We went out with them, depending on the time of year you're looking to go you need to time your tour. In summer it's best to go at night as the gators and critters are mostly inactive during the heat of the day.
In spring/autumn early/mid morning tours mean you have a good chance of catching the reptiles when they are basking to warm up. In winter your only chance of catching a gator is in the hottest part of the day (2-4 in the afternoon). There is plenty of birdlife to enjoy most times of the year, although mid day in summer most things take shelter. There are MANY migratory birds in spring and fall as Florida is used as a stop off point for many of them going South/North. Early mornings or late afternoons is the best time to see the birds being active.
A cab is possible, but you'd need one there and back, plus maybe wait for you. It would probably be cheaper to rent a car for a couple of days, do your sight-seeing and shopping done with the help of the car.