Everglades City is known as the Gateway to Ten Thousand Islands. You will find it in Collier County, Florida, at the mouth of Barron River in Chokoloskee Bay.
The city is a perfect destination for people who love to be outdoors and marvel at the abundant beauty of nature. It houses the ideal spots for swimming, kayaking, riding an airboat, fishing, birdwatching, and many more! Furthermore, it provides the best access to the Everglades National Park, Chokoloskee Bay, and Ten Thousand Islands.
So, without any further ado, here is a list of fun and exciting things to do in the Everglades City!
-
Manatee Sightseeing
The Manatee is an endangered mammal, making seeing one a rare and memorable experience. It has a big, seal-looking body, with a pair of flippers and a round paddle-shaped tail. They are generally gray, and their skin has wrinkles, hair, and sometimes barnacles or algae.
People often refer to them as “sea cows” not only because of how they look but because they are primarily herbivores. This mammal spends up to eight hours a day grazing on aquatic plants, but they also occasionally feed on fish.
One of the manatee species that you may find in the Everglades City is the West Indian manatee. They usually go to the Everglades and Biscayne National Park during winters because they find the waters warm on these coasts. If you want to see them, you may find them in slow-moving rivers, saltwater bays, canals, and estuaries.
-
Birding
Birding is another one of the enjoyable thing to do in Everglades City, where you might be able to witness as many as 300 bird species. Imagine them all in the air- that’s magnificent, right? If you want that, come here from December to March, when the best birding season takes place!
The birds opt to stay around permanent bodies of water during winter, which makes it easier to observe them and admire their beauty. One of the best birding places is in the half-mile-long Anhinga Trail in the Royal Palm Hammock Park. This trail is named after one of Florida’s unique birds- the anhinga.
The anhinga is one rare sight. It is known for many nicknames, such as water turkey and snake bird. The bird’s slim long neck looks like a snake when it swims totally submerged with its head slightly tilted above the water.
Some of the other birds you may spot while birding in the Everglades City is the reddish egret, great blue heron, wood stork, roseate spoonbill, double-crested cormorant black-crowned night heron, and many more.
-
Kayaking and Canoeing
The Everglades city is dubbed as the paddlers’ dream because of its excellent kayaking and canoeing destinations. Some of the best trail ranges are in the Flamingo Paddling Trail, ranging from beginner to advanced. You may access them via the Flamingo marina or from the main park road as you go near Flamingo.
Here is a list of the best trails in the Flamingo Paddling Trail:
- Nine Mile Pond: It is a 5-mile long scenic loop trail that will allow you to kayak or canoe through a shallow grassy marsh with scattered mangrove islands. Along the way, you might spot some alligators, wading birds, and many other animals living here. If you are lucky, you may be able to witness the endangered snail kite.
- Noble Hammock: This, on the other hand, is a shorter trail with only 1.9 miles in length. But, it is suitable for testing your maneuvering skills as there are sharp turns and narrow passageways along the route.
- Hell’s Bay: The name very much describes this trail because they say that it is hell to get into and hell to get out of. It is a very challenging yet fulfilling kayaking trail. This sheltered route will allow you to weave through wonderful mangrove creeks and ponds to a series of small bays.
- Florida Bay: This trail offers a lot of opportunities to have fun. You can watch some mullets jump and birds feed while you are kayaking along its waters. Aside from that, it is also a great spot for kayak fishing, where you can catch largemouth bass, rainbow trout, bluegill, and many more.
- Sandfly Island Loop: This is also a 5-mile long kayaking trail that you may access from the Gulf Coast Visitor Center. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t go here during strong winds as there may be unfavorable tides.
-
Wildlife Encounter
If you want to encounter wildlife, then Everglades City is the best place to do that. It houses thousands of different animal species. You can get up close and personal with snakes, alligators, birds, and many other animals at the Skunk Ape Research Center located in Ochopee, Florida.
Or you can also get a boat tour where you can get a chance to encounter animals in their natural habitat. Going on a boat tour will give you a chance to see rare animals living in the Everglades, such as the Florida panther, American alligator, and wood storks.
-
Fishing
The Everglades City also offers prime fishing destinations for anglers and fishing enthusiasts- the Chokoloskee Bay, Lake Placid, and Ten Thousand Islands. From these waters, you can engage in challenging fishing adventures and catch game fish, such as redfish, tarpon, snook, largemouth bass, and peacock bass.
Explore The Everglades City
The Everglades City is truly a destination of a lifetime. With its prime nature destinations and exciting outdoor activities, you will surely want to keep on coming back to this place.
Or if you want to experience something similar a little further north, you may check out Swamp Fever Airboat Adventures. We offer the best airboat rides in Central Florida, where we can take you to marvel at the state’s natural beauty, amazing wildlife, and exciting natural theme parks. Plus, what makes your adventure with us more mind-blowing is the chance to get a picture with a live gator. Who would want to miss that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
Call us now at +1 (352) 643-0708 to book your adventure with us!
