Everglades tour

[johnpozey]

I am headed to Miami for a work conference in November.....I was planning on taking my family, daughter 12, son 7 and wife to see the Everglades. I saw they have 4 hour air boat tours for about $50 a person....Are these tours worth the steep price - 200 for a family of 4? Any suggestions on any thing to see and do in Miami? I will be there for 4 full days.

 

[maggiew]

We went to the Vizcaya Museum in Miami. It was the home of James Deering from the International Harvester Company. It is a beautiful home and gardens.

http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/learn-history.asp

We did an airboat Everglades tour with Billie Swamp Safari. We didn't do a 4 hour day package, we just did the airboat ride. It was cheaper than $50 but I don't remember how much it was.

http://www.billieswamp.com/

Maggie

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

uuummm. maybe just drive alligator alley instead ?

 

[rapmarks]

you can see an awful lot just by going to the National Park, go to the homestead entrance (take the tollroad right to Homestead) and try to drive as far as possible on the roads, stopping at the various boardwalks, that is one entrance fee of maybe ten dollars. If you are there at sunset, you will see an incredible amount of alligators and birds, and if you are unlucky, you will see a bird eaten by an aligator.also Shark Valley, a further drive on Alligator alley has a wonderful tram ride through the everglades.It is several miles long and then you climb a tower to see the everglades. when we did the ride, we saw at least 200 alligators and numerous birds. I have never taken the airboat but have been to the everglades many times. we were going to take a tour when we were in Miami til we discovered they were driving us allt he way back to the other coast, where we live.

 

[DAISYDUCKRN]

A few years ago we did Billy Swamp. Airboat ride was approxe 45 minutes, just enough time to see MANY alligators. Do not think this is close to Miami though, remember it being about 1 hour or so from Naples. Worth the trip, though maybe there is something closer to Miami.

 

[maggiew]

I just remembered that I did a review of the Billie Swamp Airboat ride on a cruise forum. This was from 2007. There are pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=610351&highlight=billie+swamp

Maggie