a sofa bed downstairs. A second bathroom and a kitchen are also on the ground floor.
Popular with solo travelers
Accessible options for travelers with disabilities
John Pennekamp State Park is less than 3 miles away
Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary is 5 miles away
Key Largo is 1 mile away
1.1 miles from beach
The unit is fitted with a flat-screen TV and features a private bathroom
On-site Snappers Restaurant & Bar with live music
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The Keys
We spent the day driving down the Keys and stopping at anything that called out to us, and I encourage you to do that same!
I have listed a few destinations below, but you will pass by roadside stops, farmers markets, and local eateries. Let the ocean breeze guide you towards finding your next favorite spot.
Educational program available and reservations are encouraged.
If you have a little extra pocket money (read: there is a decent entrance fee) and would like to see the great things this turtle hospital is doing, it is worth a stop along your drive.
Nice beach area to spend an afternoon with a cool bridge and good amenities. If you are beached out by now, go ahead and skip this one since there is an entrance fee.
Ever heard of a Key Deer? They are cute, tiny deer endemic to this area. You will see signs on the roads to watch out for them, but might as well stop at this refuge to catch a glimpse.
Some of my favorite spots:
- Higgs Beach is a free beach
- West Martello Tower is a free botanical garden that is gorgeous
- Mallory Square is the downtown area
- Duval Street is vibrant and fun
- Key West Cemetary is known for some of its unique headstones
- Cuban Coffee Queen for coffee
Recommend renting mopeds to visit the different spots around the island. Parking can be difficult in a car/other vehicle.
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Trails
Blue Hole: 0.3 miles
Near Key Deer Refuge in Big Pine Key, this short out and back around a small inland pond. Another spot to find and identify the interesting flora and fauna of the area.
We used this campground as our hub for Key West, as well as for our day trip to Dry Tortugas.
Campsites are close together and it hosts a lot of long-term RV residents, but everyone is very friendly, and it has good amenities.
Hyatt Beach House Resort is located in Key West 4 mi from Duval Street. An outdoor pool and hot tub are featured.
Suites come fully equipped with a kitchen, separate dining room, and private screened-in balcony. Flat-screen TVs are standard in every room.
You can engage in various activities, such as snorkeling, windsurfing and fishing. The resort also offers bike hire and a small bar on site called Jimmy's Ocean Blue, which serves lite fare.
Hampton Inn Key West features a heated pool with an ocean view. Guests can grab a bite to eat at the poolside restaurant. A free continental breakfast is offered daily. Complimentary WiFi is provided. Shuttle service to Key West Airport is provided to all guests. Duval Street is 4 mi from the property.
This resort rooms are completely nonsmoking and include a microwave and small refrigerator. A cable TV with HBO® and local art are featured in each room. Select room feature a balcony.
Convenient laundry facilities are offered. A business center is available for guests. The resort provides a 24-hour multilingual front desk.
Cheekie Hut is a poolside bar and grill that serves American cuisine. Guests can also grab a hot beverage at the coffee bar.
Private rooms and hostel style dorm rooms available
Located in Key West, Florida, this motel is just 7 minutes’ walk from the Southernmost Point of the United States. It features rooms with free WiFi access.
Air conditioning is available in each room at Seashell Motel and International Hostel for hot Florida days. Rooms are simply decorated, and guests can take advantage of a 24-hour shared kitchen.
Bicycle rentals are available at the Seashell Motel Key West. Daily maid service and vending machines are provided for added guest convenience. The property offers free parking.
Duval Street is a 15 minutes walk from the Seashell Motel and International Hostel
Higgs Beach is a 10 minutes' walk away
Offering 3 outdoor pools, this Old Town Key West motel features high-speed WiFi access and a cable TV in each room. Duval Street is 2 minutes' walk away.
A patio, microwave, and refrigerator are included in all rooms at this Key West Southwinds Motel. Extras include a dining area and a hairdryer.
