florida wildlife airboat tour

Breaking News:

Gator Park is open every day. No reservations required, just show up!

NPS Entrance Fee is now $8 per person for adults, free for seniors, children under 16, National Park passholders, military and veterans.

Please be advised that holding live baby alligator for a photo is no longer allowed. Thank you for your understanding.

We have a limitied availability for private tours. Please call to make reservation in advance. 

Walk-ins are always welcome!

Attention Drivers: Please exercise increased caution while traveling on US41 due to current road conditions. Stay alert, reduce speed , and maintain a safe following distance. 

Welcome to GATOR PARK

An alligator adventure in the heart of the everglades national park..

Looking for some serious gator action? Gator Park is the premier airboat tour in the Florida Everglades to spy these fierce reptiles. Airboat rides depart every few minutes, so your Everglades experience begins the moment you arrive. We also offer private airboat tours for a more up close and personal look at the alligators .

The Everglades National Park is known for its vast wildlife, many of whom you’ll meet on your airboat tour. From endangered birds you won’t find anywhere else to small creatures that live among these wild alligators , you’ll see Florida as few people do.

The Everglades' marine life includes more than 200,000 alligators, so you’re guaranteed to spy quite a few on your Everglades tour! American crocodiles and fish, including large mouth bass,  blue gil and catfish, are also frequent guest stars on the tour.

More than 28 different snakes - a few of which are venomous – also call the Everglades home, alongside the beautiful and elusive endangered Florida panther.

Experience this unique Miami, Florida attraction by booking your airboat ride through the Everglades National Park today. Give us a call at 800-559-2205 or buy tour tickets online now.

Ready to meet the gators? You’ve come to the right place. Buy your airboat tour tickets online and save time and money at the park. No reservations required! Your tickets will be available at Gator Park on the day of your airboat safari.

Airboat Tours

Get ready for the ride of your life. The Gator Park Airboat Tour begins by winding down the canal, providing plenty of photo ops to catch wildlife in their natural habitat. Experienced guides offer tips to ensure you spot alligators large and small...

Wildlife Show

Go beyond the Everglades with Gator Park's famous alligator and wildlife show and watch alligators from just a few steps away! This barehanded technique was originally used to capture alligators and showcases the great power and agility of the gators.

ALLIGATOR TOUR HOURS & RATES

Looking for a unique change of pace from other Florida tourist attractions? An Everglades airboat safari is just what you need. Gator Park is open and ready for your Everglades adventure every day, rain or shine! (The gators like the rain.)

Monday – Sunday:

• 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Last wildlife show:

Last airboat departure:

Tickets to Gator Park include admission, airboat ride through the Everglades and watch alligators at the Wildlife show. Buy tickets online and save. 

• Adults: $29.99 ($29.99 at the gate)
• Children: $19.99 (Kids 1-5 years old ride for free!)

Private airboat tours run on your schedule and are a great way to get up close and personal with the gators. Rates are by the hour.

• 1-4 People: $595.00
• 5-6 People: $695.00
• 7-10 People: $895.00
• 11-15 People: $995.00
• 16-24 People: $1495.00

$8 National Park Service entry fee is not included.

Excluded from National Park entrance fees:

• Children under the age of 16
• National Park passholders
• Senior citizens (62+ years of age)
• Active Military personnel with proper ID

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Diner's Club cards accepted for all our Everglades attractions.

The Original Everglades National Park Airboat Tour

Everglades safari t-shirt, experience the beauty of everglades national park while riding an airboat, discover the next level of family fun while our captains navigate through the pristine waters of everglades national park aboard our world-famous airboat tours. you can bet it is one of the safest social distancing options to explore your nature™..

The Original Eco-Experience Airboat Tour

Take an unforgettable journey on an airboat ride through florida's everglades national park, join our expert captains for 30 to 40 minutes of educational family fun in the florida everglades. learn about the unique plants and animals that live in your very own backyard..

Travel Deeper into Everglades National Park Aboard A Private Tour

Go off the beaten path as we journey deeper into florida's everglades national park, as expert guides, our captains have unparalleled knowledge of the trails, plants, and animals. join us for a truly unique and unforgettable experience today.

So much fun!! We did a private tour with LOU, and had an absolute blast!! Thanks to all the staff for being so friendly and knowledgeable! Make sure you go to the alligator show!

Wonderful place, excellent your guide and really awesome Alligator show. Highly recommend!!! Will definitely be back

Wondering What to Do When Visiting the Everglades?

From airboats to camping, we've listed our top picks in our latest article: Top 7 Things to Do in the Everglades!

On Vacation & Need A Ride? We Can Help!

We recommend Xpedition Tours! They provide reliable service to and from our park, from select locations.

So fun!  Beautiful tour flying around the everglades on an airboat!  Wear the ear buds they give you. And you can hold Snappy!

This place is awesome!  We saw a Snail Kite, momma alligator and her nest. The boat ride was sooo much fun. We actually drove by it and turned around just to see the place.

Planning Your Visit? Woo!

Find out everything you can do during your visit to the florida everglades, from airboats to nature walks, wildlife shows to gator bites, we offer family fun in the warm florida sun all year long. we're sure your experience will be unforgettable., ever wonder what that alligator is doing.

Top 7 Things to do in the Everglades

If you ask anyone about the Everglades, they will most probably say that it is the greatest swamp in Florida. They are close but not exactly right! It is a slow-running river that entails around nine contrasting, elegant ecosystems.

History of Airboats

In 1930, airboats started becoming popular in the United States. Many Floridians made them famously known when they began to invent them independently, these Floridians mostly lived in or near the Florida Everglades.

Ultimate Guide: Animals of the Everglades

Did you know the Florida Everglades sustains a unique environment that provides safe refuge to the wildlife that inhabits the wetlands, some of which are not found anywhere else in the world? This guide tells you all about them!

The Ultimate Guide to Everglades National Park

With so much to do in South Florida, it’s easy to miss the adventure that can be found in our very own backyard. In this article, we will shed light on one of the hidden gems often overlooked by visitors and residents alike; the Florida Everglades.

Searching For The Perfect Deal? Look no further!

We offer various discounts to make your Everglades National Park experience more memorable and less stressful on your wallet.

We recommend Xpedition Tours! transportation companies in Miami to provide you reliable service to and from our park, from select locations.

Traveling With A Group? Group Rates & Arrangements Are Available.

Group tours of all sizes are welcome to enjoy the adventure, together! Our custom made, twin rotor airboats are the largest in the industy, holding a whopping 45 visitors each!

Meet Our Partners

Park Information

Tour information, things to do in miami, navigation & more, want safari deals.

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Choose Your Airboat Tour

Scenic tours.

View the breathtaking beauty of the wetlands while searching for turtles, birds, alligators and more in their natural habitat. Educational and fun for the whole family.

Sunset Tours

Ride into the wetlands and see the beautiful view of the sun setting on the water. See the wildlife that are active both during the day and night.

Night Tours

Search for the red flowing eyes of the alligators as they come out to feed. The best time to see alligators and have an experience that cannot be beat!

Private 60 Minute Tour: Your own captain! You can ask the captain for an adrenaline rush or just leisurely nature tour. Anything goes on this tour catered just for your group.

Our Adventures

Why crazy gator airboat tours is a must-do experience.

Our Florida Wildlife Airboat Tours offer a thrilling adventure through stunning wetlands, allowing guests to encounter diverse wildlife, including majestic gators, up close. With a focus on safety, education, and environmental preservation, its not just a ride but an unforgettable experience that connects you with natures wonders.

Florida Wildlife Airboat Tours

Give the gift of adventure with Crazy Gator Airboat Tours! Whether you're looking for the perfect present for the thrill-seeker in your life or want to surprise someone with a unique experience, our gift certificates are the ideal choice. Available for purchase for any of our exhilarating tours.

Phone: 407-572-2226

4715 Kissimmee Park Road, Saint Cloud, Florida 34772, United States

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Airboat Tours

Tour Options

• 1 Hour Private Tour
• 1.5 Hour Private Tour
• 2 Hour Private Tour
• 1 Hour Group Tour

Night Tours

Everglades cruise.

Journey through Florida's vibrant wetlands with us. Experience rare wildlife, exotic birds, and the mesmerizing 'River of Grass' on our airboat tours. A unique adventure awaits.

