We planned on making it a full day exploring the Everglades National Park. The Gulf Coast National Park Visitors Center didn't open until 9am. With time to kill and always open to eating, we had breakfast at 8am at the Island Cafe. There is nothing like grits, eggs, bacon, and endless cups of coffee to get you fueled up for a day of gator hunting.

It was about 9:30am when we made it the Gulf Coast Vistors Center. This is one of four centers in the National Park. At this location, visitors check in to camp on one of the remote island campsites accessible by boat only. Also, boat trips around the waterways were available..at a price. One thing that we learned were that the airboats that are always associated with the Everglades are not allowed to operate within the National Park boundaries. They are all outside the park and run by enterprising groups...like, Captain Jack's, Wooten's, Swamp Buggy Bob, etc

There are actually two sections of the Park. The north section is accessible through the Gulf Coast Vistors Center or the Shark Valley Visitor Center in Miami. The south section is reached by going through Homestead, which is about 98 miles from where we were staying. You can drive through the South Section via a scenic drive that ends at the Flamingo Vistors Center. The distance...38 miles. Needless to say, our decision to see it all was truly an all day adventure. Oh, throw in the Big Cypress National Preserve, the first national preserve established in 1974, which was adjacent to the National Park.

The drive down to the south section of the Everglades Park took us through what they call "Agricultural Zone". This area is acres and acres of nurseries. Cacti, orchids, fruits, vegetables...every conceivable plant you can imagine. To actually reach the entrance to the Everglades, you go through back roads. As for the "Scenic Drive", after the first 5 miles, it all appeared the same, but we were curious about Flamingo City. There was nothing remaining of the town and the Flamingo visitor center was closed, but we went through the display and learned about about the city that once stood where the center now stands. In it's "City" it was not, but an encampment of shacks, old trailers, and homes inhabited by souls who loved isolation and fishing.

There are pros and cons to visiting Parks in the "off season". We enjoy not having hoards of people, but we also miss out on the many educational talks, walks, and interactive programs that are presented when "in season".

Well, we didn't see any alligators or manatees and we didn't get back in time for an airboat ride or a boat ride through the park, but we can say we have been to the Everglades...I had the mosquito bites to prove it.

We returned about 6:30pm hungry. Bob and I whipped up hamburgers and chips and we called it a night.

Tomorrow, we be jammin' to Key West.