We rented kayaks for 2 hours from Flamingo Adventures and had a great experience. We had made a reservation weeks earlier from 2-4pm, but we were early. They were super flexible and let us start an hour early. After check in, they gave us a safety briefing and lots of information about what to do if something goes wrong. They talked about the paddling route and made sure we felt comfortable. Then they fitted us with life jackets before helping us in our kayaks. On our return, they helped us get safely out and we were on our way! The staff were friendly and very helpful. It was a great experience. read more

Flamingo Adventures - Crocodile from the kayak - Boating Near Me - Homestead, Florida

We rented a pontoon boat "the Lex" it was all torn up with what looked to be duct tape on the seats. We paid over $500.00 for this ratchet piece of equipment. None of the gauges worked on the boat. When we were getting our introduction to the boat I told the attendant I could not see how much fuel was in the boat. He rocked the boat and said - " there it is I see it" as if to suggest he saw the level of fuel through the transparent fuel bladder. We took the boat out and did not go that far before the boat ran out of fuel. It took an hour for us to be up and running again once they brought us fuel. While fueling the boat in the middle of the bay, we were told this same boat ran out of fuel a short while ago. It was suggested that it ran out of fuel on the other party because the had 6 people in the 20' pontoon boat and went a little further than expected. I've had boats for 40 years and I know that boat could not have been full when we left the dock. Thank god we had a navigational app to be able to tell them our position. Also, they should provide a disclaimer when setting up reservations for the house boats in late summer. The mosquitos are insane and the houseboats had grey duct around the windows where there must be obvious breaches. Prior to setting up my reservation, I asked about fishing from the houseboats while staying overnight in the marina. I was told that fishing was aloud from sun down to sun up. What I wasn't told - at that time- was that you can't possibly be outside after sunset in the everglades in late summer because of the mosquitos. When I discovered this fact, I called back and the marina confirmed...yes, you do not want to be outside 1/2 hour before sunset to 1/2 hour after sunrise. They did allow us to change to the Lodge instead of the houseboat, but we didn't even spend the night at the Lodge. We did eat at the restaurant - which was a nice experience; however, we were so turned off by the other issues we just grabbed or stuff and made a mad dash to the truck and left read more

Huge advocate for exploring your national parks. Flamingo campground is an amazing place to camp and venture in. Now I did do one of the Chickies's that are in the middle of nowhere. I've done three of them so far. Please be aware that this is like a hike whatever you take you must bring back don't litter. When it tells you to stay in the aquatic map section of it, please listen to it because there are shallow waters that you don't know of that you can get stuck on. When it tells you it's 8 miles and you aren't ready for that please take that into consideration. Some of the trails may have had possible weather damage so some of the polls may not be fully visible. Also have that in mind. Now pass the scary stuff this is an amazing trip. You're out either in open waters or in canopies of greenery going through waterways to get to your campsite which ever way you do it. It's an amazing adventure. In open waters, you can see a little bit more wildlife like dolphin, sharks, even some crocodiles, fish, stingrays, and various birds. When you're doing the waterways with greenery, it can get tricky to maneuver through them at times which makes it fun. At first, I've done it with just me and one other person then it was four of us and then it was eight of us all females so if we can do it, you can do it. It's a pretty cool experience. Be aware of tide, be aware of weather, be aware of distance and you'll be fine. read more

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A group of friends spent a week in the Miami area. We drove into the Everglades through the Homestead entrance. We drove all the way out to Flamingo. It's a beautiful drive! We spent some time in the nature center in Flamingo and then went on the "back country" boat tour. Our tour was in the middle of the day and it was HOT! So, we didn't see a whole lot of critters, but that was our fault for not getting out there earlier. We did see some dolphins while on the boat tour and manatee in the marina area. We got a slight glimpse of a croc on the boat tour but it was super hard to see. Learning about the Everglades was interesting! I would go back but during cooler months and in the morning when we are more likely to see critters! Bring a hat and big spray! read more

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We rented kayaks here when visiting the Everglades. It was $32 for a tandem kayak for 2 hours which seems reasonable to me. We kayaked to Coot Bay and it took us a little longer than 2 hours, but they didn't charge us. We were hoping to see crocodiles, but we didn't. It was still a great place to kayak. We did see a lot of manatees when we got back to the marina. This was one of our favorite things we did in the park, so I definitely recommend it! read more

