Enjoyed this tour a lot! Two hour tour but you'll see plenty of wild animals. The tour guide is very negative and there are few stops along the way. The tour admission doesn't come with the park admission and they do get booked often so make sure you make a reservation ahead of time. Bring plenty of water and sunblock if you want to walk around back at the station! read more

I really enjoyed this tour even though it was the dry season which meant we didn't see tons of wildlife. Our guide was funny and informative. Anytime the driver saw alligators or interesting birds, he would stop and creep up slowly so everyone had a chance to see them. Tip: sit in the very back of the second tram, and you'll have somewhere to prop your feet. read more

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Great experience at Shark Valley! Our guide Adam was very knowledgeable and entertaining. He shared lots of interesting facts about this land and alligators. Our driver Carlos was also made the ride smooth and enjoyable. We really enjoyed the tour and learned a lot along the way. read more

The tour was just amazing. It was $33 but worth every penny. I thought it would be a little bit of narration but the commentary was pretty non stop for the entire 2 hours. Yes, it sounds like a lot but we didn't get bored one moment. We gathered a wealth of information about Shark Valley, The Everglades and all the flora and fauna in it. We started early at 9:30am and it was absolutely an amazing day for the tour. We started with a mission of counting the gators but the moment we saw a big puddle with a bunch of baby gators, we quickly realized it would be really big and gave up counting. The number would easily be over 100 and you are visiting Florida, you can go back and say you saw the real wild life in Florida. There was a 20 min in between break for going to the top of the viewing tower and to use restrooms. We were a party of 10 and some of us initially considered renting a bike but I am glad we did this tour instead and got to learn so much from the narrator. Next time, I will do the bike ride especially if it's a cool day. There isn't any shade in the park(no large trees), so please come prepared for that. Tram tour is highly recommended. read more

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It's a pretty packed 2+ hours tram ride, there are many to see and explore in the shark valley entrance of Everglades National Park. Tram ride $34 per person. The tour guide provided lot of information about the park, we saw lots of gators but was a bit disappointed as we don't see many birds. The tram stopped at the tower for 20 minutes which is not enough time for me to venture the surrounding. I will suggest to follow by the bike rent after the tram ride to cover more places and have the leisure time to get around the park. read more

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We visited Shark Valley Visitor Center on Tue 1/3026. This entrance is about an hour drive directly west from Miami/Doral area via the Tamaimi Trail (Rt 41). This one of four Everglades visitor center entrances open every day 9am-5pm. Very informative visitir center. Exploring options include self directed hiking & biking. We chose the 2 hr. guided tour with a motorized, open-sided tram. Driver Carlos & guide Kelly were excellent. Adults $34, Seniors $26, Children (3-12) $18. Everyday, hourly 9am-4pm. Check website for the two seasons. This is the best way to get the most out of your visit. Learned much about the varied landscapes-swamps, hammocks, limestone formations. Many bird species, lots of alligators, saw one of two resident crocodiles, turtles, deer. Also a stop at an observation tower. This is a vast expanse, 2400 sq miles, that deserves more than one day. We followed this up with a trip on the partially paved Loop Road through the Miccosukee tribal lands & their visitor cultural center. Thank you to the staff. It was a great adventure. Nick & Liz, Albany, NY, USA read more

