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- Discover Even More of the Best Everglades Airboat Tours
Planning a visit to South Florida? Well, Everglades is one region not to miss when in South Florida, thanks to its incredibly unique ecosystem and an array of impressive outdoor activities. Brimming with beautiful forests, wetlands, mangroves, and vast wildlife, Everglades is a fascinating place and is worth visiting when in Miami or Fort Lauderdale. An airboat is the best way to explore this unique Everglades ecosystem while taking in the spectacular views of the surrounding. These 10 Everglades airboat tours are worth taking.
UPDATE: 2023/03/31 09:16 EST BY AARON SPRAY
Discover Even More of the Best Everglades Airboat Tours
The Everglades is one of the great outdoor attractions near Miami and there are plenty of excellent airboat tour options to consider. This list was updated and expanded to include even more of the airboat tours to take in the Everglades. See alligators up close and explore one of the richest ecosystems in the USA.
UPDATE: 2023/01/07 22:50 EST BY AARON SPRAY
More Everglades Airboat Tours Worth Taking
There is no shortage of airboat tours to choose from all across the state of Florida. This article was updated with more airboat tour options in the Everglades and around Orlando. A bonus entry was also added as a nod to the swamps of Louisiana just out of New Orleans which are also very much worth taking.
17 Florida Everglades Airboat Tour And Wild Florida
This tour is the best for tourists seeking more options. It gets tourists to Wild Florida Airboats and Gator Park, offering them incredible rides through Central Florida Everglades. The tour lets one explore two attractions in Florida for a cost of one. On this tour, as travelers sail through the marshes and swamps, they will see the incredible Florida wildlife, including wading birds, eagles, and alligators. From there, they can return to the wildlife park and explore over 200 wildlife species. One can always pay an extra cost for a half-day upgrade, which come with a barbeque lunch.
- Highlights: Ride through the Everglades, view over 200 wild animal species, and an upgrade for barbeque lunch
- Duration: one hour
- Cost: from $32
- Website: wildfloridairboats.com
16 Everglades National Park Biologist-Led Adventure
This tour guarantees the best vacation, with two options to choose from; half or full-day tours. It lets visitors enjoy a boat ride, spotting manatees, dolphins, and birds on the way, as well as a dry nature hike in Big Cypress National Preserve. Included in the package are; an hour airboat tour into the River of Grass, experience a historic trading post, explore a Native tree island, and a delicious lunch. Other things included on this tour are free snacks, drinks, and water, as well as pick-ups and drop-offs from/to the hotel or designated meeting points.
- Departure Time: 7:30 am
- Cost: from $239
- Duration: nine-ten hours
- Website: wildlimeadventures.com
15 Florida Everglades Airboat Ride And Wildlife Adventure
This is a private airboat tour starting from Sawgrass Recreation Park, allowing tourists to explore the Florida gators as well as other native animals. This private boat ride also offers the incredible opportunity of visiting the Everglades' exclusive locations that regular tours do not offer. During the ride, encountering panthers, leopards, Florida gators, iguanas, and turtles is a must! Travelers go on this private tour in a group, and the cost is per person, not the number of people in the group. There are no additional charges for kids under three years, so they are not included in the guest count.
- Cost: from $35
- Duration: one hour
- Website: evergladestours.com
14 Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours – Standard Airboat Tour In The Everglades
This company offers travelers a chance to immerse in the culture and incredible wild viewing. Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours provides both standard tours, introducing tourists to Miccosukee people's homelands. These were the first inhabitants of Florida before it became a state. The tour also allows visitors to engage in a nature walk, and an amazing experience is guaranteed! The company also provides private trips and longer tours, but this one lasts 30 minutes. Kids below five can tour free of charge.
- Cost of ticket: from $30 for adults, $15 for children aged between five and twelve.
- Duration of tour: 30 minutes
- Website: buffalotigerairboattours.com
13 Semi-Private River Of Grass Airboat Tours Everglades
Offered by River of Grass Adventures, this tour only takes up to eight visitors per boat on the trip. During the trip, travelers will get the chance to explore the Everglades’ flora and fauna, including the alligators and herons. It is an amazing tour full of fun and unforgettable experiences. Being a semi-private trip, tourists must contact the company for departure times. The tours run every day of the week, including the weekends.
- Cost of tour: $85 per person
- Duration: approximately one hour, thirty minutes
- Website: theriverofgrass.com
12 Gator Park Airboat Tours - Wildlife Show
Looking to witness some serious gator action? Well, with Gator Park Airboat Tours, travelers can be assured of having the best experience with these fierce reptiles. The rides start after every few minutes, and tourists won’t have to wait before their Everglades experience begins. This tour takes visitors to Everglades National Park, home to vast wildlife, from endangered birds one probably won’t see anywhere else to small creators living among the alligators. This is the perfect spot to experience wildlife and spectacular scenery, something only a few travelers get a chance to witness.
- Cost of tour: From $30
- Duration: half a day
- Website: gatorpark.com
11 Everglades National Park Airboat Rides and Tours – Everglades Safari Park
Everglades Safari Park offers the best airboat rides and tours. This tour allows travelers to have family or group fun as they navigate through the pristine waters of Everglades National Park. The tour is not just fun but also educational, and visitors witness the best Everglades has to offer on a world-famous airboat tour. It is also the best way of exploring the Everglades’ alligators and going on nature walks and wildlife shows.
