Florida is home to three National Parks. While one of them (Dry Tortugas) is kind of a pain to get to, you can visit the other two (Everglades and Biscayne) together in one easy trip. Follow along as we share our itinerary for visiting Everglades and Biscayne National Parks over the course of two days.
In this post, we’ll include details for planning your trip, like where to stay and how to get around. We’ll also go over the specific hikes and activities we experienced along the way, which really brought these parks to life.
Let’s get started!
About Florida’s National Parks
For this itinerary, we’re going to visit Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. Despite their close proximity, these parks are very different.
Everglades National Park is one of the largest National Parks outside of Alaska. There are many ways to explore the park, including nature trails, boat tours and other excursions and tours.
The Everglades comprises an entire ecosystem of wetlands, forests and mangroves, and is home to an abundance of wildlife. Alligators are most commonly associated with the Everglades, but there is so much more to it than that! Everglades National Park is also home to over 30 protected or endangered species, including panthers, crocodiles and manatees.
About 20 miles east of Everglades National Park is Biscayne National Park. While the parks share some similarities — most notably the mangrove ecosystem — Biscayne is drastically different. Most notably, Biscayne National Park is 95% water.
Biscayne National Park protects the coral reefs, seabeds and island keys within its boundaries. The shallow waters of the bay serve as a nursery to a majority of the nearby marine life, including dolphins, sea turtles and manatees. This is in large part due to its abundance of sea grass, sponges and coral.
The best way to explore Biscayne National Park is to get out on the water. There are boat tours available, as well as paddling, snorkeling and diving.
Florida is also home to Dry Tortuga’s National Park. The icon of this park is the massive Fort Jefferson, a former military fort built in the late 1800s. Contrary to what the name suggests, Dry Tortuga’s National Park is mostly water and is only 1% dry land.
Similar to Biscayne, it’s best seen from the water, either by snorkeling, diving or boating. We won’t be covering Dry Tortuga’s in this post, but you can only access that park by boat or seaplane from Key West.
Plan Your Trip
Before we dive into the details of this itinerary, let’s cover some big-picture planning for the trip.
When to go to Everglades and Biscayne National Parks
The best time to head to these two Florida National Parks is in the winter. Specifically, from December through March. These months bring cooler temperatures — cool for Florida, that is — as well as dryer conditions. The dry season is a little less muggy and a lot less buggy. June through November is considered hurricane season, so it’s usually best to avoid those months if possible.
Where to stay when visiting Everglades and Biscayne National Parks
Let’s first mention Miami. If you’re visiting Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, the closest major airport is Miami. In some cases, it might make sense to stay in Miami and visit Everglades and Biscayne as day trips. These two parks are roughly 1 hour away from Miami, but traffic can drastically impact your actual travel time. I’d only suggest staying in Miami if the National Parks were part of a bigger Miami trip and you don’t want to change hotels.
Homestead is really the best place to stay for these two National Parks. It’s a suburb of Miami that has all the creature comforts you need. Including but not limited to: a Publix to pick up snacks, a Target to stock up on sunblock, your pick of chain restaurants, and of course plenty of hotel options. (We personally stayed TownePlace Suites Miami Homestead, which worked out great.)
Wherever you stay, for this itinerary you will need a car. If you are flying into Miami (MIA), the rental car facilities are a short tram ride away.
How long do you need at Everglades and Biscayne National Parks
These two parks are perfect for a long weekend. I would say you really only need one day at each of these parks. Add a travel day on either said, and it fills up a 4-day weekend perfectly.
Of course, you could stay longer. This itinerary only includes the southern track of Everglades, so you could fill a second day doing the northern portion. At Biscayne, if you were interested in any water excursions, like diving or paddling, that could also justify an additional day.
However, if you want to get the general experience of these two parks, you can comfortably do that with a day or so in each.
What to Book in Advance for the Everglades and Biscayne
There are a few things in this itinerary that you should book at least a week or two in advance of your arrival. During the dry season, these can often be booked on the fly, but they do sell out sometimes. As my mom likes to say, “Better safe, than sorry.”
- Heritage of Biscayne Boat Tour: This is the main attraction in our Biscayne itinerary. You should book this one about a week in advance, if possible. You can book online here.
- Shark Valley Tram Tour: This is an optional add-on to this Everglades itinerary. We personally did not do it. However, if you are interested, you should pre-book your tram time here. (It’s not cheap though, so if you’re unsure and uncommitted, maybe hold off.)
- Rental Car: This is not always necessary, but it’s definitely easier. For many agencies, if you book ahead, you can just head straight to a car.
- Airport Hotel: If you’re planning to spend any nights at the MIA Airport hotel (we recommend it for your final night if you have an early flight), you’ll want to book that hotel quickly. It’s a small hotel and will sell out faster than hotels in Homestead.
Everglades & Biscayne 2-Day Itinerary
Okay, now let’s get into the details of this itinerary. In this section, we’ll explain how to fill your days at these two National Parks. This itinerary follows our own personal experience at these parks.