The Shark Valley district may be the busiest section of Everglades National Park. And within Shark Valley, riding the two hour tram excursion through the heart of the park is probably the #1, most popular activity. So...although Everglades NP is broken up into 4 separate parts...here at Shark Valley, it's most accessible to tourists and who doesn't enjoy being chaperoned around along a narrated tour (avoiding the rugged Florida heat especially in summers), feeling the fresh air breeze hitting your face without having to work hard to see the sights around a national park?? I just revisited this Shark Valley area of the Everglades and let me give an updated perspective about what you can expect from this tram ride. - Tram Tours are 9am - 4pm - Tours depart at the top of every hour. Last tour is 4pm. Most mornings tours sell out quickly with mid to late afternoon tours having remaining availabilities. - You can pre-book online ahead of time at sharkvalleytramtours.com or you can arrive the day of and purchase tickets from leftover tours inside the Visitor Center. - Adults are $33, Seniors are $25 and Children ages 3 through 12 are $18. - Tours are two hours long and are escorted by a park ranger who gives all details about the Everglades, the wildlife in the park and the swampy landscape surroundings. The tram follows the 15 mile roundtrip, paved loop around Shark Valley. - It's open seating for tours. Trams accommodate 5 passengers per row. - The first hour of the tour is driving halfway into the Everglades and stopping for gator and bird sightings and introducing guests to what makes the park so important in preserving. - After the first hour, you take a 20 minute pause to exit the tram and walk up an observation tower ramp to uncover 360 degree panoramas of the Everglades from high above. - The remaining 40 minutes returns back towards the Visitor Center navigating beside the park's canal and stopping for anything of relevance. - Here's an inside tip...I sat on the left hand side of the tram and was rewarded with the best views along the tour, especially on the trip back towards the entrance. The scenery on the canal side was more colorful and scenic compared to the marsh side on the right hand side. Overall, the tram tour ride is fine. I believe it's worth the 2 hours for being in the middle of the Everglades. The park ranger offers good insights. You get to see some gators along the way. In the end, I'd suggest it when coming to Shark Valley. Btw, instead of riding the tram, there's an alternative.... The park rents out bicycles to visitors. Bike rentals are available starting from 8:30am - 4pm. Bikes are rented for unlimited time throughout day at $26. You can even take the bike around the full 15 mile loop of Shark Valley while stopping at your leisure. You can reserve a bicycle online at the same website as tram tours....sharkvalleytramtours.com. You can also bring your own bicycle with you to the Everglades without having to pay for a rental. And finally, you can walk, hike or jog any and or all of the paved loop yourself depending on how adventurous you may be. One last detail to mention....Shark Valley park gates open daily at 8:30am. It is suggested to arrive as early as possible as there's usually traffic when entering at the park gates including driving on Highway 41 to arrive here, which is one lane each way. Also, there's limited parking at Shark Valley. Lots can be full and then you're out of luck for entering. There's no alternative parking lots. Obvious advice...make plans in advance. Book tours ahead of time. Arrive as early as possible. Thanks for taking a moment to read this. Have a good one. read more

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This was an amazing tour of this part of the Everglades. Our guide and driver were both very helpful in pointing out various birds and reptiles on the tour. We lost count of the number of alligators we saw, and there was even a crocodile hanging out near the observation tower. We also saw many types of birds--storks, herons, egrets, purple gallinule, and more. The guide and driver were also good at explaining the history, geology and ecology of the Everglades. So, glad we took this tour, and it is relatively inexpensive. read more

Shark Valley Tram Tours - Female gator sunning on top of male. - Tours Near Me - Miami, Florida

The tram tour was so much more than I expected. The weather was great which added to the experience. The tour is 2 hours with a 20 minute stop at the observation deck. The driver pointed out various bird species, talked about the ecology of the Everglades. We saw so many alligators, alligators hatchling and a crocodile. Getting into the place was a nightmare. Stayed on line for 20 minutes because the parking lot was full. One car out, one car in. We missed our noon tram but caught the 1:00 tram. The gift shop was cool. The bathrooms were beyond disgusting. I don't even know how to describe it. The getting in and bathroom were definitely downsides. You can park out on the street and walk in and I would do that if I go back. The trail is 14.9 miles and you can walk it or rent a bike. There are a few picnic tables. It is a Unesco Heritage site which I did not know. It's really a very cool place. I would avoid going in the summer as there is no tree cover so you'd melt read more

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Can't say enough good things about Shark Valley tram tours! We were going to bike the 15 mile trail, but thought better of it to take on such a demanding physical task in July. We chose to take the tram tour at 9:30am on a Wednesday. Dan was our driver and Juan was our guide. These guys made the trip absolutely worth the money! They were both knowledgeable, funny, and quick to point out anything of interest during the ride. The only thing that could make this experience better would be if the ports-potties halfway through the tour had hand sanitizer. If you want to see gators, try to go during the cooler months and not in the hottest parts of the day. We only saw one on a very hot July morning, but these guys still made it an unforgettable experience. Would highly recommend. 10/10! read more