A tour desk and a luggage storage are available at Southwinds Motel. Parking is available on-site. Laundry facilities is also at the property.
This motel is just a 4-minute walk from the southernmost point of the continental US and the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory. It offers a daily continental breakfast, a heated outdoor pool and free WiFi.
Guest rooms at Blue Marlin Motel are equipped with cable TV and a work desk. The simply styled rooms also include a microwave, fridge and coffee facilities for convenience.
Motel Blue Marlin offers trolley tickets for guests at the reception desk.
Option to take the Yankee Freedom, or take your own boat over to Dry Tortugas
We took the Yankee Freedom, which included:
- a two hour and 15-minute boat ride (each way)
- historic Fort Jefferson tour with lunch included
- time to explore the area and snorkel
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Recommendations
Set up Camp
Camping is only available on Garden Key and reservations are booked months in advance, which is why we were unable to do it. However, if you are able to snag a spot, you have the option to explore Bush Key and the surrounding areas. Dry Tortugas is well known for its incredible night sky and only a lucky few get to experience each night.
Consider Bringing Your Own Boat
If you are planning on taking your own boat to Dry Tortugas, you must acquire a boat permit. This allows for much more flexibility in your trip, as well as the option to explore Loggerhead Key. Even if you cannot take your own boat across the gulf, there are a few spots available on the Yankee Freedom to bring a kayak and/or paddleboard. I would only recommend taking advantage of this if you are staying overnight.
An Anecdote
I visited Dry Tortugas on March 7, 2021, a year before I decided to quit my job and visit all of the National Parks in the lower 48. Little did I know that this type of road trip (listed out above), would become by identity in the coming year.
Dry Tortugas was my first park that required a boat, so we queued up for the launch at promptly 7am (well, after a quick stop at Cuban Coffee Queen). We were at the back of the line, but we could hear murmurings about "an option day." As the whispers turned into layered conversations, we learned that this meant that we had the option for a full refund for our trip aboard the Yankee Freedom because of rough seas. I looked at my friend Emily and we shrugged, "what else did we have planned for today?"
For two and a half hours after boarding, we stumbled getting to the bathroom and held our noses as other passengers doubled over popcorn buckets (provided). However, we spent most of that time listening to the history of the park we were about to step foot on. Did you know it was a union civil war base? News to me and potentially the other passengers, but they were too busy laying across the benches and moaning.
When we arrived (sweet, sweet land), we had a tour around Fort Jefferson. While history has never been my subject, I learned more from the guides on the Yankee Freedom than I remember during my cumulative time during history classes in high school. I left feeling a sense of awe, wonder, and dread when I imagined those stationed and imprisoned at Fort Jefferson.
After a cute picnic lunch, sometime exploring the grounds, and a bit of snorkeling. It was time to face our fate aboard the Yankee Freedom once more. The ride back was more of the same (thankfully with a fresh round of popcorn buckets), but I definitely left with an appreciation for one of the most unique National Parks I would visit over the next two years.
Find more of my adventures on Instagram @ani.theadventurer
Welcome to my (and hopefully our) adventures! I have lived all over the United States, and I have a passion for the outdoors and budget-travel. My style of travel is easy-going, yet filled with adventure and excitement. I focus on connecting with people and community, as well as immersing myself in the outdoors as much as possible. Finding a balance between these two have led to some amazing memories, and I cannot wait to share them with you.
Most recently, I lived in my car for over seven months, while I visited every National Park in the lower 48. I hiked, camped, met amazing people, and hiked some more. I got to experience the parks like a local, because I had no timetable, no flights to catch, no rental car to return, etc. Some parks I stayed only for a few hours, and others for over a week. I chatted with park rangers, stayed with people that lived nearby, and camped with others at some amazing campsites. The travel guides I share give you an "insider" look at the national park, with tips for the best hikes, tricks for finding campsites (but I always include hotel options too), as well as information about the various aspects of the parks. I hope that you will use these guides as tools to fuel your next national park adventure!
