Exploring the wilderness and untamed beauty of national parks is a time-honored tradition for many travelers. Florida, despite its bustling urban centers, harbors some of the most unique ecological reserves in the world. For those seeking an adventure that’s part road trip, part wildlife expedition, and all about soaking up sun and solitude, a journey through Florida’s chain of National Parks is a must.
In this guide, we’ll start in Miami and provide suggestions for a 1-week journey through Florida’s National Parks: Biscayne, the Everglades, and Dry Tortugas. You can adjust the timeline to spend more or less time at each stop based on your interests.
DAY 1: ARRIVE IN MIAMI
The gateway to your exploration is Miami, a vibrant metropolis where the siren call of the coast is never far away. Palm-fringed beaches, pulsating nightlife, and a melting pot of cultures set the tone for what lies ahead. If you stay in Miami as your base for your visits to Biscayne National Park and the eastern side of Everglades, National Park, you’ll have time to explore this exciting city.
We stayed in a one-bedroom suite at Hilton’s McAlpin Ocean Plaza in South Beach. It allowed us to enjoy the Art Deco district and dine on Cuban delicacies before heading out for our day’s adventures. Each evening, we had time to stroll on the beach before enjoying another fabulous meal.
DAY 2: BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK
The first leg of your national park circuit is Biscayne, an underwater wonderland lying just a stone’s throw from Miami’s glittering skyline.
Established as part of the conservation efforts of the mid-20th century, its origin story harks back to 1968 when Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed the area a national monument. Four years later, in ’72, it was christened as the protected parkland it is today, encompassing 173,000 acres of predominantly underwater territory.
Home to evidence of more than 10,000 years of human history, the parks’ archaeological sites and shipwrecks continue to intrigue historians and divers, giving the park a cultural depth as vast as its marine landscapes.
Boat Tours at Biscayne
The unparalleled beauty of Biscayne is locked behind an aquatic gateway, and the best way to explore its wonders is by boat. With 95% of the park consisting of water, there’s a mosaic of coral reefs, crustacean-rich sea beds, and a kaleidoscope of marine life stretching as far as the eye can see. To view the park in its entirety, a boat tour—a mainstay of the Biscayne experience—is a must. These guided excursions provide commentary on the park’s history and ecology, wrapping it within the context of a pristine stage for nature’s intricate dance.
The Biscayne National Park Institute offers an array of boat trips around the various islands of Biscayne. From snorkeling, scuba diving, and paddling adventures, to Heritage tours focused on the area’s rich history, there is something for everyone. We enjoyed the Heritage of Biscayne Cruise that leaves from the visitor center. We were taken across Biscayne Bay and along the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys with a 1-hour stop at Boca Chita Key. The boat tour (including our stop at Boca Chita) was about 3 1/2 hours long.
Some boat tours also leave from Coconut Grove, just north of South Beach, but the advantage of leaving from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center is that you will have time to explore their displays that teach you more about the park. We always enjoy the films at national park visitor centers and this one, Connections, was exceptional. In addition, you can walk around Convoy Point and stroll the Jetty Trail. Just under one mile long, this trail is a short and easy walk along a mangrove-lined shore that leads to the Colonial Bird Protection Area at the end of a jetty. Informational panels can be found along the trail that discuss the environment and wildlife in the area.
DAY 3: EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK
Your next destination is the iconic River of Grass, the Everglades, where a unique blend of wetlands and swamps present a wilderness teeming with life. The park houses a myriad of flora and fauna starring the American alligator and crocodile, the West Indian manatee, the rare Florida panther, and an array of bird species like the Roseate Spoonbill and Great Blue Heron. The significance of the Everglades is often attributed to its role in water purification, flood control, and preservation of a balanced ecosystem.
The Everglades is a very large park with three different sections:
Main Entrance – Located off State Road 9336 in Homestead, southwest of Miami. This is home to the Earnest Coe Visitor Center, as well as the Anhinga Trail, which is a fabulous boardwalk loop where you’ll have one of the greatest chances of seeing an Alligator and many of the birds who make the Everglades home. After a stop at the Visitor Center and Anhinga Trail, we took a ranger-led tour of the Nike Missile Site in the park. As military veterans, we really enjoyed learning about this relic of the Cold War. The Everglades National Park Institute offers a variety of naturalist-led ecoadventures like paddling through the park’s sawgrass prairie or wading among the cypress domes.
Shark Valley Entrance – Located off U.S. 41 Tamiami Trail just west of Miami. This is also a great place to spot alligators and has the added benefit of a narrated tram tour along a 15-mile loop. The tour stops at a 65-foot observation tower that you can climb for a panoramic vista that captures the essence of the Everglades. If you’d rather, the visitor center also rents bikes for this loop as well.
Gulf Coast Entrance – Located on Oyster Bar Lane in Everglades City. We’ll cover this more for Day 4 below.
If you only have one day to spend in the Everglades, we recommend choosing between the Main Entrance or Shark Valley as they are closest to Miami and provide that iconic Everglades experience.
DAY 4: EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK – EVERGLADES CITY
If you have the time, travel to the southwest edge of the park. It’s the perfect starting point for activities like backcountry boating and paddle sports. Embark on the Ten Thousand Islands boat tour through a labyrinthine maze of brackish water that is home to an array of coastal critters, from manatees to bottlenose dolphins.
DAY 5: TRAVEL TO KEY WEST
Leave the mainland behind and set your sights on Key West, the southernmost city in the continental United States. The 113-mile drive along the Overseas Highway is an attraction in itself. Known for its expansive ocean views, the Overseas Highway is a wonder of infrastructure, having repurposed the Overseas Railroad into a highway that spans the ocean, offering an otherworldly drive.
Be sure to get an early start on your way to Key West so that you have time to explore this cute town before embarking on your Dry Tortugas trip. Spend the evening strolling along the bougainvillea-lined streets, sampling fresh seafood, and catching the sunset at Mallory Square—a daily ritual accompanied by street performers.
If you are authorized to use military facilities, there are three military recreation lodging and camping options in Key West. We especially enjoyed our stay at Sigsbee Campground.
DAY 6: DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK
The climax of your Florida national park escapade isn’t just about the destination, but the journey. A ferry or seaplane from Key West carries you over the turquoise expanse of the Gulf of Mexico to Dry Tortugas—arguably one of the most remote and least-visited national parks in the U.S. The seaplane is more expensive, but it was the highlight of our trip and worth the added cost.
Explore Fort Jefferson
History and nature converge at the colossal Fort Jefferson, a Civil War-era coastal fortress that lends a surreal presence to this isolated patch of land. Embark on a self-guided tour through the fort’s shadowed halls to gain insight into the strategic importance and the imprisoned lives that echo within its walls.
We absolutely loved snorkeling at Dry Tortugas! Visitors can siscover the treasure trove that lies beneath the clear moat waters—remains of old structures cradle vibrant coral gardens and a mosaic of marine life.
DAY 7: RETURN TO MIAMI
The trip back to Miami serves as a decompression chamber, allowing you to mull over the countless memories amassed on your whirlwind national park road trip. Take your time along the Overseas Highway, savoring those vistas one last time. Stop at Bahia Honda State Park, aptly named for the splendid bay once harboring Spanish treasure ships, and take a moment to watch the pelicans and ospreys that foster the park’s paradise-like ambiance.
If you have more than a week for this trip, we highly recommend staying in Key West for at least a few days to explore all it has to offer.
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