Orlando is only a few hours away from the spectacular Everglades national park and their famous Mangrove trees. If you fancy a break away from the theme parks and crowds of Orlando you can easily head down to somewhere like Fort Myers or Everglades City to stay overnight and break up your holiday. Beware – alligators are a common sight!
Alligator safety!
As long as you are sensible and don’t go near the edge of any water, it’s more than likely that the alligators are more scared of you than you are of them. Easy to say behind the safety of a keyboard, of course…..
Alligator sunbathing, or waiting to gobble you up?
Everglades City
When we visited the Everglades we stayed at the Ivey House Bed and Breakfast in Everglades City: http://iveyhouse.com/. This is a well maintained bed and breakfast with friendly staff and a cosy feel. The rooms are small but clean, and the toilet facilities are interesting (see below!).
Ivey House – small cubicles…
Canoe through mangroves
The Ivey House organise fantastic canoe trips into the Everglades and mangrove trees, and if you’re lucky you’ll see an alligator or two! The Everglades are very shallow, only a couple of feet deep, and canoeing / kayaking through the mangroves was a fantastic experience, not one to be missed if you stay in the area. We ventured through some tiny tunnels in the mangroves, and probably visited some areas that very few people get to see.
Canoe in the Everglades through the mangrove trees
Waiting to canoe into the mangroves
Everglades city is a fairly small community, quiet and tucked away. There are some nice restaurants and airboat rides to be had in the area. We couldn’t resist tucking into some gator, frog’s legs and conch fritters!
Gator, Frog Legs, Conch?
Last but not least, everyone has to have a ride in an airboat. These boats are propelled by an aeroplane propeller to avoid the situation whereby a normal outboard gets clogged up with vegetation in the swamps, and they travel at high speed through the mangroves, often performing some “acrobatic” manoeuvres along the way. The guides are usually well versed in the history and nature of the Everglades, making for an educational as well as an exciting adventure. Not to be missed.
Everglades Airboat Ride
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