Everglades Favorites

The Everglades is unlike anywhere else on Earth. It is not a swamp, though it might look like one at first glance. It is a slow-moving river full of life. Every visit surprises me with new discoveries, from the wildlife to the food to the unique local culture that surrounds this national park. If you have ever wondered what makes Everglades National Park so special, this post will walk you through some of our favorite things to eat, see, and experience in this incredible landscape.

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Podcast Episode Overview

In this episode, we are moving on to our next national park – the Everglades! This place is truly incredible. It’s not one of the heavy hitters in the National Park system, but we think it’s because many people don’t realize how awesome it is. It’s one of the most unique national parks in terms of scenery, wildlife, and climate, and we absolutely love being here. There’s so much to do, so today, we are sharing some of our favorite things in this park. 

Join us as we cover: 

• The best places to eat 
• Where to stay when visiting
• Our favorite hikes in the area
• The gift shops you need to check out
• The coolest animals you’ll see in the area
• Our favorite plants to see in the Everglades
• The best sections of this park
• Must-see viewpoints
• What makes this such a cool park

We hope this episode gave you a great list of things you can be excited about and put on your radar for your trip to the Everglades. We’re excited to dive deeper into this beautiful park with you in the coming episodes! 

Stay tuned to hear more about why we love visiting this location and our best tips for planning your trip to this park.

Eating your way around the Everglades

The Everglades is surrounded by one of the most diverse food scenes in the country. Miami and Homestead are full of restaurants that reflect the melting pot of cultures in South Florida, and food is one of the best ways to experience it all.

If you only have time for one meal, make it at Versailles Cuban Cuisine in Miami. This place is a local legend, always busy, always delicious, and worth the wait. The first time we went, we had tiny kids and waited an hour in the parking lot, but it was so worth it. The fried pork chunks were perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender inside, and their Cuban sandwiches were a massive upgrade from the sad, flattened ones we had tried elsewhere. Go early, around 4:30 or 5 p.m., to avoid the dinner rush.

If you are staying closer to the park, Homestead has its own gems. El Coquí is a Puerto Rican restaurant where the waitstaff helped us try all kinds of new dishes, from empanadas to flavorful rice and beans. Another must-try spot is Fonda Familiar, a Mexican restaurant with food so good we could not stop eating. Their horchata was the best I have ever had, sweet and full of cinnamon flavor.

For something tied directly to the Everglades, head to Triad Seafood Café in Everglades City. We discovered that this little harbor town is the stone crab capital of the world, and you can taste the freshness in every bite. The restaurant sits on stilts above the water, with views that make you feel like you are part of the daily catch. The blackened grouper was thick, flavorful, and unforgettable.

Of course, no visit is complete without a stop at Robert Is Here, a famous fruit stand near the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. They serve key lime pie milkshakes, homemade guacamole, fresh fruit, and even boiled peanuts if you are feeling adventurous.

Where to stay, shop, and hike in the Everglades

When it comes to location, Homestead is our favorite place to stay. The Everglades covers the entire southern tip of Florida, so choosing a central base is key. Homestead puts you close to the park’s main entrances, Miami, Biscayne National Park, and all the restaurants mentioned above. It is the perfect home base for exploring the area.

If you love browsing national park gift shops, the best one in the Everglades is at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. You will find books, souvenirs, and everything you need for your trip. The Shark Valley Visitor Center has a smaller selection but is still worth a peek if you are there for a tram tour. Down at Flamingo, a new lodge and restaurant are being built to replace what was lost in past hurricanes, so that area’s amenities will continue to improve.

The Everglades is not really a hiking park. Most of the landscape is covered in water, and elevation changes are nonexistent. Still, there are a few trails worth exploring, and the Anhinga Trail tops my list. It is short, accessible, and packed with wildlife. We saw our first alligator there, plus turtles and a wide variety of birds. It is also the best way to see what the Everglades is truly about, a river of grass that stretches endlessly in every direction.

John’s pick is the nearby Gumbo Limbo Trail, a short walk through a shady forest filled with the park’s iconic gumbo limbo trees. These trees have beautiful reddish bark that peels like sunburned skin, earning them the nickname “tourist trees.” They are fascinating and beautiful, and you can see plenty of them along this trail.

Wildlife and plants of the Everglades

You cannot talk about the Everglades without talking about its animals. John’s favorite is the American crocodile, massive, ancient, and awe-inspiring. They can grow up to 15 feet long and have narrow snouts with visible teeth even when their mouths are closed. Crocodiles prefer brackish or saltwater areas, so you will find them closer to the coast.

My favorite, though, is the American alligator. I had never seen one in the wild before visiting the Everglades, and spotting my first alligator was thrilling. Despite my initial fears, they mostly lounge quietly on the banks, soaking up the sun. Seeing them up close in their natural habitat was incredible.

If you are lucky, you might also spot the Florida softshell turtle. These turtles have long, pointy faces and soft, leathery shells that make them look like cartoon characters. They are odd but endearing and always a hit with kids. The plant life here is just as fascinating as the animals. My favorite is, unsurprisingly, the gumbo limbo tree, my personal spirit tree, thanks to its sunburned, peeling bark. John loves the sawgrass, the plant that gives the Everglades its nickname as the “river of grass.” Despite its name, sawgrass is not actually a grass but a sedge, with serrated edges sharp enough to tear through fabric. It also plays a vital role in filtering the water, keeping the Everglades clean and clear.

Our favorite areas of the Everglades

John’s pick for the best area is the Tamiami Trail, the northern boundary of the park. Driving this stretch gives you a sense of how vast and wild the Everglades really are. It is lined with thick walls of foliage, canals, and waterways filled with life. You will pass airboat tours, fishermen, and plenty of scenic overlooks along the way.

My favorite section is Shark Valley. This area has it all: wildlife, boardwalks, and the park’s best views. The tram tour or bike route takes you along a 15-mile loop where alligators are everywhere. On our last visit, we counted over 30 of them. Shark Valley is also home to an observation tower, the highest point in the park, which offers an amazing 360-degree view of the vast landscape.

What makes the Everglades so special

For me, the Everglades is all about the wildlife and the sense of life thriving everywhere you look. It is like an African safari for ancient animals and birds, full of creatures you will not find anywhere else. The park protects an incredibly delicate ecosystem that depends on clean, slow-moving water, and it supports over 360 species of birds, along with countless reptiles, mammals, and fish.

One of my favorite quotes about the Everglades comes from Daniel B. Beard, the park’s first superintendent (and son of one of the founders of the Boy Scouts). He once said, “There is nothing in the Everglades that will make Mr. Johnny Q. Public suck in his breath.” And that is true. It is not about breathtaking peaks or canyons. The magic of the Everglades is in the details, the subtle beauty, the wildlife, and the constant hum of life all around you.

It might not take your breath away at first glance, but once you spend time here, you realize it is one of the most fascinating, life-giving places in the entire national park system.

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• The Ultimate Everglades Trip Planning Guide
• Everglades National Park
• Versailles Cuban Restaurant
• El Coqui
• Fonda Familiar
• Triad Seafood
• Gator Grill
• Biscayne National Park
• 10 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Visit to the Everglades
• Puddleglum BBC Character
• Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
• Robert is Here Fruit Stand
• Sawgrass
• Shark Valley and the Tamiami Trail
• Birdwatching Checklist
• Daniel B. Beard Quotes

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