Arrival Day
If you’re flying, you will arrive at Miami International Airport (MIA). We’d suggest planning for an early to mid-afternoon arrival time if possible, as there are a few things to do first.
First, you’ll need to rent car. You could potentially visit Biscayne from Miami without a car, but you definitely need a car for Everglades.
The Rental Car Center is adjacent to MIA and is accessible via the MIA Mover tram. (Follow posted signs in the terminal to the MIA Mover.) There are a dozen rental car options to choose from. You can see the full list here.
Next, drive to your hotel. As we mentioned above, we suggest staying in Homestead, which is about a one hour drive from the airport.
Other than the rental car, the next most important thing to do on your arrival day is to pick up food for lunches. Other than some sad sandwiches from the visitors center, Everglades National Park does not have many options for food within the park. At Biscayne, the boat tour falls over lunchtime and no food is available for purchase. We’d suggest packing a lunch for both days.
We went to Target and got the fixings for PBJs, plus some snacks like trail mix, dried fruit, apple sauce pouches, and Pringles. (If you had a cooler, you could also go the prepared food route and grab Subway sandwiches or something like that.) We also stocked up on water, bug spray and sunblock.
Other than that, rest up and get ready for tomorrow.
Day 1: Everglades National Park
We begin at Everglades National Park. As we already mentioned, this National Park is huge. There is a lot of ground to cover, and it’s often split between two different routes.
One option is to go north to Shark Valley. People sometimes joke that this is the theme park route, as its highlights include a tram tour, lookout tower, and airboat rides. We didn’t make it there, and will not be covering that in this post.
Instead, this itinerary focuses on the southern route, roughly following the main park road from Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center south to Guy Bradley Visitor Center, with stops along the way. This is the more traditional National Park route, with lots of wildlife and nature trails. On that note, let’s get started!
Our first stop is Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. We’d suggest arriving right around the time it opens (8 AM during the dry season and 9 AM during the summer season.) Arriving early will help you beat the crowds and the afternoon heat on the trails.
Tip! Before you get to the visitor center, you’ll pass the main sign. If you want a photo, there is a area to pull over. Do exercise caution, especially with children, as you are very close to the road.
The visitor center is a great place to get some basic information about the park, get your official park stamp, and even start to enjoy some views at the lake just outside. If you’re traveling with children, swing by the Ranger Station for a Junior Rangers booklet.
After the visitor center, follow the main road into the park. This is where you’ll pay the park fee or show your annual pass.
Next is the real crown jewel of Everglades National Park: Anhinga Trail. If you only do one thing at Everglades National Park, do this trail. It’s a beautiful half-mile paved and boardwalk trail that is famous for its resident alligators and of course Anhingas (large birds).
Fill out the rest of your morning with these four nature trails, in order. Each of these trails is less than a half mile long and is fully accessible. Despite their close proximity, these trails all highlight a different habitat. When you arrive at each trailhead, be sure to read the signs at the entrance to learn about what makes that trail unique.
- Gumbo Limbo Trail (trailhead is just steps away from Anhinga Trail)
- Pinelands Trail
- Pa-hay-okee Trail
- Mahogany Hammock Trail
Read more! You can read more about each of these trails, plus even more tips, in our Everglades National Park — 1 Day, Kid Friendly Itinerary.
Next, take a break for lunch, which hopefully you packed as there’s not really any options nearby. There’s two great picnic spots along the main road: Paurotis Pond and West Lake. The first is a quieter, more secluded, while the latter is adjacent to the next nature trail. We personally opted for West Lake, as Paurotis Pond was a bit windy when we stopped.
After lunch, head to West Lake Trail. Here you’ll discover that we’re moving into mangroves territory.
Finally, we arrive at the southern-most part of this itinerary, Guy Bradley Visitor Center. The elevated flamingo pink building confirms that we’ve reached beach territory. Pop into this visitor center to learn more about the nearby marine life, including crocodiles, manatees and pelicans. (This is also a great chance to turn in your Junior Ranger book and claim your badge.)
After you soak up the views from the visitor center, follow the parking lot south to Guy Bradley trail. This trail follows the water to a secluded stretch of beach with a nice view. It’s a great way to wrap up your day. (Keep yours eyes peeled, too! We spotted a bald eagle on this trail.)
Depending on how you’re feeling and the timing of your trip, you might have the chance to visit Nike Missile Site. This is the site of a former operational missile base, and you can see 2 actual Nike Hercules missiles. The hours are wonky and it doesn’t always work out, but it’s worth checking. You can check the hours here.
After a full day at Everglades National Park, head back to Homestead for dinner and a relaxing evening.
Note: If you are a quick walker and don’t mind a long drive, you could add Shark Valley as an afternoon stop on this itinerary. It is a 2 hour drive from Guy Bradley Visitor Center to Shark Valley Visitor Center. If you left by 1 PM, you should be able to make the last tram tour at 4 PM. We ended up bailing on our tram tour because we didn’t want to make the drive with our toddler, but it would have been possible.