BROWARD COUNTY REST AREA

We are at Mile Marker 35 on the SOUTH SIDE of the I-75. Click below for directions to our boat ramp

Explore the heart of Florida's Everglades Rest Area, a sanctuary bursting with diverse flora and fauna, educational displays and panoramic views immersed in nature's marvels...

Nearby Food

Nearby fuel.

• Everglades Airboat Tour Gallery

Fort Lauderdale Miami Airboat Tours

1 Hour Private Tour Airboat

From $250 (includes 2 people)

• Each additional Person for $60.00
• Cold Bottle Water Provided
• Tours Run from 9AM to 4PM daily
• Reservations Required

The 1 Hour private airboat tour can accommodate up to 16 guests

Book Now More Info

1.5 Hour Private Tour Airboat

From $325 (includes 2 people)

• Call for availability

2 Hour Private Tour Airboat

From $425 (includes 2 people)

• Each additional Person for $75.00

Our longest private airboat adventure allows up to 16 guests

1 Hour Group Tour Airboat

From $60 (per person)

• $30 Children (Ages 6-12)
• Children 5 and under ride for free
• Call for More Info

Glide and slide through the Florida Everglades in a group setting with other nature enthusiasts

From $350 (Includes 2 People)

• $60 Each additional Person
• 15% Gratuity for Captain included
• Must arrive 20-30 min prior
• Must Call for Availability

Join us on a night-time airboat tour to discover the magic after dark, kindly contact us for details

From $50 (per person)

• Adults $50.00 (Ages 13+)
• Children $25.00 (Ages 6 – 12)
• Infants Ages 5 & under

The Everglades Swamp Tours Experience

Everglades Swamp Tours can take you places no other Airboat Tour can. Ride with us to see alligators up close in their natural habitat. In addition to the Alligator, the Everglades Airboat Tour will give you a chance to see various species of birds and fish unlike anywhere else in the United States.

Come See What We Are About

With over 60 years experience air boating in the Florida Everglades, our knowledgeable guides are sure to take you on the ride of a lifetime while educating visitors on the history, ecology and wildlife that call the River of Grass home. Click to read about how we found our way….

(Read More)

Some words from us

At Everglades Swamp Tours, our goal is to provide unique, private or semi-private airboat rides and tours so that when participants set foot back on land, they leave with more than just a memory. No two tours are the same! The Everglades is home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, plants and insects, you never know what Mother Nature has in store! Your experienced, knowledgeable guides are sure to give you a tour through the Everglades you’ll never forget! For the land lovers, you’ll have the possibility to see panther, bobcat, deer, raccoons and more. For those wanting to know what lies beneath the surface, alligators, snapping turtles and many native fish are just around the corner. And if you look to the skies, the Everglades is a bird watchers paradise, home to many resident and migratory wading birds, as well as the endangered Everglades Snail Kite. Everglades Swamp Tours has something for everyone!

 Click for Directions

Broward County Rest Area on I-75N 3500 Everglades Pkwy Mile Marker 35 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33327

30 Minutes West of Fort Lauderdale Airport Towards Naples

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UNLIMITED VISITS TO 4 ATTRACTIONS FOR 1 LOW PRICE, GET YOUR SOUTH FLORIDA ADVENTURE PASS TODAY!

Update on COVID-19 Procedures and Precautions . Reservations will be required for all tours and tickets can either be purchased in advance here on our website or guests can call us at 954-389-0202 to hold a reservation time as well. For a complete list of our COVID-19 protocols please click here. 

Masks are required for indoor areas at park and are recommended for all outdoor spaces where distancing cannot be achieved. Capacity is currently limited- reservations required for all tours.

Guided Everglades Tours & Airboat Rides near Fort Lauderdale, FL

Reservations are required for all tours as we can often sell out. Tickets can either be purchased in advance on our website or guests can call us at 954-389-0202 to hold a reservation time as well.

Enhance your General Admission Airboat Adventure Purchase one of our packages below!

Give the gift of adventure this season when you purchase a GIFT CARD from our park!

Ft. Lauderdale Everglades Airboat Tours

• Most Popular!

Everglades Airboat Adventure & Animal Sanctuary Admission

Feel the excitement and learn the history of Florida’s most remarkable treasure–the Everglades on this incredible Florida Everglades airboat tour .

Private Sunrise Airboat Adventure

An adventure like no other. A private tour at Sawgrass Recreation Park for the early Florida sunrise hours when the Everglades are showcasing its raw beauty!

Red Eye Exclusive Nighttime Airboat Adventure

Looking for a private Everglades Airboat Tour through Florida’s incredible swamp at night? Look no further than our Red Eye Exclusive Adventure!

Choose Your Adventure!

Adventure packages, facility rental and events, private adventures, fishing and camping, public adventures, night tours, browse all florida everglades adventures.

Climb aboard our Everglades airboat ride in Weston, FL and go on an Florida Everglades adventure just outside of Ft. Lauderdale. Your Everglades tour is guided by one of our highly-trained, experienced captains, who takes you on a thrilling airboat ride. During your Everglades airboat tour, listen to fun facts about this impressive ecosystem while you take in the exciting sights.

Catch a glimpse of the wildlife as you skim across the glassy water on your Everglades airboat ride . Keep your eyes peeled as you cruise through the unbridled wild beauty of the Florida Everglades. Feel free to let your spirit soar as you view nature at its finest on our Fort Lauderdale everglades tour!

Update on COVID-19 Procedures and Precautions

To our clients and customers, firstly I want to thank you for your continued business. I know that there is a great deal of concern about COVID-19. We share in those concerns; I want to review with you about the operational adjustments and enhancements on existing procedures that we currently have in place for everyone’s safety.

GENERAL ADMISSION

Adult (13+): $26.95 Child (4-12): $16.95 Under 4: Free!

AIRBOATS RUN EVERY DAY

We are open 363 days each year and our boats run every 20-30 minutes until 3:30 p.m. with a final airboat adventure at 5 p.m. when our exhibit areas close. All tours operate pending inclement weather so please call prior to arriving if there is weather in the area.

GROUP ADVENTURES

We have the largest fleet of airboats in the United States! We can accommodate 150 guests per hour on our airboats!

We have a fleet of jon boats available for rent for fishing purposes. Reservations can be made online. Our store is well-stocked with beverages, snacks, and lunch items. Tent Camping is primitive and available for $20 per 4-person tent per night. Reservations are required and can be made online. Check-in is before 5 p.m. seven days a week. Special rates are available for Boy and Girl Scouts.

Last jon boat rental is 1 p.m. daily.

SHOP AND DINE

On your way to our exhibit areas, stop by  The Gator Grill , our gourmet food truck, to sample some delicious and made-to-order lunch. Using the freshest ingredients, our food truck offers angus burgers, pulled pork, and of course, tasty grilled gator bites. A favorite menu item is our handmade angus cheeseburgers and pulled pork sandwiches! We also offer a variety of appetizers and kids’ meals sure to please any palate. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Click the link below to find out more about The Gator Emporium and Sawgrass Gem Mining!

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ONLINE STORE

If you love our physical store, the Gator Emporium now sells some of our favorite products 24/7 on our new web store! Since we are located in the heart of Florida, you can bet our shop will feature unique items from local artisans as often as we can source them! New items added weekly so stay tuned!

#1 FLORIDA EVERGLADES AIRBOAT RIDE

The airboat was fun and it was exciting to see the wildlife! We saw an alligator, snapping turtle, and snake out in the water and the alligator and turtle came right up to our boat. Our guide, Captain Disco, also took the time to educate us on the Everglades!

I always wanted a ride on an air boat and it was a great experience...the company put on a good show and it was an enjoyable day.. nice staff and we saw crocodiles so everyone was happy...they have a cafe for quick eats and drinks, also an animal sanctuary!

We enjoyed the 30 min Airboat ride but also a visit to the reptile and wildlife area at the park. Captain Disco was friendly and informative. We got to see 2 gators. A good short tour and worthwhile experience when you are in the area.

Exceeded my expectations. We were lucky enough to see some alligators but even if we didn’t I still would’ve enjoyed the tour. Learning about the history, present and future plans for the Everglades was so interesting.

The trip was the perfect amount of time (30mins). We were able to see one alligator on our trip. The captain was knowledgeable, funny, and engaging. We also enjoyed the reptile zoo after the boat tour and were able to pet a baby alligator. Something different and fun to do for the whole family.

What an amazing adventure. I have been on many airboats in the Everglades but the adventure at night is very different. Saw many many gators. Guide was wonderful!

