If you’re interested in visiting the Everglades from Fort Lauderdale, there are several guided tours and organized day trips to consider.
Visitors can expect airboat rides, opportunities to hold baby alligators and other fun activities.
- Everglades Holiday Park
- Everglades National Park
- Sawgrass Recreation Park
- Everglades Tours From Miami
- Key West Day Trips
- Things to Do in Miami
Everglades Holiday Park
The park is located at 21940 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale. It’s easily reached from any place in South Florida.
Driving directions
From the north or south of Fort Lauderdale, you can use the following directions:
- Take I-95 or the Florida Turnpike to I-595 heading west.
- Head west on I-595 to I-75 heading south.
- Continue south on I-75 to Griffin Road heading west (exit 13B).
- Take Griffin Road until the road ends.
- You will see the sign” Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Tours and Rides”
Use this Google Maps link to get exact directions from your point of departure.
About the park
This popular park, situated on 29 acres of Everglades wetlands, offers 60-minute airboat tours which are longer than competitors.
You can add on these other fun activities with a separate ticket or book a package.
The park offers alligator shows, where staff interact with gators to entertain and inform guests about these animals.
Their Animal Encounter is a 45-minute session with a park professional that allows you to get up close to 5 unique uncaged animals of the kind found in the park.
You can hold a baby alligator, and walk away with a free professional-grade Kodak photo.
Tours
Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Tour
- $42.86/Adults | $29.88 /Children
- Children under 3 get in for free
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Availability: Daily 9 am- 3:30 pm
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Everglades VIP Airboat Tour from Fort Lauderdale
- $64/Adults | $54 /Children (3-11) | Children under 3 free
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from Fort Lauderdale
- 2 free professional-grade group photos
- Duration: 4 hours (60-minute airboat tour plus travel time from Ft. Lauderdale)
- Availability: 8:30 am and 1:30 pm
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Everglades National Park
From Fort Lauderdale, you will access the park at the Shark Valley entrance. The address is 36000 SW 8th Street Miami.
Driving directions
There are three ways to reach Shark Valley from Fort Lauderdale.
Use this Google Maps link to see the other routes and get exact directions from your point of departure.
- Get on I-95 S in Dania Beach from US-1 S and FL-818 W/Griffin Rd
- Follow I-95 Express and FL-836 W to FL-825/NW 137th Ave in Miami-Dade County.
- Take the NW 137th Ave S exit from FL-836 W
- Follow US Hwy 41 W to Shark Valley Loop Rd
About the park
Run by the National Park Service, the park, through third-party companies, offers a variety of excursions from Fort Lauderdale that include airboat tours, pontoon tours, nature drives and more.
In addition to the above tours, 2-hour tram tours are available. However, they do not include round-trip transportation from Fort Lauderdale.
Tours
Florida Airboat Everglades Tour from Fort Lauderdale
- $64.98/Adults | $54.98 /Children (3-11) | Children under 3 free
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from Fort Lauderdale
- Duration: 4 hours (60-minute airboat tour plus travel time from Ft. Lauderdale)
- Availability: Departures between 8:30 am-9:30 am and 12:30 pm-1:30 pm
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Small-Group Everglades Day Safari from Fort Lauderdale
- $199/Adults | $159/Youth (13-15) | Children (6-12)
- Children 5 and under not permitted
- Airboat tour
- Wildlife drive and nature walk
- Lunch at a waterside restaurant
- Scenic boat ride into the mangrove forest
- Pick up from two locations in Fort Lauderdale
- Duration: 10 hours (includes travel time)
- Availability: Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri at 7:15 am
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Sawgrass Recreation Park
The park is located at 1006 N. U.S. Highway 27, Weston, FL.
- Take I-595 W from E Broward Blvd
- Continue on I-595 W.
- Take I-75 N to US-27 N/US Hwy 27 N.
- Take exit 23 from I-75 N.
- Follow US-27 N/US Hwy 27 N to the park entrance
Use this Google Maps link to get exact directions from your point of departure.
About the park
In addition to airboat tours, this park has a reptile sanctuary where you can see over 50 animals that have been rescued and adopted.
See snakes, lizards, tortoises, and other species. Plus hold a baby alligator!
Tours
Everglades Express Tour with Airboat Ride
- $94/Adults | $59/Children (3-11) | $25 Infant (4 and younger)
- Airboat ride
- Visit a reptile sanctuary
- Round-trip transportation in a Mercedes van from Ft. Lauderdale
- Duration: 4 hours (includes travel time)
- Availability: Departures daily 8:30 am, 10 am,11:30 am
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Sawgrass Park Airboat Adventure Package
- $94/Adults | $59/Children (4-12)
- Ages 3 and younger are not permitted.
- 40-minute airboat tour (with ear protection)
- Visit a reptile sanctuary
- Choice of a souvenir t-shirt or hat (valued up to $22.95)
- Photo souvenir keychain
- Bottled water
- Complimentary parking
- Duration: 40 minutes
- Availability: Daily at 9 am, 10 am,11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