Flamingo Adventures - Boating Near Me - Homestead, Florida

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My parents and I did the Backcountry Boat Tour and we loved our experience. Wildlife is not guarenteed but we were lucky to see a plethora of birds and four wild crocodiles. Ry was our naturalist and Captain Nick ran the boat and both were amazing. Ry had mentioned that this was the most crocs she has seen out in a while. It was really cool to learn about the ecosystem, learn about the 3 mangroves, the waterways (what was manmade versus natural), and what the conservation of the area looks like. Both Ry and Nick had some great suggestions of what we should do the rest of the day and those trials did not disappoint. We thought it was well worth the money! read more

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Visiting the Everglades was a life bucket list for me. I had many, many questions about lodging in Flamingo and every single one of my interactions with the staff was stellar. The lodge wasn't ready yet (and when it is, it will be an excellent option) but the staff directed me to the winter season Eco Tents and I am so thankful for the experience. Winter tents still have furniture, a fan and linens. Summer is just the tent. The bed and bedding was very comfortable and thanks to high quality bug netting on the giant windows, we felt like we were a part of the amazing nature experience. The more you know about the place, the more you will get out of the experience. Be aware that all food must be stored in your car and you have to eat in the separate picnic area. Bathrooms are shared but clean and even have warm water. It was not buggy when we were there in late April but we were prepared in case it was. Read the information ahead and you'll be prepared. I just wish that we had prepared to stay longer. For this Northwesterner, this Florida experience was exceptional. read more

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Zero stars. Disgusting customer service! I called to get information on a boat tour. I am a Head & Neck Cancer survivor & have difficulty speaking, which I explained to the customer service representative. She laughed at my speaking & never answered my questions. I have NEVER experienced this treatment EVER before. I pray that I never do again. They lost a customer for life. read more

We rented two bikes for the two hour window. The staff was not friendly and the lady at the window didn't know if we were able to extend to four hours... you have a computer to check what's available??? thank god we didn't do the four hours because the bike seats are so uncomfortable and my handlebars ended up not staying in place for a second after being on the bike for 10 minutes. not many bike trails right in that area anyways‍ read more

2:00p tour There were two tours available with departure times at noon and 2:00p. We missed the first tour so we signed up for the second one. Each tour lasted for about 90-mins. The boat is docked at the Flamingo Marina. We rode the Bald Eagle II pontoon boat with Captain Smitty and Tyler (1st officer). Both were seasoned naturalist who were knowledgeable about the coastal Mangrove habitat as we ventured into the Whitewater Bay exploring the Florida backcountry. We saw egrets and a water snake and I was really hoping to see more crocs but we weren't able to see much. For $35/person I thought it was a little expensive (I had more fun with the two swamp adventures in Louisiana). We did learn a lot from our two tour guide captains about the Everglades habitat as they tried to be entertaining too at their best. If touring in the summertime try to be one of the first ones to get on board so you can have your choice of seat. If you are one of the last ones to get on you will end up in the front which is not covered by the canopy and it gets hot under the sun! The ride was smooth with just a few spots of open water where we picked up speed. Don't forget sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses and a hat. There is a general store onsite where we purchased the tour tickets. It was pretty big inside where they sold anything from ice cream to canned goods, auto products to souvenirs. Bought that can of insect repellent here. I remember the young staff to be nice and friendly. There are picnic benches outside under shade where we ate our snacks and ice cream. Items here are on the expensive side. Review #1764 read more

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Very knowledgeable guide and captain. Especially about botany and history. Not much wildlife though.

Feb 2024. Hotel was without any water. Guests were told to leave by management. We had to press hotel for partial refund. Pitiful.