It's true you may not see wildlife depending on the time of day or the time of year but the boar ride itself is not only entertaining and pleasant overall the guides are very knowledgeable and informative. Don't go on a rainy or extremely hot day and I highly recommend the Gator Nights tours. The photo souvenirs are reasonably priced, staff is friendly, good food at the food truck, and the homes they have provided for unreturnable to the wild animals is sweet the caretakers love the like pets. Good for kids, ask about the annual pass for residents.

We were absolutely happy about our time at Sawgrass Recreation! Check in was easy, and Captain Lauderdale was fabulous! We saw 4 alligators and got a great education on the birds and other animals in the area. Well worth the price of a private tour!

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Airboat Tours in Orlando, Florida

Take a ride through florida's everglades.

Looking for something other than the concrete jungle? Stop by Wild Willy’s for a thrilling airboat tour and get in touch with Florida in its natural habitat. Glide across the headwaters of the everglades in high-performance 6-passenger airboats and our newly added 14-passenger boat with our licensed and fully insured master captains!

GIFT CERTIFICATES NOW AVAILABLE

Gift certificates can be used anytime and have no expiration.

Featured in Season 7 Episode 6 of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix!

One-Hour Orlando Airboat Ride

Wild Willy’s One-Hour Airboat Rides are perfect for families looking for unique things to do near Orlando. Book an airboat tour on Lake Tohopekaliga, St. Cloud, to see gators, bald eagles, and much more!

• Hour Glass 1 hour
• Calendar Daily

Glide across the Everglades on a thrilling airboat tour!

Huge alligators, bald eagles, the endangered snail kite, and more await your arrival! We treat them and all of our customers like family. So come on out and surround yourself with nature during one of our popular airboat rides through Florida’s vast everglades! At the end of your educational tour, you have the opportunity to take pictures with our resident alligators: Cricket, Sergio, Blue, and Splash! Come on out and see why we have more airboat ride reviews than anyone in Orlando, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Tampa, Miami, and even worldwide.

With Over 10,000 Reviews Online, We’re The Most Talked About Airboat Tour Anywhere In The World!

First trip to Florida and this was one of my things to go too. Awesome place for Swap Tours. Great people at the front office with a smile as you walk in. Captain Jim is the man. Very likable and great personality! We got to see an 8’ alligator which was pretty cool. Great job guys!

This was an absolutely great airboat tour. AJ was our guide, who was informative and humorous too! I had a keen interest in birding and he pointed out about 10+ species of birds including 4 bald eagles. We saw about 5-10 alligators during our visit. Would visit again & highly recommend!

Wild Willys was a great Airboat ride through the marshes. Saw several gators and lots of wildlife. The guide was knowledgable about the area and very friendly. The people inside were also very friendly and knowledgable. Definitely recommend.

The one-hour airboat ride was perfect. We saw a variety of wildlife. The speed of the boat (what I really came for) was good, some fast times, some slow times. I chose the 9am time to avoid the sun and heat, and that was perfect too. I highly recommend Wild Willy's.

create unforgettable Everglades memories at captain jack's!

Zip through Everglades City on airboat tours

Venture through a cypress forest on a swamp buggy

Get a chance to see wild alligators, birds & more

Stay safe and comfortable 

See alligators & animals up close

Hold a baby alligator

Take home gifts and memories

Everglades National Park Boat Tour

Mangrove Tunnel & National Park Combo

Ten Thousand Islands Boat Tour

Mangrove maze airboat tours.

Race through a maze of Everglades mangroves on an airboat, away from other traffic.

• Mangrove Maze Ultimate Combo

• Mangrove Maze Airboat Tour

Mangrove Tunnel Airboat Combos

• Total Everglades Combo

Mangrove Tunnel & Grassland Combo

Mangrove Tunnel & Buggy Combo

Private Mangrove Tunnel & Buggy Combo

Mangrove tunnel airboat tours.

Take a high-speed tour of Everglades City's signature mangrove tunnels!

• Mangrove Tunnel Airboat Tour

• Private Mangrove Tunnel Airboat Tour

Grassland airboat Tours

Grassland & Buggy Combo

• Grassland Airboat Tour

4 Attractions Included with All Our Tours

When you book direct.

Animal Sanctuary

Alligator Show

Hug an Alligator

Why Choose Captain Jack’s?

Local Roots

Safety & Experience

Two-Way Headsets

Alligators & Animals

Quietest & Comfiest

Personal & Popular

Refreshments & Gifts

Guests love us.

“There is something about flying down narrow alleys of mangrove trees that is just a rush. I could never get tired of it. The guides always give more than just a ride. You learn so much about the Everglades and the total ecosystem that it is. We most certainly will be back!

—C. from Florida

“The mangrove tour was so much fun! We saw a family of dolphins swimming along the boat, several alligators, and a few fish jumping out of the water. Riding through the mangroves was beautiful and a fun way to see the Everglades. I would recommend to anyone.”

—J. from Massachusetts

“We really enjoyed seeing the alligators. The captain of the airboat gave a lot of information about the Everglades and habitat. The addition of the two-way headsets let us all communicate during the tour. This was really a highlight of having friends down visiting us new Florida residents. Plan to bring other guests."

—K. from Florida

“We did the combo package and it was amazing! Great way to experience all 3 ways to 'see' the Everglades! Would highly recommend. All the captains for each segment were fantastic! Had a great time!"

—J.T.

• Mangrove Tunnel & National Park Combo
• Mangrove Tunnel & Grassland Combo
• Mangrove Tunnel & Buggy Combo
• Private Mangrove Tunnel & Buggy Combo
• Grassland & Buggy Combo
• Lodging Nearby
• Total Everglades Stay & Play
• Online Gift Shop
• Animals & Alligator Show
• Everglades City Boardwalk

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Florida Wildlife Airboat Adventure

Get ready for a wildlife tour aboard an airboat at Port Canaveral! Step off your ship and hop aboard a luxurious, air-conditioned Mercedes coach, where your knowledgeable guides will immerse you in the rich history and vibrant wildlife of Florida as you journey to Airboat Rides at Midway.

Enjoy a five-star experience with fantastic airboats and expert guides as you dive into the heart of Florida's ecology and history on this one-hour ride. Engage in an incredible animal encounter and seize the opportunity to hold an alligator - a truly memorable moment! Need a break? Explore the shop offering delightful gifts, refreshing drinks, and tasty snacks.

Located just a quick 45-minute jaunt from Port Canaveral, this tour is packed with excitement and knowledge. Multimedia presentations will keep you engaged and entertained, offering a comprehensive overview of the area's ecology and history.

Book now and dive into the thrilling ecosystem of Florida's wildlife, creating memories that will last a lifetime!

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11 Best Everglades Airboat Tours Worth The Money

December 9, 2020 //  by  Florida Trippers

Are you looking for the best Everglades Airboat Tours? We have you covered with our list of the best tours worth your money!

The Everglades National Park is a 1.5 million-acre wetland located in southern Florida. Compared to a swamp the Everglades is comprised of mangroves, and sawgrass marshes and is home to alligators , birds and other species.

An Airboat Tour of the Everglades is a great way to view areas of the Everglades inaccessible by those on land. Whether you are looking for private tours, small group tours, nighttime moonlight tours, or tours that come with adventure wildlife parks, tours with lunch or tours with pick up and drop off we have you covered with this list!

We have discovered the best tours leaving from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Naples , Sanibel, Fort Myers and Orlando and Kissimmee . Whether looking for a quick 30 minutes of the best Everglades Airboat Tours to half-day and full-day adventure. Just make sure to pack sunscreen, bug spray and some water!

Florida Everglades Airboat Tour and Wild Florida

This is one of the best Everglades Airboat tours for those wanting options. The Florida Everglades Airboat Tour and Wild Florida explores Central Florida’s Everglades and leaves out of Orlando.

You will get to experience either a 30 minute airboat ride or one hour airboat ride through over 4200 acres of protected Everglades swamps, rivers and marshes.

If you choose the half day package your package includes a visit to the Wildlife Park spread over 13 acres where you can see animals like zebras, bobcats, lemurs, sloths, tropical bird aviary and an alligator handling show.

If looking for an Everglades Airboat tour with lunch you will want to book the half-day tour. This tour comes with a delicious BBQ lunch at the Chomp House Grill and an alligator souvenir and picture.

