everglades trip ?? best way to to this

[louisbourg]

we are now getting in to the individual "what would you like to do " time
and my husband has said he would like to go to the everglades
i have looked at a full day trip £55 per person

but we have he car ,how long from davenport area ???
my question is , could we drive to there and then book the boat ride bit of it ??
or not , is this a good experience , we are all up for it so , any info and advice , thank you

better just to ask you guys , cause the help is amazing [clap]

thanks in advance
sharon

[MarkJan]

We did an everglades trip in a day, hard work but for me, the freedom to come and go as you please is everything.

[Newhomebuyer]

If I was on my first trip, I would not include this. I would suggest your do something closer to home instead which gives you a similar flavour. I would recommend Boggy Creek Airboats. You don,t have that long drive but you do get a real Florida atmosphere.
The Evergalades are great to include if you are having a couple of nights away but its a long trip for a day out.IMHO

[Jules]

The first time we went to Florida we did a full day coach trip down to the everglades and Marco Island and it was a great "taster".

We had an early start, 7am pick up from our hotel, and didn't get back until after midnight so it was a long day but very enjoyable.

We stopped on the way down for breakfast at a McDonalds, did an airboat ride in the everglades, saw lots of gators and racoons, the kids got the chance to have their photos taken holding Monty a very large python! We went on to Marco Island where we had a sandwich lunch on a cabin cruiser that then took us on a tour around the inland waterways looking at some very nice houses finally we were taken to the Marriott hotel where we got to spend an hour or two on their private beach, there was a shell collecting competiton organised for the kids while the parents just chilled and finally we had a carvery/buffet dinner at the Marriott before the drive home.

The coach was fully air-conditioned, had really comfy seats and equipped with TV's showing various Disney movies. We packed lots into the day and thoroughly enjoyed it. If we went now we would probably drive down ourselves but spend a couple of nights down there and combine it with a trip to the beach but I wouldn't like to do a self drive all in one day. On the coach you could relax on the journey and even have a snooze if you wanted, I would find driving there and back in one day too tiring.

[Jill]

When we have toured the Everglades we have normally done it as part of a 'road trip' so could not say exactly how lokg it would take but would expect it to be 2 to 3 hours. The Everglades covers a vast area and has some interesting things to visit but if it is only an air boat ride you want to do then as suggested Boggy Creek is excellent and you will see a lot of wildlife.

If you are thinking of seeing more of the Everglades I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Chokoloskee to visit Ted Smallword's Trading Post. It is absolutely fascinating for all ages as you step back in time as the store is still laid out with everything he and his daughter sold. The curator was also excellent and able to answer any questions we had. After we visited a small gift store in Everglades City which sold food. We judged it a good place to eat as all the local police were seated eating meals!

[Albert the Frog]

It's a heck of a drive for a day. I'd go as suggested on Boggy Creek Airboat Rides where you get a good feel and if you want to take in the "full" Everglades build it in on a future trip as an overnighter. Davenport to Everglades city is about 175 miles one way.

[neild292]

If you want a taster I too would recommend Bogey Creek - We all really enjoyed it

Neil

[Upsidedown]

I have used Boggy creek and air boat john (google for it). I found the Boogy creek ride to be impersonnal as we were just one family amongst many on what amounts to a great big prop driven barge, we shot backwards and forwards across the lake and saw a couple of gators.

The air boat john ride was very different. We were on an eigth seater air boat and went out on the rivers. After about half an hour we pulled up on a sand bank for 10 or 15 mins and had a chat with John and eat our picnic before we continued. During the remainder of our trip we saw 20ish Gators some were huge and it seemed that John almost knew each of them in terms of where they would be and when. We also saw some Bald Eagles (approx 50 feet way) and generally had a great time.
The downside is that it is a fair drive out towards the coast but it was as i say a much more personallised ride that the boggy creek job. There is nothing wrong with boggy creek its just different thats all and horse for courses and all that.

[Jill]

For anyone visiting the Everglades and wanting ideas of somewhere to go I have just posted the details of our visit to Ted Smallwoods Store and Trading Post. We found this by accident as it is off the beaten track but it is just like stepping back in time as all the items Ted and his daughter sold are still on show. The curator was excellent and able to tell us all about the history of the area.

[blott]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Upsidedown

I have used Boggy creek and air boat john (google for it). I found the Boogy creek ride to be impersonnal as we were just one family amongst many on what amounts to a great big prop driven barge, we shot backwards and forwards across the lake and saw a couple of gators.

The air boat john ride was very different. We were on an eigth seater air boat and went out on the rivers. After about half an hour we pulled up on a sand bank for 10 or 15 mins and had a chat with John and eat our picnic before we continued. During the remainder of our trip we saw 20ish Gators some were huge and it seemed that John almost knew each of them in terms of where they would be and when. We also saw some Bald Eagles (approx 50 feet way) and generally had a great time.
The downside is that it is a fair drive out towards the coast but it was as i say a much more personallised ride that the boggy creek job. There is nothing wrong with boggy creek its just different thats all and horse for courses and all that.[/quote]Usually the Boggy Creek airboat drivers will pull up so that you're only a few feet from the many alligators so you can get a close up view (and photograph opportunity) of them. We've seen loads with small babies and also lots of heron, crane and egrets.

You obviously didn't take the side trip on the buggy ride then I assume at Boggy Creek's Southport location.

This is a vehicle with huge wheels and takes you on a tour around the many square miles of wildlife in natural habitat at Boggy Creek. The drivers are very knowledgable and we managed to see a mother wild turkey with her young (a rare sight apparently as she normally keeps them in hiding because of potential predators) and got within about twenty feet of two nesting bald eagles.

Boggy Creek is just a small 'taster' of what the vast Everglade area is like though.