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We had a fabulous 2-hour tram tour at Shark Valley on 2/19/24 at 3 pm. Both guide and driver were excellent, with the driver doing a great job to spot wildlife and ensure that everyone on board had a chance to see it. The guide ID'd the wildlife and gave great explanations of the local flora and fauna while mentioning what was invasive as well. We saw many alligators, anhinga red-shouldered hawk, purple gallinule, herons, egrets, and other species. I highly recommend this educational tour. A couple of things to be aware of: 1) while this tour operates within the national park, it is a concession. 2) You need to pay admission or have a pass to enter the park. Parking is limited, and when the lot is full you will wait in line to enter the park. One car is allowed in when one car leaves. If you've prepaid, plan to arrive early to be sure you don't forfeit your reservation. read more

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Tram was good, but we could not hear much of what the tour guides said. Observation tower was very cool, along with the small hike. Every thing was good except for not being able to hear the guide and the amount he talked. read more

Shark Valley Tram Tours - View from observation tower. - Tours Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Nice tour, definitely recommend! I was so glad we did the tram- the park is vast and full of gators! read more

Shark Valley Tram Tours - Tours Near Me - Miami, Florida

We did the Shark Valley Tram Tours while at Everglades National Park as it is pretty much the only thing to do there if you're not biking. It's operated by a 3rd party - we paid around $85 for two adults and one child. All rides are usually fully booked and unless you're a party of 5 or more, you'll have to sit with other people. I found that a bit uncomfortable as I was basically staring at some strangers each time I would look to the right. The staff was great - very knowledgeable and kind. That being said, as someone who has been the Everglades plenty of times, I didn't find this to be the most exciting tour. It's about two hours long including a stop at the observation tower. You mostly see sawgrass. The breeze is nice tho - we all took a quick nap lol. We did see over 20+ alligators including babies and birds like egrets and cranes. Overall a nice afternoon but probably a one and done kind of experience for me. read more

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It was an amazing experience. Ricky was our guide and Richard was our driver. They were both very knowledgeable, friendly, provided a lot of information and willing to answer questions. We learned about National Parks and the Everglades. We saw many different animals including a number of alligators and birds. It was an excellent experience and I highly recommend. read more

Shark Valley Tram Tours - Tours Near Me - Miami, Florida

This is a place we here "you" can get eaten with the alligators on the trail HAHa; if you are looking for a great walk in nature this is a great place to go. Whether of the tram, bike or just a hike you will love it. Sometimes you will run /walk up to an alligator sunbathing so keep you head on a swivel. To hike it's 7 miles to the tower and another 8 to returned; but for me it is well worth it. Nature in So Fl at its finiest read more

Lots and lots of gators. A little too much narration and slightly long but overall it was excellent to see all of the gators.

Did this in June, and it was packed. They said February was usually their best time. We lucked out and got a non-rainy tour. Maybe a few drops, but we stayed dry. Both the driver and Ranger Jeep were great, lots of good information all around. Only saw a few gators as it was super hot and they were under water, but it was fine. Lots of cool birds, the fish at the tower at the halfway point were awesome. Just lots of good information and humor throughout. Highly recommend! read more

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I'd highly recommend the 15 mile bike ride through the Everglades here! You'll pay about $35 to enter the park with your car, and once you're in, plan to see lots of gators and cool wildlife! I've been here twice. On the first visit, which was a cold, cloudy day, we saw over 40 gators, some of whom were sunbathing right in the bike path! Today was warmer, so most gators are under the water. We saw about 8 total throughout the ride. We also some a few beautiful birds. Overall, this is a very peaceful and relaxing ride that almost anyone can do! read more

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Best way to see the Everglades on a hot day with 2 young kids. Bob and Bethany we're great guides...full of facts and tips. Saw tons of gators, birds, and even saw an American crocodile from the observation tower. read more

