Everglades

4ncar

Gloria & i are planning a road trip to the Everglades for “spring break.” Anyone been? Care to share insights? Looking to stay in the NP, obviously, only place around to stay, so it seems! Lol tips?

phil

SweetlyHome

Phil,
I've camped in the NP, been a while.  There are two camping areas.  We were in Flamingo area in a "Standard nonelectric" site.  This was the ultimate camping in a open field experience. Grass was more like hay. Seems like there was a table and a fire pit only in each site.  We enjoyed daytime, the bugs were fierce at night.  Facilities were clean.  

As with all Florida camping in snowbird season do not plan on getting a electric site on luck.  If you do make a reservation they are not site specific but they don't vary much either.

Note that Flamingo is on the order of 30 miles from the park gate.

If you have questions ask, they will likely help my memory.

Dave

4ncar

Thanks, Dave! Yes, we have a non site specific site at Flamingo.  We have a side tent, and will surly then be a test to the bug netting! Lol.  Was the 30 miles arduous? 30 miles in Shannendoah NP takes a life time, for example.  We plan to be there several days...plenty to see/do?

SweetlyHome

Ours was a whirlwind visit, one night.  We were a bunch of guys mostly on motorcycles.  The T@B becomes the equipment carrier for the bunch, not gang.

Just checked, 38+ miles from the gate to Flamingo.  Typical south Florida road straight as an arrow and flat as a billiard table.  Just the occasional curve to adjust direction to stay on high ground.  I could find only one photo from the trip, it does show what the campsites look like.  Like I said we were in the nonelectric area.  We were out beyond the reserve area to get some space from neighbors.



Lot's to see and do is always a tricky question due to personal interests. There is hiking in the park, overviews (man made), a marina at Flamingo which I assume has rental canoes and/or kayaks, fishing is a big deal.  Marina has a typical shop with snacks etc.  There is a restaurant, at leas there was then. 

Try to see a gator and a croc if you can.  Interesting to note their differences when they are right next to one another in the wild.  Do not mess with the Pythons.

The night we were there an astronomy group from Miami set up on the beach with really good equipment and they loved letting people take a peek.  Really dark location.  We planned ahead and were able to take the tour of the Nike Hercules Missile Site within the park.  Any ranger lead walk, talk in a NP is worthwhile IHMO.

Where are you coming from?

Dave

4ncar

A nice, comprehensive review! We like the out doors; I am a retired mountaineer/technical rock climber, so this environment is waaay outside my box. Gloria is a mountain gal too, but form Colombia, so this will be similar, but different.  Anything new for us will be engaging.  We live in Maryland, close to frederick, which is outside of DC.  We are stopping in Charleston, sc & St. Augustine on our way south.  Beeline back after Everglades, road warrior style lol

SweetlyHome

Enjoy your trip!  You are going to see some real variation in what Florida has to offer.