Book Now: 30 Minute Airboat Ride

Book Now: 1 Hour Airboat Ride

Book Now: Half day Package

Everglades Airboat Tour & Gator Boys

The Everglades Airboat Tour & Gator Boys Alligator Rescue Show is one of the best Everglades airboat tours from Fort Lauderdale. Here at the Everglades Holiday Park Fort Lauderdale, your tour includes a 1 hour narrated Airboat ride and then a 15 minute live alligator rescue show! Tours depart every 20 minutes. And the tour takes about an hour and half.

Not only will you see alligators and birds on the Airboat Tour you will see unique flora and fauna along the ride. Enjoy the unique ecosystem up close and personal from the airboat as you spot alligators in their natural habitat and learn about the importance of conversation and preservation of the Everglades.

The Gator Boys have appeared on Animal Planet and provide and informative and entertaining live rescue show. After you will also receive two pictures from your day!

Book Now: 1 Hour Airboat Tour and Live Show

Airboat Tour Central Florida

The Airboat Tour of Central Florida is one of the best airboat rides in the Everglades for those looking for small groups. Tours are limited to only 6 guests and seating is in a stadium style on the boat so everyone has great views.

This tour leaves from Kissimmee and includes a guided airboat tour with live commentary. Your small group will explore the Everglades swamp keeping a lookout for alligators in their nesting areas in West Lake Toho.

Tours leave at 9 am, 11 am and 1 pm.

Book Now: 90 minute Airboat Tour

Full-Day Everglades Naturalist-Led Adventure

If you are looking for a Full-Day tour, this is one of the best Everglades airboat tours near Miami . What makes the Full Day Everglades Naturalist led adventure unique is this tour is a full day package! There is also a half day option!

First, the tour offers complimentary pickup from hotels in Miami, Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale. Then you will be on your way to explore the Everglades National Park with a master naturalist where you will take a hour long airboat ride through the river of Grass to see alligators up close in Shark Valley.

Next on the tour you will take an hour long cruise to the Ten Thousand Islands a salt water area of the Everglades where you can often spot manatees, birds, dolphins and more.

Then you will experience a visit to a Native tree island village ( Miccouskee) that once serves as a historic trading post, and finally a wildlife spotting tour on Big Cyprus and then it is onto lunch at the Havana Cafe.

The lunch as both vegetarian and gluten free options in addition to the traditional menu. Snacks, fresh fruit, water, and soft drinks also offered during the tour.

There is a hotel pickup and even a dedicated airport drop off perfect for those looking for an interesting tour their day of departure. They will hold your luggage and offer guests the complete experience with bug spray, sunscreen, ponchos, binoculars, and a eco-canteen and a National Parks map! This is the best Everglades airport tours near Miami!

Book Now: Full Day Adventure

Book Now: Half Day Tour

Florida Everglades Night Airboat Tour

Are you looking to take an airboat tour through the Everglades at night? If so, the Florida Everglades Night Airboat Tour departing from Fort Lauderdale is for you! The tour departs at 8:30 PM from the Sawgrass Recreational Park.

With your ticket you also receive admission to the Sawgrass Recreation Park open during the day where you can see reptiles and exotic animals at the Wildlife center.

Your airboat tour will take place under the stars of the sky as you glide across the Everglades at up to 40 miles per hour using the lights from the airboat to spot alligators.

Book Now: 1 hour Nighttime Airboat Ride

Everglades VIP Tour and Show

The Everglades VIP tour and Show provides transportation to and from select hotels in the Fort Lauderdale Area as well as the Miami or Fort Lauderdale airports and both the Port Everglades and Port of Miami. The tour is about 4 hours long with transportation time included.

There are two VIP tour options offered one in the morning at 8:30 am and one in the afternoon at 1 pm. After being picked up you will begin your tour on an hour long airboat tour with in-depth commentary through the Everglades. The guides will explain the eco-system as well as the behaviorof the alligators.

Once you return you will be treated to a live in person presentation by the Gator Boys alligator rescue team. The show is both informative and entertaining!

After the show you may take a picture with one of the baby alligators where you will be given a little keepsake of your day spent exploring the Everglades and learning about alligators.

Book Now: 1 hour Airboat Ride and Pick Up

Private Tour: Florida Everglades Airboat Ride and Wildlife Adventure

If you are looking for a private tour this is one of the best Everglades boat tours! For those looking for a premium experience you will have the airboat all to yourself with just your group!

On this Private Tour of Florida’s Everglades Airboat Ride and Wildlife Adventure , you will travel deep into the Everglades National Park and explore wildlife refuge at the Sawgrass Recreational Park. As this is a private ride the goal is show areas of the Everglades normal boat tours don’t reach and with a smaller airboat it is easily manuverable into smaller areas!

Guests can expect the tour to be a little longer and more in-depth with Airboat speeds reaching up to 40 miles per hour! At the refuge you can see panthers, bobcats, leopards, alligators and other like fish, snakes, and turtles up close.

Book Now: Private 60 minute Airboat Tour

Air Boat Tour of Palm Beach in The Swamp Monster

If you are in the Palm Beach area and are looking for one of the best Everglades airboat tours from Palm Beach this is the tour for you! On this tour you will take a private airboat tour on the Swamp Monster boat with individual seats!

The tour guide is very informative about the Everglades ecosystem and plants as well as knowledgable about the wildlife you will encounter on the airboat tour. You can often spot turtles, herons, storks and an assortment of birds.

Sometimes you even spot an area of an old plane wreckage depending on how far into the Everglades the tour takes you.

Book Now: Private Airboat Tour

Everglades Day Safari from Fort Myers, Naples or Sanibel

If you are looking for one of the best Everglades airboat tours from Fort Myers you are in luck! The Everglades Day Safari from Fort Myers, Naples or Sanibel offers a guided tour with a naturalist. This eco-tour offers a wildlife drive, hour long airboat ride and boat cruise, lunch and a nature walk.

On this 45 minute airboat tour highlights include seeing wildlife such as dolphins, alligators, herons and more. You will be given a full history of the wildlife, geology, and Native American history as well.

Then you will take a wildlife drive through Big Cypress National Preserve where you can see gators, deer, bear, hogs, turtles, birds and more. Next, you will take a wildlife walk through the ancient towering cypress trees. It is truly one of the best Everglades boat tours from Naples!

After an afternoon break you will be served lunch at a beautiful waterside restaurant in the Everglades. You must try the alligator appetizers! After lunch you will board another boat cruise fora 60 minute tour of the mangroves at 10,000 islands. You can spot manatees here!

Book Here: Everglades Day Tour

Miami Beach Miccosukee Village and Everglades Airboat Tour

The Miami Beach Miccosukee Village and Everglades Airboat Tour is a small group tour. Pickup is included from any Miami Beach landmark or hotel along Collins Avenue.

On your small group airboat tour you will discover the wildlife in the Everglades with tours offered in English, German and Spanish. You will have the oppurtunity to discover the unique eco-system of the Everglades alongside viewing wildlife like turtles, alligators and birds.

After the airboat tour you can visit the nearby wildlife park and learn about conservation efforts in the Everglades. Next, you will visit the Miccosukee Indian Village and Reservation where you can learn about the history and culture of the tribe. View handcrafts, photographs and more.

Book Now: Miami Beach Airboat Tour

Biscayne Bay Cruise and Everglades Airboat Ride

If you are ready to explore Miami by bus, boat and airboat this full day guided sightseeing adventure is for you. From the bus ride around Miami, to the Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach to the airboat ride through the Everglades this tour is for you.

Pickup begins at 10:15 am for this 6 hour full day tour. First you a picked up and then depart on a 30 minute airboat ride though the Everglades. You will view wildlife such as fish, birds, alligators and more.

Next your tour will take you on a jungle trail with crocodile exhibits and a live alligator wildlife show. Then you will board a 90 minute cruise along Biscayne Bay. The cruise takes you along the skyline of Miami Beach and Fisher Island, keep an eye out for manatees, dolphins and rays in the clear water off the coast.

Book: Everglades and Biscayne Bay

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Wild Florida 1 Hour Everglades Tour & Wildlife Park Admission with Transportation

Available Options

You can select the date by clicking on any date in calendars below!