TIP: Sit on the driver side of the tram for the best views in my opinion. JUST TAKE IT! We took the Shark Valley tram in April 2023 while visiting the Everglades. I had been hesitant to take the tram as the reviews I'd read were so-so, but there wasn't much else to do, so we went for it. We were pleasantly surprised! The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is I felt it was a bit on the pricey side, but ultimately well worth it. PARK AND PAY We arrived on the early side and parked in the Shark Valley Visitor Center parking lot. We paid for the tram ride in the gift shop and waited on the benches outside where you can use the restroom, get a soda from the vending machine or eat snacks and sandwiches purchased from the shop. You can also get your National Park Passport stamped in the shop/visitor center. The visitor center is quite small -- if you want to visit a larger/better one at Everglades, I recommend the Ernest F. Coe visitor center, closer to Homestead. INFORMATIVE The narrator, Kelly was excellent -- she was very enthusiastic , passionate and interesting and totally made the tour. Also a shout out to our driver Woody! I was glad that we took the tram over renting a bike as we were able to benefit from the educational narration and a roof over our heads, sheltering us from the sun. Definitely wear a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and bring water as even in April it was very hot and humid. The tram itself has hard seats and is a bit cramped as you're sat knee to knee with your neighbor. My husband and I sat one in front of the other so we both had a seat next to the 'window'. (There's no glass, it's all open air). OBSERVATION TOWER STOP Approximately halfway through, (at the 7-mile mark) we stopped at the Shark Valley Observation Tower for about 20 minutes. It's an ugly concrete tower with walking ramps that was formerly part of an oil well that gives you a 360 degree, 20 mile view over the area. It was good to stretch our legs. We saw a variety of wildlife along the way including many alligators and birds. Note: There are restrooms at the visitor center and at the observation tower, although some of them weren't working at the observation tower. We later drove to the Oasis Visitor Center, but it was disappointingly closed, so be sure to check for opening hours/closures. read more

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Our group took the Tram Tour today. The speaker, Mike did a great job. We saw lots of gators and a few birds. It was two hour tour which was mostly looking at sawgrass. read more

We drove from Miami after getting off the plane for the 9:30 am tram tour. We were a bit early, so did a short walk on the trail. Many people already had rental bikes and were also on the trail. The tram tour is a two hour loop. From other reviews, I was excited to see many alligators. We did stop to see one female alligator guarding her nest. That was the only one we saw. the guide said it was too hot for the alligators to be out. In the winter and early spring, the alligators would be out laying on the trail. The scenery was nice, and we saw a lot of large birds. The lookout tower was interesting, but my teenage boy was not that enthused. It was nice but we were tired and dosed off during the tram ride. read more

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We had an amazing experience on the Tram Tour! Our driver was Dianah who was paired up with Kelly as our guide. We learned so much about Everglades NP and saw lots of great wildlife. We even got stories associated with specific gators. We were originally going to rent bikes and do the loop. The waitlist was too long but we got on to a Tram Tour. We feel lucky for that! Thanks Kelly for your knowledge and the convo! read more

We had an awesome driver and emcee. We saw a lot of alligators, turtles, birds. We had the opportunity to climb the tower which was really cool. Our emcee was very knowledgeable about the ecosystem of the Everglades, the type of wildlife we saw. She explained the difference between alligators and crocodiles. Overall would do this tour again. read more

Another essential while in Miami is a Shark Valley Tram Tour. You'll need to reserve ahead of time for the tour. You'll see the best of Everglades National Park from the comfort of a tram. Our guided pointed out the wildlife such as birds commonly found in the area and also the driver helped us locate the alligators in the wild. Do not miss the tour while you are in Miami. You'll need a rental car to get there as it's quite from from the city. read more

We absolutely enjoyed ourselves on this tour. The weather was perfect and the tour was so informative. We recommend this over walking or biking the 15 miles... you simply can't get all of the good info on your own as you take in the amazing Everglades wildlife. read more

