Everglades City FloridaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Everglades City, Florida.
1. Museum of the Everglades
HISTORIC FRONTIER TRADING TOWN
The Museum of the Everglades offers visitors a fascinating journey through the history of this remote frontier trading town that was once accessible only by boat. Visitors can explore exhibits showcasing how Barron Collier transformed this frontier town into the region's first county seat through artifacts and displays that bring the area's rich history to life. This museum provides a perfect escape from Naples' rapid development and offers a leisurely afternoon of historical exploration in Everglades City.
2. Gulf Coast Visitor Center
GATEWAY TO EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK
The Gulf Coast Visitor Center serves as the main National Park Service visitor center for the western entrance to Everglades National Park. While the main center is temporarily closed for construction until late Fall 2025, boat tours are still available from Everglades City. Visitors can gather essential information about the park, arrange guided tours, and begin their exploration of the legendary Florida Everglades from this important access point.
3. Everglades City Airboat Tours
NARRATED SWAMP ADVENTURES
Everglades City Airboat Tours offers the unique experience of exploring the Florida Everglades on fully narrated airboat rides with two-way communication headsets. This original airboat company provides thrill-a-minute jaunts where visitors can spot wildlife while gliding across the water at exhilarating speeds. The tours accommodate groups of six to a dozen people depending on boat size, making for an absolute blast as visitors discover one of the world's most unique ecosystems.
4. Captain Jack's Airboat Tours
EVERGLADES WILDLIFE EXPLORATION
Captain Jack's Airboat Tours takes visitors on thrilling journeys through the wetlands of the Florida Everglades, offering up-close encounters with local wildlife. These exciting airboat rides provide a unique perspective of the diverse ecosystem where visitors might spot alligators, exotic birds, and other native species in their natural habitat. Knowledgeable guides share insights about the fragile ecosystem and the importance of conservation efforts in the Everglades.
5. Everglades City Visitors Center
INFORMATION AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
The Everglades City Visitors Center is a valuable resource for travelers looking to explore the Stone Crab Capital of the World and western gateway to the Florida Everglades. This center provides visitors with maps, pamphlets, and local expertise to help navigate the numerous attractions and natural wonders in and around Everglades City. Distinct from the National Park Service's Gulf Coast Visitor Center, this facility focuses specifically on the town's offerings and helps visitors maximize their experience in this historic area.
6. Ten Thousand Islands
PARADISE COAST FISHING HAVEN
The Ten Thousand Islands near Everglades City offers anglers and nature enthusiasts an unparalleled fishing and exploration experience among its maze of mangrove islands and waterways. This pristine coastal area is home to diverse marine life including snook, redfish, and tarpon, making it a premier fishing destination along Florida's Paradise Coast. Visitors can book guided fishing charters from Everglades City to navigate the labyrinthine waters and discover secluded beaches and abundant wildlife throughout this unique ecosystem.
7. Paradise Coast Blueway
SCENIC KAYAKING TRAILS
The Paradise Coast Blueway provides kayakers and paddleboarders with marked water trails to explore the natural beauty surrounding Everglades City. Paddlers can navigate through mangrove tunnels, open bays, and tidal creeks while observing dolphins, manatees, and countless bird species in their natural habitat. This well-mapped water trail system offers routes for various skill levels, from beginners to experienced paddlers seeking a full-day adventure through one of Florida's most pristine coastal environments.
8. Ernest Hamilton Observation Tower
PANORAMIC EVERGLADES VIEWS
The Ernest Hamilton Observation Tower challenges visitors to climb 108 steps to reach the highest vantage point in Everglades City. From the top, adventurous climbers are rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding wetlands, mangrove forests, and waterways that define this unique region. This towering structure offers photographers and nature enthusiasts an unmatched perspective of the expansive Everglades ecosystem and the historic layout of Everglades City below.
9. Stone Crab Festival
SEAFOOD AND CELEBRATION
The Stone Crab Festival celebrates Everglades City's status as the birthplace of the stone crab industry and the second-largest supplier of stone crab claws in the nation. From October to May, this festival transforms the city into the epicenter of all things stone crab, offering visitors the chance to sample this delicacy prepared in various ways by local restaurants and vendors. The event features not only incredible seafood but also live music, arts and crafts, and a glimpse into the fishing heritage that has shaped this historic coastal community.
10. Everglades Eco-Tours
WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS EXPLORATION
Everglades Eco-Tours offers guided experiences through one of the world's most unique ecosystems where dolphins, manatees, alligators, crocodiles, and panthers all co-exist. Knowledgeable naturalists lead small groups through various habitats, explaining the delicate balance of this ecosystem and pointing out rare plant species including one of the world's most elusive orchids. These tours combine education and adventure, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the environmental importance of the Everglades while creating unforgettable wilderness memories.
11. Marco Island Jet Skiing
THRILLING COASTAL ADVENTURES
Marco Island Jet Skiing offers exhilarating watercraft adventures just a short drive from Everglades City. Visitors can rent jet skis to explore the island's stunning coastline, cruise through mangrove channels, and potentially spot dolphins playing in the wake. This thrilling activity provides a different perspective of the region's natural beauty while delivering an adrenaline-pumping experience suitable for adventure seekers visiting the Everglades area.
12. Smallwood Store
HISTORIC TRADING POST
The Smallwood Store, established in 1906, stands as a living museum on Chokoloskee Island just south of Everglades City, preserving the trading post that once served as the commercial and social center for this remote community. Visitors can explore the original wooden structure filled with authentic artifacts that tell the story of pioneering families, Seminole Indians, and the development of southwest Florida. This National Register of Historic Places site offers a genuine glimpse into Old Florida and the frontier lifestyle that defined the early Everglades settlements.
13. Big Cypress National Preserve
ANCIENT SWAMP WILDERNESS
Big Cypress National Preserve encompasses over 729,000 acres of swampland just north of Everglades City, protecting diverse wildlife including the elusive Florida panther, black bears, and countless bird species. Visitors can explore this vast wilderness through scenic drives like Loop Road, hiking trails that range from short boardwalks to challenging backcountry paths, and ranger-led programs that reveal the preserve's ecological importance. The preserve's freshwater swamp ecosystem is critical to the health of the adjacent Everglades, making it both a natural wonder and vital environmental resource.
14. Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
ORCHID AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, located near Everglades City, is Florida's largest state park and home to the greatest diversity of orchids and bromeliads in North America. Visitors can explore the 'Amazon of North America' via the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk, which winds through old-growth cypress forest where rare ghost orchids bloom and alligators bask in natural ponds. The park's 20-mile scenic drive and network of hiking trails offer opportunities to spot some of the 47 native orchid species, royal palms, and wildlife including black bears, Florida panthers, and numerous bird species in this pristine wilderness.
15. Everglades National Park Boat Tours
MANGROVE WILDERNESS EXPEDITION
Everglades National Park Boat Tours depart from Everglades City, offering visitors guided journeys through the park's western water passages and mangrove tunnels. Professional captains navigate the complex waterways while providing insights about the unique ecosystem, pointing out wildlife, and sharing the cultural and natural history of America's largest subtropical wilderness. These boat tours remain available even during the Gulf Coast Visitor Center's renovation, providing one of the most authentic and comprehensive ways to experience the magic of the Everglades from the water.