AIRBOAT RIDE TICKET

Take a 1 hour tour through 4,200 acres of protected swamps, marshes and rivers that make up the Central Florida Everglades. This is Natural Florida and Wild Florida at its best! You won't see any development, homes, or signs of human life. See for yourself how good it feels to be in the middle of nowhere. Just a short drive from Orlando, the Disney area, the Space Coast, Wild Florida offers the best of Orlando's most sought after activities: airboat rides, alligators, wildlife and real Florida experience.

The facility is properly insured with a fleet of US Coast Guard approved boats and captains. Extra Bonus: You will also get FREE admission to the Wildlife Park where you have the chance to watch, touch and even feed some of Florida's native land-dwelling animals, as well as various species of tropical birds, plus a hands-on alligator demonstration. There is also great lakeside dining and a place to chow down on Real Florida BBQ! Additional Information: *Hours: 9.00am to 4.30pm* (*You will need to call in advance to confirm your airboat ride day and time). *Tours do not operate on the following days: Sundays or Christmas Day, Easter Day and Thanksgiving Day

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

• A 60-minute airboat ride on the Ultimate Airboat Tour on the Headwaters of the Florida Everglades.
• Entrance to the Wildlife Park
• Viewing of an alligator exhibit
• A bag of Alligator Food per family group – exclusively included in the Gray Line packages
• Round-trip transportation from select meeting points in the Orlando area

Take an eco-tour that you will never forget. Wild Florida Airboats offers the best airboat tours. Take a closer look at alligators & exotic wild life as you glide through 4,200 acres of untouched nature preserve. Our swamp is free of any development and is 100% pure Florida wilderness.

The fun doesn’t stop at the airboat tour. Wild Florida Airboats offers an array of fun for the whole family. Enjoy natural Florida on the 500-foot dock that overlooks the swamp or get your picture taken while holding a baby alligator. The property offers an amazing array of wildlife including bald eagles, deer, cows, boars, turkey, alligators and more. The wildlife park is appealing to all ages with truly exotic animals that will blow your mind.  Whilst you are in the wild life park, as an inclusive part of your Gray Line package, and just because you travel with us, Wild Florida will include a bag of Alligator food per family group.

If you’re looking for some fun in the Orlando area that doesn’t include long lines and big crowds, book a Gray Line Orlando tour that visits Wild Florida airboats, and experience the serenity and the fascinating nature of undiscovered Florida. Not only can you take an airboat ride, but you can also eat at the authentic barbecue restaurant or shop in our unique gift shop with fun gifts to take home like gator tooth necklaces. Make sure to bring a camera and capture the beautiful nature of Wild Florida. Wild Florida is located in the headwaters of the Everglades, and their Orlando airboat tours serve as a portal to a land of discovery and wonder. Gray Line Orlando will ensure you get from the hotel district to the park and back again in prompt a manner in comfortable transportation with a friendly driver-guide to assist you!  If you are visiting the Orlando area for the first time or the fifth time, this is a MUST-SEE attraction.

Departs Orlando at approx. 08:50

Arrival at Wild Florida at approx. 09:30

Depart Wild Florida at approx. 12:45

THINGS GUESTS NEED TO KNOW OR BRING

PERSONAL ITEMS: Camera and bug spray.

DRESS CODE: Casual & cool.  You may want to bring a poncho as sometimes you can get a little wet on the airboat. 

All timings are approximate and subject to change. Food and drinks are included only when noted in the inclusions. No other food or drink is included within the tour product and guests are advised to take money to purchase them as necessary. Gratuities are not included for the tour guides or drivers. Many guests often ask us what a normal gratuity is, and we regularly state $2 per person for the tour driver and $2 for the guide. Gratuities are not mandatory but are encouraged upon receipt of good service.

Wheelchair Bound Guests

If you require a wheelchair, please be sure to tell us. There are 2 forms of wheelchairs: collapsible manual chairs, and non-foldable electric wheelchairs.  It is very important to know what type of chair you will be travelling with. There are multiple vehicles with wheelchair lifts and these can normally accommodate wheelchair bound clients; however, the vehicles need special reservations. Be sure to confirm this with us at time of booking, as we need to ensure the vehicle is available when you would like to take the tour.

• Description
• PICK UP LOCATIONS

Airboat Tours Near West Palm Beach

Animal encounters, alligator shows, and much more, everglades airboat tours, everglades vip tour, animal encounters, alligator shows, group tours & events.

Welcome to Everglades Holiday Park where we offer all kinds of excitement, including private airboat rides and animal encounters! Our little piece of heaven in the Everglades offers the best airboat tours that will allow you to see and connect with the most elusive part of Florida.

Enjoy the most thrilling airboat ride of your life on one of our state-of-the-art vessels, then take a seat for one of our live alligator shows. Everglades Holiday Park is the proud home of the world-famous Gator Boys whom you may have seen featured in their show on Animal Planet.

You can see South Florida like never before from the safety and comfort of our all-weather fleet of airboats. See American alligators, take stunning pictures, and live out once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

West Palm Beach is just over an hour from our park, making this one of the most accessible options for visitors wanting to check out the incredible ecosystem and wildlife of the Florida Everglades. Our VIP Pick-Up service is also available for those who don’t want to make the drive. 

AIRBOAT TOURS & ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

Exciting tours.

Our tours are as intriguing as they are stunning. You can’t escape learning about the incredible things about the Everglades because every tour is packed with educational facts, diverse wildlife, and history that will blow your mind. The following are included in the tour:

• *60-Minute Everglades Airboat Tours
• 20-Minute Live Alligator Show
• 1 Premium Group Photo for Your Party
• Unmatched Family Fun for All Members

VIP TOUR WITH TRANSPORTATION

We want to make your visit as seamless and easy as possible. For this reason, we’ve created a plan that leaves the round-trip transportation to us. Here’s what you can expect from this package:

• Round-Trip Transportation Included
• *60-Minute, Fully Narrated Airboat Tour

Wildlife & Animal Encounters Experience

Experience the thrill of coming into close contact with up to five unique (and uncaged!) animals during one of our private tours. While you hold a baby alligator, our expert team will dive deep into interesting information about the Everglades and its inhabitants.

• 45-minute Animal Encounter Experience
• Stories and Fun Facts About the Animals
• Professional Photos Included
• Special Packages Available

EXOTIC, EDUCATIONAL FUN

We love to combine education with entertainment (we call it “edutainment”). We do this by putting experienced captains, exceptional performers, and highly-trained wildlife handlers on the front lines.

Adrenaline Packed

60-minute airboat tour.

This tour includes gliding through the Everglades wetlands at amazing speeds. You will see incredible sights, experience unparalleled thrills, and have an all-around unforgettable time.

We can probably all agree that the ultimate vacation is effortless. Since that’s the case, why not leave the transportation up to us? You can handle the airboat tour, live alligator show, one free premium group photo, and stellar sights, we’ll handle the to-and-from.

OUR EXCITING WILDLIFE

These encounters offer individuals the chance to experience something they can’t experience anywhere else. With the help of our incredible staff, you can actually meet and hold our uncaged animals.

OUR GROUP TOURS & ADVENTURES

Whether you’re looking for the best school field trip ever or you want a team-building trip for your company, our group tours are always exceptional. Family gatherings, birthday parties, reunions – whatever your speed, we can accommodate you in style.

Stop by The

Gator bites café & gift shop.

It’s easy enough to work up a big appetite with all there is to be done at our park! When you’re ready, chow down some delicious treats and meals from our full-service cafe/deli. We offer breakfast and lunch, both of which have kid-friendly options as well as more exotic choices for the adventure seekers. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop and get a souvenir to remember us by!

A PRIVATE AIRBOAT TOUR

These tours are perfect if you’re looking for a personalized experience. Not only is the tour for only you and your crew, but you get to tell the captain where to go and how fast to get there! Basically, your wish is our command.

THE GATOR BOYS IN ACTION

The excitement doesn’t stop with the airboat tours. Our Gator Pit is known across the world for providing captivating shows put on by the Gator Boys. These shows depict alligators as what they truly are while staying fun, engaging, and educational.

Everglades Holiday Park is chock-full of wonderful things to do. Beyond taking in the natural, diverse beauty of the Everglades, we offer tours on cutting-edge airboats that provide the safest and smoothest view of our beloved ecosystem.

After you enjoy your *1-hour airboat adventure, venture back into the park for one of our thrilling shows done by the Gator Boys! As a part of the experience, you will receive one free group photo per party to help you remember the time you spent with us. On top of learning incredible things about alligators through the presentation, you can dive even deeper by joining one of our animal encounters. During that experience, you will be taken to a private section of the park where a trained wildlife handler will assist you in meeting and holding up to five different animals from the Everglades.