We enjoyed the back country boat tour with our naturalist Jen. She gave us a great tour pointing out birds and plants. I would recommend the tour vs renting a kayak on your own. You will see more and learn more. read more

DO NOT RENT BOATS FROM THEM. (The picture below was taken on December 10, 2022 and as you can see the registration sticker was expired since June, 2022) They rented me a defective boat with an EXPIRED REGISTRATION. They did not want to refund me my money after their battery on the boat died and they rented me a boat with an expired registration. Had to get rescued by the NPS as their radio was not functioning properly due to the battery being dead. Patty the manager, was very rude. read more

Whoever manages this place is unprofessional as all get-out. Rude employees, wrong information and lack of rentals is not the way to run a business. My family and I were looking forward to having a big adventure for my brother's 70th birthday, but were disappointed to find that the boat we had reserved was not running. We had to rent a boat from a completely different establishment in order to find a big enough boat for our family. We lost half of the day trying to find an available boat. How do you not have a boat that someone has reserved and paid for? When we asked to speak to management we were denied access. The good news is we did find a great establishment to rent a boat from. We will use them for future outings. read more

We were totally disappointed with the trip It was more about talking the eco system rather than finding the glades inhabitants. Although we saw 1 crocodile at the very end and the tail of a manatee in mirky water. Our overall on a scale of 1-10 would be a 1. My advice do not got on this tour. Waste of $40 each to hear about glades. You could get more out of books on the glades and still not spend $40 each. Also no senior discount. Very disappointing Waste of time and money. read more

WARNING: Kayak rentals end at 3 pm SHARP. Even if you are one minute late they will not rent to you. This is NOT advertised on their website and the customer service/reservation line does not tell you this. ______________ Called the morning of 2/15 to make a reservation for a 2 hour kayak rental since the online system had closed. The agent told me I could not reserve for the same day but that there were plenty of openings for a 3 pm rental. We drove the ~2 hours from Shark Valley to Flamingo and arrived at 3:01. Even though it was only one minute after 3, the company said we had missed the rental window. I begged the dock master for some consideration since we had made the drive specifically to do this activity, and the reservation agent never informed us that there was a strict cut off time. We of course would have still brought the kayaks back by 5 pm, but the dock master showed absolutely no understanding. He said they have frequent issues with the reservation line not giving customers this info, but despite acknowledging this was a misstep with his company, he would not make an accommodation for us being one minute late. We were EXTREMELY disappointed since we shaped our day in the Everglades around doing this activity. Honestly have never experienced such inflexibility and lack of care or understanding for customers. read more

I rented the nice tents and had a blast with my family. It's good to go when the weather is cooler.

We rented a houseboat for 3 days in May. We did not see all the wildlife we expected to see, thought there would have been wildlife everywhere. Think we could have been at the end of the "viewing season." Once you have seen the first mangrove island you have seen everything so it was too many days. No banks at all that you could dock boat and get out and wander anywhere. We did a little fishing but was awkward trying to secure the boat for the right fishing spot. If you want to get away from everything with no cell/internet service in the middle of the water then this might be for you. read more

Rented kayaks for a couple days. Staff was extremely helpful! Good people I say! Paddles up the canal and saw alligators AND crocodiles AND A BABY MANATEE with a MOMMA MANATEE! Lovely experience! Staying in the campground nearby which was also top notch! read more

Flamingo Adventures - Boating Near Me - Homestead, Florida

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I rented a kayak from them overnight for a camping trip. I told them that I had almost no kayaking experience. They recommend me to go to a faraway place called Hell's Bay which required me to pay additional $35 for transportation of the kayak. I went there, and it was horrible. It was mostly narrow paths inside magrove forest. There were frequent 180-degree turns, and the path was so narrow and had overhanging tree branches that it was impossible to use a normal puddle. They gave me a short puddle too, but it was so unpleasant to do so many switchbacks so frequently. I felt claustrophobic symptoms. Also, the path was so narrow that I couldn't maintain the 6 feet distance from other kayaks when there was traffic. They said it was scenic, but it was all same trees for 2 hours of gruesome crawling switchbacks. I was expecting a fun trip, but it was like driving in a parking garage for 2 hours in the first gear. Only the last 10 minutes was on an open water. After I came back, I asked for a partial refund for the ill advice, but the supervisor refused. read more

Very disappointed in this $40 boat ride in the Everglades National Park. I understand no one can control whether you actually see wildlife, but during the long 90 min ride, at least the guide could have offered lots of interesting facts and stories about the park and it's history. We felt this was a total waste of money. We saw a few birds and 2 baby alligators. The rest of the time was a slow ride out and speedy return thru the mangroves. read more