Day 2: Biscayne National Park
Next, let’s switch gears and head to Biscayne National Park.
Like all good National Park visits, we begin our day at the visitor center.
Biscayne National Park has one visitor center, Dante Fascell Visitor Center, which opens at 9 AM. Plan to arrive closer to 8:30, though, so you can enjoy a short walk on the Jetty Trail before the visitor center opens.
The main activity for this itinerary is the Heritage of Biscayne boat tour. You’ll want to book this in advance. We recommend the 9:30 AM tour, which is most likely to have the best weather and frees up your afternoon.
Note: We have a more detailed review of this tour in our post here, Review of the Heritage Of Biscayne Cruise.
Around 9 AM, return to the visitor center to check in for your excursion. The visitor center actually has two separate entrances. On one side is the Ranger Station and exhibits, and right next to that is the store. Check-in for the boat ride is on the store side, which usually opens before the rest of the visitor center. You’ll want to check in around 9 AM and then be at the marina by 9:25.
Tip! If you picked up a Junior Ranger book for Everglades, it’s actually the same book for Biscayne. Make sure you do at least three of the activities with the dolphin icon, and you can claim your Biscayne badge at the Ranger Station here.
The Heritage of Biscayne Cruise is perfect for a casual visitor. It’s good for kids, but they might find it boring. (My 4-year-old sat through it fine, but like, wasn’t raving about it their friends when we got home.) It is about a 3.5-hour excursion, including a 1-hour stop at Boca Chita (or another key, pending conditions.) The tour is lead by a naturalist, who explains the history of the area, the wildlife, and the people who occupied the area throughout recent history.
Tip! Be sure to walk the nature trail on Boca Chita. It starts directly south of the harbor. There’s also a beach on the north side of the island if you’re really ambitious, but with just one hour, I don’t think it’s necessarily worth the effort.
Bonus tip! It’s also a good idea to pack a lunch for Biscayne, too. You’ll end up on Boca Chita right around lunch time, which has lots of great picnic spots but no food for sale.
I personally loved the boat ride, and I thought it was a great way to get a taste of the park. However, I don’t don’t think it covers the best of what Biscayne has to offer. I think if you really want to experience the park, you will probably want some sort of snorkel or paddle tour. But if you just want to get the gist of the park and are not interested in those things, the boat ride is a great alternative.
After the boat ride, you’ll get back to the visitor center around 1 PM. You can fill the rest of your day a few ways.
One option is to spend a bit more time in Biscayne. You could pair the boat cruise with another excursion, such as the kayaking tour (offered at 3 PM most days) or possibly the snorkel excursion (offered at 1:30 PM most days.) You could also walk the Jetty Trail if you haven’t already done so.
Another option is to head back to Miami for the afternoon. If you’re flying out of Miami the next day, particularly if you have an early flight, it might be a good idea to just make the trip back to Miami the day before. This is what we did.
We decided to spend the afternoon at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science in downtown Miami. Though not a National Park, the giant aquarium and sea creature exhibits did feel on brand. It was a pricy ticket if we’re being honest, but it was a pretty nice museum and a great reward for our little hiker.
After the science center, we picked up a quick dinner. Then we dropped off our rental car and checked into our hotel. We booked our final night at the Miami International Airport Hotel, which is the only hotel inside the actual airport.
Departure Day
And that’s pretty much it! After two full days, it was time to head home. We flew out early and got home with plenty of time to get settled and sorted for the week ahead.
Closing Thoughts
I enjoyed this visit so much more than I expected! If we’re being honest, the Everglades never really appealed to me and I’d never even heard of Biscayne. We also spend a lot of time in Florida anyway (our sister site is dedicated to the Disney parks), so it just didn’t feel that exciting. But alas, we had a long weekend, we booked the trip, and it turned out great.
The experience was very different from what I expected. I assumed Everglades National Park was going to be all swamps and alligators, but it wasn’t. I loved that all the nature trails featured different environments and habitats. And Biscayne turned out to be just a delightful day on the water. I often get sick on boats, but because this one was in a bay, it wasn’t as wavy. We even saw dolphins!
Overall, it was a very lovely, very relaxing two days of National Park.
That said, that’s not how we’d describe our other recent trips to National Parks (like Zion and Acadia). In our experience, National Parks have been more along the lines of very lovely, but very exhausting. So while very interesting and fun, these Florida parks did not feel like that more typical National Park experience.
I definitely missed the hiking component of National Parks on this trip. Everglades had lots of trails, but they were all very short. It felt like we were driving just as much as we were enjoying nature. (That’s actually a complaint we have at a lot of National Parks, though.)
While not your typical National Parks, Everglades and Biscayne were delightful none the less. If you’re looking for a low-key, nature-forward parks trip that is not overly physically demanding, this is a great option.
Leave a Reply