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No mosquitoes! We learned that since the water is always moving the mosquitoes are not here! They only lay eggs in stagnant water. The Everglades are comprised of water that is always moving. I wish I had known that before I lathered up with bug spray. Don't bother. At least not in winter. We live here in Florida now and I told my husband I always wanted to do this tram tour. He agreed to make the trip down the Tamiami Trail from Naples. We only had to sit twice waiting for crews working. Honestly they are never done working on this road. Make sure you leave extra time in case you get stopped (as usual) by work crews. They were chopping back trees in one spot and repaving in another. When you build on swampland, the maintenance issues never end. I tried to call ahead to buy tram tour tickets (online said they were no longer selling tix) but the park just told me to show up 30 minutes before the tour. Fortunately we left early so the delays on Tamiami Trail didn't muck things up. If you arrive early you have the opportunity to take a short boardwalk hike before the tram. I recommend you do this as tour guides have different stories and you might get some added info that the tram guide doesn't mention. The boardwalk is not part of the tram tour. I was surprised there were not more birds on the tour. We only saw a few great egrets, one small blue heron, some black crows and several anhingas. If you are looking for birds, this is not your tour. We all wanted to see gators and saw about 6 or 7 on the two hour tour. If you go in the heat of summer you may not see any gators! Our tour was end of November so it was cooler and several gators were sunning themselves right on the pavement. Honestly some of the gators were way too close for comfort. I mean they were right next to the wheels (and our feet fortunately up higher on the tram but .... yikes). It was shocking how close they let us get as we rolled by. We actually saw several more gators and a snake that the driver either missed or ignored (afterall they do have a schedule). In cooler weather if they stopped for every gator it would turn into a 4 hour tour. The observation tower is impressive with its circular concrete ramp. Disappointing you can't actually climb the spiral staircase in the middle. Our guide advised that section of the tower was originally designed as a fire watch platform but they concluded another 12 feet would not yield much of a different view so they locked it off as obsolete. As a risk manager I did like that the walls are high enough to keep little ones (under 6 years old) out of harms way. Unfortunately that also means they can't see over the rail. I wonder how much someone in a wheelchair could see? Our tour guide gave us some good info about the Everglades and some of the tree islands we were seeing. We also learned the difference between a swamp and a marsh. If you have little ones under 10 I think it would be a tough ask for them to endure this two hour tour. We had a bratty six year old on our tour that nearly ruined it for the rest of us. If the young ones want to see gators take them to a gator farm or zoo not on this tour. They'll be bored. read more

Random family day date! Extremely fun and very scenic. Did encounter multiple gators and birds. Will say bring snacks and water! read more

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Shark valley tram tour is run in the Everglades NP but it is run by a private vendor. We took the tour and learned a lot about the Everglades. I would highly recommend taking this tour due to the heat, and being from MN, I loved it. The other options are to bike the road or walk it. The captain and driver are very knowledgeable about the park and do a guided tour on the tram. We saw many gators, birds, turtles laying eggs, and beautiful spring flowers. I highly recommend this tour and I'm sure you'll learn something too. read more

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We went on a tram tour with Mike and Adam and had a fantastic experience and saw many alligators, including some babies, and many birds. Mike's narration added to our education. Really glad we booked this for our trip to South Florida. read more

$31 adult tram tour, takes about 2 hours, very informative, we're lucky to encounter gamers through the tram ride, so worth. read more

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Tour guides Brian and Bethany were very knowledgeable and did a great job spotting interesting things to see and explaining the workings of the ecosystem. read more