Flamingo Adventures has taken over running the campground in Flamingo at Everglades National Park. We were there from2/11 through 2/15.The plus would be that they have an ice machine at the entrance station which is open until 10 at night. The minuses: 1. The price has gone up considerably and the senior discount went from 50% to 10%. 2. The A loop which used to be open to tents and small trailers only is now open to larger rigs which are allowed to run generators - noisy! 3. Dogs are now allowed. Mostly that is OK (though National Park?), but I did see one running loose and chasing the black vultures who are year round residents. 4. The bathrooms were only marginally clean, about what they have been in the past. In the men's room, one of the showers did not work the whole time we were there. Also the dishwashing sink at the restrooms is also used to fill and dump the floor cleaning water. And it doesn't seem to be cleaned out after dumping. It was pretty disgusting! 5. It used to be that something like 50% of the spaces were left fo people who just arrive. Now all seem to be reservable. We came planning to stay through the weekend, but left a couple of days early because the campground was full. 7. Staff do not seem particularly knowledgeable. We asked about the tree shading our campsite and were told maybe an avocado which it definitely was not. When we asked a ranger we were told it was mahogany and given all kinds of information. Maybe the staff member had just started, but it seems a minimum of natural history information should be part of the staff trying. There are lots mahogany trees in the campground. read more

We took a boat ride into the mangroves. The naturalist was well informed and went out of her way to show the birds and crocodiles in this part of the Everglades. The marina store has snacks, salads and sandwiches. There is a food truck outside which serves extremely mediocre food. They can get the price being in a remote area so they charge a high one. My wife and I ordered the jerk chicken on what was supposed to be Ciabatta bread. If you call a hamburger roll Ciabatta bread, you should get out of the food business. The chicken didn't taste like chicken. There was no spices on it as one would expect. In essence it was an awful sandwich. Curiously, the woman who took the order and who I presume is the chef was a sourpuss. With all the friendly people down in this area, she certainly was an exception. Maybe that's what made the food so bad. If you're hungry I would order something inside. Everything else was lovely. It's worth the 38 mile drive. You can stop along the way in various lookouts, ponds and nature areas. read more

Been going to ENP for 45 years. About 6-7 yrs ago, the govt allowed a contractor to take over campgrounds. Prices have skyrocketed. Its still worth it though and things are not bad/ bot many changes. HOWEVER- i was shocked that both Saturdays I was there- away from the noise of the city- i was appalled that at 615AM a friggin garbage truck in the midst of total tranquility and a sound sleep CAME TO EMPTY THE DUMPSTERS! HTF DO THEY LET THIS HAPPEN!? I asked staff- nice ppl- and they disnt understand my issue with this!? R u effin kidding me!? And i said" they had the balls to HONK when they left!?! The staff said of yeah " they do that for me to make sure im awake " and laughed! WHAT THE F IS GOING ON! I pay $25/nite to TENT CAMP! Get that effing truck there at another gd time!? HOW DONT U KNOW THIS!? Im camping to get the F away from that! Ps in Ft Laud- its illegal to do this! FIX THIS FOR NEXT WINTER! read more

This place is sooo remote it doesn't even have an address! Once you enter the Everglades well drive about 32 miles into it and SURPRISE you found Flamingo. Flamingo has various trails, rivers, canoe rides and campsites. This place is very east to get lost. There is a marina here where you can launch your boat, either into the back country (if you don't know what you are doing do not I repeat do not go exploring), or into the bay/gulf. This is one of the last pristine and wild places you can go to. You see deer, flamingos, millions of birds, gators and tons of fish. It is breathe taking every time I go! I love it here. You will never see so many stores I you com here at night! There are small outposts in the middles of marsh beds where you can set up camp. (only accessible by boat) There are areas here where you cannot have a gas engine, or you can even touch certain things. The Eco system here is very fragile. I suggest everyone come here go on a guided boat ride. Phones don't work here, and there are millions of stories of people being lost here. Hence the famous "lost mans river"!!!!!! Flamingo has changed drastically in the last 50 years, due to economic influence but it is still very primitive. The mosquito's laugh at off and other repellents and they are twice the size of what you are used to. If you go go during the winter. If you go during summer months buy ultrathon it is the best mosquito repellent yo can buy! read more

Flamingo Adventures - Boating Near Me - Homestead, Florida