No matter what you’re looking for, the Everglades deliver. Soar over glassy waters as you learn about the long, complex history of the ecosystem that’s home to so many wonderful creatures. Seek adventure by coming into close contact with the native wildlife, or keep your distance and sit back and relax as you listen to the soft chirpings from the boat. When you visit Everglades Holiday Park, you’re signing up to experience nature at its finest.

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NAPLES AND PUNTA GORDA: Book two tickets (or more) to Florida's Paradise Coast Back to video

Well, with all due respect to Eddie Money and his hit single from 1978, you don’t need to limit yourself to two tickets when you visit Florida’s Paradise Coast. Heck, bring the entire family or a large group of friends to check out one of the lesser-known Sunshine State destinations for Canadian snowbirds.

And, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous when heading south, combine a stop at the Paradise Coast, a 50-kilometre stretch of stellar Gulf of Mexico white sand beaches and coastline in the southwest corner of the state, with a visit to the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach area about an hour drive north of Naples, where you’ll find the heartbeat of the region.

That’s exactly what I did recently, doubling up on the two often-overlooked destinations for a sensational few days in F-L-A. Here’s the breakdown.

NAPLES, MARCO ISLAND AND THE EVERGLADES

Get away from the maddening crowds you’ll find in other popular Florida destinations – that means Orlando and the Disney experience, Tampa and Miami – and drop into one of the most relaxing, and less populated, stretches of beach in the entire state.

Don’t pigeonhole the Paradise Coast as just a shopping (Naples is a pretty swank town), sun, sand and sea centre, though. It’s also a great base to get out and enjoy the environment, with the Everglades a short drive away, limitless boating and fishing options and golf courses out the wazoo, with more than 90 public and private tracks available to play.

Immediately upon landing at RSW after a stress-free three-hour flight from Toronto, our small group of Canadian travel writers headed for the Everglades to enjoy an exhilarating airboat tour, complete with the expected adrenaline rush you get from ripping around the area’s wetlands. Talk about a fun way to start our trip!

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Wooten’s Everglades Airboat Tours in Ochopee allowed us to cruise on (the water) and over 259 acres of private grasslands while learning about the flora and fauna of the ‘Glades, one of Florida’s most famous natural features. A wander through Wooten’s animal sanctuary, where you’ll experience everything from otters to lions to alligators, or watching their 20-minute gator show, is also worth your time.

The pace of our journey slowed considerably – and I mean that as a compliment – when we hit the luxe and recently renovated Ritz-Carlton Naples, our beach-front home for two nights.

One of two Ritz-Carlton properties in Naples – the other is the Ritz-Carlton Naples Tiberon, which is geared more to golfers (Tiberon Golf Club is on site) than beach lovers – the iconic luxurious resort is the perfect place to unwind and relax by the pool or on the sandy shoreline. With so many options available at the hotel, from dining to entertainment, you’ll never need to step foot off the property unless you choose to do so.

Of course, there is also a plethora of things to do in the area, so you’ll probably want to get out and move for at lease part of your stay, like we did. More on that later.

Like so many other hotels, the Ritz-Carlton Naples had a bite taken out of it by Hurricane Ian in 2022, two years after work began on the 14-storey Vanderbilt Tower. The hotel was shuttered for nine months while repairs were completed and renos done and the new tower, which is home to the exclusive, 4,000 square foot Club Lounge (and 70-plus Club-level rooms), opened in July 2023.

The ornate grand lobby, complete with an impressive marble-topped lobby bar and its champagne menu, was transformed during renovations and the pools were upgraded to include bungalows and cabanas, All told, the resort boasts 474 rooms and suites, all with the touch of refinement expected at a Ritz-Carlton property, and nine restaurants, ranging from Nolita (Italian classics) to The Grill (steakhouse) to beach-side Gumbo Limbo (casual, seafood), which offers sensational views of the sunset.

An even better way to watch the sun go down is to rent a private, open-air beach cabana – it includes a butler and drink service – which is how we spent the start of our final evening at the resort. We also hit up one of the pool-side, air conditioned private cabanas for a couple hours one morning, which was a great way to start the day.

As tempting as it is to stay on the resort grounds (book some time in the spa, keep your workout going in the state-of-the-art fitness centre of relax by the adults-only pool), the Ritz-Carlton is also a great launching point for seeing some of the many options a trip to Florida provides, be it on the water or, well, on powered tricycles.

Thanks to Marco Island Boat Tours , we spent a glorious, sunny afternoon viewing dolphins in their natural habitat, marvelling at the many species of birds and doing some shelling on one of the uninhabited barrier islands in the area. The two-hour tour, guided by a Florida master naturalist, was a relaxing way to educate ourselves about the area’s wildlife

The next morning, we headed off to Tin City, an eclectic collection of dozens of unique shops on the waterfront of Naples, including Trike Tours USA, to get saddled up on our motorized trikes for our 90-minute guided ride through some of the town’s poshest neighbourhoods (think nine-figure houses; at least seven billionaires own property here), the town’s landmarks and the iconic Naples Pier.

Sure, your motorcycle-riding friends (or in this case, my girlfriend) might chuckle at the sight of you on the peppy little trike but it was a neat way to get around town. Be warned, though, the breathtaking homes will probably make you feel slightly inadequate.

And before you go, be sure to walk down Fifth Avenue, Naples’ unofficial main street and prime dining, shopping and entertainment district.

A couple of places to eat in the Naples area I’d highly recommend, besides the top-notch eateries at the Ritz-Carlton, are Bicyclette Cookshop on Vanderbilt Beach Rd. (a hop, skip and jump from the resort) and Barbatella on 3rd St. S.

Bicyclette, a “new American” restaurant with executive chef/partner Kayla Pfeiffer, a winner of the Food Network’s “Chopped,” at the helm toes the line between “traditional and eccentric,” which includes the likes of caviar paired with Bugles and creme fraiche. Barbatella, an Italian trattoria, serves up some of the tastiest artisan pizza and pasta you will ever mange.

PUNTA GORDA/ENGLEWOOD BEACH

An hour north of Naples, in Charlotte Harbor, is the Sunseeker Resort , a massive new (opened in late 2023) waterfront resort that we called home for two nights.

Although slightly lower on the opulence level than the Ritz-Carlton, the Sunseeker is another resort where you won’t need to leave the grounds to have a great time.

With 785 guestrooms and 189 Sunsuites, the Sunseeker offers private check-in, personalized concierge service and signature suites, along with multiple dining options. Check out the Harbor Yards Food Hall, with 11 unique culinary counters, a novel idea for a large resort, or Maury’s steakhouse, one of seven traditional restaurants on site. The resort also boasts a beautiful rooftop bar and pool, if you want to get even closer to the sun.

Bring your golf clubs, too, if you’re staying at Sunseeker. Charlotte Harbor’s Aileron Golf Club (green fees range from $249 US plus tax in winter and spring to $140 plus tax in the summer), a world-class 7,235-yard course that features 17 water holes and Stratolaunch, a 664-yard par-5, is only available to Sunseeker guests.

Do yourself a favour, though, and book some down time to walk the white sand or catch some rays at Englewood Beach at Chadwick Park on Manasota Key. And pop in at the newly renovated Lock ‘N Key Restaurant and Pub across the street – literally – from the beach for lunch.

An activity you don’t want to skip when you’re in the area is a kayaking excursion with SUP Englewood on the waters off Don Pedro State Park in Cape Haze. We had a blast paddling off the shore of Don Pedro Island – it wasn’t taxing but anyone with physical limitations might have difficulty – and saw plenty of dolphins and manatees up close before navigating a tricky route through the mangroves to a quiet, sheltered pond. All the while our guide, who was on a stand-up paddleboard, educated us about the importance of conservation in the local waters and chatted about the wildlife we were seeing.

Later in the trip, we also got to visit Babcock Ranch, east of Punta Gorda, to learn about the land-based creatures of the Sunshine State.

We stopped in for a 90-minute Swamp Buggy Eco Tour through the 14,000 acres of pastureland of the working cattle ranch, the Crescent B Ranch. We rode in a converted school bus through four different eco-systems of Florida, including the Telegraph Cypress swamp, looking for gators, deer, wild hogs and turkeys and distinctive Florida Cracker cattle. Again, education about local wildlife was key but the tour was also plenty of fun.