When you visit Shark Valley you have a few different options to complete the 15 mile loop that runs through the park. You can walk it, bike it with your own bike or rent one in the park, or take a Tram Tour. The last few times I visited I have biked it. This time I decided to see it the easy way by tram. The tram is an independent vendor, Shark Valley Tram Tours, and is not operated by the park service so bring money to tip your driver. Once you pay your park admission ($20) you can purchase the $25 tram tickets. Shark Valley is extremely popular and tram tours sell out so you want to purchase tickets as early as possible at the visitors center. Sometimes you can be completely shut out of the park on the weekends in the winter. On the day I visited I purchased my tickets at 1 o'clock and was booked for the 4 o'clock tram. Fortunately they had a no show for the 2 PM tram and they fit me on that. A tram tour is 2 hours long and departs from the Shark Valley Visitors Center. There is a 15 minute stop at the half way point so you can climb the tower and make use of the portable toilets. I got a lot of good information from the guide as we came upon many alligators and wading birds. The weather was colder which it made an excellent time to spot alligators. I also saw a lot of baby alligator, at least a hundred when I stopped counting. The only downside of the tram is it won't make a stop when you want to take a picture. You also want to make sure you sit at the end of a bench for the best view. It's nice to walk the foot path because you can take the time to find the hidden wildlife but if you want to see the whole park with the least physical exertion the tram is the way to go. read more

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This was overall an incredible experience. My sister and I were trying to figure out the best way to see Shark Valley. I definitely didn't think I would be able to walk or bike 15 miles. In that case, the tram was the best option. Initially we couldn't find any tickets available online. So, we arrived early and thankfully they had tickets available. We got on a pretty full 9am tram with a school group and a number of smaller groups. Our guide, Amanda was amazing. She gave us so much knowledge about the park and the animals in a really captivating and witty way. I can say I was never bored. We saw alligators, different types of birds, land communities, and an absolutely breathtaking view from the tower. I highly recommend this tour. It's interesting, the views are beautiful, and it saves you from walking 15 miles. Tips: - They do tours rain or shine. (Within reason) So be prepared to get the full Florida experience and get a little wet. - Get a seat on the outside, great views seeing the park as the tram moves along. - Spend the money for the tram. We ended up picking up a few people on the backend of the tour bc they couldn't finish the walk. - Great for bird watching read more

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Speaker system was terrible. Couldn't understand anything the guide was saying. When spoke to guide off the tram he was extremely informative. Very disappointed that we couldn't understand what he was saying during the tour read more

Enjoyed the tour . Kelly and Ricky were amazing . Saw quite a few alligators and birds in December.

Our tour guides, Daina & Juan, did a fabulous job narrating and driving us through both sides of the 15-mile Shark Valley Trail loop. Gave us lots of chances to stop & view wildlife up close. Highly recommend this tour!! read more

Shark Valley is rated as the best place to see animals, and it delivered! We took a tram tour on a weekend afternoon. The clouds were out when we left on the two-hour tour, and the rains came about halfway through. Even though we had rain jackets, we were thoroughly drenched by the end of the tour. Definitely dress for the weather! Our driver did a great job of spotting wildlife. We saw three alligators and so many birds that I lost count. Only one of the alligators was close enough for us to really see and get a photo - and it was towards the end of the tour when the rain had cooled the air down. It sounds like the morning tour had more sightings than any other on the day that we went. The tour guide was okay... he had an interesting personality and sense of humour, which I don't think translated well to the mixed audience. He did have some good information to share, yet was also easy to also tune out. read more

We got there at 9AM and the weather was arguably decent because it was partly to heavily clouded and the sun didn't roast us alive - but it was very humid. Parking is $30 per vehicle, and you're allowed to park in any state park for a week for "free". We're going to Oleta next weekend and not pay for parking #winning. We went biking and rented our bikes for $20/half-a-day (I paid for mine in advance online). BRING WATER. If you have a hydration pack of at least 2L-3L bring it, and use a lot of ice because with a regular amount our water still got warm above room temperature. Gatorade was also helpful, it lasted me throughout our first 7 miles to the tower. The last 8 miles back around the loop was the hardest, but the wind hitting you as you bike helps: this is where the water comes in extra handy. There are mile markers on the floor that'll help you track your distance traveled, it ends at marker 15. Oh and 100% bring your own cushion for the bike seat, especially if you rent: they're super uncomfortable and it hurts. We saw about 4 gators in the water, none on the road. The view of the Everglades was breathtaking at the top of the tower, and we could see snap-turtles & bass in the water below, and we saw cranes from afar too! It was a wonderful experience, and I hope my tips help! read more

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