- Cost of tour: from $39 for adults to $20 per child
- Duration: 30-40 minutes
- Website: evergladessafaripark.com
10 Central Florida Everglades Airboat Tour – Orlando Airboat Tours
Adventuring Florida Everglades alone can be dangerous. But going on this guided tour allows visitors to enjoy the incredible views of the alligators as well as other wild animal species without feeling unsafe. The tour works in most weather conditions, and travelers are advised to dress appropriately. The company requires at least two people per booking, and cancellation is possible if the number in the group does not meet the requirements.
- Cost: from $88
- Duration: one hour, thirty minutes
- Departure Point: 2830 Neptune Rd, 2830 Neptune Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34744, USA
- Website: orlandoairboattours.com
9 Florida Everglades Airboat Tour And Biscayne Bay Cruise
This tour takes visitors to the Everglades National Park and makes it even more interesting by adding a trip to Biscayne Bay. Technically, it is a half-day adventure starting from Miami, putting together an Everglades airboat tour with a Biscayne boat cruise. On this adventure, travelers will explore the Everglades' unique ecosystem, enjoying the beautiful scenery of wildlife, more so, the alligators. There is a must-visit alligator show at the Everglades National Park once tourists are done with the airboat tour. After that, they can return to Miami and enjoy a boat cruise on Biscayne Bay.
- Cost: $70
- Duration: six hours
- Departure Time: 10:00 am
- Departure Point: Miami Walk of Fame, 401 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132, USA
- Website: graylinemiami.com
8 Everglades VIP Show And Tour
Starting from Ft. Lauderdale, this tour offers the best Everglades experience on an airboat. Travelers will pass through the River of Grass and get educated about the wildlife and ecosystem of the region. The tour allows for pick-ups and drop-offs from and to the hotel. Should there be a cancelation of the airboat tour, which must be at least 24 hours in advance of the adventure day, there will be a full refund.
- Cost: $58.98
- Duration: four hours
7 Captain Jack's Airboat Tours
Captain Jack's Airboat Tours is also located in the Everglades and offers a selection of tours through the cypress forest on a swamp buggy, zipping through Everglades City on airboats, and even getting to hold a baby alligator. Discover some of the best of the wildlife of the Everglades and see the animals up close. Their top package tour is the Wilderness Ultimate Combo which combines airboats with swamp buggy tours.
- Cost: From $106
- Duration: 110 Minutes
6 Wooten Everglades
Take an airboat tour through some 259 private acres before hopping on a swamp buggy and exploring Florida's cypress forest. See the various animals that call the swamps home and create lasting family or group memories. There are a number of tour combos to choose from and people get to hold a baby alligator. Keep an eye out for the Everglades invasive Burmese Pythons.
- Cost: From $60
- Duration: 60 Minutes
5 Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures
Not far out of Orlando, one should consider Boggy Creek Airport Adventures. This tour is located on 32 acres of land and also features a Native American village replica. Florida was long the homeland of the Seminoles People before the arrival of the Europeans. While largely forgotten now, the longest and most costly Native American war was fought against the Seminoles. Learn about the history of the state while enjoying an airboat tour of the swamps.
- Cost: $49.88 Per Adult
- Duration: 30 Minutes
4 Louisiana Tour Company
The swamps of Louisiana are obviously far out of Florida, but the swamps of Louisiana also deserve a mention. Louisiana Tour Company offers both large airboat tours with 16 passengers and airboats with smaller groups of 9 passengers. The boats can reach speeds of as fast as 35 miles an hour, and they are located within easy reach of New Orleans.
3 Everglades Swamp Tours
Everglades Swamp Tour operates just out of Miami, and they offer semi-private tours of the swamps of the Everglades. Their tours are a great option for those wanting to explore the swamps at a reasonable price without boatloads of gawking tourists. They offer one-hour and two-hour private airboat tours of the Everglades and small group tours for those on a more moderate budget.
- Cost: $250 For Two People (Private Tour)
- Duration: 1 Hour
2 Gladesmen Airboat Tours
Gadesmen offers a selection of both private airboat tours and sunrise and sunset tours. There is also the option of taking a bass fishing tour. They explore the Southern Everglades and offer hour-long fun-filled adventures. Learn about the River of Grass and their Gladesmen Culture. Guests see a range of Everglades wildlife including many species of birds and of course the American Alligator.
- Cost: $300 For Two People (Private Tour)
- Duration: 1.5 Hours
1 Crystal River Tour With Manatee Swim And Everglades Airboat Ride
The famous Crystal River in the Everglades is one of the top attractions in Florida for nature lovers. One of the best tours Everglades operators provide is those that enable guests to meet the endangered manatees of Florida for real, and up close. On this Everglades manatee swim tour, visitors will get the exclusive chance to enjoy spending time in one of Central Florida’s natural Everglades habitats where these gentle creatures thrive. Plus, this manatee tour combines with an airboat trip on the same day.
First, tourists enjoy a Crystal River airboat tour, after which they can swim and snorkel in one of the best areas for manatees in Florida. Later, the tour continues with a scenic airboat tide on the Withlacoochee River, as expert guides give commentary along the way.
- Cost: from $148.99
- Duration: 12 hours
- Tour information and operator details: see the guide on this Crystal River Tour with Manatee Swim and Everglades Airboat Ride