If you’ve got some down time and are looking for some retail therapy, visit the Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda. The waterfront outdoor mall, marina and resort features boutique shops, restaurants (lunch at Harpoon Harry’s was fantastic) and even luxury two-bedroom rental suites. It’s also a good one-stop spot to book harbour cruises, pick up some warm-weather clothes, have a drink at the new Sunset Beach Club Tiki Bar or check out a live band.

On our last night in Florida, we went out in style, stopping for a casual waterfront dinner at Laishley Crab House – the Grouper Laishley, a grouper fillet topped with blue crab meat and a parmesan cream sauce, was outstanding – before walking a short distance to the dock to board our tiki boat for the tour of the Peace River, which divides Punta Gorda from Port Charlotte. Red Tiki Tours took us on a fun but unconventional cruise aboard the tiki-shaped vessel, where we enjoyed a cold beverage, a refreshing breeze and, yep, karaoke.

Because what better way is there to finish a Florida vacation than singing off-key classics with friends?

HOW TO GET THERE

Air Canada offers regular non-stop service from Toronto to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, which is probably your best choice, but other options include Punta Gorda (PGD), Tampa (TPA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) or Miami (MIA) airports. Fort Lauderdale or Miami would require a two-hour drive across Florida, though, and Tampa is three hours away.

MORE INFO TO HELP PLAN YOUR VISIT

Check out the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) website for a ton of useful information if you plan to check out the Paradise Coast.

The Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor and Convention Bureau website will help plan your visit to the Southwest Gulf Coast.

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Deals for humans

Florida resident deals, military, first responder, and teacher deals.

(Four-person max, discount can be redeemed by booking over the phone or being refunded with proof of membership upon check-in. Combos and Half-Day Adventures are excluded.)

FHIA (Florida Hospitality industry association) DEALS

(Three person max)

AAA, TRAVEL AGENTS, SENIOR DEALS

(Discount can be redeemed by booking over the phone or being refunded with proof of membership upon check-in.)

THINGS TO DO

know before you go

Enjoy wild florida.

At Wild Florida, we want to ensure that you have the best possible experience. To help you get the most out of your trip, please read these helpful tips:

Helpful tips!

(All items served with your choice of 2 sides)

Chomp House Burger - Your choice of toppings

Chicken Tenders - Your choice of sauce

All Beef Hot Dog

The Wild One - 1/2 lb burger, pork, bacon, cheese & BBQ sauce

Pulled Pork Sandwich - Tender pulled BBQ pork on a bun

Philly Cheese Steak - Sliced sirloin, grilled onions & peppers and white American cheese

Grilled Chicken Sandwich - Your choice of toppings

Ham or Turkey Wrap - Soft wrap with lettuce, onion, tomato

Vegetarian Options:

(All items served with your choice of 1 side)

House Salad - Toppings cheese, tomato, cucumbers, croutons, *Add chicken

Veggie Burger - Blackbean patty with your choice of toppings

Platter Options:

(All items served with your choice of 2 sides & a piece of garlic toast)

Gator Platter - Fried gator nuggets served with aioli

Catfish Platter - Fried catfish fillets served with aioli

Swamp Platter - Fried catfish and gator served with aioli

Florida Platter - Fried gator, grouper, and shrimp served with aioli

Kids Menu Items:

(All items served with your choice of 1 side, 1 cookie, and 1 small drink)

2 Pulled Pork Sliders

Chicken Tenders

2 Beef Sliders

Baked Beans

Mac 'n' Cheese

French Fries

Premium Sides:

Onion Rings

Cheese Curds

Fried Pickle Chips

Coffee, Hot Tea, Hot Cocoa

*Ask about our daily chef specials

Family-Friendly Activities at Our Wildlife Park

Feed and learn more about baby animals at our petting zoo. Kids will love exploring our covered playground. Bird lovers will enjoy our Hawk Swamp, where owls often roost in the cypress tree-covered boardwalk.

Fun Facts About Our Drive-thru Safari

• We have more than 150 exotic animals and native wildlife
• You’ll see 170 acres of untouched, scenic landscapes
• You can drive your own car down a four-mile unbeaten path

Airboat Tour Times and Best Times to Ride

Our first airboat tour leaves at 9:00 a.m. and our last airboat tour leaves at 4:30 p.m. In the summer months, the best time to book your airboat tour is at 9:00 a.m. During winter, 12:00 p.m. is an ideal time to ride.

Gator Park and Airboat Tours

Continue your adventure at our Gator Park before or after your airboat ride. You can hold a baby alligator or experience any of our animal encounters. Admission is included with each airboat tour. Make sure you visit our gift shop to pick up your souvenirs.

Reservation Availability

We are available to make reservations Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The park is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Admission to Gator Park

Any Drive-thru Safari park ticket (regardless of a Florida resident status) includes admission to the Gator Park.

Directions to Wild Florida coming from Disney:

• Go east on U.S. Highway 192 for about 20 miles to Saint Cloud.
• Take a Right on Vermont Avenue heading south for 12 miles. Vermont will become Canoe Creek Rd after a few miles.
• Turn Right on Lake Cypress Road heading west for 2 miles.

            OR

• Go east on Osceola Parkway to the Florida’s Turnpike and go south (right).
• Take the Turnpike to the next exit, #244 (Kissimmee-St. Cloud), for St. Cloud, and turn east on U.S. Highway 192 (left). Exit #240 is a SunPass Only exit and does not accept cash or credit cards.
• Stay on U.S. Highway 192 for 5 miles and turn south (right) on Vermont Avenue for 12 miles. Vermont will become Canoe Creek Road after a few miles.
• Turn right on Lake Cypress Road heading west for 2 miles.

Directions to Wild Florida coming from Orlando:

• Go South on the Florida Turnpike to exit #244 (Kissimmee-St. Cloud) for St. Cloud, and turn east on U.S. Highway 192 (left). Exit #240 is a SunPass Only exit and does not accept cash or credit cards.
• Stay on U.S. Highway 192 for 5 miles and go south (right) on Vermont Avenue for 12 miles.
• Vermont will become Canoe Creek Road after a few miles.

Directions to Wild Florida coming from Melbourne:

• Go west on U.S. Highway 192 for approximately 40 miles to Saint Cloud.
• Take a left on Vermont Avenue heading south for 12 miles. Vermont will become Canoe Creek Road after a few miles.

To ensure a hassle-free trip to and from Wild Florida, consider scheduling your ride with Uber. Using the Uber app, you can book your transportation in advance, allowing you to enjoy your visit without worrying about parking or navigating. This convenient option provides a reliable and stress-free way to manage your travel plans, making your experience at Wild Florida even more enjoyable.

Come early!

Our park opens at 9:00 a.m. and there’s a lot to see. When traveling with a group, we recommend arriving early so you can experience everything our gator park, drive-thru safari, animal shows and encounters have to offer.

Book your excursions ahead of time

Make your travel experience a good one by planning ahead! You can purchase tickets for each of our attractions online, in-person, or by phone prior to your arrival.

Plan meal times and regroup

Lunch is a great time to rest, refuel, and regroup. You can bring in your own picnic baskets or savor some of the best barbecue and food the swamp has to offer from the Chomp House Grill. Wash it down with our Swamp Slushy – a frozen blend of mango, orange and passion fruit and you’ve got what we like to call a well-balanced meal.

We are sensitive to the diverse dietary needs and allergy concerns of our guests. Your well-being and enjoyment are of paramount importance to us, and we are committed to providing you with a safe, satisfying, and memorable experience. Please let us know about any dietary or allergy restrictions you may have, and our team will do its utmost to ensure that your needs are met.

Exotic Animal Shows at Our Gator Park

See alligators live and up close at one of our wildlife shows! Our star of the show, Crusher, is an American alligator who is over 13 feet long. You may have seen alligators in Florida, but you’ve never seen Crusher. Show times are twice a day, at 11 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.

What You’ll See on Your Wildlife Safari

You’ll see native Florida wildlife and exotic animals on your drive. Find giraffes, zebras, eland antelope, scimitar oryx, American bison, mouflon sheep and more. Our animals roam freely through natural habitats, allowing you to get up close and personal.

Precautions

It’s important to consider the weather when booking an airboat tour in Florida. During the summer months and hurricane season, afternoon rains are common. If your airboat tour is impacted by rain or storms, our team will try to contact you by the phone number or email you used to book your airboat tour.

We know you want to meet our WILD family, so we offer services that help all our guests enjoy their visit.

GUIDELINES FOR SERVICE ANIMALS

• We welcome guests with disabilities who choose to bring their trained service animal into Wild Florida. A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for someone living with a disability. According to the ADA, service animals must be under the owner’s control at all times and should remain on a leash or in a harness. While in the Drive-thru Safari Park, your vehicle windows must remain up at all times. While in the Gator Park or on an Airboat Tour, the service animal must be on a leash at all times. Emotional support and service animals in training are not allowed entry into the Drive-thru Safari Park or Gator Park. While emotional support animals are often used to help with medical or emotional challenges, they are not considered service animals under the ADA.

Service Animals Accessibility Map

• Service animals may not enter interactive habitats, including the giraffe feeding encounter, lemur encounter, sloth encounter, or porcupine encounter and are not allowed in the petting zoo or walk-thru bird aviary. These specific animals may view dogs as a threat and may become scared or stressed in the presence of a service animal.

ORLANDO AIRBOAT RIDES

Wheelchair Accessibility for Airboat Tours

• Our loading dock is ADA compliant and our Florida airboat tours are accessible by a wheelchair-friendly ramp that runs from the back of the gift shop down to the airboat loading docks. However, there are a few steps from the dock to the airboat where the guest will need to be physically transferred from the wheelchair to the airboat.

Wheelchair Accessibility for Gator Park

• Our Gator Park is also wheelchair-friendly as every exhibit is at ground level and the paths inside our Gator Park are compacted shells, boardwalk and concrete.

Wild Florida is dedicated to providing all its guests with equal enjoyment and a wonderful experience. If you have additional questions regarding our park’s accessibility policies, feel free to reach out to us at 407-957-3135 or by giving us a call on our toll-free number at 1-866-532-7167 .

Wow your group with the sights and sounds of more than 200 native and exotic animals, like ring-tailed lemurs, two-toed sloths, and more! Our Gator Pond is home to more than 150 freshwater alligators and crocodiles who were either born at Wild Florida or declared “nuisance” alligators brought to Wild Florida with the help of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), some of which are larger than 13 feet!

Savor the delight of a refreshing Wild Florida icy slushie or indulge in the creamy goodness of an ice cream cone.

What to Do After Visiting Our Gator Park

More adventure awaits! Once you’ve taken in all of the sights, sounds, and wildlife encounters at our alligator park, take a ride on one of our airboat tours. Our world-famous airboat rides take you through the Headwaters of the Everglades, giving you an unforgettably close encounter of Florida’s native wildlife.

If you’re hungry, check out the Chomp House Grill and fill up on anything from catfish and burgers, to fresh salads and veggies.

When you’re ready to head home, don’t forget to stop by our gift shop. You might even spot a baby alligator on your way out.

What to Do After Your Wild Drive

Take your adventure to new heights. Stop and hand feed giraffes on our elevated giraffe feeding platform. This activity is family-friendly and a guest favorite.

Admission to our Gator Park is included in the price of our Drive-thru Safari Park tickets . Your family will find more than 200 additional animals, as well as enjoy a variety of educational animal shows.

Safety Precautions

Safety at Wild Florida is our number one priority, and we are committed to the health, safety and well-being of our guests, staff and animals. No job is so important and no service is so urgent that we cannot take time to perform our work safely to prevent accidents or injuries to our guests and animals. Here are a few safety points and plans for our guests and animals.

We provide life jackets and ear protection for all guests. Children five and under are required to wear a life jacket. For guests six years old and over, life jackets are available along with ear protection, but they are not required.

• Wild Florida has a stellar reputation when it comes to our airboat tours. Our vessels are U.S. Coast Guard approved and inspected on an annual basis. On the vessels are life preservers for each guest, fire extinguishers, a flare gun and a throw ring if necessary.
• In case of an emergency, we have an accident plan.
• We have an incident report if needed.
• Our loading dock is ADA Compliant.
• There is always a way to communicate to home base and/or 911 anywhere on site or while out on an airboat tour.

Airboat Operations

• One of the many things that sets Wild Florida apart from other competitors is our beautiful Gator Park. You can get up close and personal with many different animals including alligators, zebras and exotic birds. Our park is inspected and approved by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) , United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) , and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) , which makes it a safe and enjoyable experience.
• In case of a snake bite, we have a snake bite protocol.
• Our animals are checked regularly by a veterinarian.
• We have a veterinarian on call at all times.
• We have an accident plan for emergencies.

See a side of Florida you won’t see at the parks. Experience untouched landscapes and acres of wildlife. Whether you’re an adventure travel enthusiast, a group of avid bird watches, or a family on their dream vacation, you’ll leave with unforgettable memories at Wild Florida.

At Wild Florida, we have an on-site restaurant where you can dine during your visit. If you’re curious to try a taste of the swamp, stop by the Chomp House Grill. Whether cooling off with our signature Swamp Slushy or chowing down on some of the best barbecue around, a visit to Wild Florida isn’t complete until you’ve had a treat from our restaurant.

Whether you are an adventurous carnivore who wants to try our Swamp Platter featuring gator and catfish or you enjoy lighter fare like salads and fresh veggies, the Chomp House Grill has something to please every palate. Can’t find anything on the menu to your liking? Talk to our Executive Chef, and she can whip something up for you.

Enjoy our great food in a rocking chair on our patio, in the air-conditioned comfort of the Cypress Ballroom or in our shaded Gator Pavillion along the shore of Lake Cypress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is your Gator Park located?

Our gator and wildlife park is near many of Central Florida’s most popular attractions. Most attractions are less than 1-hour away from us.

Can we feed the alligators?

If you’re looking to get even closer to our alligators, book one of our Gator Feeding Encounters.

How much are tickets for the Gator Park?

Tickets to our Gator Park are $15 for adults and $12 for children. Florida residents enjoy $8 admission for adults, and $6 admission for children.

Can you book an animal encounter with any animal?

We have a selection of animal encounters that you can choose from. You can get up close to albino gators, sloths, giraffes, reptiles and more.

Do I get admission to the Gator Park with purchase of a Drive-thru Safari Park?

Yes, any Drive-thru Safari park ticket (regardless of a Florida resident status) includes admission to the Gator Park.

Do I need my own car for the Safari?

Yes, you will need your own car for the Drive-thru Safari Park.

How much does the drive-thru safari cost?

For out-of-state visitors, each ticket is $34 for adults, and $24 per child. Florida residents can purchase tickets for $24 per adult and $19 per child.

Does the drive-thru safari include a guided tour?

Our drive-thru safari is self-guided and you’re able to drive at your own pace.

Can you feed the animals?

While you can’t find the animals on the drive-thru safari trail, you are able to hand feed giraffes on our elevated feeding platform. We encourage you to visit after your drive.

Are you nearby Central Florida attractions?

Wild Florida’s drive-thru safari is near many of Central Florida’s popular attractions, with most local attractions being a 30-minute to 1-hour drive away.

Are all of the wild animals from Florida?

You’ll find both exotic animals and native florida species on your drive-thru safari adventure.

What time does the park open?

The gates to our drive-thru safari will open at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. with the last car allowed in at 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

What else is included in my drive-thru safari park ticket?

Admission to our Gator Park is included with each drive-thru safari park ticket. At our Gator Park, you can find even more exotic animals and you can even participate in one of our animal encounters.

Do you offer small group tours?

Our group rate is available to groups of at least 10 people.

Do you provide guided tours?

If you are interested in a guided tour, consider booking a VIP Safari Tour . There are also plenty of opportunities to learn from our wildlife specialists in our Gator Park. Attend one of our exotic animal shows to learn about exotic and native Florida animals.

How do I book a group tour?

Please contact us by filling out the form on this page to begin booking your group trip.

What amenities do group tours include?

Large groups can take advantage of several spaces throughout Wild Florida. Your group can have access to our 2,200-square-foot, air-conditioned Cypress Ballroom, 1,500-square-foot Gator Pavilion overlooking Lake Cypress or a collection of picnic tables on the shore of the lake.

Wild Florida offers group tours near Central Florida’s most popular attractions and we often meet visitors from all over the world who are visiting Florida on holiday or on business trips. You’ll find that we are just minutes away from Orlando’s popular resorts and parks.

Airboat tours

Drive-thru safari park, chomp house grill, things to do, buy tickets.